I'm average height and a little overweight. On a 9' table I have trouble reaching anything much past the center pockets, so I use a bridge often. When I used wooden shafts, I scratched a couple of them on aluminum and plastic bridges. Nothing irreparable, but definitely annoying, so I started experimenting with various bridge heads. I have owned and used the following:
1) Moosehead - my first "personal" bridge head. A decent option, and as cheap as they come at only a few dollars. Our local pool hall has since upgraded all the bridges from the Russo to these. The material is very flimsy, though, and occasionally feels like it impacts my stroke.
2) Jump Caddy - these are sturdy plastic bridge heads have an offset "jump ring" intended to make jumping with the bridge easier. It is also great for getting over obstacle balls, which is my favorite feature because there is a gap between the jump ring and the bridge base. This gap makes it possible to site under the cue and see exactly where the cue is in relation to the cue ball. Also, the wings on the opposite side slide nicely around the rail, making some awkward shots near the bridge easier.
3) Just-a-bridge - I heard such great things about this bridge, and I was intrigued by the design, so I tried one out for a few weeks. I love the infinite motion, but the felt was very grabby, especially on soft touch shots like are often used in one-pocket. I never really got comfortable with this bridge and ended up selling it.
The biggest problem I had with all the above was connecting the bridge head to a stick - any stick. They were either too loose or too tight. The Moosehead and Jump Caddy had rubber grommets, while the Just-a-bridge had an adjustable collar, but none of them ever fit well on either a dedicated bridge cue, my break cue, or a house cue. Several times I had a bridge head fall off as I was stroking, so eventually I decided to get something with a more permanent connection.
4)
Hightower Road Bridge - I saw this at the Super Billiards Expo and had to have it. The head is made out of a poured molded resin, It's super smooth and the most stable bridge I've ever used. Also, the telescoping shaft is super useful. The only real issue I had was it wasn't very travel friendly, so it stays at home now and is my home bridge. [NOTE: The ones they make now collapse to a much smaller size, but I have the original one that is a bit larger.]
5) A mechanically handy friend of mine, who had been keeping up with my bridge adventures, made a custom bridge for me which is what I use now. It is a hybrid of 3 & 4 above. He modified a telescoping shaft made for photography and a Jump Caddy head. He inserted a bolt into the end of the shaft and permanently fixed a nut in the head where the grommet used to be. The connection is super sturdy but is easily disassembled so it easily transports. The only thing that would be better is if the head was made of the same material as Hightower's.
At this point, the only other thing I've considered is designing my own bridge head. I have some ideas for what I would do differently, and if I can ever get comfortable with 3D printing, I may give it a shot. For now, though, I'm pretty happy with what I'm using.
