Match the ballto the lane,then the bowler.
Buying guides for bowling balls, shoes, bags and accessories, starting with your rev rate, your speed and the oil you bowl on. From a first plastic spare ball to a league arsenal.
Find gear by part of your game
Balls, shoes, bags, care and the pro shop. Each section starts with what you bowl on and how you throw.
Bowling balls
Reactive, urethane, plastic and spare balls
Bowling shoes
Performance, interchangeable and casual
Bags & transport
Totes, rollers and multi-ball bags
Grips & accessories
Inserts, tape, wrist supports and towels
Ball care
Cleaners, surface pads and resurfacing
Drilling & pro shop
Layouts, fitting and lane conditions
Other formats & home
Duckpin, candlepin, five-pin and home lanes
Beginners & league
First ball, first league and technique
Understand the equipment
What radius of gyration and differential mean on a bowling ball spec sheet, the USBC limits, and how to use them when planning your next ball.
How bowling shoes work: slide and braking feet, interchangeable soles and heels, left- and right-handed shoes, and how to choose your first pair.
How duckpin, candlepin and five-pin bowling differ from ten-pin: ball size and weight, pins, balls per frame, scoring and where each is played.
Bowling Equipment questions, answered
Is low RG or high RG better?
Neither. Low RG suits heavier oil and bowlers who need the ball to rev early; high RG suits lighter oil and bowlers who want length.
Read: Bowling Ball RG and Differential Explained →Which foot slides in bowling?
The foot opposite your bowling hand. Right-handed bowlers slide on the left foot; left-handed bowlers slide on the right.
Read: Bowling Shoes →Which small-ball bowling game is hardest?
Candlepin has a reputation as the hardest. The ball is small, the pins are thin and a perfect game has never been bowled.
Read: Duckpin vs Candlepin vs Five-Pin Bowling Explained →Should my first bowling ball be reactive or plastic?
If you want to learn to hook the ball, an entry reactive ball. If you throw it straight, a plastic ball, which later becomes your spare ball.
Read: What Bowling Equipment to Buy First →What is the maximum bowling ball weight?
16 pounds. USBC equipment specifications set 16 pounds as the maximum for a ten-pin ball, and there is no minimum.
Read: What Weight Bowling Ball Should I Use? A Sizing Guide →Can I clean my bowling ball during league?
Only with a dry towel. USBC rules prohibit using liquid cleaners or altering the ball surface during competition.
Read: How to Clean a Bowling Ball and When to Resurface It →Built around how you bowl
We compare coverstock, core shape, RG, differential and surface, not colorways and launch slogans.
Each guide says who the ball suits, who should look elsewhere, and what to check before you buy.
Brands cannot buy a review or a spot on a list. Partner codes save you money; they never decide what we recommend.
Prices are dated, codes are updated across the site at once, and pages are revised when a product, standard or rule changes.
The bowling equipment index
- 01Bowling ballsBowling balls by coverstock and core: plastic spare balls, urethane, solid, pearl and hybrid reactive, with weight and arsenal planning.3 pages
- 02Bowling shoesBowling shoes for league and casual bowlers: interchangeable soles and heels, wide fits and left- or right-handed models.1 page
- 03Bags & transportSingle-ball totes, double and triple rollers, backpacks and tournament bags.0 pages
- 04Grips & accessoriesFinger inserts and thumb slugs, bowler's tape, wrist positioners, gloves, rosin and towels.0 pages
- 05Ball careBall cleaners, microfiber towels, Abralon-type pads, oil extraction and resurfacing schedules.1 page
- 06Drilling & pro shopBall layouts and drilling, span and pitch, plugging, lane oil patterns and what to ask a pro shop.0 pages
- 07Other formats & homeSmaller-ball games, home and backyard bowling sets, kids' bowling and bowling for adaptive players.1 page
- 08Beginners & leagueWhat to buy first, joining a league, averages and handicaps, and the equipment questions newer bowlers ask.1 page