- Hyped Pearl

First Impressions
The Roto Grip Hyped Pearl comes in an attractive Black/Carolina/Charcoal color combination and was released on October 29, 2021. The ball uses the new symmetrical Hyped core with a low RG of 2.52 (15 lbs) and a differential of 0.036. The technical centerpiece is the VTC (Versatile Traction Control) Pearl Reactive coverstock, which ships with a 1500-grit polish. The Hyped core was developed as the lowest-RG core Roto Grip has ever offered in the HP2 line and should deliver more overall motion than the HP1 line, while providing slightly less motion than the HP3 line. Comparison
The Hyped Pearl compares best to the Hyped Hybrid and the Storm Phaze 4, showing an overall shape similar to the Storm Phaze 4 but reacting about 3 to 4 boards weaker. Compared to its hybrid counterpart, the Hyped Pearl shows 1 to 2 boards less hook and is noticeably more angular off the backend. One tester describes the backend motion as very similar to the Storm Hyroad Pearl. The comparison to the discontinued Storm IQ Tour Emerald is interesting — the Hyped Pearl is considered the next-best replacement, since despite a minimally higher RG it creates similar reactions in comparable parts of the lane thanks to the heavier roll character of the Hyped core and the higher differential. On the Lanes
The Hyped Pearl is best suited to medium to lighter oil volumes and is especially valuable when the lanes are already drying up and you need something that gets through the front cleanly but still delivers enough backend power. The ball motion is very clean through the heads, retains a lot of energy and creates a sharp but controlled backend reaction with a hard-arc motion pattern. Its ideal window is the second transition, when you need something clean but controllable, while the Hyped Hybrid would be the better choice if you want a bit more midlane reaction. Bowlers report that the ball becomes very controllable especially after the polish is removed, and that it works excellently for straighter angles. These characteristics make it an attractive option in the mid price range for beginners and tournament players alike.