How does the Rubicon feel compared to the IQ tour nano pearl? These are two I have had my eye on, as I want to build around my Phaze II... Rubicon looks to have a little more punch that the Phaze II, and the IQ a little more length as a step down for transition off of the Phaze II..... Thoughts?
They're pretty different, IQTNP is still pretty round and smooth, Rubicon has more shape and is definitely firmer and more decisive down lane. I think your description nails it, you've got the right read on where/how it fits.
Totally unrelated to this video , but do you have any thoughts on why the parallax was discontinued? Picked one up last week and it's borderline strike-on-command for me , what turned people off of it you think ?
Was just smooth, people don’t like smooth and shiny. I loved mine, still use it and have a backup, but people just don’t like stuff that doesn’t hook at their toes or turn sideways
Would the Rubicon work as 1st ball on conditions where the Astrophysix goes too long or reacts with over/under? Or would a stronger cover like the Axiom be a better choice?
Really depends on what you're wanting to do. Either one will definitely solve your problem, but the Axiom is a little rollier while the Rubicon is a bit easier down the lane but also firmer downlane.
Bowled with this for two weeks now and I don't like it. Leaving tons of 10 pins. Down and in first week opened up my angles this week same result. Should I put some surface on?
Hi Luke, I hope you see this. Thank you for advising me to complement my UFO with the Rubicon. I love it. I'm a senior stroker/tweener with good speed 210 avg. My current arsenal: UFO, Rubicon, Hyper Cell Fused, Soniq, IQ Tour Pearl, Pitch Black, and Tzone spare all 15 pounds. I have a 14 pound IQ Tour Solid I was thinking about drilling. Can I improve this? Thanks again.
Oh great! I don’t really recommend using different weights together, it messes with your muscle memory, tempo, timing, etc. However if you’re thinking about moving to 14 and want to try it, no harm in giving it a shot. You definitely have room for that ball, or you won’t be overlapping anything else, but the 14 pounds worries me UNLESS again, you’re thinking about moving to 14.
Will be nice to see PBA pros back in action, one of these days. I look forward to watching what newer balls are performing the best. Or do some guys rely on 'old reliable'...? Is there some shelf life, like 20 or 30 years? Luke says: "Ha, funny you'd ask that. Caveman Bob has been using the same old round thing for a long time now..."
Lol . . most of the newer ones have more of a shelf life, but at the same time, some stronger ones that "die" end up being a lot better because they act like a stronger ball but aren't as aggressive. Packy Hanrahan has some crazy stuff though, he's got a couple 20-30 year old balls that he uses regularly.
If I walk into your pro shop and say I want 3 balls and the Rubicon is one of them, what other 2 balls would you recommend to round out that 3 ball aresenal?
Another excellent one man, you're the Amazon Prime of ball reviews - you always deliver. Question though - would you pair this with an Idol and a Phaze 2? Is that too redundant? I've long wanted to pair a Physix with those two and now that it's been disconned I'd have to hurry up lol... wondering if the Rubicon might be a good sub into that "step above" slot (It's hard to picture myself ever throwing something as strong as a UFO)
I think the 3 of those are overlap, especially with the P2 more than the Idol, the Rubicon handles the lane like the P2 and likes similar zones. Rubicon is the PERFECT mid level asym though. Yeah it's not UFO strong, but it has more firmness and punch downlane than even something like an Axiom or P2, those can get a little weak and soft down lane at times, the Rubicon picks up good ENOUGH even on softer backends to get the job done usually.
Hey luke, the way you were explaining the difference between the Rubicon and og idol, would there really be enough difference between this and a phaze 2? If so which one would you feel is stronger?
That's a great observation! I'm eventually going to get a P2 and figure it out, the P2 I think is going to blend the backend more and be smoother overall. The Rubicon acts a lot like a P2 in terms of how it likes to play the lane and the zones it's useful from, the P2 just isn't going to have that extra asymmetric torque. The P2 has an earlier and stronger cover, but the Rubicon has a stronger core. Rubicon takes the P2 idea and makes it longer and stronger.
How would you compare to original Crux? I love my Crux on house shot so controllable, smooth on backend I’m also a lefty I can play more left with Crux also.
Im in a league that will be giving me a a zenith and rubicon but not until the end of the league, so im looking to get a phase 2 before hand. How does the rubicon compare to the phase 2?
Actually made a comparison for that last week, here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/3mHOIK5U7SE/v-deo.html not sure if it’ll work from here but if you go to my main channel page and under videos, scroll down a little bit and it’ll be a Rated Rumble episode
It's not quite as strong or dynamic on the backend, but it fits in a really nice place between big asyms like the PhysiX and something like an Axiom or Idol. Best of both worlds really.
Idol Pro was a bit too over under for me as well. It didn't like to play straight nor deep. I saw some videos of Cherie Tan using it with a LOT of surface and decided to try it out and it surprised me. It became a great ball for the fresh, slick sport shots I sometimes bowl on. The OG Idol is supposed to fill this role but my Pro with surface does that extremely well too. When the surface is too much, I just change to something I feel more comfortable playing at lane shine, like the Code X.
A bag with the Rubicon, Idol Pro, and Hustle Ink on house with a lot of free hook could be amazing. My main house before it shutdown the IP was unplayable because of the goldilocks problem you mentioned and the Idol would force me left too fast for comfort. I wonder if the Rubicon could be the solution. Something that i can stay on my line longer and simply open my angle and let the asym torque do the work. Seems like a less jerky Astrophysix, guess the sheen/sanded cover helps
Check out my Rated series, I have videos for both balls and you can see a full comparison with ratings for each in under 3 minutes. They’re not very similar at all, Omega cover is stronger but it’s a lot smoother
I really have no idea . . I typically use a fresh 1000 pad on a spinner and hit it with 4000 lightly to finish it. I don't think that's how it's done at the factory, but it's impossible to replicate a factory finish anyway.
@@LukeRosdahl I know a LOT of new stuff is still coming. Should I wait until next spring to get a ball for Nationals? I need to replace my No Rules Exist.It cracked just sitting in my house.
Your thoughts on a possible bag consisting of Rubicon, IQTNP, and IQ Emerald... friendly reminder that I'm a low rev/speed dominant bowler (215/16.5 mph).
I'd say you probably need more core than the IQ series offers, I like the Rubicon idea, but you might go Nuclear Cell, Rubicon, Axiom Pearl or something.
@@LukeRosdahl ok, cool. Given I don't have enough funds to do an arsenal overhaul, would the IQTNP be a somewhat reasonable choice over the Axiom Pearl? Again, the Nuclear Cell has been on my radar for several months now so, I'm down with adding that and the Rubicon.
Yeah, check out my wife's review, she throws the Axiom in comparison. I'm not sure it's UNDER the Axiom though. Axiom has a stronger cover but weaker core.
Yeah the numbers don't quite say so, I think the Code X is earlier and smoother, has a slightly weaker cover, but if you watch my wife's review, she still has a Code X that we compare to it. Very Code X/Alpha Crux vibes here.
Yeah, I feel like an idiot trying to describe it because it looks early and smooth on a few shots and long and punchy on others. Definitely fits in its own category.
Yeah it's pretty good. That's interesting that you mention hook/set, because it kinda looks like that on some shots, and then it picks up and continues on others, seems to be pretty responsive to what you're doing with your hand.
@@alexmerel9924 Wha? It's definitely not slow lol, Idols do get forward when you get inside 3rd arrow, but the Pro is anything but slow. Special Agent was a goat tho . .
First ball I've had where I want to buy a couple backups , absolutely fantastic.
Like the comparison with the Idols... really like the versatility that I’ve seen... rubicon flare, shape and motion is eye catching... Thanks Luke!!!
How does the Rubicon feel compared to the IQ tour nano pearl? These are two I have had my eye on, as I want to build around my Phaze II... Rubicon looks to have a little more punch that the Phaze II, and the IQ a little more length as a step down for transition off of the Phaze II..... Thoughts?
They're pretty different, IQTNP is still pretty round and smooth, Rubicon has more shape and is definitely firmer and more decisive down lane. I think your description nails it, you've got the right read on where/how it fits.
@@LukeRosdahl - Thanks Luke, love your channel!!
Totally unrelated to this video , but do you have any thoughts on why the parallax was discontinued? Picked one up last week and it's borderline strike-on-command for me , what turned people off of it you think ?
Was just smooth, people don’t like smooth and shiny. I loved mine, still use it and have a backup, but people just don’t like stuff that doesn’t hook at their toes or turn sideways
Oh okay , similar to the problem the OG Phaze had ? That's a bummer , hopefully that reaction will persist somewhere in the lineup down the road.
I wish they'd re-release the Phaze , I get that the Zen is pretty similar but the Phaze was pretty cool looking.
Would the Rubicon work as 1st ball on conditions where the Astrophysix goes too long or reacts with over/under? Or would a stronger cover like the Axiom be a better choice?
Really depends on what you're wanting to do. Either one will definitely solve your problem, but the Axiom is a little rollier while the Rubicon is a bit easier down the lane but also firmer downlane.
Ok thanks. The Rubicon sounds like a perfect fit then as my game is pretty rolly anyway, so the extra punch might help it.
Bowled with this for two weeks now and I don't like it. Leaving tons of 10 pins. Down and in first week opened up my angles this week same result. Should I put some surface on?
Yeah that might help blend it out better.
Hi Luke, I hope you see this. Thank you for advising me to complement my UFO with the Rubicon. I love it. I'm a senior stroker/tweener with good speed 210 avg. My current arsenal: UFO, Rubicon, Hyper Cell Fused, Soniq, IQ Tour Pearl, Pitch Black, and Tzone spare all 15 pounds. I have a 14 pound IQ Tour Solid I was thinking about drilling. Can I improve this? Thanks again.
Oh great! I don’t really recommend using different weights together, it messes with your muscle memory, tempo, timing, etc. However if you’re thinking about moving to 14 and want to try it, no harm in giving it a shot. You definitely have room for that ball, or you won’t be overlapping anything else, but the 14 pounds worries me UNLESS again, you’re thinking about moving to 14.
@@LukeRosdahl much thanks! That's what I was thinking, so I won't make that 14lb move. I think I'm pretty much set for awhile.
Will be nice to see PBA pros back in action, one of these days. I look forward to watching what newer balls are performing the best. Or do some guys rely on 'old reliable'...? Is there some shelf life, like 20 or 30 years?
Luke says: "Ha, funny you'd ask that. Caveman Bob has been using the same old round thing for a long time now..."
Lol . . most of the newer ones have more of a shelf life, but at the same time, some stronger ones that "die" end up being a lot better because they act like a stronger ball but aren't as aggressive. Packy Hanrahan has some crazy stuff though, he's got a couple 20-30 year old balls that he uses regularly.
Threw it at a recent matchmaker and this thing hooks a ton.
If I walk into your pro shop and say I want 3 balls and the Rubicon is one of them, what other 2 balls would you recommend to round out that 3 ball aresenal?
Interesting . . probably Idol Pearl and Electrify Hybrid.
Another excellent one man, you're the Amazon Prime of ball reviews - you always deliver. Question though - would you pair this with an Idol and a Phaze 2? Is that too redundant? I've long wanted to pair a Physix with those two and now that it's been disconned I'd have to hurry up lol... wondering if the Rubicon might be a good sub into that "step above" slot (It's hard to picture myself ever throwing something as strong as a UFO)
I think the 3 of those are overlap, especially with the P2 more than the Idol, the Rubicon handles the lane like the P2 and likes similar zones. Rubicon is the PERFECT mid level asym though. Yeah it's not UFO strong, but it has more firmness and punch downlane than even something like an Axiom or P2, those can get a little weak and soft down lane at times, the Rubicon picks up good ENOUGH even on softer backends to get the job done usually.
@@LukeRosdahl Thanks a lot man, much appreciated! The Rubicon does remind me a bit of the P2 so I'm glad I'm not totally off base lol
@@mikniks19 Yeah it's definitely got P2 vibes.
Hey luke, the way you were explaining the difference between the Rubicon and og idol, would there really be enough difference between this and a phaze 2? If so which one would you feel is stronger?
That's a great observation! I'm eventually going to get a P2 and figure it out, the P2 I think is going to blend the backend more and be smoother overall. The Rubicon acts a lot like a P2 in terms of how it likes to play the lane and the zones it's useful from, the P2 just isn't going to have that extra asymmetric torque. The P2 has an earlier and stronger cover, but the Rubicon has a stronger core. Rubicon takes the P2 idea and makes it longer and stronger.
How would you compare to original Crux? I love my Crux on house shot so controllable, smooth on backend I’m also a lefty I can play more left with Crux also.
So many nice shots! Great stuff as always Luke!
Im in a league that will be giving me a a zenith and rubicon but not until the end of the league, so im looking to get a phase 2 before hand. How does the rubicon compare to the phase 2?
Actually made a comparison for that last week, here’s the link: ua-cam.com/video/3mHOIK5U7SE/v-deo.html not sure if it’ll work from here but if you go to my main channel page and under videos, scroll down a little bit and it’ll be a Rated Rumble episode
How does this compare to the physix? I have wanted to get a physix but this ball has my attention.
It's not quite as strong or dynamic on the backend, but it fits in a really nice place between big asyms like the PhysiX and something like an Axiom or Idol. Best of both worlds really.
Idol Pro was a bit too over under for me as well. It didn't like to play straight nor deep. I saw some videos of Cherie Tan using it with a LOT of surface and decided to try it out and it surprised me. It became a great ball for the fresh, slick sport shots I sometimes bowl on. The OG Idol is supposed to fill this role but my Pro with surface does that extremely well too. When the surface is too much, I just change to something I feel more comfortable playing at lane shine, like the Code X.
Great ball review and content. This was the first I’ve watched and I’m Sub’d!
Appreciate it!! Got tons of other good stuff in the catalog to check out!
A bag with the Rubicon, Idol Pro, and Hustle Ink on house with a lot of free hook could be amazing.
My main house before it shutdown the IP was unplayable because of the goldilocks problem you mentioned and the Idol would force me left too fast for comfort.
I wonder if the Rubicon could be the solution. Something that i can stay on my line longer and simply open my angle and let the asym torque do the work. Seems like a less jerky Astrophysix, guess the sheen/sanded cover helps
Yeah, it's a blendier Astro, earlier, smoother, still pretty firm and strong on the backend, but definitely blends wet/dry better.
Is there a problem in adjusing from right to left? Will bowling left mess up a persons bowling on the right
It hasn't for me, it actually kind of helps going back and forth to break things up a little.
As I'm intending to get this ball, how does it compare to the Omega Crux that I currently have?
Check out my Rated series, I have videos for both balls and you can see a full comparison with ratings for each in under 3 minutes. They’re not very similar at all, Omega cover is stronger but it’s a lot smoother
This ball will definitely be good for me to use in medium oil patterns
@@LukeRosdahl Hi I just picked up this ball today and it definitely picks up early and it has a smooth reaction
How do you replicate the 3000 grit sheen finish? May be a silly question but....
I really have no idea . . I typically use a fresh 1000 pad on a spinner and hit it with 4000 lightly to finish it. I don't think that's how it's done at the factory, but it's impossible to replicate a factory finish anyway.
@@LukeRosdahl Thanks for the information. Always enjoy your videos.
Seen a few reviews, how does it compare to the older Menace? Menace was one of my all time favorites, looking for a replacement
Similar concept honestly. Shape will be a little different though.
Yes, similar concept, Menace was earlier and smoother though if I remember correctly.
@@LukeRosdahl I know a LOT of new stuff is still coming. Should I wait until next spring to get a ball for Nationals?
I need to replace my No Rules Exist.It cracked just sitting in my house.
I just got the Nuclear cell at my local pro shop bowling alley And I freaking love it I can’t wait to use it I’m so excited
Looking for a replacement for my code x how would this compare thanks
This would be the ball. It's more shape out of the box, but 20 to 30 games in and it'll feel as familiar as you're going to get.
how does your rubicon look compared to ur pro motion
Take a look at my Rated series, watch the Rubicon one and then the Pro Motion one. PM is earlier and smoother, plus very round shaping
Can't help but see the physix motion but maybe touch weaker. Agree?
Yeah I'd agree with that.
Balance hole not weight hole
Both terms are correct, weight hole is just a little older one.
Your thoughts on a possible bag consisting of Rubicon, IQTNP, and IQ Emerald... friendly reminder that I'm a low rev/speed dominant bowler (215/16.5 mph).
I'd say you probably need more core than the IQ series offers, I like the Rubicon idea, but you might go Nuclear Cell, Rubicon, Axiom Pearl or something.
@@LukeRosdahl ok, cool. Given I don't have enough funds to do an arsenal overhaul, would the IQTNP be a somewhat reasonable choice over the Axiom Pearl? Again, the Nuclear Cell has been on my radar for several months now so, I'm down with adding that and the Rubicon.
Good compliment to my axiom? Rolling axiom physix intense fire emerald, looking at something right after axiom... thanks great content as always
Yeah, check out my wife's review, she throws the Axiom in comparison. I'm not sure it's UNDER the Axiom though. Axiom has a stronger cover but weaker core.
@@LukeRosdahl Link? What is her channel?
Looks like a code X or a similar shape even though the numbers may not say so
Yeah the numbers don't quite say so, I think the Code X is earlier and smoother, has a slightly weaker cover, but if you watch my wife's review, she still has a Code X that we compare to it. Very Code X/Alpha Crux vibes here.
This thing looks early...long and smooth all at once.
Yeah, I feel like an idiot trying to describe it because it looks early and smooth on a few shots and long and punchy on others. Definitely fits in its own category.
Makin that ball look good, some nice shape. Dat hook-set tho...
Yeah it's pretty good. That's interesting that you mention hook/set, because it kinda looks like that on some shots, and then it picks up and continues on others, seems to be pretty responsive to what you're doing with your hand.
I just bought one
Lol gage is ridiculous. Thing booms like an Astro there
Idol pro was total garbage over under there is a reason i never saw it on tv and use very rarely by top pros
Lol I loved mine, just kind of like a weaker Helios really.
@@LukeRosdahl yup very slow and too forward for me not a good combo my favorite all time storm ball is special agent oldie but goodie
@@alexmerel9924 Wha? It's definitely not slow lol, Idols do get forward when you get inside 3rd arrow, but the Pro is anything but slow. Special Agent was a goat tho . .