The Hy-Wire
Review Date: 23 March 2016
Reviewed by:
Roto Grip staffer John Brockland
Style: Stroker Rev Rate: 280-310
PAP: 5.50" over and 1" up
The HAYWIRE has been a fantastic ball for me, especially on medium
to medium-heavy volume and medium length patterns when it’s been
important to get something rolling through the midlane but still
control ball motion on the back end.
It is built on the same Middle Roll 70TM core as
the DISTURBED which was a favorite of mine for similar reasons.
When Roto Grip announced the release of the HY-WIRE, a hybrid of the
HAYWIRE, I was expecting something that would relate to the HAYWIRE in
the way the ASYLUM did to the DISTURBED.
So, I expected something a touch more angular and a touch
cleaner because of it being a hybrid instead of a solid.
But the HY-WIRE is much more than that!
For those who enjoy spec comparisons, the hybrid cover of the
ASYLUM was 63MH – 63 in terms of
grit and medium-heavy in
terms of grime – under Roto
Grip’s former rating system.
The numbers themselves would lead one to think the HY-WIRE
would be almost exactly the same if not a touch weaker:
62M – 62 in terms of
grit and medium in terms of
grime – built around the
same core.
However, the hybrid here is two parts pearl to one part
solid whereas the ASYLUM was two parts solid to one part pearl.
The result is that the HY-WIRE is significantly more angular
than the ASYLUM ever was for me and is very strongly responsive to dry
when it sees it.
My HY-WIRE has a pretty ordinary medium strong layout as far as
my typical selection of layouts goes.
The specs come to 60 x 4.5 x 40 which puts the pin over the
ring finger. I have a
weight hole just under my axis point to get it to static legal.
I’ve had opportunity to use the HY-WIRE primarily in ordinary
league competition on hooking STL house shots.
As mentioned above, my initial surprise was how angular it has
turned out to be compared to what I was expecting.
I get strong rolling but more tumbling and forward motion from
my HAYWIRE, but the HY-WIRE is a lot more like a clean through the
front and sideways off the spot symmetrical pearl compared to what I
expected to see. Several
fellow staffers have commented about how versatile they find it to be.
I will say that – at least for me – it has been very responsive
to tweaks in hand position and ball roll.
A really strong release (relatively speaking given my Raisin
capabilities) creates pretty significant angle off the spot.
A softer, nicer-to-it release at the bottom has sometimes tamed
down the ball motion as much as three to four boards difference with
my feet.
I have not had opportunity to use the HY-WIRE on any tougher or
flatter patterns yet. I
look forward to giving it a try in practice sessions on this year’s
USBC Open Championship patterns, particularly after they’ve
transitioned, to see if it might be a tool for me….maybe for the
latter portions of minor events when getting into the middle of the
lane and creating back end angle may be necessary.
We’ll see. I know,
at this point, that at least a few fellow staffers have had some
success with it in Reno already this year after scuffing the cover.
If you are looking for something that is hybrid/pearl-ish in
the Roto Grip line that has more controllable motion than the HYPER
CELL SKID but stronger motion than an UNHINGED or HECTIC, I think the
HY-WIRE fills the gap perfectly.
|
|
| Lbs. |
RG |
Diff. |
PSA |
| 16 |
2.50 |
0.041 |
n/a |
| 15 |
2.50 |
0.043 |
n/a |
| 14 |
2.53 |
0.042 |
n/a |
| 13 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
| 12 |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
|
