Columbia 300 Ricochet Return Bowling Ball Review

Columbia 300’s Ricochet Return uses the same symmetrical Ricochet core shape and the same polished box finish as the Ricochet Pearl from December 2024. While that ball used a black pearl coverstock, the Ricochet Return features a much more vibrant color scheme and uses the HK22C – Micro Flex Hybrid coverstock. We found the Ricochet Pearl to be extremely condition-specific because of how much length it produced. The Ricochet Return’s hybrid cover kept this from being an issue, making it much more usable overall for all three of our bowlers.

Cranker

Cranker had his best reaction with the Ricochet Return on our medium oil test pattern. The ball didn’t get as far down the lane as the Ricochet Pearl, keeping it from being as sensitive to the oil and making it more predictable at the end of the pattern. He saw a stronger downlane move than the Super Cuda PowerCOR Pearl, while also seeing more traction in the oil. This ball motion allowed him to start farther left with his laydown point and have more room for error at the breakpoint. Compared to the Piranha PowerCOR Pearl, the Ricochet Return was just a little smoother and had a little less recovery downlane, but it was very close in overall boards covered. Cranker continued to like his reaction with the Ricochet Return as the pattern started breaking down and he needed to move farther left, as it was still strong downlane and through the pin deck. It didn’t try to hook early or get forward downlane, keeping his pin carry just as good later in the session as it was on the fresh. He didn’t make any surface changes on this pattern, as the box finish offered a nice amount of length and strong recovery at the back end.