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Plastic, Urethane, or Reactive? A No-BS Guide to Bowling Ball Coverstocks
If you really want to geek out on bowling, start talking about coverstocks. To a casual bowler, it’s just the outside of the ball. To a serious bowler, it’s everything. It’s the tires on your race car. It’s what separates the guys who know what they’re doing from the guys who are just hoping to get lucky.
Here at Fastlane, we see it all the time. A bowler will come in, frustrated that they can’t get their ball to do what they want, and it’s all because they’re using the wrong coverstock for their game or for the lane conditions. So, let’s break it down. Let’s talk about the three main types of coverstocks and when you should use each one.
Plastic: The Old Reliable
This is what house balls are made of. It’s cheap, it’s durable, and it goes straight. So why would a serious bowler want a plastic ball? For spares. Specifically, for corner pins. When you’re shooting at a 10-pin, you don’t want your ball to hook. You want it to go straight. A plastic ball takes the lane conditions out of play and lets you just throw it at the pin.
Every serious bowler should have a plastic ball in their bag. It’s the best hundred bucks you’ll ever spend on your game
Urethane: The Smooth Operator
Urethane was the king of the bowling world in the 80s, before reactive resin came along. It’s making a big comeback now, and for good reason. Urethane gives you a very smooth, controllable hook. It doesn’t have that big, sharp backend reaction that you see from reactive balls. It just kind of arcs its way to the pocket.
So, when would you use urethane? It’s great for dry lanes, or for when the lanes are really beat up and a reactive ball is just too jumpy. It’s also a great ball for a newer bowler who’s just learning to hook the ball. It’s a lot more forgiving than a reactive ball, and it’ll teach you how to control your ball reaction.
Reactive Resin: The Hook Monster
This is what most serious bowlers are throwing most of the time. Reactive resin is what creates those big, booming hooks you see on TV. It’s a porous material that actually absorbs oil, which creates a ton of friction with the lane. That friction is what makes the ball hook.
But it’s not that simple. There are three main types of reactive resin:
- Solid: This is the earliest and smoothest of the reactive coverstocks. It’s great for heavy oil.
- Pearl: This has mica added to it, which makes it go longer down the lane before it hooks. It’s got a more angular, “snappy” reaction. It’s great for medium to dry lanes.
- Hybrid: This is a mix of solid and pearl. It’s the most versatile of the three, and it’s a great choice for a benchmark ball that you can use on a variety of conditions.
So, What Should You Get?
It all depends on your game and where you bowl. But here’s a good starting point for building an arsenal:
- Start with a good benchmark ball. For most people, this is a hybrid reactive. It’s the most versatile, and it’ll tell you what the lanes are doing.
- Get a plastic spare ball. I’m not kidding. Do it.
- Add a ball for heavy oil. This is usually a solid reactive.
- Add a ball for dry lanes. This could be a pearl reactive or a urethane ball.
Look, we know this can be confusing. That’s what we’re here for. Come on in to Fastlane and we’ll talk about your game, watch you throw a few shots, and get you set up with the right gear. We’re not here to sell you the most expensive ball in the shop. We’re here to help you get better. And that starts with the right coverstock.
