New Predator Break Cue is out

hang-the-9 · Aug 17, 2017

philly said:
I agree. It's their money. I'm of the camp that technique and timing on the break shot is more important than the break stick. Make a ball on the break and leave the cue ball smack in the center of the table. Hopefully you can do ti consistently. All the money in the world won't buy that.

Yes, people try to fix a $10 break with a $700 break cue

My break is a $7 break, which is why I stick with a $70 break cue or use a house cue or my "emergency spare/loaner" Star McD.

I think it's better to spend $600 on lessons then buy a $100 break cue.

What's that saying, buy a man a break cue and he will break for one set. Teach him to break and he will break for a lifetime.

LegitStick1234 · Aug 17, 2017

$700 is a fine price if you ask me. All their equipment is in that price range or higher. It is new equipment. I personally am not a fan of the look, but I like the plain Jane look. I think people spend a lot more than $700 on a cue these days. I have never touched a revo shaft so I cannot say what it is for a product, but a lot of people seem to love it. So in my mind if I am going to love something I would be happy spending $700. I bought a Samsara True break shaft a few months ago and have really enjoyed it and that is what matters. If you like it buy it. A man has to have a hobby!

pinkspider · Sep 16, 2017

I bought one. I love tech and I think they're doing amazing work with these developments. I also own the 12.4mm and 12.9mm shafts.

I'm not a fan of the price and I'd be the first to say that the value proposition is absolute bollocks. Furthermore I have no idea how long these shafts can last from day to day use. But what the hell, right?

We can debate why these things cost so much but until we have inside info on the cost breakdown we are essentially speculating (albeit many sensible points have been brought up). Predator is run like a proper corporate entity though – not that there's anything wrong with that; makes the game look more professional – so I guess that gives some clue about how they price their stuff.

But anyway, on to the cue. I think – subjectively – this is a nicer design than the BK3. The sport wrap version looks really cool. But the cheap decal looks really cheap; I'm sorry Predator but you have to sort that shit out. Not at this price. I have no issues with companies making things cheaply but you have to at least make that extra little effort to make people feel they are getting their money's worth for high end stuff.

For that matter someone mentioned earlier that no one shits on mezz for their pricing. Ok this may not be directly addressing his point but generally mezz products are very, very well made. I've been trying to find fault with their cues for years but have yet to find anything damning. I'm sure most mezz owners will concur. They are that good – for a production-style cue. They look and feel good. When you put a predator next to it, the predator just feels cheap. But to their credit, predator's cues in recent years are quite well made and they're on a roll. The fit and finish is good BUT mostly for the higher end stuff like the 8k/ikon/etc (waiting to see how the new sneaky petes are like though). I'll still put them a notch below mezz – Mezz deserve their reputation for their obsession with quality control.

Superficial rant aside, the cue works as advertised – which is ultimately most important.

The Rush is similar to the BK3, but a supercharged version if that makes sense. It rewards a clean stroke because the energy transfer from shaft to cue ball is amazingly good. On top of that it's really low deflection. Then again, one can argue that you don't really need this kind of cue to break well. That is true. Which is why this is more suited for those who are anal, have too much money, or high level players who want that 5-10% (basically small) improvement. If you don't have good breaking technique to begin with this cue will not help your game. This is not a silver bullet.

The Revo shaft is old news and everyone by now knows how it performs. What I found great was the marriage of tip and shaft. The tip is hard enough to offer power, but compresses enough and grips well. It's a great balance of power (from acceleration, very different concept from the mezz style ones) and control; I think there should be enough videos on YouTube of pros demonstrating how they use this style of break (revo + bk3 butt mostly) You can even use it to play like in the grand tradition of old BKs (those who used the early ones will know). It makes cut breaks easier and you have the option to power through if you want. I haven't tried jumping with it though, I can't jump to save my life so someone else will need to chime in on this.

Bottom line: the rush is an amazing piece of tech. The revo isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread but it brings a different set of characteristics to the table – variety certainly is the spice of life. It's early days for carbon fibre shafts but I think at the moment its power and accuracy are quite outstanding and while it's hard to convince people that revos make great play shafts (however if you are shotmaker at heart then the revo may be what you need; they really need to plug Joshua Filler though, his uber aggressive style makes him the perfect poster child for the Revo), more people are likely to appreciate its technical abilities through the Rush.

TL; DR:
The Rush is way too expensive but it's generally more powerful than the BK3 (subject to break technique) and has low deflection as well. Consider if you want even more control of your cue ball on your break.

pinkspider · Sep 16, 2017

KMRUNOUT said:
You make a lot of sense, although I may disagree with your specific distribution of numbers. Funny thing is, as an industry, pool wishes it could be golf. And golfers go nuts buying super expensive drivers for their tee shot, even though many subscribe to the old adage "drive for show putt for dough". I may be very ignorant here, and I know you can get up there in price for putters, but I think the typical high end driver is way more expensive than the typical high end putter. Regardless, I think there are some deep flaws in the logic of "I'd spend a lot on a nice custom but I'd never spend a lot on a break cue".

KMRUNOUT

Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

I find that a good question to ask people where their priorities lie is: if you find a break cue that helps you double up your break-and-run numbers, would you mind buying it even if it costs more than your play cue?

Except if they own $60,000 Black Boars and stuff...

gregnice37 · Sep 17, 2017

pinkspider said:
I bought one. I love tech and I think they're doing amazing work with these developments. I also own the 12.4mm and 12.9mm shafts.

I'm not a fan of the price and I'd be the first to say that the value proposition is absolute bollocks. Furthermore I have no idea how long these shafts can last from day to day use. But what the hell, right?

We can debate why these things cost so much but until we have inside info on the cost breakdown we are essentially speculating (albeit many sensible points have been brought up). Predator is run like a proper corporate entity though – not that there's anything wrong with that; makes the game look more professional – so I guess that gives some clue about how they price their stuff.

But anyway, on to the cue. I think – subjectively – this is a nicer design than the BK3. The sport wrap version looks really cool. But the cheap decal looks really cheap; I'm sorry Predator but you have to sort that shit out. Not at this price. I have no issues with companies making things cheaply but you have to at least make that extra little effort to make people feel they are getting their money's worth for high end stuff.

For that matter someone mentioned earlier that no one shits on mezz for their pricing. Ok this may not be directly addressing his point but generally mezz products are very, very well made. I've been trying to find fault with their cues for years but have yet to find anything damning. I'm sure most mezz owners will concur. They are that good – for a production-style cue. They look and feel good. When you put a predator next to it, the predator just feels cheap. But to their credit, predator's cues in recent years are quite well made and they're on a roll. The fit and finish is good BUT mostly for the higher end stuff like the 8k/ikon/etc (waiting to see how the new sneaky petes are like though). I'll still put them a notch below mezz – Mezz deserve their reputation for their obsession with quality control.

Superficial rant aside, the cue works as advertised – which is ultimately most important.

The Rush is similar to the BK3, but a supercharged version if that makes sense. It rewards a clean stroke because the energy transfer from shaft to cue ball is amazingly good. On top of that it's really low deflection. Then again, one can argue that you don't really need this kind of cue to break well. That is true. Which is why this is more suited for those who are anal, have too much money, or high level players who want that 5-10% (basically small) improvement. If you don't have good breaking technique to begin with this cue will not help your game. This is not a silver bullet.

The Revo shaft is old news and everyone by now knows how it performs. What I found great was the marriage of tip and shaft. The tip is hard enough to offer power, but compresses enough and grips well. It's a great balance of power (from acceleration, very different concept from the mezz style ones) and control; I think there should be enough videos on YouTube of pros demonstrating how they use this style of break (revo + bk3 butt mostly) You can even use it to play like in the grand tradition of old BKs (those who used the early ones will know). It makes cut breaks easier and you have the option to power through if you want. I haven't tried jumping with it though, I can't jump to save my life so someone else will need to chime in on this.

Bottom line: the rush is an amazing piece of tech. The revo isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread but it brings a different set of characteristics to the table – variety certainly is the spice of life. It's early days for carbon fibre shafts but I think at the moment its power and accuracy are quite outstanding and while it's hard to convince people that revos make great play shafts (however if you are shotmaker at heart then the revo may be what you need; they really need to plug Joshua Filler though, his uber aggressive style makes him the perfect poster child for the Revo), more people are likely to appreciate its technical abilities through the Rush.

TL; DR:
The Rush is way too expensive but it's generally more powerful than the BK3 (subject to break technique) and has low deflection as well. Consider if you want even more control of your cue ball on your break.

How did you buy one already? They were supposed to be for sale on the 15th, but don't see them for sale anywhere yet. I want to order one asap.

ceebee · Sep 17, 2017

KMRUNOUT said:
No offense to those makers, I've hit with those cues plenty of times (Brick, Gilbert, Layne, etc) and they are not bad. However, I spent quite a bit of time at the Predator booth testing out the BK Rush and it is *amazing*. Incredible hit and feel. With respect, a completely different ballpark than the cues mentioned. It looks much nicer than past Predator breakers.

As a connoisseur of break cues I can say without hesitation that this is the best breaker I've ever tried by a significant margin. Just like others would spend a lot more on a nice custom player, they are essentially paying for build and looks. Which is great. For me, I don't care about those things for a break cue. I care about performance, and the BK Rush tops the charts in my opinion, and 2nd is pretty far back.

KMRUNOUT

Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

Could you give me a rundown on the specs & how you think this cue is the "numero uno" piece of Break Shot equipment.

Johnny Rosato · Sep 17, 2017

The name "Predator" is fitting for this company!

strmanglr scott · Sep 17, 2017

So glad I'm not a predator enthusiast.

Put any price on an item, there's always someone who's gonna buy it.

Imo, that's well beyond a ridiculous price.

kaznj · Sep 17, 2017

Does anyone know what the difference is between new break shaft and the regular revo shaft. I heard they put on a special pad and their own special tip. Is this the only difference?

AuntyDan · Sep 17, 2017

From the Predator rep I spoke to at a recent event other than the pad and tip these seem to be the main differences:

1) Different layering/construction of the carbon material in the shaft, although the actual taper is the same
2) Different foam inside

I tried one on their stand and it did feel different from breaking with my Revo 12.9 shaft with the normal tip. However it did not feel different in a good way to me. They advised me to maintain a very loose grip all the way through the break otherwise it feels weird, almost like there is nothing there.

To be fair to it I only had a few minutes and was breaking on a bar-box. I'd really like to spend a few hours trying breaks on a 9' before making a determination if it has any merits for my game or not.

I do like my Revo playing cues and already have a BK3 which seemed very expensive for what it is when I got it. I'm probably not going to bother with the BK Rush unless they sell just the shaft I can put on my BK3, and even then it's borderline at present. (The butt appears to be identically made to the BK3 just with different graphics.)

poolhustler · Sep 17, 2017

pinkspider said:
I bought one. I love tech and I think they're doing amazing work with these developments. I also own the 12.4mm and 12.9mm shafts.

I'm not a fan of the price and I'd be the first to say that the value proposition is absolute bollocks. Furthermore I have no idea how long these shafts can last from day to day use. But what the hell, right?

We can debate why these things cost so much but until we have inside info on the cost breakdown we are essentially speculating (albeit many sensible points have been brought up). Predator is run like a proper corporate entity though – not that there's anything wrong with that; makes the game look more professional – so I guess that gives some clue about how they price their stuff.

But anyway, on to the cue. I think – subjectively – this is a nicer design than the BK3. The sport wrap version looks really cool. But the cheap decal looks really cheap; I'm sorry Predator but you have to sort that shit out. Not at this price. I have no issues with companies making things cheaply but you have to at least make that extra little effort to make people feel they are getting their money's worth for high end stuff.

For that matter someone mentioned earlier that no one shits on mezz for their pricing. Ok this may not be directly addressing his point but generally mezz products are very, very well made. I've been trying to find fault with their cues for years but have yet to find anything damning. I'm sure most mezz owners will concur. They are that good – for a production-style cue. They look and feel good. When you put a predator next to it, the predator just feels cheap. But to their credit, predator's cues in recent years are quite well made and they're on a roll. The fit and finish is good BUT mostly for the higher end stuff like the 8k/ikon/etc (waiting to see how the new sneaky petes are like though). I'll still put them a notch below mezz – Mezz deserve their reputation for their obsession with quality control.

Superficial rant aside, the cue works as advertised – which is ultimately most important.

The Rush is similar to the BK3, but a supercharged version if that makes sense. It rewards a clean stroke because the energy transfer from shaft to cue ball is amazingly good. On top of that it's really low deflection. Then again, one can argue that you don't really need this kind of cue to break well. That is true. Which is why this is more suited for those who are anal, have too much money, or high level players who want that 5-10% (basically small) improvement. If you don't have good breaking technique to begin with this cue will not help your game. This is not a silver bullet.

The Revo shaft is old news and everyone by now knows how it performs. What I found great was the marriage of tip and shaft. The tip is hard enough to offer power, but compresses enough and grips well. It's a great balance of power (from acceleration, very different concept from the mezz style ones) and control; I think there should be enough videos on YouTube of pros demonstrating how they use this style of break (revo + bk3 butt mostly) You can even use it to play like in the grand tradition of old BKs (those who used the early ones will know). It makes cut breaks easier and you have the option to power through if you want. I haven't tried jumping with it though, I can't jump to save my life so someone else will need to chime in on this.

Bottom line: the rush is an amazing piece of tech. The revo isn't the greatest thing since sliced bread but it brings a different set of characteristics to the table – variety certainly is the spice of life. It's early days for carbon fibre shafts but I think at the moment its power and accuracy are quite outstanding and while it's hard to convince people that revos make great play shafts (however if you are shotmaker at heart then the revo may be what you need; they really need to plug Joshua Filler though, his uber aggressive style makes him the perfect poster child for the Revo), more people are likely to appreciate its technical abilities through the Rush.

TL; DR:
The Rush is way too expensive but it's generally more powerful than the BK3 (subject to break technique) and has low deflection as well. Consider if you want even more control of your cue ball on your break.

Thanks for the honest review!! So many haters on here ... who haven't even held a Revo or Rush yet, but have no problem spending thousands on a custom cue when a $40 Kmart cue would work just fine .. right? LOL

rhatten · Sep 17, 2017

So like where can one buy just the BK-Rush shaft?... no need for a butt.

Thx
r

pinkspider · Sep 17, 2017

gregnice37 said:
How did you buy one already? They were supposed to be for sale on the 15th, but don't see them for sale anywhere yet. I want to order one asap.

I'm not from stateside and my friend is a dealer; I grabbed one from him the moment he received it...

pinkspider · Sep 17, 2017

poolhustler said:
Thanks for the honest review!! So many haters on here ... who haven't even held a Revo or Rush yet, but have no problem spending thousands on a custom cue when a $40 Kmart cue would work just fine .. right? LOL

Lol indeed. I get people who hate on predator for their prices and I agree fully that you can get better 'value' elsewhere especially when prices are edging into custom cue territory.

But the concept of value is subjective and I think a lot depends on what you are trying to get for your money.

One thing to consider that I don't recall was ever raised: I think sometimes we have to acknowledge the strengths of larger scale production processes and some perspective is needed.

If a custom builder were to make a revo-like shaft that has the same material/construction spec and performance, I highly doubt he or she would be able to charge a lower price than what Predator does.

gregnice37 · Sep 17, 2017

Fyi to those interested I saw on Facebook from a predator rep that the release got pushed back from the 15th to 30th due to Irma

9Ballr · Sep 17, 2017

No way on earth I would buy a break cue, or any cue for that matter, that doesn't have readily available shafts.

So far getting shafts for the Predator break cues has been a nightmare.

I'lll stick to my Mezz Power Break. If anything happens to its shaft all I gotta do is order a new one.

9Ballr · Sep 17, 2017

poolhustler said:
Thanks for the honest review!! So many haters on here ... who haven't even held a Revo or Rush yet, but have no problem spending thousands on a custom cue when a $40 Kmart cue would work just fine .. right? LOL

We've come to a point in this world where if you have a negative opinion on something you are a "hater".
Which basically means you can't have an opinion.
Everything has to be kiss a** hunky dory or you're a hater.

I use a revo shaft but there's no way I'd get a break cue that has a shaft I can't readily buy.

pinkspider · Sep 18, 2017

9Ballr said:
No way on earth I would buy a break cue, or any cue for that matter, that doesn't have readily available shafts.

So far getting shafts for the Predator break cues has been a nightmare.

I'lll stick to my Mezz Power Break. If anything happens to its shaft all I gotta do is order a new one.

on an unrelated note, what i understand is that there is a massive backorder (globally) for mezz right now. i'm not sure if the US is affected, but we're definitely feeling it over here. if you need to get anything important from mezz, pls do it asap.

trob · Sep 18, 2017

9Ballr said:
We've come to a point in this world where if you have a negative opinion on something you are a "hater".
Which basically means you can't have an opinion.
Everything has to be kiss a** hunky dory or you're a hater.

I use a revo shaft but there's no way I'd get a break cue that has a shaft I can't readily buy.

I don't have a problem with a negative review. When It comes to cues one person's magic wand is another persons garbage. What I find funny is the people who never have hit with the revo shaft or broke with the revo break cue but already insist it's junk. It's like reviewing the way a car drives before you ever drove it. It's internet trolls who have nothing better to do with thier life then ***** about everything.

pinkspider · Sep 18, 2017

AuntyDan said:
From the Predator rep I spoke to at a recent event other than the pad and tip these seem to be the main differences:

1) Different layering/construction of the carbon material in the shaft, although the actual taper is the same
2) Different foam inside

I tried one on their stand and it did feel different from breaking with my Revo 12.9 shaft with the normal tip. However it did not feel different in a good way to me. They advised me to maintain a very loose grip all the way through the break otherwise it feels weird, almost like there is nothing there.

To be fair to it I only had a few minutes and was breaking on a bar-box. I'd really like to spend a few hours trying breaks on a 9' before making a determination if it has any merits for my game or not.

I do like my Revo playing cues and already have a BK3 which seemed very expensive for what it is when I got it. I'm probably not going to bother with the BK Rush unless they sell just the shaft I can put on my BK3, and even then it's borderline at present. (The butt appears to be identically made to the BK3 just with different graphics.)

I measured the tapers.. they’re the same. Approx. 13.9mm thick at 14” point. The 12.9mm weighs between 109-113g, the revo weighs about 115-117g; from the couple I was able to weigh. If that helps.

New Predator Break Cue is out

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