- Ruthless

First Impressions
The Hammer Ruthless comes in an eye-catching blue/dark blue/white color scheme and brings a solid technical foundation with the 40 Watt symmetrical core, named after its light-bulb shape and its differential in the forties. The specs show a 2.52 RG and a 0.041 differential, which promises medium flare potential. The Juiced Solid Reactive coverstock is naturally reaction-hungry and comes with a 500/1000/2000 Abralon surface. Especially worth noting is Hammer's patent-pending Carbon Fiber Outer Core, which gives the ball additional stability and makes a three-year warranty possible. Comparison
Compared directly to established benchmark balls such as the Storm Phaze II, the Ruthless positions itself as a direct competitor in the mid performance class. The solid Juiced cover should produce a stronger overall ball motion than the pearl version of the Hammer Flawless, while still offering a strong reaction at the breakpoint. The higher RG design and the medium differential keep the Ruthless from overlapping with balls like the Hammer Web and Web Tour. The Juiced Solid cover has been used before on balls such as the Hammer Black Widow Red Legend Solid and Diesel Torque, which means proven technology in a new application. On the Lanes
The combination of Juiced Solid coverstock and 40 Watt core should deliver good overall ball motion with a strong backend reaction on medium to heavy oil conditions. Although classified as a mid performance ball, the Ruthless plays like a high performance ball. It shows itself at its best on fresh oil patterns, where it allows both playing out over the outside boards and, later on, migrating inside with a continuous roll. The ball grabs during the transition and offers strong overall hook without jumpy reactions, which on missed shots increases the chance of makeable spare situations instead of extreme splits. On sport patterns, the Ruthless works as a ball-down option from stronger balls such as the Ebonite Futura or Columbia 300 Chaos.