Buy it for: Any tripod-mountable machine, and filming. Aluminium, 5 kg capacity, 61–178 cm with fixed stops, a 360° head, and a phone mount in the bag.
Not for: The standard 3D Trainer, which has a swivel base of its own.
Buying guide
What to add to a machine.
The tripod, the extra ball stacker and the cooling towel — what each one is for, and which of them a machine owner actually needs.
These are not alternatives to one another, so there is nothing to choose between. What follows is what each does, and whether it is worth it.
The tripod first, if you own a machine
The Trainer Pro and the 3D Bowler are both tripod-mountable, and height is what sets the release point — on the ground, a machine throws up at a batter rather than down. The stacker is a small amount of money for five more balls between reloads. The towel is not equipment; it is for a 38-degree Saturday.
Side by side
| 3D Bowling Machine / Camera Tripod $75.00 | 3D Trainer Stacker $20.00 | Flexxa Cooling Towel $20.00 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | 5 kg | 5 balls of capacity | Wet and wring — no chemicals |
| Fits | 61–178 cm adjustable | 3D Trainer and 3D Trainer Pro | 100 cm × 30 cm |
| Included | Phone mount and carry bag | Stacks on top, no tools | 98% polyester, 2% TPU film |
Which one, and who for
3D Trainer Stacker
$20.00
Buy it for: Anyone reloading too often. It stacks on top of either Trainer with no tools and adds five balls of capacity.
Not for: The 3D Bowler, which has its own auto feeder.
Flexxa Cooling Towel
$20.00
Buy it for: Long days in the heat. A metre of engineered polyester that holds cold once wet, with no chemicals, so it works again every time you re-wet it.
Not for: Anything to do with the machine.
Questions
Do I need a tripod for a bowling machine?
For a tripod-mountable machine, it is the difference between a sensible release point and one at ground level. The 3D Trainer Pro and the 3D Bowler both mount to one; the standard 3D Trainer has its own swivel base.
How many balls does a 3D Trainer hold?
A minimum of ten, and the capacity is extendable. The Trainer Stacker sits on top of either Trainer and adds five more, which is the cheapest way to spend less of a session walking back to the machine.