It was really just bad marketing and the surface cross contamination. It was supposed to be the strongest ball they've ever made, but isn't as strong as a Gem, and a lot of them went straight out of the box, so they looked terrible at matchmakers and for some people that bought them. Mine was awful out of the box but I fixed it, it looks great, and I just used it at league last week, think it's going to stay in the bag for a bit.
Update from original review. I tried this ball again but only after I re-did the factory surface. Not sure what the factory machines are turning at but WOW, what a difference. House shot in my area is 28-30mls and this ball let me cut right through it at house #1 for a 715 (been averaging 210 ish thanks to river in middle). Can't wait to try it at house 2 tomorrow.
I'm not sure what they're doing up there with surfaces right now but most stuff is completely unthrowable out of the box. Surface is easily changeable though so it's no biggie, and yeah once you get stuff adjusted, it's all been fine.
I’ve had mine since release and I’ve been having issues with it being slippery like I’m unable to wipe the oil off it when it’s at a lower surface. If I put it at 4k and let it shine up I have no issues holding onto it. No idea why I clean it with life after death after every session. I usually can get one game with a fresh low surface before it gets to slippery( two handed bowler)
By machine no, I’ve taken it down to 500 by hand a few times. Would be worth a shot though. My local shop has two machines so I don’t really have an excuse not to.
The whole pearl hybrid solid thing doesn't really mean much unless you're talking within a specific cover formula range. The Exotic Gem is a pearl, but it's significantly earlier than this ball, while the Reality is a solid, but it's sharper on the backend than the Exotic, which again is a pearl. If you mean that you like this general reaction but wish it was a little longer and sharper, then wanting a hybrid or pearl version would make sense, but if you're using hybrid to describe a specific kind of reaction or shape, that's where it doesn't fit.
I have two and love them. One with a short 2" pin 90x2x45 to control the lanes (that worked well at the Hoinke) and a 60x5x45 that has been great for the first two games in league. Kind of reminds me of the Paradigm Passion. Wondering if the DNA Coil comes to the states it will fill the hole from my favorite ball of all time the Paradigm.
As a women this is the first big ball I've ever matched up with, and its not even my ball and not even drilled for me, not even my weight. A friend had it (15 pounds) but she had trouble with the thumb fit, and she got frustrated so I tried it, and it was fantastic. Normally I throw 14 pounds and have trouble carrying, so I tried this and it was strike after strike on our oily house shot. I'm actually blown away by this ball as I've never been able to throw big solid asyms. There is something special about this cover - clean thru the front / big core that booms through the pins. So I ended up taking it off her hands and its mine now. Very happy, thinking of getting another one.
As someone that has found success with SPI balls out of the box over the years I've also been burnt by the seemingly dead box surfaces as of late. I'm not sure if 4k fast vs. reacta gloss has helped things either. The worst for me was a night road that was just trash out of box at 4k fast. It didn't look any better after my normal resurfacing with step 2. It looked a little better with reacta gloss on it but it still wasn't what I expected. I recently got some of the new smooth edge product and now it has that familiar hyroad line look so I'll probably try that going forward.
I haven't gotten access to the new smooth and rough edge yet, but looking forward to trying them out. Reacta gloss is awful stuff, the Night Road was also awful for me out of the box, the gloss is really mucking up their factory surfaces across the board, hopefully this new stuff will help that.
Love my DNA, easily averaging 230 in game 1 during league but I'm struggling finding that step down. The Blackout looks amazing but that area of my bag is pretty full just nothing that gives me a great shape complement. I'm looking at my older stuff and was wondering if you thought the shape is similar to the Halo Pearl? Feel like the motion reminds me a lot but I could easily be making that up. I'm thinking about taking that for a couple of weeks and see if I can bridge the gap I'm having in the middle of our league blocks. Thoughts?
Yes but the HP is still a huge step down. Something like the Tour Dynam-X would be a similar look but it's still a step and a half down anyway. The Clone is a perfect step down on traction and is virtually the same shape but it's also quite a bit heavier rolling than the DNA so it's tricky
How would you compare this to the Virtual Energy Blackout? I've noticed on the fresh conditions, the Blackout is a bit of work for me, very speed sensitive and tends to not get back to the pocket always. But once they break down some its lights out. Was wondering if the DNA would handle the fresh a bit better.
This one definitely is stronger and more stable, especially on the fresh. You can always try putting a little surface on your blackout to blend it out though. 3000 usually works to do that without making it too early or too much stronger.
as a two handed leftie this ball is absolutely incredible on house and medium length high volume sport patterns third arrow is the only trick needed without having to fight transition at all, only worry instead is the ball going too long and leaving the 1-3-7 would highly recommend this ball if you’re a higher rev leftie no doubt
I have half a mind to pick one up before Nationals to replace my Crux Prime that's starting to crack around the fingers. Would that be a reasonable replacement for the left side?
As far as smoothness yes, but this one doesn't quite chug or roll as heavy as the Prime does. The Clone rolls just like the Prime, but the cover isn't as strong. The Eternity Pi or Gem might be a closer replacement. The Gem is a little stronger than the Prime but the roll is virtually identical.
When the Summit came out, a lot of the staffers I saw were hyping it as a lot like the P2, so having another ball like the P2 around the same time, but marketing it as something it's not strikes me as not a great idea.
@@danielcunningham7169 Well, number 1, most staffers are idiots. The Summit cover is an updated version of the P2 cover, so to most staffers "OMG NEW P2???" No . . not close. The DNA is actually fairly similar to the P2, but staffers gonna staffer.
I really love my DNA. I had the same thought at the Matchmaker but I think I assumed maybe the longer pin compared to what I tend to throw and maybe it just had a bit of oil in the cover is why it played weaker. I actually had it the same as my Phaze II which I threw to compare. When I got my own, I realise that while it isn't the big hook monster it claims to be, I do see it as being a good step up from my Phaze II and I think if it was as strong as it was supposed to be, I probably wouldn't have thrown it as much. I've still not had any issue with the cross contamination that you seem to be having which I still find odd. I almost wonder if I do resurface it, how much stronger it might end up looking if I do have it and I'm just not seeing it.
I have seen several guys in League play it and have success, but I have also seen a couple of them give up on it. I threw it in a demo, and found it to be similar to my Phase II for my house shot, so I never spent the money....and during League, I picked up an opponent's DNA more than once when I had my Phase II in play, they look practically identical when the labels are down. I played a couple of sport shots this summer and one of them was a long pattern, and I think this would have been better than the Reality for that condition, but I just don't play those patterns enough to justify the cost...
I love this ball but it can be very temperamental. You nailed the description, its really like an asym version of PhazeII, a little more backend and a bit more responsive in the mid-lane. I think most were expecting this be a Storm version of the Gem but its a lot different, not as slow and tumbly. I see a lot of them at my usual house as the local PSO has warmed up to it and recommended it for others. I throw it fast and pretty much pipe it straight up outside of 10 board on the left side and it will get hooking at just the right spot for me somewhere around the 35 ft mark. The cover really soaks up oil though. I freshen it up with 2000 before every session and its like a sponge. Used it a lot this summer and left the balls in the car a lot. Frequently would be dripping oil when left out in the heat. So I wonder if thats what happens when people say its not moving for them. I think the core needs a significant amount of energy to get it going in the right direction so for speed dominant players like me this ball works well. It doesn't quite respond like you'd expect a big strong solid asym to, its early but not too early, doesn't jump when it sees the friction but continues well. I wouldn't be surprised to see a hybrid or shinier version of this ball out next year, maybe the coil thats out overseas, something like this new Magic Gem that just came out. The DNA does get over looked for the most part. Kind of over shadowed by the Gem on one side and and the Summit/TNT on the other as super strong symmetricals. The pros seem to have ignored it as it doesn't really suit that style of play, its not really a ball you'd use to hook the lane.
According to the grapevine, the Coil will be a stateside release. Bowling balls are designed to absorb oil to keep the cover fresh and tacky, so the stronger a ball is, the more important it is that it has a fresh dry cover. The not hooking issues are for people straight out of the box because of the factory surface issues, plus like you said, it's just not a super diggy ball like the Gem and it's pretty smooth on the backend, so when people expect to just be able to take it out in league and have it go 40 feet and turn sideways, that's just not what the ball was designed to do, so it's really incorrect expectations more than anything.
Nah, probably just that you didn't reset the factory surface or are throwing it on the wrong conditions or both. If you just got it to throw straight out of the box on your league shot, that's the problem, not the ball.
@@LukeRosdahl I have thrown it about 10-15 games total since purchasing it in may, 3 of those games on house (and it obviously looked terrible). Its 4th and 5th games were on 45 feet 29 mils and maybe it would have been good if I had more surface, but anything shorter than 43 feet or anything outside the 12 board, it is just over-under and rolls like the crux prime. I have left more 10 pins with this ball than any other ball. Just not ver versatile. Long live the 2014 hyper cell.
@@surfinbird208 It's a heavy oil ball, so it's going to need oil. It's only natural it wouldn't look that great on shorter conditions or trying to play much angle with it. Again, it's a heavy oil ball, it's not supposed to be very versatile, it's supposed to be used on heavy volumes and longer patterns when you need traction and control. Did you reset the surface when you got it or just throw it out of the box?
It's amazing at our house. We have a long heavy oil pattern, that is notorious for 10 pins, and they ran out of fire conditioner and it feels like they are using too much ice on relatively new lanes and its been feeling like a long sport shot. Other balls I have that used to work just slide and die, this ball has been an absolute miracle.
The DNA is pretty close to the alpha crux. I'm not sure why it's not more popular.
It was really just bad marketing and the surface cross contamination. It was supposed to be the strongest ball they've ever made, but isn't as strong as a Gem, and a lot of them went straight out of the box, so they looked terrible at matchmakers and for some people that bought them. Mine was awful out of the box but I fixed it, it looks great, and I just used it at league last week, think it's going to stay in the bag for a bit.
Update from original review. I tried this ball again but only after I re-did the factory surface. Not sure what the factory machines are turning at but WOW, what a difference. House shot in my area is 28-30mls and this ball let me cut right through it at house #1 for a 715 (been averaging 210 ish thanks to river in middle). Can't wait to try it at house 2 tomorrow.
I'm not sure what they're doing up there with surfaces right now but most stuff is completely unthrowable out of the box. Surface is easily changeable though so it's no biggie, and yeah once you get stuff adjusted, it's all been fine.
What is your ball speed on just a normal comfortable strike ball ?
About 16.5mph
I’ve had mine since release and I’ve been having issues with it being slippery like I’m unable to wipe the oil off it when it’s at a lower surface. If I put it at 4k and let it shine up I have no issues holding onto it. No idea why I clean it with life after death after every session. I usually can get one game with a fresh low surface before it gets to slippery( two handed bowler)
Huh, have you given it a full resurface to get deeper?
By machine no, I’ve taken it down to 500 by hand a few times. Would be worth a shot though. My local shop has two machines so I don’t really have an excuse not to.
I love mine, but a hybrid version is what I'm waitin' on.
The whole pearl hybrid solid thing doesn't really mean much unless you're talking within a specific cover formula range. The Exotic Gem is a pearl, but it's significantly earlier than this ball, while the Reality is a solid, but it's sharper on the backend than the Exotic, which again is a pearl. If you mean that you like this general reaction but wish it was a little longer and sharper, then wanting a hybrid or pearl version would make sense, but if you're using hybrid to describe a specific kind of reaction or shape, that's where it doesn't fit.
@@LukeRosdahl Yep, that's what I meant. 😆
@@russellgilbert3453 Lol sweet. I just can't resist a chance to monologue
I have two and love them. One with a short 2" pin 90x2x45 to control the lanes (that worked well at the Hoinke) and a 60x5x45 that has been great for the first two games in league.
Kind of reminds me of the Paradigm Passion. Wondering if the DNA Coil comes to the states it will fill the hole from my favorite ball of all time the Paradigm.
The Coil will be a stateside release according to what I'm hearing through the grapevine
As a women this is the first big ball I've ever matched up with, and its not even my ball and not even drilled for me, not even my weight. A friend had it (15 pounds) but she had trouble with the thumb fit, and she got frustrated so I tried it, and it was fantastic. Normally I throw 14 pounds and have trouble carrying, so I tried this and it was strike after strike on our oily house shot. I'm actually blown away by this ball as I've never been able to throw big solid asyms. There is something special about this cover - clean thru the front / big core that booms through the pins. So I ended up taking it off her hands and its mine now. Very happy, thinking of getting another one.
As someone that has found success with SPI balls out of the box over the years I've also been burnt by the seemingly dead box surfaces as of late. I'm not sure if 4k fast vs. reacta gloss has helped things either. The worst for me was a night road that was just trash out of box at 4k fast. It didn't look any better after my normal resurfacing with step 2. It looked a little better with reacta gloss on it but it still wasn't what I expected. I recently got some of the new smooth edge product and now it has that familiar hyroad line look so I'll probably try that going forward.
I haven't gotten access to the new smooth and rough edge yet, but looking forward to trying them out. Reacta gloss is awful stuff, the Night Road was also awful for me out of the box, the gloss is really mucking up their factory surfaces across the board, hopefully this new stuff will help that.
Love my DNA, easily averaging 230 in game 1 during league but I'm struggling finding that step down. The Blackout looks amazing but that area of my bag is pretty full just nothing that gives me a great shape complement. I'm looking at my older stuff and was wondering if you thought the shape is similar to the Halo Pearl? Feel like the motion reminds me a lot but I could easily be making that up. I'm thinking about taking that for a couple of weeks and see if I can bridge the gap I'm having in the middle of our league blocks. Thoughts?
Yes but the HP is still a huge step down. Something like the Tour Dynam-X would be a similar look but it's still a step and a half down anyway. The Clone is a perfect step down on traction and is virtually the same shape but it's also quite a bit heavier rolling than the DNA so it's tricky
How would you compare this to the Virtual Energy Blackout? I've noticed on the fresh conditions, the Blackout is a bit of work for me, very speed sensitive and tends to not get back to the pocket always. But once they break down some its lights out. Was wondering if the DNA would handle the fresh a bit better.
This one definitely is stronger and more stable, especially on the fresh. You can always try putting a little surface on your blackout to blend it out though. 3000 usually works to do that without making it too early or too much stronger.
This ball is a sleeper in my opinion. It's strong but not Gem strong, so it's more useably I think. Straighter angles are best for me with it.
Those retro zigzag shirts/jerseys are pretty nice!
as a two handed leftie this ball is absolutely incredible on house and medium length high volume sport patterns
third arrow is the only trick needed without having to fight transition at all, only worry instead is the ball going too long and leaving the 1-3-7
would highly recommend this ball if you’re a higher rev leftie no doubt
I have half a mind to pick one up before Nationals to replace my Crux Prime that's starting to crack around the fingers. Would that be a reasonable replacement for the left side?
As far as smoothness yes, but this one doesn't quite chug or roll as heavy as the Prime does. The Clone rolls just like the Prime, but the cover isn't as strong. The Eternity Pi or Gem might be a closer replacement. The Gem is a little stronger than the Prime but the roll is virtually identical.
Releasing this around the same time as the Summit was A Decision.
What do you mean?
When the Summit came out, a lot of the staffers I saw were hyping it as a lot like the P2, so having another ball like the P2 around the same time, but marketing it as something it's not strikes me as not a great idea.
@@danielcunningham7169 Well, number 1, most staffers are idiots. The Summit cover is an updated version of the P2 cover, so to most staffers "OMG NEW P2???" No . . not close. The DNA is actually fairly similar to the P2, but staffers gonna staffer.
I really love my DNA. I had the same thought at the Matchmaker but I think I assumed maybe the longer pin compared to what I tend to throw and maybe it just had a bit of oil in the cover is why it played weaker. I actually had it the same as my Phaze II which I threw to compare. When I got my own, I realise that while it isn't the big hook monster it claims to be, I do see it as being a good step up from my Phaze II and I think if it was as strong as it was supposed to be, I probably wouldn't have thrown it as much. I've still not had any issue with the cross contamination that you seem to be having which I still find odd. I almost wonder if I do resurface it, how much stronger it might end up looking if I do have it and I'm just not seeing it.
I have seen several guys in League play it and have success, but I have also seen a couple of them give up on it. I threw it in a demo, and found it to be similar to my Phase II for my house shot, so I never spent the money....and during League, I picked up an opponent's DNA more than once when I had my Phase II in play, they look practically identical when the labels are down. I played a couple of sport shots this summer and one of them was a long pattern, and I think this would have been better than the Reality for that condition, but I just don't play those patterns enough to justify the cost...
I give the DNA a solid A- , but only for the left side, which is good because I am a leftry. Looking forward to the DNA Coil
Angel never threw it?
Nah drilled it for James and I, but she did get one ordered recently
I love this ball but it can be very temperamental. You nailed the description, its really like an asym version of PhazeII, a little more backend and a bit more responsive in the mid-lane. I think most were expecting this be a Storm version of the Gem but its a lot different, not as slow and tumbly. I see a lot of them at my usual house as the local PSO has warmed up to it and recommended it for others. I throw it fast and pretty much pipe it straight up outside of 10 board on the left side and it will get hooking at just the right spot for me somewhere around the 35 ft mark.
The cover really soaks up oil though. I freshen it up with 2000 before every session and its like a sponge. Used it a lot this summer and left the balls in the car a lot. Frequently would be dripping oil when left out in the heat. So I wonder if thats what happens when people say its not moving for them. I think the core needs a significant amount of energy to get it going in the right direction so for speed dominant players like me this ball works well. It doesn't quite respond like you'd expect a big strong solid asym to, its early but not too early, doesn't jump when it sees the friction but continues well.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a hybrid or shinier version of this ball out next year, maybe the coil thats out overseas, something like this new Magic Gem that just came out. The DNA does get over looked for the most part. Kind of over shadowed by the Gem on one side and and the Summit/TNT on the other as super strong symmetricals. The pros seem to have ignored it as it doesn't really suit that style of play, its not really a ball you'd use to hook the lane.
According to the grapevine, the Coil will be a stateside release. Bowling balls are designed to absorb oil to keep the cover fresh and tacky, so the stronger a ball is, the more important it is that it has a fresh dry cover. The not hooking issues are for people straight out of the box because of the factory surface issues, plus like you said, it's just not a super diggy ball like the Gem and it's pretty smooth on the backend, so when people expect to just be able to take it out in league and have it go 40 feet and turn sideways, that's just not what the ball was designed to do, so it's really incorrect expectations more than anything.
This ball is a bad bad bowling ball. Awful.
Nah, probably just that you didn't reset the factory surface or are throwing it on the wrong conditions or both. If you just got it to throw straight out of the box on your league shot, that's the problem, not the ball.
@@LukeRosdahl I have thrown it about 10-15 games total since purchasing it in may, 3 of those games on house (and it obviously looked terrible). Its 4th and 5th games were on 45 feet 29 mils and maybe it would have been good if I had more surface, but anything shorter than 43 feet or anything outside the 12 board, it is just over-under and rolls like the crux prime. I have left more 10 pins with this ball than any other ball. Just not ver versatile. Long live the 2014 hyper cell.
@@surfinbird208 It's a heavy oil ball, so it's going to need oil. It's only natural it wouldn't look that great on shorter conditions or trying to play much angle with it. Again, it's a heavy oil ball, it's not supposed to be very versatile, it's supposed to be used on heavy volumes and longer patterns when you need traction and control.
Did you reset the surface when you got it or just throw it out of the box?
It's amazing at our house. We have a long heavy oil pattern, that is notorious for 10 pins, and they ran out of fire conditioner and it feels like they are using too much ice on relatively new lanes and its been feeling like a long sport shot. Other balls I have that used to work just slide and die, this ball has been an absolute miracle.