Storm Phaze 5 Ball Review by Jeff Ussery

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

RG: 2.53"

Differential: .050"

M/b: n/a

Surface: 1500 grit sanded w/ Reacta Gloss

Core shape: Symmetric

The Phaze series’ aggressive nature has carried over to the Phaze V. By combining the Velocity core with R2S Pearl for the first time, Storm has created the ultimate in length in the Phaze series. The Velocity core's low rg characteristics give Phaze 5 midlane revving motion while the 1500 grit Reacta Gloss polished cover pushes it further down the lane than any Phaze so far.

I drilled the Phaze 5 with my standard 5 1/2" pin up layout. This is a layout that has been very successful for me in Storm manufactured products for a long time, as it usually maximizes the length and backend potential from their stuff. Where some other manufacturer's balls can get a little soft in the backend when I use this layout, many times I find that if anything the Storm made balls may actually over backend at times using this layout. Phaze 5 was a surprise as I saw a little more of the former when I took it to the lanes.

Phaze 5 starts out by being super, super long through the front of the lane. The ball is very shiny out of the box, and it has no trouble at all gliding through the heads on a standard league condition. The low rg core determines that you'll see this ball revving up in the early midlane. Even though I throw 14#, the 2.53" rg is low enough that Phaze 5 wants the core motion to start up before it gets to the back of the lane. This is more obvious in a ball like Phaze 2, which has a sanded aggressive cover paired with this same core. That's a product that revs extremely early for bowlers and then unleashes a continuous arc through the midlane and backend. Phaze 5 is different with the polished and pearl R2S coverstock. While the core wants this ball to rev up, the cover and its finish delays it a bit from really taking off down lane. I found Phaze 5 to easily be the longest reaction product I have in my bag right now.

Users should find the overall hook potential of this product to be slightly more than the Electrify series. In my testing, I actually have an older Hyroad Pearl that out hooks this Phaze 5. While that's not the design intent, my Hyroad Pearl is from a year or so ago and is extremely sharp in the backend. Finish line changes have been made since that time, so I'm not sure how it would compare to a Hyroad Pearl made today. My guess is that the core properties would show this ball stronger than Hyroads/Pearls made on today's setup at Storm. Phaze 5 was much longer down the lane and much straighter overall than a Phaze 2 drilled the same way in my testing.

This is a really sharp looking ball with some teal/blue/silver mixture to it. As I said before, the ball looks extremely shiny out of the box. Storm's done a nice job on the cosmetics for Phaze 5, and we've had several comments already in the store about the visual appearance of the ball. These are in stock now in both 14# and 15#. Come by and see us for more info!