52.5 Hook 14.5 Length 15 Breakpoint Shape

Manufacturer’s Intent: “The intent of the new Crossroad is to identify the best components of the Hy-Road and the Victory Road and combine them, creating a new superpower ,” says Storm’s Matt Martin. “The number one factor of ball motion is the coverstock. So when we were looking to expand upon the Victory Road with the proven components of the Hy-Road, we started with the R2S hybrid reactive shell that seemed to match up on every lane condition imaginable.”

Core Design: The Crossroad houses the same symmetric inverted FE2 core found in the Victory Road solid and pearl. This is a fast-revving, smooth-motion core with great down-lane continuation. The RG of 2.56 helps create length, while the .052 Diff creates nearly 5 inches of track flare.

Coverstock: Now, the Road series has a new hybrid which could eventually replace one of the best balls ever, the Hy-Road. The R2S formula is sweetly scented in caramel and colored in shades of purple solids and blue pearl. The box finish is polished at 1500 grit. Traction in oil is moderate, while response time off friction is quick and strong. The Ra is low at 1.5, which is typical for a mid-polished cover.
Test Results: With the Hy-Road being in Storm’s lineup for years, we knew the day would eventually come for an heir-apparent. Could the new Crossroad be this ball? When compared to a 60-game-old Hy-Road, the Crossroad was about a foot sooner and two to three boards stronger overall. The breakpoint shape was similar, but we felt the Crossroad handled carrydown much better for our average rev rate testers. This is likely due to its newness and slightly stronger-flaring core design. The Crossroad will be a viable option when the oil pattern begins to break down, as it requires less oil volume to get to the breakpoint than the Modern Marvel.

When to Use: The Crossroad will be best on light-medium to medium-heavy volumes when players are looking for a smooth move at the breakpoint. We felt that even higher ratio layouts did little to change this arcing motion. In fact, our 70x4.5x40 (pin above the ring) layout rolled similarly to our 70x4.5x65 (pin below the ring) layout. The Crossroad is a great ball to be the centerpiece of any arsenal.