The Halo Pearl is the complement to the original Halo. This new addition to Roto Grip’s high performance HP4 lineup uses the same asymmetrical Centrum core design as the Halo, but with a pearlized coverstock. Its eTrax-P18 cover, which is the same formulation used on the Idol Pearl, comes out of the box at a 1500 grit polished finish. The length and angle created by this cover and surface combination will give bowlers a much different ball path than the original Halo, with the Halo Pearl providing extra skid through the front and a bigger reaction to the dry.

The Halo Pearl was great on our medium oil test pattern and it allowed each of our three testers to play to their strengths on the fresh. Stroker was able to play straighter up the lane just inside the second arrow, Tweener was just right of the middle arrow, and Cranker could play between the fourth and fifth arrows. This ball’s strong pearlized coverstock saved tons of energy for a big move off the dry. All three testers were opening their angles through the front of the lane, getting their Halo Pearls out to between five and eight at the breakpoint. The aggressive eTrax-P18 coverstock handled the oil well enough to still hook up to the pocket on shots that got tugged up the lane into the heaviest volume part of the pattern. We were able to ...