Bowler Ratings

PatternStTwCr
Oily:788
Medium:99.59
Dry:663
Sport:877

Bowler ratings are from 1 to 10 in order of Stroker (ST), Tweener (TW), Cranker (CR)

General Info

Brand:
Name:Manic
Reviewed:May 2012
Empty
Coverstock Specs
Name:R2S Solid Reactive
Type:Reactive Solid
Box Finish:4000 Abralon
Color:Blue / Pink
Empty
Core Specs
Name:NA
Type:Symmetrical
RG:2.53
Diff:0.045
Int. Diff:0.000

For details on our standard test layouts, please click here.

The Manic is the second release at this price point from Storm this month. The Manic gives bowlers the option of a solid resin coverstock surrounding the NOS core. Compared to the Fringe and Frantic, this ball creates much more friction and provides more hook than either.

The added traction provided by the 4000 Abralon solid R2S cover gave us a look we liked on the medium test pattern. Stroker enjoyed the free hook which is always a benefit for lower rev players. Tweener’s equal revs and ball speeds allowed him to play nearly anywhere he wanted on this pattern. He could be firm and play closer to the track or move into the oil and get it to the track area down lane. Cranker was deeper in the oil and, as usual, due to his rev rate, was able to have his breakpoint further right than the other two testers. We added a coat of Storm’s Step Two compound to the test balls just to see if we could find a little better reaction. With the compound added, we saw more length with a stronger change of direction at the breakpoint. It was still not as strong at the breakpoint and back end as the Fringe but was smoother than the Frantic.

Moving to the heavy test pattern, the box finish was plenty enough surface for Cranker to get to the pocket. Tweener and Stroker needed a little more help and settled on using a 2000 Abralon pad on Stroker’s Manic and a 3000 Abralon surface on Tweener’s. With the lower surface grit, these testers were able to create the traction needed to get the ball through the slick stuff.

The Manic offered one of Stroker’s best looks in a while on our sport pattern. The traction and control offered out of the Manic offered push and recovery on a pattern that usually doesn’t offer too much help. Tweener and Cranker left their Manics at the box finish as well for this pattern. The smooth nature was a benefit for these players as well. They could get the Manic to the friction spots without it jumping and over-reacting.

The dry pattern offered little to no reaction at the box finish. The early traction was too much for this short pattern. We raised the surfaces to a 4000 Abralon and applied a layer of Reacta-Shine. Even with the surface change, this ball was too much hook for this amount of oil.

Performance Ratings

NameValueComments
Torque6.5
The 4000 Abralon cover smoothes out the motion when the Manic sees some dry boards. The Manic smoothed out some of the over/under reaction we saw later in the testing session from the Fringe.
Length13
Storm’s 4000 Abralon finishes seem to be a little rougher than other brands. The added friction from the sanded cover keeps the length down.
Back End16
The Manic fits the mold of a solid as it is earlier and smoother than a pearl. Shining the cover should help increase the angularity of the back end reaction.
Total Hook51
As we saw a correlation between the Fringe and 2Fast, we also saw more total motion from the Manic than we did the 2Furious.

Strengths

The control we had from the 2Furious, along with more overall hook, make the Manic a great choice for medium to heavy volumes of oil.

Weaknesses

Dry lanes will make the Manic hard to control. Even as the heads began to go on our medium pattern, all three testers started having trouble getting the Manic down the lane.

Overall Summary

The Manic fills the gap left by the discontinued 2Furious. Frantic owners who want more hook can look to the Manic to provide similar hook shape and more total motion.

Storm Manic Comparisons

Click below to see a comparison table of each pair of bowling balls shown:

To compare the Storm Manic to any other bowling ball(s), please use our Bowling Ball Comparison tool.

The BTM Ball Testing Team

About The BTM Ball Testing Team

The BTM Ball Testing Team is led by Eric Martinez. Our team of three testers has thrown and reviewed hundreds of bowling balls for Bowling This Month. When not testing balls for BTM, Eric owns and operates University Pro Shop in San Antonio, TX and he is an avid competitive bowler. Click here to learn more about how we test and review bowling balls.