Radical Crypto Ball Review by Jeff Ussery

Layout: 60 degrees x 5 1/2" x 40 degrees

RG: 2.49"

Differential: .046"

M/b: n/a

Surface: 2000 grit sanded

Core shape: Symmetric

The Crypto’s ball motion will make it a staple in the Radical lineup with its strong mid-lane read and round/continuous backend shape. The Crypto core has solid symmetrical numbers lending to mid-lane hook and continuation through the pins. The Ai-45 cover is their strongest Ai cover and makes the Crypto a versatile symmetrical piece.

The Crypto was a ball that I drilled up with no real intent on how it was going to fit into my bag. With these core numbers, I expected it to be a mid-lane and "rolly" kind of piece. The 2000 grit sanded cover was another tip-off to what I would see on the lane. I went with my standard layout using the taller pin over the bridge (5 1/2"). This was the same layout I used on the Hammer Dark Web when I drilled it a few weeks back.

I ended up getting a somewhat early hooking and smooth reaction from the Crypto. The Ai-45 cover really grabs up in the front to mid-lane portion of the lane on virtually everything I've thrown it on. Crypto is definitely a ball that's going to prefer larger amounts of oil, in particular in the front of the lane. When comparing Crypto to the Dark Web, I had Crypto being significantly earlier on the lane, with a softer down lane move overall.

The spot where Crypto has shined has been on extreme wet/dry conditions, especially from left to right on the lane. Because the ball is so smooth off of the friction, the Crypto tends to blend out these conditions really well. If you bowl in a center with this extreme wet/dry condition (such as KC Bowl), this ball could be advantageous to you. You'll also like this one quite a bit if you're simply looking for a little more aggressive version of the Bigfoot/Squatch series balls. By staying with a symmetric shape you'll add hook without sacrificing predictability.

I did play around with the surface a bit once I saw the earlier hook from the Crypto. The ball definitely livened up a bit for me down lane once I applied a 4000 grit surface to the ball. This took the ball a little longer down the lane with a little more ease than before. Crypto is available now at Total Bowling Gear! Stop by and see us today to learn more about all of the new offerings from Radical.