Storm’s R2S coverstock might be the best cover ever made: It’s been the cover for some of the most popular balls of all time — most notably the HY-ROAD — and just seems to keep getting better as Storm upgrades it.

I loved the T-ROAD PEARL and love the HY-ROAD PEARL as well. The two balls have the same core and both have R2S Pearl covers, but the HY-ROAD PEARL is a newer version that clearly is stronger in today’s thicker oils.

I struggled with the T-ROAD SOLID when it came out in 2007 and ultimately gave up on it, sticking with my beloved SPECIAL AGENT as my R2S solid ball of choice. The SPECIAL’s EMC Enhanced Motion Control core just seemed to roll better for me than the Inverted Fe² when surrounded by the R2S solid cover.

I hit the pocket fine with the T-ROAD SOLID, but seemed to leave a lot of ring 10s, solid 9s, and 4s.

You would think that might make me wary of the new HY-ROAD SOLID, which again puts an R2S solid cover over the Inverted Fe² core. But I wasn’t because of the differences I saw in the T-ROAD PEARL and HY-ROAD PEARL.

Storm rep Jim Callahan mapped out a HY-ROAD SOLID for me at the Senior U.S. Open earlier this month and it got its first extended action at the USBC Senior Masters the next week.

For me, the HY-ROAD SOLID motion was too early and too smooth for the Senior Open — the OPTIMUS was a better choice — but it was perfect for the fresh at the Senior Masters, where there was a bit of hook spot between 5- and 10-board and stronger back-ends than at the Senior Open.

My HY-ROAD SOLID has the pin above and a tad to the right of my ring finger with the CG kicked slightly right at about a 75-degree drilling angle. It has a small weight hole kicked to the right in line with my grip center. I hesitate to give the numbers because I’ve been messing with my grip and am not sure what my PAP is.

The box finish is 2,000, compared to the 1,000 of the T-ROAD SOLID.

I left mine at box finish and loved it at the start of the Senior Masters, as I opened with a spare and then an 8-bagger playing a fairly direct angle up between 5- and 10-board.

With the fresh back-ends, the HY-ROAD SOLID made a strong but controllable move off the oil line — I’d call it a strong arc, rather than a snap — and I even had a touch of tug if I rolled it clean. This motion was smoother than I remember with the T-ROAD SOLID.

I think half of my eight strikes were snapped out 10-pins, which always is an indication of great ball reaction.

Once the fronts began drying and the Kegel Ice oil carried down and I flipped to the tighter side at South Point in Las Vegas, my carry diminished but I still was able to stay in the pocket consistently.

The coverstock did not shine that much and it was easily returned to a rougher finish.

I have since bowled with it on a transitioned house shot, and on the fresh USBC Open Championships team pattern.

My HY-ROAD SOLID did not like a lot of dry area, as it burned up energy. This clearly is the strongest ball in the Thunder line. I did not shine it because I already have shiny R2S balls.

The HY-ROAD SOLID excelled on the fresh Open Championships team pattern, giving me a great look with great control going fairly direct up the lane just right of 10-board. I would love to have had this ball for the start of team in Reno, where I used a SYNC to get smooth motion — the HY-ROAD SOLID has a more controlled and less early motion than the SYNC and I think would have been perfect for the start of team.

As you might expect, the HY-ROAD SOLID to me was pretty much a scuffed HY-ROAD but a little stronger with the latest version of R2S solid.

What I like about the Inverted Fe² core is it’s easy to manipulate the ball reaction with release changes. With stronger cores like in the SYNC and OPTIMUS, I find that the core somewhat overwhelms my release changes so that the ball does what the core has it do, not what I try to make it do. I could roll or spin — as much as my creaky 3-operation wrist allows me to – the HY-ROAD SOLID and change its motion fairly dramatically.

The HY-ROAD SOLID looks like a great benchmark ball that should excel on fresh medium to heavy oil, even if the back-ends are crisp. It does not give an over/under reaction from what I have seen.

On lighter oil or transitioned patterns, the HY-ROAD SOLID probably is too strong unless you have a lot of speed or are a low-rev player. (Again, it might work on such conditions if shined, but that’s what balls like the HY-ROAD PEARL are for.)

I also think the HY-ROAD SOLID’s controllability makes it a great ball for Sport patterns, as I’ve seen at the Senior Masters and on the Open Championships team pattern.

As I said, it’s excellent at digging out 10s, and is great carrying light mixers, although it has left a fair amount ring 10s and solid 9s for me so far.

I would recommend the HY-ROAD SOLID for just about anyone who bowls on heavy or medium oil. Only rev-dominant and slower speed players might want to be wary of it — trying it first at a MatchMaker event would be wise.

If you’re someone who loves the HY-ROAD, the HY-ROAD SOLID should be an excellent companion ball for heavier oil.