Picking a new set of bowls can be a daunting experience. Bowlers rarely change their brand or model, so considering buying something new can be a bit of an event.
Many bowlers are worried to move away from what they know, which is completely understandable. Bowls can be expensive, and should last you many years. Its normal to worry about making the “wrong” choice.
If you are in this boat, then please read on as I will try and ease your worry by suggesting the top 4 mid-biased bowls on the market today.
If you choose one of these, then you can’t go far wrong.
At a glace
Here are the best mid-biased bowls available today:
- Taylor Ace
- Drakes Pride Pro-50
- Henselite Tiger Pro
- Taylor Blaze
What is a “mid-biased” bowl?
Before we get into the specifics of the bowls I chose, its probably best to run through some of the terminology.
As the name suggests, a mid-biased bowl has a bias strength in the middle between “very narrow” and “very wide”.
Whilst narrow and wide biased bowls have their uses, mid-biased bowls are popular because they are great all-rounders.
A mid-biased bowl is just as happy on an indoor rink as it is on a slow, heavy outdoor green. This flexibility makes them ideal for bowlers who play all year round and only want to fork out for one set of bowls.
Taylor Ace
The Taylor Ace is one of the all time classic models. It us hugely popular in the UK, and with good reason.
The Taylor Ace has a bias slightly wider than most mid-biased bowls, but can still handle the fast indoor rinks well.
One of the benefits of the Ace is that you get access to the great grip styles offered by Taylor. Their Progrip is one of the best dimple grips around, and the new Xtreme embedded grip comes as standard on all new Aces.
Key features:
- Price: £70-£120 (second hand)
- Best for: All-rounders
- Type: Mid-biased
Pros
- Solid performer that will last you years
- Easy to get hold of second hand
- Nice draw line to the jack
Cons
- not quite as affordable as the Drakes Pride Professional
Drakes Pride Pro-50
At this point, after mentioning the Taylor Ace it normal to mention its partner in crime - the Drakes Pride Professional.
But I’m going to break tradition and mention the Professional’s sister model - the Pro-50.
The Pro-50 is exactly the same as the Professional, except for the grip. The Pro-50 is Drakes Pride’s offering in the embedded grip market, and is now a more “like-for-like” option to the Taylor Ace and it’s Xtreme grip.
The Pro-50 doesn’t have the same second hand market as the Professional, so if cost is a concern, then stick with the classic Professional model.
Key features:
- Price: £280-£300
- Best for: All-rounders
- Type: Mid-biased
Pros
- Has the classic draw arch of the massively popular Drakes Pride Professional
- Has a more modern feel with the premium grip
Cons
- A bit on the pricey side, as the second hand market isn’t at the same level as other more popular models
Henselite Tiger Pro
The Henselite Tiger Pro are maybe not as popular as the Tiger, or Tiger II models, but in my opinion the Tiger Pro is a much better option.
The Tiger Pro bias sits in-between the Tiger II and Tiger models. This is an ideal middle ground, a the Tiger II can be a touch narrow on outdoor greens, whereas the Tiger model can have too much bias for indoor rinks.
The Tiger Pro model is designed with a slimline shape, called the “Ergofit”, this alongside the Henselite embedded Mega grip makes them a great choice for those with gripping issues.
Key features:
- Price: £380-£400
- Best for: All-rounders
- Type: Mid-biased
Pros
- Great line which sits in-between the popular Tiger II and Tiger models
- Ergofit and Mega grip as standard
Cons
- The most expensive option on our list
Taylor Blaze
The wildcard option on my list is the Taylor Blaze. The Blaze isn’t as popular as Taylor’s main 2 models, the Ace and the Vector VS, and I’m not sure why!
Whilst the Ace is slightly on the wider side of what is normally considered a “mid-bias”, the Blaze sits slightly on the narrower side.
With the trend of bowlers getting narrower and narrower bowls I’m not sure why more people don’t go for the Blaze.
The Blaze will have more than enough bias for slow outdoor greens and will still be more than handy indoors - they are the bowl of choice for 2023 Indoor World Bowls Champion Jamie Walker no less.
Key features:
- Price: around £300
- Best for: Lead bowlers/All-rounder
- Type: Mid-biased
Pros
- Great line sitting just on the narrow side
Cons
- Doesn’t come with the Xtreme grip as standard like the Taylor Ace
Other options
These are by no means the only mid-biased bowls available. Here are a couple of other models that didn’t quite make my list:
- Aero Quantum - A very handy bowl similar to the Taylor Blaze. Comes with the Z-Scoop grip as standard
- Henselite Tiger II - a classic bowl with a great second hand market for those on a budget
- Biased Torque - a new brand on the scene with a great bias option. Comes with the Taylor Progrip as standard
Conclusion
So there you have it, 4 great mid-biased bowl options.
I won’t be picking a “winner” here, as this will come down to personal preference and how you play the game. Needless to say if you used this as your shortlist you won’t be disappointed with your final choice.
FAQ
Here are some common questions about mid-biased bowls.
What is a mid bias bowl?
A mid bias bowl is a bowl where the bias is medium strength. A common feature of a mid biased bowl is they can be used both indoors and outdoors without any loss in performance.
A mid biased bowl is great for those who play all year round indoors and outdoors and only want to invest in one set of bowls.
What are the most accurate lawn bowls?
All bowls made by major brands, such as Taylor, Henselite, Drakes Pride, Aero or Biased are accurate. Modern machining techniques that any new bowl will be accurately made and therefore will be accurate when you are playing.
What is the most popular lawn bowl in the UK?
The most popular lawn bowl in the UK is the Taylor Ace. This is closely followed by other models, such as the Drakes Pride Professional and the Henselite Tiger II.
