DV8 Damn Good Verge Bowling Ball Review And Best Alternative

After a massive success with the original Verge bowling ball, DV8 had to bring us a better and more versatile piece of equipment. Do you want a “damn good” reaction from your bowling ball? Then, this DV8 Damn Good Verge bowling ball review will help you decide whether this ball is the right fit for you.

If you’re transitioning from one particular bowling style to another, there’s no alternative to this Damn Good Verge bowling ball. The new Damn Good Verge ball is for every bowler out there. So before you decide to make a purchase, give this article a read and learn about this ball in detail.

Why is this bowling ball the best?

V for Versatility, V for Verge. The DV8. Damn Good Verge bowling ball screams versatility. You will love the kind of traction you will get from this symmetrical bowling ball on the lane, especially at the mid-lane. Besides all that, this Verge bowling ball is “Damn Good” at opening up angles, predictable smooth motion, and can hook in so many ways. Clearly, this ball is not just “damn good”, it’s the “damn best”.

Features

Coverstock

So, let’s start with the exterior of this bowling ball. The first feature to catch your eyes is the DV8 Damn Good Verge which is the newly innovated Inciter Max Traction solid reactive coverstock that wraps the core. As soon as the ball was released by DV8, people were so curious about the coverstock! Hence, I am here to introduce you to its capability and overall performance.

If you don’t have a bowling ball that reads the end lane well, your arsenal is probably just missing something like the DV8 Damn Good Verge. I was surprised to see how this solid reactive bowling ball read the lane at the end of the pattern and still managed to maintain a controllable and smooth motion to the pocket. Because the solid reactive makes the ball very predictable, you will have the freedom to try out this bowling ball on multiple patterns and get similar results.

You will understand soon why this ball was named “Inciter Max Traction” soon after you play with this ball. The level of mid-lane traction you will get from this bowling ball is extraordinary. So the name is fully justifiable.

Whether it is a house pattern or a sport pattern you’re bowling on, DV8 Damn Good Verge is not going to act like a “two-faced snake”. With the help of the new technologically advanced coverstock, the ball reacts incredibly all the time. No wonder why this ball got all the attention. I have this friend who owns this bowling ball and she talk stop talking about it enough. I must say, her bowling indeed improved significantly after she started practicing with this legendary DV8 bowling ball.

Factory Finish

Out of the box, the solid reactive Inciter Max Traction coverstock is finished at 500/1500 Siaair Micro Pad. So basically, this ball has a matte finish. Therefore, you can bowl in medium to heavy lane conditions without any worries. Solids are known for not picking too much oil. Hence, the cover finish goes with the cover type perfectly.

One thing I have noticed about this ball is that it loves oil! And no, it doesn’t suck up the oil from the lane. When you throw this balling ball in heavier lane conditions, the ball won’t be frightened. It is never going to jump off the friction. The great thing about the DV8 Damn Good Verge is that it can handle anything on its way.

If you don’t like the ball’s factory finish, you can modify the coverstock finish according to your preference. If you think your ball needs a bit more buffering, go ahead and do it. But be ready for the changes this will bring to the ball.

Core

Remember the Threshold core from the original Verge bowling ball? Well, it has been revolutionized and now it is better than ever! The DV8 Damn Good Verge features the new symmetrical Threshold MD core. The MD stands for Medium Differential. Yes, DV8 is smart!

The weight block of DV8 Damn Good Verge features a comparatively lower differential (0.037″) than the original (previously, it was 0.049″). The RG value is almost identical, because the original Verge had 2.476, and now with the Damn Good Verger it is 2.467″.

Surprisingly, the Damn Good Verge revs up pretty quickly. Therefore, for medium rev bowlers who want to have a kick in their ball movement, this ball would be a perfect piece of equipment for them. The overall core design indicates that this is a bit bigger in size, yet, it is not going to tilt over early. I know how annoying that can be.

And, about losing energy? Don’t worry about it at all. DV8 Damn Good is going to retain energy like a badass. Moreover, it can close up your angles beautifully so that you can play up the boards. Similarly, if you think moving inside will help you with hitting more pins and possibly a strike, go ahead and do it! The ball is gonna hook just fine and hit the pins like a truck! All thanks to this magnificent never-seen-before symmetrical core.

Color

Now, allow me to talk about the look of this bowling ball because the look matters a lot more than you think. A ball’s outer shell color is the first impression. If you are very picky about colors, good news for you, this DV8 Verge ball looks “Damn Good”. Yes, I just had to say it like that. Interestingly, the ball has a dark purple color which is labeled as “grape sparkle” in the specification section of the website. Despite being matte, the ball has some sparkles added to the color. Matte sparkle? Now, that is something truly new!

Hook Potential

The combination of low RG (2.467) and medium differential (0.037) is quite unique in DV8 bowling balls. Previously, we had an almost similar configuration in the original Verge bowling ball. However, the original Verge has a higher hook potential, whereas the DV8 Damn Good Verge has a low hook rating. 

If you are aware of how a bowling ball functions, then you know that you cannot expect too many hooks from the Damn Good Verge bowling ball. The ball will roll strongly on freshly applied heavy oil patterns. This strong overall roll will later transform into some smooth hooks at the breakpoint. If you can remember properly, the highlight of this ball is its versatility. So depending on how you throw your bowling ball, it will be either a small hook or a medium hook.

I loved the ball’s motion mainly on the heavy oil patterns. So when the lane is heavily concentrated with oil, take this ball out of your arsenal. Is your bowling lane too flat? Also, take this ball out and show them the magic you have in you. Symmetrical bowling balls are not the biggest champion when it comes to hooking, So if high angular hooking is your jam, this ball might not be for you. Moreover, it can’t continue to hook when the lane breaks down. So expect a top-notch performance as long as there is some oil left on the lane. Because the ball has a matte surface, it is going to dig into the oil from the lane and won’t quit.

Breakpoint Shape

 It goes without saying that the Damn Good Verge is a nice medium-hooking bowling ball. So are you now interested to know what kind of hooking motion you’re going to experience at the breakpoint? Well, you will see some all-purpose hooks when this ball exits the oil pattern.

My inspection is that when you release the Damn good Verge ball down the lane, first, it will start moving like an upper-mid hooking bowling ball. And, just when it’s about to hook, the ball will make a smooth curve, and retrieve enough energy for the backends to make the standing pins knocked down.

Because the Damn Good Verge is a symmetrical bowling ball, it will be very clean through the fronts. The stored momentum of the ball will be used for nice pin carry which is great. Due to having pretty strong backends, your ball will be prevented from skating through the back lane.

With every shot, when the lane starts transitioning, this bowling ball is gonna open up the lane. This will allow you to move inside or you can go farther left/right. The efficient energy usage, superior backend reaction, and some great lengths on medium-heavy oil patterns are truly appreciated.

What We Like

– The DV8 Damn Good Verge reacts to flat or heavy concentrations of oil the best. Some bowling balls act crazy or are a bit flippy when they are rolled on a heavy oil pattern, Thankfully, this ball can handle that pretty smoothly and makes bowling more fun!

– The revolutionized coverstock and the unique and innovative core are carefully paired. Pairing these two made this ball something you may have never seen before. This cover-core duo is needed beneficial for bowlers who are aiming to get better at bowling in near future.

– The DV8 Damn Good Verge is designed to be more versatile than the other Verge balls. Its versatility is out of the world! So whether you’re a stroker, a cranker, or a tweener, this ball will suit you fine on various house or sports oil patterns. All you gotta do is practice enough so that you get the best results every time.

What We Don’t Like

– Low RG bowling balls are not the biggest fan of longer oil patterns. If your lane is 44 feet long or more, be ready to see some low-energy hooks and pin knockdown.

– Since Damn Good Verge is solely recommended for medium to heavy oil patterns, you should stick to that. The ball’s best friend is oil. Plus, it already has a matte finish, so if you don’t want your ball to encounter too much unnecessary and damaging frictions, better keep this DV8 ball in contact with oil. Without enough momentum, the ball will be completely useless. 

DV8 Damn Good Verge vs DV8 Damn Good Verge Pearl

The newest addition to the verge line is the DV8 Damn good Verge Pearl? So is it just a pearly version of the same ball, or do these two balls have some significant differences? Let’s find out. Take a look at this small summary of the differences and similarities I have figured out.

The first noticeable difference between these two balls is their coverstock finish. The Damn Good Verge Pearl has a polished finish, whereas the Damn Good Verge has a matte finish. Interestingly, both of these balls have the same color of coverstock. So if you do not notice the ball finish, these two balls look very identical.

If you put the Damn Good Verge ball up against the Verge Pearl, you will notice that the Verge Pearl provides more lengths with flips. Because this ball has a low hook rating, its ball is more likely to roll straight or more a very slight curve at the breakpoint. For the Damn Good Verge, the scenario is different. 

Both of these bowling balls have symmetrical cores and they both share the Threshold M.D. (Medium Differential) core. The coverstock is where the main difference is. The Verge Pearl has Inciter Pearl coverstock which is totally different than the other bowling ball.

The bottom line here is that these two DV8 bowling balls are siblings but not twins. Each ball is unique for its own ball reaction and characteristics. So it would be wise not to expect a similar ball reaction.

Conclusion

Are you just good at bowling? Why don’t you be “Damn Good”? With the new and famous DV8 Damn Good Verge bowling ball you can be the best! The overall performance of this bowling ball has really blown my mind! I don’t know about y’all. But I am getting it for my next tournament! If you get one yourself, remember to practice efficiently. I have no doubt that this performance-enhancing ball will take your bowling to the next level. So grab this ball today and good luck!