- Loch Ness Monster

First Impressions
The Monster Bowling Loch Ness Monster, released in December 2016, marks a powerful entry for the brand into the high-performance category. Visually, the ball comes in a fittingly themed color scheme dominated largely by dark greens and blacks, which gives it a dangerous, "swampy" look on the lane. Inside works a symmetrical core that provides controlled and predictable motion. That core is wrapped in the MPM-17 Solid Reactive coverstock, a tacky surface delivered dull out of the box (typically in the 2000 Abralon range). This combination of a solid cover and a symmetrical core signals immediately that this is a benchmark ball that reads the lane early and makes no jerky moves at the breakpoint.
Comparison
Compared to its stablemate, the asymmetrical Monster Kraken, the Loch Ness Monster is noticeably rounder and smoother at the end of the pattern. Where the Kraken shows a defined, angular move, the Loch Ness Monster offers a classic, arcing hook. Set against a market standard like the Storm Phaze II, the Loch Ness Monster shows a very similar philosophy: it serves as a "read ball" for the lane. That said, the Loch Ness Monster often gets started a touch earlier in the heads than the Phaze II, while offering comparable overall strength. Against a weaker symmetrical ball like the Roto Grip Hustle Ink, the Loch Ness Monster is clearly stronger in oil and covers more boards, since it isn't as sensitive to heavier oil volume.
On the Lanes
The Loch Ness Monster is made for medium to heavy oil and fresh house patterns. It's the ideal first ball out of the bag for checking conditions, since it shows transition gently and doesn't overreact. If you're looking for a smooth, controllable reaction to hit the pocket consistently, you'll find it here. Its strength lies in the midlane: it generates massive traction there, which allows it to roll safely even with a bit more oil volume. Once the heads dry up, however, you should switch to a shiny pearl ball to conserve energy, since otherwise the Loch Ness Monster can tend to burn up before it reaches the pins, which would reduce carry.