- Tyrant Pearl

First Impressions
Released in February 2017, the Columbia 300 Tyrant Pearl is the long-awaited complement to the original Tyrant, bringing aggressive pearl performance to the brand's high-end line. Visually the ball is a knockout: the combination of blue, silver and purple pearl gives it a dynamic look that stands out immediately on the rack. Inside works the mighty asymmetric Tyrant core. At 15 pounds this core delivers extremely strong numbers: a low RG of 2.48, a massive differential of 0.056 and a high intermediate differential of 0.021. Those figures guarantee that the core revs up early and produces an enormous change of direction. The unique feature, however, is the Reflex Pearl HST coverstock (HyperShock Technology). This patented material, worked into the shell, absorbs vibration at pin impact in order to maximize energy transfer. Out of the box the ball is sanded with 500/1000 Abralon and then brought to a high gloss with Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish.
Comparison Compared directly to the original Columbia 300 Tyrant (Solid), which was known for the way it extremely "dug" into the oil, the Pearl offers a completely different kind of aggressiveness. Where the solid reads the lane early and makes an arcing move, the Tyrant Pearl uses the polish to skid effortlessly through the heads and only unleashes the rotational energy of the asymmetric core at the end of the pattern with a huge snap. Set against the Storm Code Black (the dominant asymmetric pearl ball of that era), the Tyrant Pearl often feels a bit "heavier" at the moment of impact thanks to the HyperShock Technology. It sounds duller and often drives harder through the pins, while the Code Black tends to whip more. Against a ball like the Hammer Black Widow Gold, the Tyrant Pearl offers even more overall dynamics (higher differential) and covers on average 2-3 more boards.
On the Lanes The Columbia 300 Tyrant Pearl is a monster for medium to heavy oil conditions, especially once the lane starts to break down. It is not meant for dry lanes — the core is far too strong for that. Its specialty is opening up the lane: when dull balls like the Tyrant Solid begin to lose energy and hit flat, the Pearl is the perfect choice. It lets you move deep inside and throw the ball way out to the right (for right-handers) to the dry edge. The strong asymmetric core makes sure the ball comes back reliably even from steep angles, and the HyperShock Technology helps maintain carry and kick out the corner pins even on less than perfect hits (for example a light pocket entry). This is a ball for trusting the long way in.