Best Tip on the Market - soft to medium

W

WobblyStroke

Well-known member
I've mostly gravitated towards soft tips and really like the Kamuis I had recently. Also really liked a Tiger Everest I had, but once I replaced it with a second one, it didn't play like the first.

So, my question to you pool nuts is: what is the best tip on the market rn that I should try over just putting another Kamui on my main player?
 
Kamui spends the most on advertising by far. They managed to get their tips everywhere, so logically they grew in popularity. They don't play better than any other laminated tips imo.
Try several and find what suits you. When I played maple shafts, $3 milk duds were best imo. With CF, I use a tiger. I know a 730 speed player who prefers Lepro. Don't limit your options.
 
WobblyStroke said:
I've mostly gravitated towards soft tips and really like the Kamuis I had recently. Also really liked a Tiger Everest I had, but once I replaced it with a second one, it didn't play like the first.

So, my question to you pool nuts is: what is the best tip on the market rn that I should try over just putting another Kamui on my main player?
Click to expand...

I don't even know what is on my shafts. Every time I do have tips put on I find the cheapest softest tip they have to put on.

All tips play and get harder but what I've found with the soft tips is if they are softer they take chalk better. Whatever this is I'm playing
with hasn't had one miscue in months of play and its showing no signs of getting stiff yet.

If Kamui does that for you, use it. Just know that there are good cheap soft tips out there and if you leave them tall, compression
and hardness is less of an issue.
 
So here is a question for the crowd: Does anyone have or know of super high speed photography of tip impacts with a cue ball that might show if the softer tips compress more and as such might have slightly longer contact time with the ball? I appreciate that softer tips hold chalk better (I’ve seen that on mine), but that seems a matter of convenience more than a performance improvement. Longer contact time might lead to a tangible performance improvement.
 
I bet Dr. Dave has a series.

FWIW, I use Elk Ms. I coat 'em with super glue gel so I can shape 'em. That works like a charm. Perfect tip for me.
 
Das Cue-Boot said:
So here is a question for the crowd: Does anyone have or know of super high speed photography of tip impacts with a cue ball that might show if the softer tips compress more and as such might have slightly longer contact time with the ball? I appreciate that softer tips hold chalk better (I’ve seen that on mine), but that seems a matter of convenience more than a performance improvement. Longer contact time might lead to a tangible performance improvement.
Click to expand...
Everything you could possibly want to know is on Dr Dave's site...


HSV A.77 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a soft tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu

HSV A.78 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a medium hardness tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu

HSV A.79 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a hard tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu
 
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WobblyStroke said:
I've mostly gravitated towards soft tips and really like the Kamuis I had recently. Also really liked a Tiger Everest I had, but once I replaced it with a second one, it didn't play like the first.

So, my question to you pool nuts is: what is the best tip on the market rn that I should try over just putting another Kamui on my main player?
Click to expand...
Look in to ultra skin tips
 
buckshotshoey said:
Everything you could possibly want to know is on Dr Dave's site...


HSV A.77 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a soft tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu

HSV A.78 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a medium hardness tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu

HSV A.79 - Close-up of cue tip impact for a center-ball hit with a hard tip at slow, medium, and fast speeds - Dr. Dave Pool Info

billiards.colostate.edu billiards.colostate.edu
Click to expand...
Thanks for the links. I hadn’t realized there was so much out there—good for hours of data collection and analysis. The ones you mentioned, plus one other for a super hard tip pretty much confirmed my engineering suspicion that the softer tips deform on impact and have longer contact time. That probably won’t make a huge difference on centered shots, but should increase spin rate on english, follow and draws. I’ll continue to use soft tips on my player and a super hard tip on my break/jump cue since it seems to work for me and my playing style.
 
Zerksies said:
They just ran a tip poll a few weeks ago and Kamui was far into the lead over other tips. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Click to expand...
I'm sure if we ran a poll on which mass cue manufacturer was the best predator would win that one...lol
 
Das Cue-Boot said:
Thanks for the links. I hadn’t realized there was so much out there—good for hours of data collection and analysis. The ones you mentioned, plus one other for a super hard tip pretty much confirmed my engineering suspicion that the softer tips deform on impact and have longer contact time. That probably won’t make a huge difference on centered shots, but should increase spin rate on english, follow and draws. I’ll continue to use soft tips on my player and a super hard tip on my break/jump cue since it seems to work for me and my playing style.
Click to expand...
You'd think, but it really doesn't make near the difference you would assume. I did a little self test to satisfy someone a while ago. I could put nearly as much side english on a CB with either my soft Zan tip, medium moori(closer to hard now), or a solid phenolic on my breaker
 
WobblyStroke said:
I've mostly gravitated towards soft tips and really like the Kamuis I had recently. Also really liked a Tiger Everest I had, but once I replaced it with a second one, it didn't play like the first.

So, my question to you pool nuts is: what is the best tip on the market rn that I should try over just putting another Kamui on my main player?
Click to expand...
Ive gone back to Triangles. I'll order 5 and do the drop them in water test. Sink, throw away. They play great like a medium tip only little softer imo. Hold their shape like a 20 year Olds breasts. They eat chalk better than any layered tip. I even break 9 ball with my Joss and they don't flatten. Of course I only get to break once a session bc I never win. :unsure:
 
Das Cue-Boot said:
So here is a question for the crowd: Does anyone have or know of super high speed photography of tip impacts with a cue ball that might show if the softer tips compress more and as such might have slightly longer contact time with the ball? I appreciate that softer tips hold chalk better (I’ve seen that on mine), but that seems a matter of convenience more than a performance improvement. Longer contact time might lead to a tangible performance improvement.
Click to expand...

There is a youtube video out there of exactly this. It shows tip compression and chalk transfer amount several different chalk types and tip types
 
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