- Katana

First Impressions
The Radical Katana was introduced in November 2017 as the new flagship of the product line and stands out with an aggressive look in black and bright neon green. Technically, this ball sets new standards by combining an extremely asymmetric Katana core with UR (Ultra Responsive) coverstock technology. In the 15-pound weight, the core shows a low RG of 2.503, a high differential of 0.050 and a massive intermediate differential of 0.020. This asymmetric construction was developed specifically to provoke an extremely fast change of direction at the breakpoint. The pearl surface is finished at the factory with a 500 Siaair sand and a final Crown Factory Compound polish, which gives the ball a mirror-like surface and enormous skid.
Comparison Compared to the Radical Cash, which was designed as a massive solid model for the heaviest oil, the Katana offers considerably more length and a much more angular backend reaction. Where the Cash reads the lane early and burns energy evenly, the Katana stores its rotation for an abrupt hook. Compared to the Storm Code Black, the Radical Katana shows an even more aggressive response to friction. The Katana is built to make one of the sharpest changes of direction on the market at the time at the end of the oil pattern. Compared to the Brunswick Kingpin, the Katana offers less overall hook in oil, but a noticeably steeper entry angle into the pocket, which makes it a specialized weapon for players looking for maximum angularity who need to play deeper angles on the lane.
On the Lanes The Radical Katana is designed primarily for medium to heavier oil conditions that call for a high degree of backend aggressiveness. It should ensure that the ball travels through the heads effortlessly and only releases its full energy on contact with the friction in the backend. In practice, the ball shows an impressive ability to recover to the pocket from wide angles, which makes it ideal for the transition phase, when players are forced to move further left (for right-handers). Thanks to the asymmetric dynamics of the core, it provides exceptional carry, since it drives into the pins with high kinetic energy. It works very well if you need help creating angle, or if you throw the ball fast and need an extremely responsive surface to get enough motion at the end of the lane. Once the lanes get very dry, however, the Katana's aggressiveness can be hard to control.