- Sword/U

First Impressions
The Storm Sword/U stands out as an overseas release with its deep red solid design. The heart of this model is the symmetrical Centripetal Core, which features a 2.480 RG and a strong 0.050 differential. The cover is the Controll Solid Urethane coverstock, dulled at the factory with a coarse 2000 grit Abralon finish. The low RG gets the core revving up very quickly, and the extremely tacky urethane shell should make the ball build massive traction in the front part of the lane. The concept is focused on a very early, enormously smooth and extremely controlled roll phase.
Comparison
Compared to the Storm Pitch Black, the Sword/U grabs considerably harder thanks to its much stronger Centripetal core and offers more flare potential. Next to a reactive solid such as the Storm IQ Tour Solid, the urethane shell of the Sword/U delivers a completely different, far rounder and gentler hook with no real kick at all at the breakpoint. Once transition sets in, the Sword/U soaks up enormous amounts of oil and pushes it down into the midlane, which makes it a tactical weapon on short patterns.
On the Lanes
The Storm Sword/U was built very specifically for heavily oiled but very short lane conditions. It lets you play the far outside boards without the ball jumping aggressively at the breakpoint. The steady drive toward the pocket should provide reliable carry. On longer or typical house shots, however, the combination of low RG and massive urethane traction burns the Sword/U's energy up immediately, which leads to a lot of weak hits.