Most recently, Hammer unveiled its latest pearl bowling ball in their Premier Performance lineup - the Hammer Effect. With the brand new Huntsman core and a new HK-22 Cohesion Pearl coverstock, the Hammer Effect was created as the strongest pearl bowling ball Hammer (and the whole Brunswick Bowling Inc.) has ever produced. The Hammer Effect has a single aim - to revolutionize the pearl bowling ball reaction as we know it.
In this Hammer Effect bowling ball review, we will find out if the new Hammer Effect is truly as special as claimed and has the potential to be one of the best bowling balls in 2024.
Hammer Effect Review
Don't want to read a full review? Here is a short summary!
The Hammer Effect is the strongest pearl bowling ball ever created, not only by Hammer but by the entire Brunswick Bowling Inc. With the new Huntsman core, it incorporates all the best core qualities from iconic Hammer balls like the Vibe and Black Widow. Additionally, the brand-new HK22 Cohesion Pearl coverstock, coupled with the 1500 Siaair polish finish, will produce a very strong skip flip motion down the lane. Overall, the Hammer Effect is a true hooking beast, destined to be one of the favorite bowling balls of the year for those who love the massive hockey stick bowling ball motion in the backend. Plus, it looks amazing, thanks to its first-ever four-color design.
Advantages:
Clean in the front, but very reactive off the friction in the back.
Works well on heavier oil compared to other pearl bowling balls.
Creates big arc motion.
Limitations:
So much motion down the lane can be hard to control.
A massive response to the friction can result in leaving corner pins or splits if alignment is poor.
Key Specifications
Coverstock Type: Reactive Pearl
Coverstock Name: HK-22 Cohesion Pearl
Core Type: Asymmetrical
Core Name: Huntsman
Box Finnish: 1500 Siaair Factory Compound
Best For: Medium - Heavy oil
RG: 2.47
Total Diff: 0.050
Intermediate Diff: 0.017
Definitions
Asymmetrical core - Asymmetric bowling ball deliver sharper, more angular motion when meeting friction.
Symmetrical core - Symmetric bowling balls produce a soft, controllable motion.
Radius of gyration (RG) - The higher RG, the more back-end motion a bowling ball will produce, as high RG ball skids more and tends to conserve more power for the further part of the lane.
Total Diff - the difference between low RG (X axis) and high RG (Y axis).
Intermediate Diff - only found in asymmetrical balls, as it is the difference between the high RG (Y axis) and intermediate RG (Z axis).
First impression
All the stories about the new Hammer Effect's hooking abilities are true - this bowling ball can really hook. The Hammer Effect bowling ball is very smooth through the front part of the lane with a massive backend reaction. The Hammer Effect will fit perfectly in a bowling ball arsenal, particularly following the Hammer Black Widow 3.0, offering a prolonged and more forceful bowling ball reaction. What surprised our testers the most was how well the Hammer Effect performs on heavier oil. Despite being a pearl reactive bowling ball, the Hammer Effect digs into the midlane quite effectively compared to its competitors, yet it still delivers a sharp backend motion when it catches friction.
Lane Performance
We handed off The new Hammer Effect bowling ball to two of our testers - speed dominant one-hander and rev dominant two-hander. The goal was to give the ball a chance to demonstrate its strengths across various possible lane conditions, so we tested it on medium and heavy sport oil patterns, plus on a typical house shot pattern (THS).
A speed-dominant one-hander particularly enjoyed using the Hammer Effect bowling ball on a fresh medium oil pattern. Thanks to the Huntsman core, the new Hammer Effect bowling ball exhibited a clean drive through the front but picked up significantly in the friction. The Hammer Effect proved to be a challenging beast to control initially, but once the tester found the right alignment (further left than usual with a pearl), he discovered enough margin of error with the Hammer Effect to consistently find the pocket.
On a typical house shot pattern (THS), a speed-dominant one-hander tester had to move even further left, around the middle arrow, targeting the ball closer to the gutter. The Hammer Effect might not be the best bowling ball option to start the league night on a fresh THS, but once the lanes break down, it can become a reliable choice for consistently striking when playing inside with more opened up angles.
A rev-dominant two-hander found the Hammer Effect most effective when he applied 4000 Abralon grit to the surface on a heavy oil pattern. This adjustment enabled the ball to grip the midlane even more effectively and maintain a visually appealing, controllable trajectory toward the pocket, with reduced hockey stick motion. Because of his lower speed, our tester had to begin his approach further left than usual. However, the ball smoothly arced its way to the pocket, providing ample room for error whether missed inside or outside.
Overall impression
The Hammer Effect lives up to its reputation with impressive hooking abilities, smoothly navigating the front part of the lane and delivering a substantial backend reaction, making it an ideal addition to a bowling ball arsenal, especially following the Hammer Black Widow 3.0, and surprising testers with its effective performance on heavier oil despite its pearl reactive nature
Hammer Effect Evaluation
The Hammer Effect proves to be a formidable addition to the bowling arsenal, showcasing exceptional hooking abilities and a substantial backend reaction. Its smooth navigation through the front of the lane coupled with a strong backend motion makes it a standout choice, particularly following the Hammer Black Widow 3.0. Despite its pearl reactive nature, it surprises with effective performance even on heavier oil patterns. While its considerable motion down the lane may pose some challenges in control, its overall performance and versatility make it a top contender among bowling balls in 2024.
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