- Curve Ball

First Impressions
Released on June 8, 2010, the Ebonite Curve Ball is a mid-performance bowling ball that catches the eye with a striking color combination of red, blue and silver. At its center works the well-proven symmetrical Light Bulb core, which is characterized by very clean and predictable roll. In a 15-pound ball, this core shows an RG value of 2.520 and a differential of 0.040. These moderate numbers stand for a controlled core dynamic that lets the ball neither rotate extremely early nor flare extremely late. The core is wrapped in the reactive GB 11.7 coverstock. Out of the box, this cover is first treated with a 4000 Abralon pad and then polished to a high shine with Powerhouse Factory Finish. This smooth makeup primarily ensures that the ball glides absolutely effortlessly through the heads without losing valuable energy early to unwanted friction. The harmonious combination of the easygoing core and the responsive, polished surface is consistently designed to ignore the oil, respond to friction only late, and then produce a pronounced, angular move toward the pocket.
Comparison Compared to other balls of this era and category, the Ebonite Curve Ball positions itself as an excellent option for emphasized length paired with a strong backend. Put it directly against its sister model released at the same time, the Ebonite Hard Ball, which uses the slightly weaker GB 10.7 coverstock, and the Curve Ball reacts noticeably more at the end of the oil pattern and generates considerably more hook at the breakpoint. Taking the legendary Storm Hy-Road as a cross-brand reference, which also features a symmetrical core with a slightly higher RG value, the Storm Hy-Road proves somewhat more versatile overall and reads the midlane a bit rounder and more forgiving. The Ebonite Curve Ball, on the other hand, concentrates its stored energy much more heavily on the last third of the lane. While traditional benchmark balls mostly describe a steady arc, the Curve Ball should offer a more defined and sharper change of direction, exactly as its name suggests. Because of the polished cover, it skids noticeably farther than balls with purely dull surfaces, which makes it a highly interesting alternative once transition sets in, keeping the entry angle steep and maximizing pinfall.
On the Lanes Conceptually, the Ebonite Curve Ball was developed for light to medium oil conditions. Thanks to its heavily polished GB 11.7 surface and the medium-high RG value, it is an especially valuable tool once the boards have already been played by other bowlers and the oil in the front half of the lane starts to dry up. If you throw the ball at lower speed, this bowling ball offers the enormous advantage that it does not grab too early in the heads and therefore transports forward energy extremely efficiently down to the pins, which strongly favors consistent and powerful carry. If you have a very high rev rate, on the other hand, you can use the ball ideally to play deep lines on drier conditions and open up the lane wide, since the quick, snappy reaction off dry spots allows a reliable return to the pocket. On freshly oiled lanes, in deep puddles, or on long and heavy patterns, however, the ball quickly reaches its physical limits by design. In those unfavorable cases the shiny surface skids far too much over the oil, and the ball can miss the breakpoint entirely. When that happens and the traction is missing, an immediate switch to a bowling ball with a dull surface and a stronger, earlier-rolling core is essential to regain control of the game.