What To Look For
When purchasing a pearl bowling ball, make sure it is a reactive coverstock -- the reactive coverstock will enhance friction and allow the ball to build up speed and make it easy to angle into different corners of the pocket. A good coverstock to look for is the Cytoplasmic XL pearl, available on many common brands like Roto Grip, Storm Tropical and Lane Masters.
Common Pitfalls
Ensure the pearl quality is authentic and not imitation. If the pearl is authentic, it will come with a trademark name such as Cytoplasmic XL or Traction Reactive. The disadvantage to a coverstock that is not authentic pearl is that the ball will not carry the same quality of friction, and it will also need to be cleaned much more frequently as the stock does not hold up to the same caliber.
Where To Buy
As bowling is such a popular and widespread sport, there are several vendors that offer quality pearl balls at reasonable prices. Bowling.com allows shoppers to shop by weight, coverstock, brand and type of protection plan. In addition to sales, the site also offers the new information on ball releases, bowling tip videos and reviews on the top sellers. For those who prefer to shop in person and not online, Dick's Sporting Goods offers an array of pearl balls with the convenience of neighborhood shopping.
Cost
The cost of the product will vary depending on the weight of the pearl ball, but most balls will sell for between $75 and $125 as of October 2010. There are other cost factors to consider -- when shopping online shipping will be an additional charge. It is a good idea to get a warranty on your investment, and most drilling lifetime warranties will add an additional $10 to $20 to the overall cost of the pearl ball.
Comparison Shopping
Like other bowling balls, a bowler must consider what type of grip they want when purchasing a ball. There are three different types of grip, according to Bowler's Paradise, conventional, semi-finger tip and finger tip. The finger grip is the most advanced grip and does require strength to manipulate correctly. Conventional grip is a beginners grip that allows the bowler to feel maximum control of the ball. For pearl balls, bowler reviews recommend a derivative of the semi-finger tip -- a Sarge-Easter tip.
Accessories
When purchasing a pearl bowling ball, many bowlers' websites will offer discounts on the overall purchase of the ball if accessories are purchased as well. Consider purchasing an appropriate bag for the ball (take size and weight into account) and cleaning products such as Storm's Reacta Clean and Storm's Mega Bite.
Insider Tips
Pearl balls must be cleaned more regularly than standard epoxy bowling balls because of the nature of the sheen nature of the coverstock. Roto Grip recommends that pearl ball owners clean reactive balls every six to nine games. Particle balls should be cleaned every three to six games. Roto Grip reminded bowlers that the importance of cleaning a ball is equivalent to the importance of changing oil on a car.
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