In this video I’m taking a first look at the Columbia 300 Ricochet Returns, and I’m doing it like I always do on Back After 10—regular bowler to regular bowler. I didn’t drill the original Ricochet that came out around 9–10 months ago (kind of wish I did), so this updated version had me curious. This one keeps the HK22 vibe but comes with HK22 C in a hybrid cover, and Columbia is calling it a top-end, big symmetrical, skid/flippy type piece. I threw it on a pair that already had some transition because I’d been on it with the Radical Evil Eye, so we weren’t starting on a “fresh fresh” lane. Out of the box at 500 compound plus Brunswick polish, the ball was super clean—almost too clean for what I wanted. I expected more of that “jack knife” shape, but between the box finish and my layout (60 x 4 1/2 x 50) it stayed a little more controlled. Once I cracked the surface by hand with a fresh 5000 CTD True Cut pad to knock some of that polish off, it straight up woke the ball up. It started reading the lane better, still recovered when I missed a little right, and I liked it more than I thought I would. If you’re a straighter player who still wants some drive, it might be a solid (but pricier) option—just talk with your pro shop to make sure it’s the right fit.