The Black Widow Black/Gold is the latest incarnation of the Black Widow. This ball uses Hammer’s famed Gas Mask asymmetrical core and it is paired up with the polished Aggression Hybrid coverstock. This cover uses the same base formula as the cover on the Rip’D, but the version used in the Black/Gold doesn’t include the CFI additive. The Black Widow Black/Gold was just a bit earlier than the Black Widow Gold, but it was just as responsive to the dry on the back end in our testing.

We found that the Black Widow Black/Gold’s long and strong motion matched up best on our medium volume test pattern. All three testers were very pleased with their reactions on the fresh. This ball allowed each of them to start in the part of the lane where they best like to play. Stroker started his Widow Black/Gold on 11, playing a small swing out to nine at the arrows. The easy length from the polished cover allowed his ball to get all the way out to five downlane before making the move to the pocket. He could miss it at the bottom some and his ball would still get all the way back to the pocket when playing this part of the lane. Tweener could use his normal speed and delivery to play 17 off his hand, across 14 at the ...