Storm IQ Tour Sapphire Bowling Ball

The Storm !Q Tour Sapphire with the 5-4.5-2.5 VLS layout gives you a clean, controlled look through the fronts with a smooth but responsive move off the breakpoint. On a transitioned house shot, this should be money once the fronts start to go, letting you move left and open your angles without the ball reading too early. The lower-flare, symmetric core keeps the reaction predictable, while the pearl cover helps it retain energy and continue through the pins. Overall, I’d see this as a go-to transition ball for you, especially when your stronger equipment starts burning up or hooking too soon.

The !Q Tour Sapphire is a fantastic choice for a bowler looking for control without giving up hitting power. As a 14.5 mph, 350 RPM one-handed bowler drilled 4x4x2, the Sapphire produced a clean look through the front with a smooth, blended move off the breakpoint on a typical house shot. The R2S Pearl Reactive cover and C³ Centripetal Control Core provide the benchmark-type reaction the !Q Tour line is known for, while the Power Edge finish helps create traction in the oil without becoming overly aggressive. The Sapphire is an excellent league ball and transition piece—predictable, versatile, and easy to control. It's a great option when you want to move a little left and open up the lane while still maintaining a smooth, continuous motion through the pins.

The Storm IQ Tour Sapphire is a great addition to the IQ line and gives me that smooth, controllable IQ shape I’m looking for when I need something cleaner through the front part of the lane. My 14lb Sapphire has an RG of 2.54 and a differential of .034. I drilled mine 40 x 4.5 x 50, which gives me a nice combination of control and continuation down lane. I got to throw the Sapphire for the first time on a lower-volume house shot that already had about five games bowled on it, and I was really impressed with what I saw. With the lanes already starting to transition, the Sapphire got through the front part of the lane very clean and gave me a smooth, predictable move off the spot. It never felt like it wanted to jump when it saw friction, but it still had plenty of continuation through the pins. That first look showed me exactly where I think this ball is going to fit in my bag. When the stronger equipment starts reading the lane too early or I need something cleaner without giving up control down lane, the Sapphire should be a great option. That classic IQ control and predictability is definitely there. It's a ball I feel like I can trust when I need to keep the breakpoint in front of me and control the friction. And of course, being a Storm ball, we have to mention the scent — Blueberry! Really impressed with my first look at the IQ Tour Sapphire, and I’m looking forward to putting a lot more games on it. Michael Grimm Storm Amateur Staff

The !Q Tour Sapphire has been a great ball for me with the 4.5 × 4 × 2 layout. It gets through the front of the lane really clean and gives me a smooth, predictable motion that's easy to trust. It's become one of my favorite balls when I need control without giving up hitting power.

The !Q Sapphire is Storm’s newest addition to the legendary !Q line. The !Q series has lived up to its reputation with its RS2 cover stock. This symmetrical ball follows the success of the !Q Tour Ruby. With the C3 Centripetal Control Core, along with the R2S Pearl Reactive Cover Stock, the !Q Sapphire will give more length, more control, more versatility all bowlers know and love when it comes to throwing an !Q ball. Its Power Edge finish will also provide more traction in the oil on medium-dry lane conditions. Ball layout: 75 x 4 x 40. Testing it on a 42ft THS at my home center, I found the Sapphire to be a touch stronger in length and backend motion in comparison to the !Q AI (75 x 4 ¾ x 40). The AI struggled to carry the corners with a weaker finish down lane. I decided to give the Sapphire a little bit of a stronger layout by a ¾ inch more. With an updated version in the Sapphire, I was able to see more backend motion and predictability. I could navigate my targets playing straight, giving a free wheel, and playing deep once the transition opened up. I have thrown almost every !Q ball Storm has released to date, and their releases to the line get better every time. Not to mention the newest color addition and blueberry fragrance is top notch. If you are looking to add another !Q ball or in need of a predictable ball motion to contest on medium-dry lane conditions, the !Q Sapphire is the choice for you. Drill one up at your local Storm VIP Pro Shop!! It’s the Pearl !Q Tour you’ve been waiting for!

The !Q Sapphire features the same C3 Centripetal core found in the !Q Tour and the same R2S Pearl cover thats been featured in multiple pearl !Q’s in the past. The Sapphire is the perfect blend between control and friction response. The Sapphire for me is a little earlier than the Ruby but a little stronger than the Tour 30. The Sapphire is going to be a staple at the bottom of my bag for a while to come. The Sapphire is now available from any Storm VIP Pro Shop! Review Video: https://youtu.be/VPfG0wGeScE?si=d_2kjwJjsHDRWW1o

Storm iQ Tour Sapphire Tech specs: C3 Centripetal core with R2S pearl coverstock with Storm Power Edge factory finish. Layout: 4 x 4 x 1 ½ My Specs: Rev rate 420’s, ball speed 15.3 to 15.8 mph off the hand, axis tilt of 16 degrees and axis rotation of 70 degrees, PAP is 3 13/16th up 1/8th. Tested on Pro-lane and HPL lane surfaces on a 41ft medium volume house pattern and 43ft heavier volume house pattern. My take on the iQ Tour Sapphire: A precious gem has been added to the iQ Tour line from Storm. The iQ Tour Sapphire adds to the growing legacy of the iQ Tour series. When I do Storm Matchmaker events regionally, one of the most asked questions is: “When are you getting a pearl iQ Tour back?”. Well, the wait is now over! I have been fortunate enough to be a staff member long enough to have used the whole line of iQ Tours in my bowling career.The Sapphire to me fits into the mix as a first ball out of the bag at a center I bowl and work at part time that has older HPL surface with a demanding house pattern, In the past, the first ball out has been a wide variety of choices over the past few years since the Roto Grip Hyped Hybrid was discontinued a few years ago. Never really settled on a certain piece to be “the BALL” first out of the bag there at Colony Park Lanes. The Sapphire rolls a little longer and stronger than then the Emerald, but not as long and angular as the Ruby or the good old OG “Goldie”, but tended to hyper skid at times. The Sapphire blends the wet/dry house condition there from the start of the match and even through the break down of the pattern goes on, since there is not much play on the left side of the pattern there, the pattern is collapsed inward a little on the left side, but I still can stay in the iQ Tour Sapphire for most of the 3 to 4 games I bowl there in league and practice time.Surprisingly, the iQ Tour Sapphire did very well for me at ABC North Lanes where the house pattern has a little more length and volume along with Pro-Lane panels, the Sapphire is a nice follow up behind my trusty Roto Grip Rockstar when the Rockstar is not creating enough carry because it is burning up in the front to middle of the pattern. The iQ Tour Sapphire will be a versatile ball for many players out there and the legacy of the iQ Tour series lives on with the iQ Tour Sapphire. Thanks to my partners and sponsors: Storm Products Inc. Roto Grip Coolwick Apparel Vise Inserts Bowlers’ Supply ABC North Pro Shop Upcoming Storm Matchmakers I will be coordinating in the Mid-Atlantic area: 8/22 - MJK Pro Shop - Knob Hill Country Club Lanes 8/23 - Tony Rado’s Pro Shop - Laurel Lanes 9/12 - Duff’s Pro Shop - Spins of Pittsburgh 9/13 - ABC North Pro Shop - ABC North Lanes 9/27 - Kegler’s Pro Shop - Strike Zone Alleys 10/10 - Earl Bowl Pro Shop - Earl Lanes in Earlington, PA

[size=14pt][font=arial][u][b]TESTING ENVIRONMENT[/b][/u][/font][/size] Length:43 Volume: Med-High Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):THS [size=14pt][font=arial][u][b]BALL INFO AND TESTER DATA[/b][/u][/font][/size] Cover: R2S Pearl Finish: Power Edge Core: C³ Centripetal Control RG: 2.49 (15) Diff: 0.029 (15) LAYOUT: Pin over Ring 5 X 5 X 2 VLS ME: Right-Handed Tweener Speed: 12-13 mph Rev Rate: 315 Axis Tilt: 14° Axis Rotation: 74° PAP: 5 1/8 R 7/8 Up [size=14pt][font=arial][u][b]REVIEW[/b][/u][/font][/size] The Pearl IQ Tour is back. This one is a beautiful blue sapphire. Featuring the legendary combo of c3 core and r2s pearl that has made the previous releases a staple in so many bags the IQ Tour Sapphire is running it back! I tested the sapphire on our house pattern after a squad of seniors had bowled. I loved my goldy and my ruby so I was fully expecting to love the sapphire and it didn't' disappoint. The legendary motion of the tour core with its early revving low flaring ways was still there. It never gets old having the ball that starts where you want it to and continues it's motion better than any other ball. I did feel that the sapphire may have been just a touch cleaner and quicker for me than the ruby. This was also the comparison I felt between the ruby and the goldy. The ball is great in transition and exceptional on conditions that make other balls shape poorly. See my full video review: https://youtu.be/0MFgA7jmvXk?si=m9PClQeqKHTiY7rC Lonnie Pemberton Storm Pro Shop Staff Vise Pro Shop Staff Revolutions Pro Shop Youtube Channel: https://youtube.com/@Revstormaz

The Storm IQ Sapphire is a huge release that absolutely lives up to the IQ name! Mine is drilled 45×5×30, and I was expecting the Sapphire to be a stronger version of my IQ AI—and it delivered exactly that. The Sapphire gets down the lane extremely well, much like the IQ AI, but is noticeably quicker and more continuous when it encounters friction, especially on heavier oil patterns. This makes it a fantastic option when you need more strength without sacrificing the clean look that makes the IQ line so popular. The IQ Sapphire can be a true house-shot killer while also being an excellent sport-pattern piece once symmetrical solids start reading too early but you still need plenty of traction and downlane motion. If you love the IQ AI but want something stronger and more continuous, the IQ Sapphire is an absolute must-have.

Right Hand - 15.5 mph down lane, 335 +/-, PAP 4.75, 1/2 up, Currently bowled on house shot at Bowlero Edmond, OK. Pro Shop Operator. Out of the box in league, I moved to this ball in game 2 and 3 and shot 258 & 279! The first thing I noticed is how easily the ball clears the front of the lane. It stores plenty of energy while maintaining exceptional control in the midlane. This is my first IQ and noticed that instead of an abrupt flip off the breakpoint, the IQ Tour Sapphire makes a smooth, continuous move that gives you confidence shot after shot. That predictable motion makes it easy to read transition and adjust as the lanes change throughout league or tournament play. Whether you're a stroker, tweener, or cranker, the Sapphire offers enough length to stay clean through the heads. It's an excellent choice as a second ball out of the bag on a typical house shot or when your stronger equipment starts reading too early. Pros - It is excellent control on medium conditions. It is clean through the fronts with a strong continuous backend. I feel it is easy to match up on league and tournament patterns. Cons - It may not provide enough traction on heavier oil. Bowlers looking for a violent backend motion may want something more aggressive. If you want a ball you can trust that reads the lane and gives you confidence to make moves, this is the ball!. It's the kind of ball that becomes the one you reach for the most because it simply works. Thanks, Mike Walker #stormnation