Since the HY-ROAD came out almost 15 years ago and I seemingly was the only bowler in the world not to like that hugely popular and still-produced ball, the line has mostly featured balls I liked. 

The latest is the NIGHT ROAD, which features the ReX Pearl coverstock that is used in the DARK CODE and INFINITE PHYSIX and the famous Inverted Fe2 Technology core. The NIGHT ROAD box finish is the new 4K Fast.

I had no idea what to expect and what I found fascinated me.

I chose my standard pin-up drilling that I have on many balls, including the HY-ROAD PEARL and HY-ROAD X. With my PAP of 4 7/8 over and 5/8 up, the numbers are 4 7/8 pin-PAP, 3 1/2 MB-PAP, and 3 1/2 pin buffer.

What fascinated me is that the NIGHT ROAD is almost a carbon copy of the HY-ROAD X, which also has the Inverted Fe2 core, but has the R2X solid cover. I never would have imagined a pearl and solid coverstock could produce such similar reactions.

Both balls are best for me standing left and going right, especially on short patterns where both are excellent circling to the gutter.

The HY-ROAD X, which I reviewed in this story, is slightly cleaner than the NIGHT ROAD, but both are equally sharp down lane.

Carry with such angles is variable: sometimes the strikes flow and sometimes there are lots of ring 10s and solid 9s and 4s. But to me there is nothing more fun than playing a short pattern crossing 15 at the arrows out to the gutter and back. I love those high risk, high reward scenarios.

One thing I found with the NIGHT ROAD is that when I hit it lightly by hand with a 2,000 CTD pad, I am able to pick up the ball speed and go very direct on a house shot, staying more in the dry than any ball in my arsenal without getting excessive skid in the oil.  

The one the NIGHT ROAD does not do for me is handle more than a moderate amount of oil. But the Storm lines have plenty of balls that do that so it’s no big deal.

In golf terms, The NIGHT ROAD is more of a middle to short iron, not a driver. And those are necessary in anyone’s bag. 

I would think you could hit a NIGHT ROAD with a 500 or 1,000 pad and it would handle more oil, but I like what it does for me at shiny or light surface and have no interest in roughing mine up. 

If you’re looking for a stronger ball with the ReX Pearl cover, go with the INFINITE PHYSIX. 

I should note that the differential for the Inverted Fe2 core varies greatly from 16 to 15 to my 14 pounds: 0.058 to 0.046 to 0.037. So my usual warning in such cases that review may not apply for 15s and 16s!

The HY-ROAD X has been in my tournament arsenal for four years, but the NIGHT ROAD is finally the ball to replace it.