- Envision

First Impressions
The Ebonite Envision, released in April 2022, comes in a dark color scheme of Navy, Red and Black that visually hints at its purpose for heavier oil. Technically, the ball is based on the GSV-X Solid Reactive coverstock, a further development of the proven Aero series. Inside works the Envision Asymmetric Core, which shows unusual numbers for an asymmetric design: while the RG at 2.501 (at 15 lbs) and the differential at 0.053 sit in the strong range, the intermediate differential is deliberately kept low at 0.010. The surface comes out of the box with a 500/2000 Siaair finish, which provides early traction.
Comparison Within the Ebonite hierarchy, the Envision is positioned precisely. It is stronger in overall hook than the Ebonite Game Breaker 4, but somewhat weaker and more controllable than the high-performance Ebonite Polaris. Because of the low intermediate differential, it behaves noticeably rounder and less "edgy" at the breakpoint compared to typical strong asymmetrics like the Storm Proton Physix. In its smoothness it is more reminiscent of strong symmetric balls such as the Storm Phaze II, but the asymmetric core provides that extra bit of torque when the boards in the oil get more demanding. A good outside comparison would be the Roto Grip Rubicon, which also uses a mild asymmetry for control.
On the Lanes The Envision is primarily designed as a benchmark ball for medium to heavier oil patterns. Its ideal application is the start of a tournament or league session on fresh oil. Thanks to the matte finish, the ball reads the heads and the midlane very reliably, while the round core characteristics keep it from overreacting too aggressively at the end of the oil pattern. It works excellently if you need the security of a solid ball to control the pocket without the ball losing energy too early ("burn up"). Once the lane moves into the transition phase, it often holds control longer than more aggressive snow-tire balls.