The Wicked Collision is the first DV8 ball to use the new HK22C coverstock, which features a new additive package that is designed to dig into the oil more and respond harder off the friction than previous versions of the HK22 cover. The Wicked’s cover is a glossy solid reactive formulation that comes out of the box finished with Factory Compound. This ball uses the same asymmetrical Collision core design as the previous three balls in the Collision line. Our Brutal Collision test balls from 2022 were much duller than the Wicked Collision out of the box, resulting in the Wicket Collision covering fewer boards than the Brutal Collision. The tradeoff was more length, a much stronger move off the dry, and even more back end reaction.

On the medium oil test pattern, Cranker really liked the amount of length he saw out of his Wicked Collision before it changed directions downlane. He was able to cover a lot of boards, and the new HK22C – Havoc Solid coverstock didn’t struggle at all with the oil in the center of the lane. The ball’s strong grip in the midlane gave him a very consistent move at the end of the pattern that got it back to the pocket shot after shot. He saw earlier traction and more total hook than his Violent Collision, letting him start three boards farther left on the fresh. As the pattern started to break down, he moved his laydown farther left to find more oil to push the ball down the lane. He never had to get far enough left to throw it over the gutter on this condition. Balls like the Violent Collision and the Chill Pearl let him stay farther right if he wanted to. He really liked the Wicked Collision with the box finish, and he didn’t ...