- Clone

First Impressions
Released in July 2023, the Roto Grip Clone brings an iconic core shape back to the market and wraps it in a modern technical package. Visually, the ball is a real eye-catcher with its "Alien," "Deep Mist," and "Cyber Grape" color scheme, giving it a futuristic look. Inside works the Cloned E.T. Core (Equalizer Technology), an asymmetric core that originally caused a stir in the Roto Grip UFO. With a 2.51 RG and a high 0.056 differential (at 15 lbs), this core is designed for massive flare potential and strong revs. The special part is the shell: Roto Grip uses the OptiTrax Solid Reactive coverstock here, but surprisingly delivers it with the Reacta Gloss high-polish finish. This combination of grabby solid chemistry and smooth polish should deliver a unique mix of length and traction.
Comparison
As the spiritual successor to the original Roto Grip UFO, the Clone inevitably has to face that comparison. While the original UFO rolled extremely early with its rough MicroTrax surface and practically plowed the lane up, the Clone goes noticeably longer thanks to its polished finish and stores more energy for the backend. It is cleaner through the heads than a Roto Grip Gem and offers a more defined move at the breakpoint than a Storm Absolute. Bringing the 900Global Reality into the comparison, the Clone shows more "pop" in the backend and a quicker response to friction, while the Reality emphasizes a more even, heavy roll phase. Compared to symmetric balls like the Storm Phaze II, the Clone's asymmetric core provides considerably more torque when it moves out of the oil line into the dry.
On the Lanes
The Roto Grip Clone is an ideal transition ball for medium to heavy oil conditions. It fills the gap between the extreme "snowplow" balls (like the Gem) and pure pearl balls. Thanks to the polish it gets through the heads effortlessly, even when they are already slightly played in, while the solid base of the cover makes sure it doesn't simply slide away in the oil. It works excellently if you need the strong core drive of an asymmetric ball but require more length to play deeper angles. Should the ball skid too far on very long or heavy oil, the surface can easily be scuffed with an abrasive pad (e.g. 2000 or 3000 grit), which turns it into an absolute traction monster that comes very close to the original UFO.