Storm Ion Max Pearl Bowling Ball Review

Storm’s new Ion Max Pearl shares the Element Max AI core shape with the original Ion Max. This is a very strong asymmetrical design that creates a lot of flare, with an RG of 2.47″, a total differential of 0.055″, and an intermediate differential of 0.014″. Compared to the Ion Max, the coverstock has changed from NRG Solid to NRG Pearl, and the box finish is swapped from 2000 Abralon to Power Edge. We liked how well this ball picked up in the midlane for a polished pearl bowling ball. This motion allowed all three of our testers to have a lot of success on our fresh medium oil pattern. While we didn’t find the Ion Max Pearl to be particularly versatile, we did find that it provided a shape and motion that isn’t currently available from other balls in the Storm lineup.

Stroker

Stroker loved the amount of traction he saw from the Ion Max Pearl on the fresh medium oil pattern. The ball offered good length, but it never wanted to push too far down the lane. It wasn’t snappy off the end of the pattern, rolling off of it instead, which made it very easy to control downlane. His misses left of target were still able to dig into the oil and create enough traction to get the ball to the pocket and through the pins. He was farther left with his laydown and his breakpoint with the Ion Max Pearl compared to the Phaze II Pearl, the Next Factor, and the EquinoX. With all of those