- Severe Collision

First Impressions
The DV8 Severe Collision presents itself as an asymmetric hybrid bowling ball in an impressive color combination of blue, red and smoke. The design shows the characteristic Collision series aesthetic with its distinctive look, which draws attention right out of the box. Technically, the ball is built on the proven Collision core, an asymmetric design with an extremely low RG of 2.46 (15 lbs), a high differential of 0.052 and an intermediate differential of 0.019. This combination points to a very strong, early-reacting core that promises considerable hook potential. The cover is the HK22C Havoc Hybrid coverstock, which ships with a 1500 Siaair/Factory Compound polish. This hybrid mix of solid and pearl content should provide a balance between traction in the oil and a clean push through the heads, while the polish could deliver additional length and backend reaction.

Comparison
In direct comparisons, the Severe Collision shows characteristic differences from other balls in the same category. Against the Power Hitter from Radical, it demonstrates a cleaner push through the front part of the lane, while the Power Hitter tends to start rolling earlier and feels heavier. The Severe Collision comes across as noticeably longer and more responsive off the end of the pattern. Compared to the Hater Pearl, the Severe Collision proves to be the stronger ball. While the Hater Pearl goes through the heads even cleaner and allows more room to play right, the Severe Collision shows an earlier and more intense reaction to friction. This characteristic makes it an ideal transition ball between very strong solid coverstocks and weaker pearl versions. Compared to the Ebonite Entity, the Severe Collision shows a remarkably strong performance despite its hybrid nature. Bowlers report that it looked more convincing after the very first shot than other balls tested, which points to an optimal balance between core and coverstock.

On the Lanes
The Severe Collision is particularly suited if you're looking for a versatile ball for medium to heavy oil conditions. Its strengths lie in transition situations, when the lanes have broken down somewhat but there is still enough oil to control the ball reaction. If you throw at moderate to high speed, the ball offers excellent characteristics. At very high speed, a surface adjustment may be necessary to get the desired early read. If you have lower speed, you should benefit from the natural skid-flip characteristic the ball demonstrates on the appropriate lane conditions. The ball shows its best characteristics on straighter lines, which makes it interesting if you don't prefer extreme angles. Its ability to still generate carry even on slight misses inside makes it forgiving and user-friendly. Especially worth noting is the ball's versatility from various lane positions. While it works excellently from straight angles, it also shows strong performance when moving left and increasing the launch angle. The polish allows the ball to still develop enough backend reaction on misses inside. The recommendation is for use on medium to heavy oil conditions, where it could establish itself as a bridge between more aggressive solid balls and pearl reactions. Its characteristics make it a valuable tool for league bowling and tournaments alike, especially when lane conditions change during a session.