Storm IQ Tour 78/U Bowling Ball

The IQ Tour 78-U is a new symmetrical ball in Storm’s Master line. It features the Controll Solid urethane cover from the Pitch Black, but updated to 78 hardness to meet the new PBA rules for urethane balls. The core is the very well known Centripetal C3 core from the IQ Tour series which comes in at a 2.49 RG and a .029 differential. The IQ 78 is a different but familiar look for urethane, the stronger core gets the ball rolling and revving earlier to offset the reduced amount of cover traction the cover will get from having the hardness increased. I decided to throw this one out of the box, as a lot of surface is important to creating the traditional urethane reaction. The result is a ball that rolls exactly like you’d expect, the early and smooth front to back control of the Pitch Black with the strong round rolly continuous reaction of the IQ Tour. The IQ 78 gets remarkably close to the Pitch Black. I had thought that the hardness bump would reduce the traction of the ball too far, and that going with that much stronger of a core would make it too much too early and that it would give up down lane. It will if you put too strong of a layout on it, I’d personally recommend drilling it just like an IQ Tour, because if you try to drill it stronger “because it’s urethane,” you’re not going to get what you’re after. In some situations, the Pitch Black will still be the better choice because again, it’s not as hard of a cover, and it’s not quite so early. However, the IQ 78 will be better in some situations like shorter and heavier patterns because it will get more traction earlier, and the stronger core will stabilize sooner and give you the same control on the backend.

Ben Lapointe 5.25 x 4 x 3 1 1/4'' up and 4 7/8 over The NEW IQ Tour 78-U is Storm’s newest Master Line release. This is a very anticipated ball within regards to all of the new rules surrounding urethane bowling balls. It features a brand new cover that reads 78 on a durometer, meaning that it complies with new PBA regulations. Unlike most new urethane releases, it still provides the same early roll like the Pitch Black with a touch more overall hook. I believe these two bowling balls will go hand in hand with one another and I am really looking forward to seeing how this things stacks up with its cross brand rivals. Don’t forget to bowl up a Storm!!!

Orientation: Right Handed Rev Rate: 400 RPM Speed: 16-17 MPH PAP: 4 ½ over and ½ up Location: Enterprise Park Lanes, Springfield MO Pattern: High Volume THS VLS Layout: Layout 1: 4 x 4 x 2 Urethane layout pin over ring I see what they did here. The Pitch Black has a stronger cover and weaker core and the IQ Tour 78/U has a weaker (harder) cover and a stronger core. The result is a VERY close imitation of Pitch Black. It’s not exactly the same as you would expect, I feel like the IQ 78 gets a touch more forward due to the core rev’ing up quicker. I drilled them both the same and the IQ 78 backs off more. SO the over result is so close. I think this is a slam dunk replacement for the Pitch Black on tour. Off tour, I’m still throwing my Pitch Black, except if I need a slightly different shape.