Storm Lightning Blackout Bowling Ball

About Me 900 Global Staff Left Handed: High Rev High Speed Player Layout: 5 X 5 X 2 Pap: - 47/8 +1 Rev Rate: +-500 Speed 17-18mph Ball Video: N/A The Storm Lightning Blackout, to me, is like the younger sibling of the Virtual Energy Blackout (VEBO). While my Lightning Blackout has a similar roll to the VEBO, it allows me to play a straighter line and achieve better angles as the lanes begin to dry out. One of the standout features of this ball is its impressive length and predictability. The key difference I’ve noticed compared to the VEBO is that it hooks a bit earlier, which is an advantage when the VEBO tends to get too long, occasionally missing the head pin and leaving corner pins. The Lightning Blackout has become my favorite ball in my arsenal, as it performs consistently over multiple games during tournaments and comfortably lasts through all three games in league play. I plan to purchase a couple more Lightning Blackouts to keep on standby. Joel Donner 900 Global Staff Member Cedar Rapids, IA #StormNation #StrikingWorldwide #RGSquad #Iambowling #bowlingisfun

Ball Specs: Storm Lightning Blackout Coverstock: Reacta Gloss ReX™ Pearl Reactive Weight Block: Warp™ A.I. Core (Symmetrical) Color: Obsidian Review: The all new Lightning Blackout is an interesting release. We have not really seen anything like this in a while and the reason for that is it is essentially a “specialty” addition to an arsenal. In golf terms it is one of those rescue sort of clubs that you need in certain situations. You may not use it in a tournament, and it may sit in the bag at times for a while, but it sure is a lifesaver when the lanes are burnt up and you need something that gets down the lane and still retains a large amount of energy into the pins. We drilled this ball with our normal layout: tweener, 350-375 revs, 16.5mph, layout of choice is 4x4x2 (pin is above bridge). Again it is hard to completely compare this ball to another current ball in the lineup because it is kind of niche but it does give off Hustle or IQ ruby vibes in a sense that it looks best after the transition. If you are looking for a benchmark or bigger ball to start the block or a new ball on a typical house shot for league this probably isn’t the best option. But if you often find yourself searching through your bag to find that right ball reaction on lanes that are a bit burnt and challenging then this is the piece to pick up. Kyle, Joel, & Dean Johnson Storm Pro Shop Staff Members kyle@parklanes.net joel@parklanes.net dean@frontierfuncenter.net www.stormbowling.com #StormNation

Lightning Blackout • Storm • Signature Series Coverstock • ReX Pearl Reactive • Finish Reacta Gloss Core • Warp A.I. Core Weight • 15 lbs. RG • 2.53 Differential • .029 Layout • 4 1/2 x 3 5/8 x 2 1/2 Tester PAP • 5” R, 5/8” D Tester Axis Tilt • 9° Testers Rev Rate • 250 Test Pattern • 42’ THS (Typical House Shot) • Modified, Kegel Stone Street Storm has not only revitalized the classic Lightning Blackout, but they have also brought this black beauty to the next generation with Storm’s A.I. Core Technology. And with their winning combination of proven reliability and groundbreaking Amplified Inertia Technology, the new Lightning Blackout is another striking machine to add to your arsenal! So, let’s break down the lightning Blackout and see what makes it a great choice! The Warp A.I. Core inside the Lightning Blackout is a very stable core. I found the Warp A.I. Core to be stronger than Storm’s benchmark C3 Centripetal Control Core found in the I.Q. line. Yet, it provided a balanced and predictable motion that gave it a more powerful benchmark-type feel. Further, something I found unique to the Warp A.I. Core was its ability to be a bit slower and more methodical in its rotation, giving the Lightning Blackout a more forgiving motion, especially when I missed right. And with that kind of forgiveness, I could count on the Lightning Blackout to recover well and still retain plenty of power to strike at the pocket. So, for a higher-speed player with low revs, the Warp A.I. Core will fit nicely with your game. The ReX Pearl with the Reacta Gloss finish was a struggle for me. So, for my review, I decided to sand my Lightning Blackout with 1500-Grit Abralon and followed it up with Storm’s Rough Edge Polish. And after that surface change, my Black Obsidian ReX Pearl was on fire! I loved how the Lightning Blackout glides effortlessly through the front part of the lane and has a substantial grip in the mid-lane. And although the Lightning Blackout is more of a skid/flip type ball, I was pleased with how the ReX Pearl transitioned off the pattern. I would not recommend the Lightning Blackout for a late-night or broken-down THS. But if you are looking for a bit more angularity with some added roll to your flip on medium conditions, the ReX Pearl is a great choice. In closing, Storm has done a fine job bringing the Lightning Storm back into their Signature line. And with the correct surface adjustment to fit your game, the Lightning Blackout will fit comfortably in any high-speed-low rev player’s arsenal. And for the bowler looking for that skid/flip with some added roll, the Lightning Blackout will deliver the results you are looking for. So, stop into your local Storm VIP Pro Shop and see where the Lightning Blackout fits in your arsenal. Then, have it ready to roll for your new fall bowling season. The Lightning Blackout is well worth the investment! Rick Klimowicz Storm Products Pro Shop Staff Roll the Ball Pro Shop Penndel, PA

Low Diff pearl version of the VEBO cover. This High RG, Low Diff Combination allows for a lengthy and angular motion when the lanes are toasty. The ball just floats through the fronts when they are gone and gives you plenty of pop down lane. If your a high rev player and your IQs and Hustles are getting early and leaving 10 pins, this ball with be a GREAT ball down!

One of the latest additions to the Signature Line at Storm is the Lightning Blackout. If you remember the original Lightning from the 1990s, it was a huge favorite from Storm, and the guru’s behind the scenes decided to bring it back with a nice upgrade! When it was first announced, a feeling of nostalgia and excitement came to mind because of how successful the original Lightning was. Of course, the game is so much different today than 25+ years ago, but this ball has a spot in my bag and I’ve been impressed so far. I’ve drilled one and mapped it out with a 5 x 5 x 2.5 layout. This puts the pin above my bridge and I left the surface the way it came out of the box (reacta-gloss factory finish). I’ve had the most success with the Blackout on medium-lighter oil conditions and on older lane surfaces. With an RG of 2.53 and differential of .029, that tells me this ball wants to fly through the front part of the lane and be perfect for those end-of-block games and higher friction lanes. If you need a ball to-go-to after your Sublime, Ion, and X-Cell have done their jobs, I believe the new Lightning Blackout from Storm should be the next ball you drill! #StormNation

Ben Lapointe PAP: 4 7/8 over and 1 1/4 up Layout: 5 1/4 x 4 1/4 x 3 The new Storm Lightning Blackout is the latest, clean, weaker symmetrical ball in the line. I was previously a huge fan of the Storm Fate and while it was just a tad stronger for me, I am seeing a lot of similarities in this Lightning Blackout. It allows me to clear the front part of the lane with ease, without storing too much energy for the back end. It still wants to make its preliminary move in the mid lane and really drives through the pins at an optimal angle.

I drilled the new Storm Lightning Blackout 4x4x2 using the vls layout system. This gave me the option to open my angles a bit with this new ball. With ReX pearl coverstock wrapped around the new Warp-Ai core gives every bowlers a smooth, and rounded shape that is reliable and controllable. This ball fits the ball 3-4 category in terms of 6-ball arsenal for a tournament. This ball will be going to every tournament with me! This ball is comparable to the hy-road. The hy-road is a bit more downlane while the lightning blackout is earlier, but they both continue through the pins the same. If you love the hy-road and want something that is a bit stronger, this is the ball for you!

Storm brought back a classic, but with improved performance. The Lightning Blackout features a lower differential and medium RG Warp A.I. core and a highly successful ReX coverstock. This bowling ball stands out to me because there aren’t too many bowling balls with core numbers like the Lightning Blackout. Since the Lightning Blackout features a core with lower differential, I drilled this bowling ball with my stronger pin-up layout: 65 x 4 ½ x 35. My first overall impression was very good and I liked how easy it was to keep the Lightning Blackout on the line of play. The bowling ball, with out-of-box finish, felt very clean through the pattern and definitely needed some friction to look good. However, it looked very solid on broken down, blended oil patterns. At times, the Lightning Blackout seemed to respond to friction a little stronger than I expected and skid too long when there wasn’t enough friction, which led me to believe it wouldn’t be the best option for wet/dry conditions. The Lightning Blackout is a good all-around bowling ball but may require more specific lane conditions to maximize its potential. I have noticed that this bowling ball works well with a pin-down layout and with a little bit more surface, which helps to blend the over/under reaction. I believe that variety of players with multiple styles will find this ball useful when matched with the correct layout and bowling ball surface. I will be bringing this bowling ball with me when I bowl on medium to longer oil patterns on higher friction lane surfaces. Watch me throw the Lightning Blackout on “The Bowling Passport” YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFvhyjvcinA&t=5s3

Specs - 55 x 4.5 x 40 The second in the "throwback Blackout" series, and also the second to use the ReX Pearl cover (along with the Virtual Energy Blackout), this is one of the most versatile symmetric balls that I've seen out of SPI in quite a while. The ball has similar core specs to the Hustle series (in 15 pounds), and I find that this one fits very well in between the IQ Ruby and the Hustle M&M. While very clean through the front part of the lane with a sharp backend attack, its low differential (0.029 in 15 pounds) allows for supreme control, especially for a skid-flip ball like this one. This is a house shot killer! But it is a go-to for me for when the lanes break down, no matter the condition, and you need control more than the "hockey stick" reaction of other burn balls such as The Road. Todd Sigeti Storm Amateur Staff

The Storm Lightning Blackout combines the successful REX pearl reactive coverstock with the new Warp A.I. core. At 15 pounds the RG is a medium 2.53 with a low differential of only .029. I drilled mine with the pin down just to be able to play closer to the friction for longer periods of time. The reaction I get is exactly what I was looking for. This ball provides easy length and a smooth backend motion going through the pins. This ball will be good for me on shorter patterns and lighter patterns. This is not a ball I will be able to throw on medium to heavy conditions. It is definitely more of a condition specific ball but it fills a huge gap in my tournament bag when I need to have something stronger than the entry level balls.