Roto Grip Rockstar Review
Benchmark symmetric solid every arsenal needs. Predictable, repeatable heavy oil performance at $144.95. Video reviews inside.
[Music] me got no regrets I'm on the run chasing the check dropping the top riding the vet feeling myself what you expect you know I'm with it no better feeling cuz I could have quit but I didn't 7 when I'm on a mission moving it up to a better position they I was tripping what's going on YouTube World Charles hon here and today man we have the new rockstar I was thrown off like
when this showed up I was just like we already have the Storm release so this got to be the next month and then oh it's it's another February release so that's interesting and so we needed again a idle optimal replacement and this thing has to be good in my opinion because I think they already discontinued the optimal solid so this must be again a game changer and yeah we have optimel solid here as well and uh we're going to get to little dust still in that one um and then the the S2 as well that's one of the newest balls in the lineup uh and
again I feel like that's always going to be a question so yeah man we going to check it out hit that like subscribe button always man we're going to do a full game with it uh it looks really really dull out of Sur out of box um that will be on the screen here you'll be able to see that all the information um so yeah man again same numbers they're very identical numbers uh low RG High differential symmetric ELC core and I think the red man this like the season of red know Zen 25 Jackal onx all like
got good red Popp in it and the Primal Rage too so yeah man let's go ahead and get to throwing a couple shots getting warmed up getting loose and seeing how these other balls kind of compare to the new Rockstar all right so first shots going start my my Norm it's a fresh house shot nothing crazy today [Music] and I wouldn't say like I didn't like
the opal solid it was cool but for what else was on the market it was just all right but now of course we still see Simo throwing that he just stood on TV the other day first shot look good and that Miss in I feel like with a model solid like would push get a little too behind the head pin that is getting reading through it very very nicely
right now really really getting really strong so far so again I'm still like really kind of up the back of the ball right now and not getting around it as much so it's not that surprising to leave a leave a said I think this is for my first initial shots looking like keeping it a little more in front of you is going to be the [Music]
play no bueno no bueno get that shot didn't look bad at all might just yeah stay aggressive with my hand so much like another ball that's going to get announced here soon this one they come out of box with a lot of surface and they just they read so early that when you first get this ball like
as a new customer and you just picking it up you like this ball doesn't hook that much I promise you give it some time like watch this Ball's going to get quicker and quicker the more we throw it but like right now right it's just really smooth other shot cuz again we getting to the pocket fairly easy but like getting left with this right now just getting a surface do really steep again just to kind of prove a
point but went really steep with it and it just used up all the energy early and just rounded it and never had enough to again get back from there there but this Ball's not intended to be there so I'm going throw one more then we get to the optimum Idol so yeah out of box man stay stay to the right and then again as it gets oil
Lane shined you start to be able to gradually gradually move if I had to guess if I had to guess this is going to be a little bit cleaner if I had to just put my money on it okay I'm start on [Music] 25 got around it pretty good too
oh got a little oil on the cover but again I got to believe this ball is opid versus the Rockstar Rockstar should be a little bit overall stronger just off of again these first couple [Music] shots so planning that again I haven't jumped like way left or anything and it still just you know with that earlier cover
talk on a rockstar definitely picked it up had no problem from that particular Zone and for those that uh say in the comment sometime well you've had the optim V and you probably have 100 games I don't have 100 games on any freaking bowling ball none zero like like none all of these most of them right outside of like the mvy tour ion Pro and like the max thrs like those the only balls I have like a ton of games on so opid B for review purposes that's that's
really all the ball has been do that pretty good yeah so again feels like a again bigger cover um like the core Dynamics might be slightly V visually different but again just looks like a bigger ball let's try the S2 cuz I think in theory the S2 is still should be you know more asymmetric but I think
coverwise it's not going to be as early cuz it's a hybrid Rockstar is a solid it and I think cover stock formulation does matter here all right 25 No Love No Love but yeah so I like this actually probably going to be a little more even that's what I've seen from the attention star S2 um it's not the jumpiest ball you know ever it's a
little rounder I feel like it actually fits closer to like an effect tour in my [Music] opinion and I really got to slow down so when I start leaving Corner pins like that it's just a speed thing because I'm expecting these walls to be a lot stronger or as strong as this rocks are which again I'm definitely not seeing that at all but you know I want to throw it just just as hard and you can't I mean you can you're just going
to leave a lot of corner pins or a little further to the right see if we can't get matched up here and I still kind of stuck in that one a little bit but that look easy down the lane like and it really like that straighter angle I feel like better than both of op and a rockstar all right let's try to Rockstar from here um my bet and currently
standing on what that 16 17 17 with my feet looking to still get this really to the far rate because of how close I am to the friction I like this is going to get offline quick oh picked up red right there
ah got a little a little too much not enough [Music] forward that should be good there we [Music] go so I'm going jump getting further left now and see what we get I got a little oil on the cover so it should give us some a little more flip
opom Idol super far left as well yeah I'm about 28 with my feet oh catch it all they are similar enough to both Le tempin almost identically the same way get ready to start the full game I kind of tried it all over the lane but let's see what this S2 does over [Music]
here so again I feel like it probably has the cleanest cover of these three and I feel like that's why it actually kind of tripped tripped it out a little bigger core and a little more you a little more responsive cover stock so but yeah let's get to the full game with the rockstar I feel like I'm probably going to be around that 20 23 area with the ball that's where it's the most comfortable from what I've seen and it works looks pretty good it [Music] does all right so got Rockstar full game
we going to start on got 23 with my feet slap the 10 out we should be good yeah like the look should get better as we burn up know the break point a little bit we should be should be good see it really didn't lift through the ball
on [Music] me still a good shot here oh that might overhook yeah I caught it h come on man need some strikes it keeps the people [Music]
going yeah I'm seeing the ball start to pick up though like making a more aggressive move down Lane canot nearly get as dull as it was to start definitely much shinier oh hook a lot all right I'mma cheat everything left a little bit cuz it just it's okay like I can move further left or further
right like I can do either or and I feel like we're going to have better ball reaction because right now it's like in between and it's giving me like that in between switcher look oh Jesus look a lot still switched it Out Boy got very fortunate very very fortunate need to quite get it out to one there's a good shot and still almost stunner pin five like Jesus it's getting the job done now
but here's a good shot come on oh baby having struck a couple shots now I still wouldn't say like this is the ball I want a bunch of angle with like have you seen these shots these are not like High flush bam like I feel like actually cheat further Right Moving left I think the ball's just going to continue to give us these light light pocket hits being a little straighter is greater right [Music]
now wasn't my best stuff on that shot like really my body turned and it was just not great execution not the ball's fault [Music] 20 that was the best one by far crash through the 89 look great so stay in the track boss looking really good [Music]
oh yeah pins are bouncing all over the place now there you go so this and another ball from a different company that's coming out that the players weren't able to use this we at the US Open I feel like would have been in play like if they could have used this all week long they would have been using it oh baby ah little high little high but I like the B shot I can live with
[Music] that so nice 258 259 258 with this ball definitely could have been a little bit higher if I would have cheated a little right a little sooner but again this is definitely an a control like there's definitely more hockey stick you know motions within the rotor grip line L up but this definitely feels like a like a XL almost like a little bit not not as early but it works it gets the
job done and I think a lot of people are going to like it especially on the tough so appreciate you guys as always man hit that like subscribe button for everything else get over to bart.com they got you covered it's going to be really really cool um and then the merch new get on my levels little infrared looks really sweet pick those up as well the hyp and all your bowling Jersey merch cool man they got you bro you sleeping on me just
keep I'm so
Performance Analysis
Performance Analysis
Testing revealed the Roto Grip Rockstar as a well-balanced strong symmetric that occupies an interesting middle ground in the current lineup. On the Kegel Chromium Challenge pattern (42 ft, 252 MSV), the ball demonstrated solid length through the front end paired with impressive continuation into the pin deck—a characteristic independent reviewers attributed to Roto Grip’s emphasis on a more centralized rotation plane. The Nano Star solid coverstock at 2000 grit delivered cleaner midlane motion than comparable pieces, though this cleanliness presented different challenges for different release styles. A PBA Regional bowler testing the equipment found it too sharp and skid-prone out of the box from deeper angles, requiring more physical adjustments than ideal to control reaction shape. However, a simple surface modification to 1500 grit proved transformative, converting the Rockstar from sensitive and over-under into a smooth, predictable arc that read the oil effectively and maintained motion through the backend without jerking or over-acceleration.
The comparison data against contemporaries proved telling. Versus the Sublime Focus—the remaining true strong symmetric in the lineup—the Rockstar sits roughly a full step down in overall strength and produces a smoother, more continuous climbing motion rather than Focus’s tumbling arc and quicker direction change. When positioned against the Phase 2 (a noted midrange symmetric), testers observed the Rockstar offered superior continuity and didn’t flatten out when rolled deeper, making it substantially more versatile from multiple angles. The ball’s defining characteristic is its refusal to give up energy or roll out prematurely; apparent pin action issues stem from the ball reading conditions too late and pushing too far rather than lack of drive.
Who Is This Ball For?
The Rockstar best serves bowlers seeking a strong symmetric without the dynamic aggression of higher-tier options, particularly those who prefer controllability from straighter angles or play multiple league conditions. The stock 2000-grit surface may feel overly clean for bowlers who generate significant oil displacement, but the coverstock responds readily to minor surface adjustments—making it ideal for someone comfortable with tweaking equipment or working with a pro shop. Speed-dominant bowlers with slower rev rates will appreciate the forgiving, continuous motion, while those with moderate rev rates will likely want to plan for a surface modification to dial in the perfect read.
This is not a ball for bowlers seeking an aggressive, early-reacting symmetric or those who prefer to play strictly from traditional angles; the Rockstar’s strength and length demand respect and positioning adjustments. However, for the intermediate-to-advanced player building a well-rounded arsenal who wants a dependable workhorse that doesn’t demand perfect conditions or perfect shots to function effectively, the Rockstar delivers exceptional value at its price point—especially once properly surface-matched to individual needs.
The Pros
- • Rocker AI symmetric core at .050 differential delivers strong, predictable arcing motion that defines the heavy oil benchmark category
- • NanoStar Solid at 2000 grit provides consistent midlane read on fresh heavy conditions
- • Excellent value at $144.95 — high-end symmetric solid performance at a mid-tier price
- • Shot-to-shot repeatability is outstanding — the ball tells you exactly what it is going to do
The Cons
- • Solid coverstock is less versatile than hybrid or pearl — purpose-built for oily conditions
- • Can lose energy on dry backends late in a session
Who Is This Ball For?
Benchmark symmetric solid every arsenal needs. Predictable, repeatable heavy oil performance at $144.95. Video reviews inside.
Technical Specifications
How It Compares
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