Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane Review
The most popular urethane ball in bowling. Consistent, predictable performance on short oil at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
the Black Pearl urethane is Hammer 78 hardness fully PBA compliant complement to the new blue that hopes to replace the purple since it's no longer legal for use in PBA tournaments and it releases to the public on March 21st however if you're not a pro you might be wondering whether or not you should care about this one but as I've been cursed to dwell on the left side of the lane for the rest of Eternity your thinge is the next best thing to an undead monkey sidekick so I'm excited and we're going to start by comparing it to the new blue and the purple to see how well it stands up to the purple how it compares to the
blue and if this black pearl curses me or my opponents quick question though before we get into it some small Point Up For Debate here I'm a ginger gingers have no souls so if I were to take a piece of the curse treasure would I share in the curse or not let me know in the comments once again I know I'm the tech guy but the videos have gotten way too heavy trying to jam everything in and explain how everything works I think I'm just boring the regulars to death and confusing the hell out of the fngs so we're going back to basics still giving you the important info just without all the visual clutter and
paralysis by analysis I'm on the Kagel Alcatraz pattern for this one it's a shorter flatter pattern where you'd expect to see urethane used and used effectively 38 ft almost 25 Ms just over a 2:1 ratio so just really tough the pattern is linked in the description if you want to look at the full details my layout is up on the screen I went strong on this one and this is the same layout I have later on the purple and blue for reference this one has the same core as the purple which is very high RG at 265
and very low differential at 05 and 15 lb so it's not going to rev it's not going to flare it's a very traditional urethane type of core so going strong Buffs the core strength if you have no idea what any of these numbers mean or what I just said I have a few instructional videos Linked In the description that will teach you everything you need to know about cores and layouts the ball page on the website for The Black Pearl isn't up yet but I've got the blue and purple Pages Linked In the description as well you've already gotten a pretty good good look during my monologuing you won't know I can't do short and sweet anyway but
let's finally get to the point first we're going to take a bit of a backwards approach to this I started with a fresh new promotion to illustrate the difficulty of this pattern and also take a look at something several people have asked about the new blue cover seemed like it could be very similar to Storm's spec cover which they're no longer able to make and with the promotion finally getting the respect it deserves years after being discontinued many eyebrows were raised and interest was peaked despite being reactive it was smoother and more controllable than even something like an IQ tour solid and was
as close to fake aane as you can get without actually being that however the difficulty of this pattern is clear even the promotion is having issues I threw the new blue next both to take a look at the comparison to the promotion and help establish a basis for comparison for where the black ultimately fits the cores are obviously significantly different in the promotion and the blue much stronger core in the PM so that's a large Factor but I don't think the core difference makes up for the reaction difference we're seeing here the blue is much smoother much more controllable and
very much looks like a slightly more rolly slightly more responsive version of the purple Hammer it's been very popular and it's been impressive and it looks quite a bit different Dole versus shiny so there's a lot of utility and versatility here I'm going to hopefully get a more focused video on the blue because again it gets fairly clean and responsive as it shines up so I bowled several games here with it but for the sake and point of this video we'll move to the purple now this is a big comparison because the purple is no longer available to the pros but the blue is so how the blue and the black
compare is only relevant as far as figuring out best use cases replacing it with a harder cover was going to be a trick because increasing cover hardness is somewhat like increasing the amount of air in a tire or a football for example a more deflated Tire or football gets easier grip or is easier to grip same basic concept here even at 500 grit a harder ball just just isn't going to get the same kind of grip or traction as a softer one now it's easy to see why this ball is so revered you get the traction in control of traditional
urethane but with the twist of a bit of an angular shape and a very continuous climbing motion that can get shockingly deep on the lane if you have the Rev rate for it again if you're not a pro you you're free to continue to use Barney as you please to keep winning tournaments and frustrating and confounding the long timers who Lament The Good Old Days of Real bowling 40 years ago when they threw a urethane ball right up 10 but who now hate everyone who throws a urethane ball right up 10 once again I also threw this one before the black to help me figure
out exactly where it was going to land Back in Black but too busy to hit the sack I think it's Illustrated really well where this ball fits now it's really just weaker and smoother than the purple the reaction shape is also slightly different the purple is more Ary this one is rounder purple is a little more defined the black is slower now much like storms IQ 78u and especially after getting the perfect illustration and comparison of it and the black on the just bare Indiana classic final show it can be made to
cover some boards but it's really at its best keeping it in front of you that means not playing a lot of angle or covering a lot of boards you can see that I can play a little further in with it but I can't swing it too much it has to be a straighter path to the pocket no matter where I'm standing for being wildly uncomfortable right of third arrow on the right side of the lane I'm very oddly at home from straighter angles on the left two and three board don't bother me and lefties quite often have to use the boards outside five W
five is basically the gutter for righties it gets really tricky outside of that and when your track is an arrow deeper on the right side uh it makes sense anyway when I got some oil on the cover and squared up it was basically free down the side it was a little too early for me to completely square up and point it straight off the corner corner but a couple board swing gave me three board but it also gave me six board and having three boards to aim at on a condition this difficult is incredibly impressive now I'm not a staffer and I
have zero recency bias because this was the first time I got to throw all three of these but I think the black is my favorite so far the new is kind of strong and also kind of responsive plus you can tell it's not quite urethane because it's a little more sensitive than the other two it's awfully close though in the reactor is incredibly impressive it wouldn't be my choice for this difficult of a pattern but I imagine it would look amazing on our other testing pattern chromium and shined up on a house shot is really something really a sight to behold the
purple is in the middle it kind of put me in between on this pattern a little too strong or responsive from straight up but I don't have the Rev rate to bend it quite enough to give it more room now obviously its reputation precedes it and I'm not even a real Lefty like it's it's Moler and I'm still not worthy to wield it it but uh the black let me just walk it nice and easy down the side it did all the right things in all the right places and the rounder slower shape made the pocket really big meaning I felt like I could hit the pocket anywhere and not have to worry about carry the black
is obviously the weakest of the three the purple is goated we all know about it but I think the new might actually be the most versatile because it has a lot wider range of use than either of the other two depending on the Surface Prep Plus it flares enough that it doesn't create carry down uh but when it comes to being a straight up urethane ball it's on the bottom of the list still very impressed but when you're after the prototypical urethane look can't do it much better than the black it unfortunately doesn't have the ability to get near as deep on the lane as the
purple can however uh the black looks good for my more average rev rate and slower speed it looked amazing for a higher rev rate and medium speed and Zack Wilkins on TV and once Benji Martinez got lined up his medium to medium High Rev rate and higher speed found it to be effective as well once again the Black Pearl urethane releas is on March 21st I'll get the link to the ball page on the website added once it becomes available it is up for pre-order on Bowlers smt already that link is down there too 5% commission and such plus I
know you're sick of seeing this jersey but it's all I had at the time that didn't have a bolt on it as all the gracious gifts from the brands of Brunswick were unexpected and unsolicited however I got some new threads in that you'll see going forward Rose doll T gets 10% off a check out of coolwick it's in the description to copy and paste so you don't have to worry about misspelling my weird name thanks for watching and may the strikes be with [Music]
you
Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis
Testing on the challenging 38-foot Kagel Alcatraz pattern revealed the Black Pearl Urethane to be a notably controlled and predictable performer compared to its counterparts. Independent reviewers observed that while the ball exhibited weaker overall motion than the Purple Pearl it replaces, this characteristic actually enhanced playability for bowlers with moderate rev rates and speed. The symmetric core (high RG at .265, low differential at .05-.15) delivered the traditional urethane behavior expected from this coverstock category (minimal flare, no excessive revolutions), making the ball straightforward to read and adjust with on difficult lane conditions. When fresh out of the box, the ball demonstrated excellent traction and control typical of urethane, though surface adjustments (polishing to 500 grit and beyond) showed that increased shine reduced grip, making it slightly earlier to the breakpoint than the softer Purple Pearl at similar rev rates.
The Black Pearl’s motion shape proved rounder and slower than the Purple, which testers noted created a larger effective pocket hit area, a practical advantage when precision is challenging on demanding patterns. Testing showed the ball performed best when played straighter with minimal angle rather than being swung across multiple boards; this straighter path to the pocket became its defining characteristic. Independent reviewers found the ball particularly effective for bowlers with medium to medium-high rev rates at moderate speeds, as well as for those with slower, more controlled deliveries seeking consistent, predictable motion. On the house shot patterns tested, the controlled response profile translated well, with one tester noting the ball “did all the right things in all the right places.” The main trade-off versus the Purple Pearl was reduced length and angle capability (the Black simply won’t track as deep down the lane), but for its intended medium-light oil condition use, this limitation was negligible.
Who Is This Ball For?
The Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane is ideally suited for bowlers transitioning into urethane equipment who value consistency over complexity, or for established players seeking a more forgiving urethane option on medium-light oil conditions. Bowlers with moderate rev rates (medium to medium-high) and controlled speed will see the best results, as the ball’s slower, rounder motion profile is optimized for this release profile rather than high-velocity approaches. The straightforward core dynamics make it an excellent teaching tool for bowlers still developing their game, while the predictable motion characteristics reward solid fundamentals without punishing minor misses as severely as higher-performance urethane options.
This ball is less ideal for bowlers who regularly play on fresh, heavily oiled patterns or those seeking maximum length and angular motion down the lane. League bowlers on house shots and recreational players will find the Black Pearl’s controllability and responsive coverstock particularly valuable, especially since the lower price point ($149.95) makes it an accessible entry point into quality urethane coverage without the premium cost of specialty reactive resin equipment.
The Pros
- • Often imitated, never duplicated, the original PPU
- • Pearl urethane pushes longer than traditional urethane
- • Tournament bag essential
The Cons
- • Very conservative core (.015 diff) limits total hook
- • Not effective on heavy oil conditions
Who Is This Ball For?
The most popular urethane ball in bowling. Consistent, predictable performance on short oil at $149.95. Video reviews inside.
Technical Specifications
How It Compares
More Videos (2)
Black Hammer Pearl Urethane vs. Purple Hammer Pearl: Which Reigns Supreme?
Real Experience Bowling
Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane Ball Review
Ryan JulianVerified Bowler Reviews (223 reviews, 4.9/5 avg)
Bowlers Say
Bowlers consistently praise this as the best urethane ball on the market, with many calling it a tournament must-have. They highlight its unique pearl urethane coverstock that provides controllable yet continuous motion, exceptional pin carry, and versatility on shorter oil patterns and sport shots. Most note it's 2-3 boards stronger than the original Purple Hammer while maintaining its signature smooth, predictable motion.
AI summary of 223 verified purchase reviews
Bowlers frequently mention:
This ball is quite possibly the most unique ball on the market currently. The pearl urethane cover helps the ball push through the fronts just a little, but responds super slow to friction. It allows you to open up your angles more than a traditional urethane ball like the black hammer and still continues well through the pins. The biggest thing I noticed about this ball was how hard it hit. I threw it on the 2019 PBA Del Ballard 34' pattern and was able to play up the boards around 5 to start and chase it as far left as about 12-5 during game 4. Both angles the pocket seemed HUGE and the carry was unbelievable! This is a must have for any tournament players bag!
I have thrown the newer Black Hammer, the Black Widow Urethane and now the Purple Hammer. All three have great characteristics. The Black Widow is the strongest motion of all three and the Black Hammer is the weaker and smoother of the three. And the Purple Hammer is at the top of the three as a go to motion when I need to control the lane and still get to the pocket at the right angle. Whether you're two handed, left handed or right handed, these are your top choices for urethane. The Purple Hammer is a MUST HAVE, for sure!! Andrew Jensen Bowlersmart Rockford Cherry Manager Track Regional Elite Staff Coolwick Staff 12Bagger Staff Vise Staff
Drilled this the same layout and surface I had my previous Purple..and I will tell you they are extremely similar! The new updated version might be a touch cleaner and shape a little more downlane but super super similar and I’m excited to have this back in my bag!!
It’s Purple.. so that’s 4 strikes I think pretty much guaranteed It has a Hammer logo.. so that’s 3 strikes Urethane ... that’s 2 strikes right there. Comes with 2 lucky hits do it being elite The ball is amazing. Controllable and continues while keeping the pins low. When this ball hits the pins The pins fall at angled of 32 -53 degrees into other pins straight back. That’s called a strike only with this ball. It’s the cheat code to a Atari. Thank me later. Get this ball.
I have a medium rev rate and I also bowl PBA regionals, this ball is very necessary on all short patterns and lots of friction panels. Best Purple Ball EVER!!!!!!
Showing 1–5 of 64 verified reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
What oil condition is the Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane best for?
Is the Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane good for beginners?
What is the RG and differential of the Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane?
How much does the Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane cost?
What type of bowler should use the Hammer Purple Pearl Urethane?
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