Storm PhysiX Bowling Ball Review

The PhysiX is the latest entry into the high performance Premier line for Storm. It uses the new Atomic asymmetrical core design that is nearly identical in RG, total differential, and intermediate differential to the RAD-X core from the Sure Lock. On the outside, the PhysiX gives us the return of the NRG Hybrid Reactive cover, which comes out of the box at a 3000 Abralon finish.

This ball’s combination of rough coverstock and strong core was best on our heavy volume test pattern. All three of our testers were able to easily strike on this condition. The PhysiX was cleaner through the front of the lane than the Sure Lock, with a strong midlane reaction and a continuous motion off the breakpoint. We didn’t see as much angle or motion off the end of the pattern as the Code X, but the PhysiX did provide more traction through the oil. This motion had all three testers playing closer to each other than with other Premier line balls. Stroker was the farthest right on the fresh, crossing 12 at the arrows. Tweener was going across the third arrow, while Cranker played the farthest left with a target on the 17 board. All three testers were between eight and 10 at the breakpoint downlane with the box finish. As the fronts started to hook, we started to struggle with the box finish. When we tried to move left and open up the lane, we didn’t see enough continuation to keep the pin carry we saw on the fresh. All three testers had a better reaction on the burn after adding Step 2 Compound to their covers, or by balling-down into the Hy-Road X.

Tweener and Stroker were able to find a good reaction to the pocket on our medium pattern. For them, the PhysiX’s duller surface easily cut through the oil in the middle of the lane, providing them an easy path to the pocket. This ball didn’t over-hook off the outside of the lane for them because of how much traction it created in the midlane. Cranker struggled with the box finish on this pattern. The dull finish him forced him left quickly to catch enough oil to keep his ball right of the headpin. The problem for him was getting enough downlane continuation on this pattern with the sanded box finish. His ball would make the turn to the pocket and then stop hooking too early, causing him to leave a lot of corner pins. He added Step 2 Compound to his cover to increase the length and to get his ball to corner harder off the breakpoint. This surface change greatly improved his ball motion and pin carry.

The PhysiX’s smoother breakpoint was a big benefit on our sport pattern for all three testers. They could play multiple angles on this pattern without having to worry about the PhysiX cutting loose at the end of the pattern. This ball dug in heavy in the midlane with the dull box finish, giving it plenty of hook on the fresh. The 3000 Abralon finish was rough enough to minimize the out-of-bounds to the right, but it was still smooth enough to retain enough energy to kick out the corners for all three testers. On this pattern, we could all move farther left and still maintain pin carry when the front of the lane started to transition.

Strengths

The PhysiX was easiest for us to control when we had lots of oil in the front and nice, crisp, clean back ends. We could also use the PhysiX to blend out over/under reaction on our medium pattern after it started to break down.

Weaknesses

We felt at times that the PhysiX was too smooth at the breakpoint, especially after the oil started to break down and we had to move our feet left. We added compound to our covers when we saw this, but it still was slower downlane than the Code X.

Overall Summary

The PhysiX offers a brand new, very detailed core design, along with a proven hit in the NRG Hybrid Reactive coverstock. This ball fits between the Sure Lock and the Code X among the dull-surfaced bowling balls in Storm's Premier line.