Top 10 Best Bowling Ball Brands

When you’re planning to commit to bowling, getting your own ball would be the best way to establish your decision. But since these items can certainly affect how you enjoy the game, you have to be very careful in choosing which one to get.

The good news is, you can always refer to the best bowling brands to start your search. While every bowling ball has its own merits, the brand that made them can still be a good indicator of certain characteristics, specifically of product quality.

So if you want to be thorough in your search for the best bowling ball, make sure to pay attention to the most prominent bowling ball brand names today.

# Top 10 Best Bowling Ball Brands

To help you learn which bowling ball brand will appeal to you best, we’ve rounded up a few bowling ball brands reviews below.

1. Brunswick

Brunswick is probably the best brand to start this list as it’s one of the most established and popular bowling brands in the world today. It’s been around since 1845 and its growth is closely intertwined with the development of the sport. As the people behind Brunswick were the very same folks who established the American Bowling Congress, it’s safe to say that it’s one of the pioneers in the game.

Being a household name, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Brunswick’s bowling balls are considered as some of the best picks available. They have top-rated bowling balls for every skill level and ball type so they can cater to practically every bowler out there.

While the management for the Brunswick bowling equipment isn’t the same as the ones who established the brand a few centuries ago, there’s nothing to worry about the bowling balls available right now. Some people might have thought that the quality and performance changed, but it has also been noted that they’ve bounced back recently. So at the end of the day, you can still count Brunswick bowling balls to be great options for you.

Best Known For:

• Established legacy.
• Wide range of bowling ball varieties.
• Great reviews from bowlers.
• Good performance straight out of the box.

Most Popular Models:

2. Storm

Another very popular bowling brand is Storm, and it’s not surprising why this is a case. There are actually quite a few things about this brand’s products that make them top picks by many.

At the top of this list is their wonderful out of the box performance. The balls from this brand have drawn a lot of attention because you don’t really have to do much with it when new. It will already provide the motion you need to get good scores.

The story of its beginnings is pretty interesting, too. Initially, the brand only manufactured ball cleaners. However, after they have released their first bowling ball line known as Storm, their popularity sky-rocketed. So much so that the brand decided to rename themselves after the popular product line.

Did you also know that they’re the ones who made the first scented bowling balls? Those really created some fun memories for a lot of bowlers and effectively gave their brand some name recall.

All quirkiness aside, though, Storm is also a brand with strong advocacies. They’re best known for their support for breast cancer research and offers a few bowling balls that are for promoting breast cancer awareness.

Best Known For:

• Very wide range of products.
• Friendly prices.
• Great out of the box performance.
• Reliable options for high-performance and high-end balls.
• Advocates for Breast Cancer Awareness.
• Considered as the best bowling ball brand for beginners.

Most Popular Models:

3. Hammer

Hammer may be best known for its mid to high-performance bowling balls nowadays, but its main products weren’t always their top-of-the-line products. The fact that this is the case now only really shows how far they have come.

What really helped Hammer make a name for itself is its original idea to put their logo in the side of their balls. Their fame skyrocketed after it was seen in one game telecast of a PBA game.

You can also say that being innovative gave Hammer a good footing in the bowling ball industry. Being the second urethane ball in the market certainly made bowlers notice the brand. As they’ve also made the first 2-piece urethane balls, it’s safe to say that the brand’s innovation is something to look into.

Best Known For:

• Innovative products.
• Known for low-end and high-end bowling balls.
• Very wide range of products.
• Most of their bowling balls have 3-year warranty.

Most Popular Models:

4. Pyramid

Pyramid has been making waves lately as its bowling balls have been gaining a good amount of attention in recent years. Their aggressive marketing and the balls’ great performance were able to put the brand in many best bowling ball brands lists.

It’s quite easy to tell that Pyramid is gaining traction because more and more people are getting curious about its origins. Most bowlers say that it’s owned by the same folks behind bowlingball.com, so a lot of bowlers see it as a store brand option.

Regardless of where it’s from, the brand is a relatively young one. It had only been established in 2011, so it’s not surprising that not everyone knows a lot about it yet. It was said to be born out of the need for affordable but high-quality bowling balls.

And the brand does offer some of the most highly-recommended low-priced bowling balls. What’s very interesting about it, however, is that its best-selling picks are the ones from their entry-level and high-end lines. So with such details, it might be safe to say that you can count on this brand no matter what your skill level may be.

Best Known For:

• Good quality.
• Affordable price.
• Interesting ball names.

Most Popular Models:

5. Ebonite

When the name ‘Ebonite’ is mentioned, bowling tends to come to mind of lots of people automatically. While it’s not entirely a household name, it has enough name recall, especially to those who have always paid attention to name brands.

What makes Ebonite one of the top bowling ball brands today is its versatility. Its range of products is designed for various kinds of bowlers. Because of this, there’s a very good chance that you’ll find a good match for you for every skill level and lane condition.

You might also want to know that Ebonite also owns Hammer, so you can pretty much expect the same quality and performance from the two. They also own the Dyno-Thane, Track, and Columbia bowling balls. So if you like those brands, you might also like Ebonite.

Best Known For:

• Large selection of bowling balls.
• Reasonably priced products.
• Offers bowling balls made for various kinds of bowlers.

Most Popular Models:

6. Columbia 300

Being the pioneers of polyester balls, Columbia 300 is certainly a brand to keep an eye on. If you’re a beginner, you seriously need to check out what this brand can offer. With their classic pieces that do not offer a lot of flares, their plastic balls will be able to give you the control you need to master your throw style.

As this brand has also been around since the 1960s, you can also trust that C300 knows what they’re doing. So aside from their entry-level polyester balls, their higher-end options are also worth looking into.

If you’re also looking for a good affordable bowling ball, there’s a good chance you’ll meet your match with Columbia 300. The price tags of their best-sellers are very friendly, so they can also be a great budget pick.

Also note that since Columbia 300 is owned by Ebonite, you might also find it to be a good choice for you if you like the said brand. As it’s from the same people behind Hammer and Track, you should check out C300 as well.

Best Known For:

• The first to manufacture polyester balls.
• Fun bowling ball designs.
• Friendly price tag.
• Good range of products that are made to cater to every bowler’s needs.

Most Popular Models:

7. DV8

Now if you like Brunswick bowling balls, DV8’s products might also appeal to you. This is one of the top-rated bowling ball brands under the Brunswick umbrella, alongside the Radical brand. So if you’re after the Brunswick quality, DV8 can also be a good alternative pick.

When the brand launched about a decade ago, it generated a lot of buzzes. Why not when it seems like the next most promising bowling ball brand? Its affiliation with Brunswick gave it a leg up in the competition.

Another notable thing that made DV8 turn some heads is their edgy and tough branding. Their balls come with interesting names, so they’re quite memorable. Coupled with interesting designs, they can be great options for lots of bowlers.

Best Known For:

• Striking branding and ball names.
• Reliable quality and performance.
• Very wide range of products.
• Attractive ball design.

Most Popular Models:

8. Motiv

Motiv’s origin story is another good example of a business moving in the right direction. Initially, their company only created bowling ball cores and they were successful at it that the business flourished for more than a decade. After a while, they took the leap and became a full-blown bowling ball manufacturer.

What really made them a notable company is their creation of the NeoMark graphics technology. It made engraving the bowling balls unnecessary as it allowed manufacturers to integrate the graphics on the coverstock instead. With this technology, the bowling ball’s performance is better guaranteed.

This is why a single glance at Motive balls will tell you that they’re different from their competitors. They definitely look more modern, so they can appeal to lots of bowlers who want a unique-looking bowling ball.

Best Known For:

• Top-notch quality coverstock.
• Innovative bowling ball design.
• Shell surface don’t soak up a lot of oil.
• Coverstock adapts quickly to lane conditions.

Most Popular Models:

9. Roto Grip

Roto Grip may have been established in the mid-1950s, but a lot of things changed when Storm acquired the brand name. These changes restored the brand’s popularity which is why it’s now one of the most popular bowling ball brands around.

A remarkable feat this brand made is that it stayed relevant. Even after focusing their promotions and sales towards the international market, they still developed a healthy following in the USA. Why not, really, when they continue to come up with innovative designs that further improve one’s skills and scores.

Best Known For:

• Innovative designs.
• A popular pick among professionals.
• Detailed guides that are designed to help bowlers choose the right ball for them.

Most Popular Models:

10. Track

Like the other brands listed above, Track also made a splash in the bowling ball industry because of its drive to create cutting edge bowling balls. They got very successful in doing so that a lot of its older models became industry standards. The said goal was kept even after the ownership changed in 2007.

Best Known For:

• Innovative bowling ball design.
• Very wide range of options offered.
• Beautiful options.

Most Popular Models:

# Things to Consider Before Buying from a Bowling Ball Brand

The good news is, bowling balls are pretty much standardized by the USBC. With certain regulations in place, you can be guaranteed that the bowling balls available in the market are regulated and approved by the sporting organization to ensure their good performance and quality.

This means that there aren’t exactly “bad” bowling balls, especially if it’s from a reputable brand. The decision-making process, however, depends on the bowler’s preferences, techniques, and skills instead. It makes choosing simpler and more complicated at the same time.

If you’re the type who really wants to find out which best-selling bowling ball brand is truly the right one for you, keep these things in mind:

# The Brand’s Overall Reputation

While you can’t really define a bowling brand to be the best among everyone else, its reputation can tell you whether it’s worth a shot or not. This is the very reason why we discussed the different bowling brands in detail above.

Even if reviews can get subjective, learning how consumers perceive a brand can still be a great way for you to get to know them better. It can also help point you in the right direction during your search.

Like in any other industry, it’s best to go for the brands with good reviews. The positive experience of the other buyers can be an assurance that you won’t be disappointed by the brand or its products.

If there’s one thing that you should absolutely need to be particular about, it has to be the durability of the products made by a specific brand. If a manufacturer is known for the quality of their bowling balls, you can be guaranteed that you can play a lot of games with their balls.

If a brand has issues with cracking, you should be wary of the manufacturer. Such cases might just be a fluke but it’s not a good guarantee of quality. With so many other bowling ball brands to choose from, your investment will be safer elsewhere.

# The Brand’s After Sales Services

To be honest, no one wants to get in touch with a bowling brand’s after-sales team because it only means one thing: product defect. However, even businesses can still make mistakes and missteps, so it’s not impossible for you to need to contact manufacturers again after spotting an issue with your bowling ball. Even big brands get complaints from time to time, so they should be considered as a normal part of operations.

Whether you intend to contact the manufacturers or not about your product or not, it would still be nice to know if the company you bought your ball from offers good after-sales services. Try to find out if they’re easy to reach and what their customers’ experiences are like. Doing so will help you rest assured that you won’t have a hard time even if you’ve been unlucky with the bowling ball you’ve received.

# The Range of Items Offered

An interesting preference a lot of bowlers develop as they grow their arsenal is that they can become more partial about some brands. They tend to build brand loyalty after finding themselves thoroughly satisfied by a product.

If you think this will happen to you, it would be better to look at the good bowling ball brands with a wide selection of products. This way, even if you do find yourself becoming a brand loyalist, you’ll still be able to find a good match for your needs and skills.

# The Manufacturer’s Corporate Practices

One way to stretch the value of your purchases is by supporting brands that have their own advocacies. So aside from fulfilling your needs, the purchases you make can also help out others as well. A lot of brands incorporate their advocacies through various business practices, but some also make sure to let their customers in on the fun.

Bowling brands like Storm and OTB support various causes so they can be great options if you want your money to go to a good cause.

# Final Thought

Since the factors that can help you choose the right bowling ball for you are very subjective, there’s really no way to tell which singular manufacturer is the best bowling ball brand in the market. However, it’s entirely possible for you to find the best brand for your needs and requirements. This is why you should still take time to look at the different bowling ball makers today.

We hope our quick guide proves to be helpful to your search.

Last update on 2024-07-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API