Best jump cue you've ever tested?
- Thread starter edwu
- Start date
Light, stiff, hard tip.
Did I mention light?
pj
chgo
Did I mention light?
pj
chgo
For those who think they love their's, read PJ's post above and then weigh yours...
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
My friend has one, and it's an absolute gun. Pains me to credit Predator with making a good product, but I can't really fault the AirRush
Love my Cuetec Propel. Around 11 oz with butt extension, 8 without. All CF (even the butt), thick stiff shaft, and Taom 2.0 tip. It’s what Fedor used as he became known as one of the best jumpers in the game.
Coming from a Pechauer then a Lomax, it’s been a serious adjustment to get used to how high and fast the CB pops out. Many sent off the table in the process.
Coming from a Pechauer then a Lomax, it’s been a serious adjustment to get used to how high and fast the CB pops out. Many sent off the table in the process.
My jump cue is a bunjee original that costs under 70 bucks brand new and it jumps better than anything I've ever tested. I've used a jacoby jumper, and a predator air 2 and it's much better than both of those. One thing to note is the maple shaft I got with it had a ton of growth rings so I may have gotten lucky.
I've posted on this topic several times over the years. Obviously the idea of the "best" is highly subjective, but here is my 2024 update:
First of all, I break down jump skill into three categories:
1) Hit the object ball. Just don't give up ball in hand, and maybe get lucky.
2) Make the object ball. As your jump skills increase, you should intend to pocket the ball more often. This is far more difficult than most people realize: shot distance, distance of jump, height of jump, ball bouncing, and shot angle all impact the result.
3) Control the cue ball. At the top tier of jumping is the ability to do all the above and control the cue ball. In addition to making the ball and getting position, this opens up other options such as jump safe and jump kick. This is what makes the pros so deadly at jumping.
There is nothing wrong with a J/B for most players. They cost less and take up less room in your case. A good J/B can handle scenarios 1 & 2 above. Where a high-quality dedicated jumper really shines is in scenario 3.
J/B cues I've owned:
- JJ: super cheap, breaks OK, jumps OK. A good first J/B for a beginner player only looking for scenario 1 above.
- PureX (4pc): there is no better option in this price range, breaks great and jumps OK. Good for 1 & 2 above - I often recommend this as a first option.
- Samsara: compared to other J/Bs, this one doesn't break as well but jumps better. Good for 1 & 2 and possibly 3.
Dedicated Jump Cues I've owned:
- Jester
- Black Magic
- Tadpole
*Do NOT waste time or money on these or similar jumpers. The J/Bs mentioned above outperform them.
- Jacoby: a good entry level dedicated jump cue. Something about the brass ferrule bothers me, but I used one for a couple years and it was fine. I wouldn't want a lesser jump cue than this. Last I checked they were more affordable than the others on this list.
- Lomax: Very very good, my first entry into the top tier jump cues.
- Hanshew: The best wooden jump cue I have ever used, slightly edges out the Lomax. I loved mine and still have it.
- Air Rush: my current jumper, which I bought mostly because I wanted carbon fiber (matches my other cues and doesn't nick). Not particularly better at jumping, but it does offer better cue ball control than the others.
I won't declare what is best for anyone else, but right now what works best for me is the Air Rush. (I've also tried the Propel and seems to be on par with the Air Rush.) If Hanshew ever makes a carbon fiber jump cue, I'll be first in line to try it out.
First of all, I break down jump skill into three categories:
1) Hit the object ball. Just don't give up ball in hand, and maybe get lucky.
2) Make the object ball. As your jump skills increase, you should intend to pocket the ball more often. This is far more difficult than most people realize: shot distance, distance of jump, height of jump, ball bouncing, and shot angle all impact the result.
3) Control the cue ball. At the top tier of jumping is the ability to do all the above and control the cue ball. In addition to making the ball and getting position, this opens up other options such as jump safe and jump kick. This is what makes the pros so deadly at jumping.
There is nothing wrong with a J/B for most players. They cost less and take up less room in your case. A good J/B can handle scenarios 1 & 2 above. Where a high-quality dedicated jumper really shines is in scenario 3.
J/B cues I've owned:
- JJ: super cheap, breaks OK, jumps OK. A good first J/B for a beginner player only looking for scenario 1 above.
- PureX (4pc): there is no better option in this price range, breaks great and jumps OK. Good for 1 & 2 above - I often recommend this as a first option.
- Samsara: compared to other J/Bs, this one doesn't break as well but jumps better. Good for 1 & 2 and possibly 3.
Dedicated Jump Cues I've owned:
- Jester
- Black Magic
- Tadpole
*Do NOT waste time or money on these or similar jumpers. The J/Bs mentioned above outperform them.
- Jacoby: a good entry level dedicated jump cue. Something about the brass ferrule bothers me, but I used one for a couple years and it was fine. I wouldn't want a lesser jump cue than this. Last I checked they were more affordable than the others on this list.
- Lomax: Very very good, my first entry into the top tier jump cues.
- Hanshew: The best wooden jump cue I have ever used, slightly edges out the Lomax. I loved mine and still have it.
- Air Rush: my current jumper, which I bought mostly because I wanted carbon fiber (matches my other cues and doesn't nick). Not particularly better at jumping, but it does offer better cue ball control than the others.
I won't declare what is best for anyone else, but right now what works best for me is the Air Rush. (I've also tried the Propel and seems to be on par with the Air Rush.) If Hanshew ever makes a carbon fiber jump cue, I'll be first in line to try it out.
Last edited:
Alex Brick J/B
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
More cues than T-shirts I own
I loved my friends Hanshew, used it for a week or two and he wouldn't sell it to me. Fantastic cue.
I was using an Adam Tengu, which I bought second Hand very cheaply. That was a fantastic jump wooden jumper. Popped the ball easy, ergonomic in the grip section. The screw-off lengths were better than AirRush in my opinion (the AirRush for me at 6ft - so not a tall, or small guy - is too short when unscrewed but I make it work for those close balls). The weight of the Tengu was good too.
What the AirRush excels at are long and mid-range jump opportunities that need height. Height that you can't get when jumping with your breaker (which I prefer to use for longer, flatter jumps).
The AirRush is a very well made product, but the price tag... again, something I did, and would only get second hand.
Georgiacue
Member
So basically you want a carbon fiber jump from what I am gathering above? I have a JFlowers jumper and it darts and jumps well. I just suck at the accuracy part which I'm working on. Im fairly new to jumping so I'm practicing about a half hour at a time. I'm decent at say 5 inches away from the object ball but gotta get my accuracy better across the board. it's not easy LOL If anyone has any advance tips to share i'm all ears.
boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
You know how fundamentals are important on regular shots? They are 10X more important on jump shots. Being in line with the shot is more important, as in your stick can't deviate. Any non-straight hit will cause the CB to masse. You can play this and use spin, but it's best to get down the normal center ball hits before experimenting. I really don't know what else to say other than practice. I've not got them completely figured out, but I can usually get a hit and make balls a diamond from the pocket. I'm curious to read other replies because it's definitely something I need work on.
For me its the Cuetec Propel, but it took a lot of experimenting and playing with various jump cues to come to the conclusion. They all jump well, and The conclusion I came to is what worked the best for ME. There were four that I have used in the last couple of years. Hanshew, AirRush, Propel, and a Franco. They all varied in weight, and length, and a little in tip diameter. I went of from Hanshew to the AirRush after I had a shoulder surgery and couldn't extend my are arm up to the get the elevation I wanted. Basically ran out of confidence and went to the AirRush. Since that change it never did feel right. So one day I put all 4 cues on the table, and hit about 200 jump shots of varying distance and such. The Cuetech performed the best for me, mostly due to the length and ability to remove most of the weight in the very end. It allowed me to jump even when the cueball and blocking ball are with a caulk cube. All four cue jump great, but the Cuetec perform best for me, Others that might be taller might have different outcomes. I'm on the short side being 5-9, but also my arm doesn't extend all the way, so I more side-armed. Best advice I can give, is to try all that you can to see what works for you.
Favorite I tested is/was the "OB Lift Pro" ... couldn't miss with it when trying it at the booth. It was quite expensive at the time... $350 range, so I passed.
I picked one up last year new for about $150 and couldn't be happier with it.
I picked one up last year new for about $150 and couldn't be happier with it.
just found the comparison sheet between the Propel and the AirRush
Propel AirRush
weight 10.75 oz 12.30 oz
butt 7.4 8.15
shaft 3.35 4.15
Tip dia 14 14
Length 48 inches 52 inches
Final section 3.5 11.5
Propel AirRush
weight 10.75 oz 12.30 oz
butt 7.4 8.15
shaft 3.35 4.15
Tip dia 14 14
Length 48 inches 52 inches
Final section 3.5 11.5