Best template rack?

[Rocket354]

Accu-rack is my favorite.
I've only tried that and Magic.
I love the material. I think it grabs the cloth better and doesn't slide as easy.
Definitely doesn't slide much if at all on the break shot.
Many Pro's rated it favorably for that reason.
I can rack it quick and tight.
Been using for about 7 yrs.

I just got Accu-rack and Turtle rack and tried them both on the same table with the same balls, both 8- and 9-ball breaks, multiple times. The accu-rack slid more while racking, and slid more on the break shot. The Turtle sat firm the entire time for every rack and every break.

 

[Rocket354]

It's funny that you bumped this up again. I have used a turtle rack since posting this, and I do think it's more reliable at sticking the balls together than the magic rack, which still causes me problems with gaps. I had the turtle rack with the triangle, not the circle in the middle. Unfortunately I left it on top of a pool light somewhere.

I have the triangle, as well. Have not tried the circular one.

I still have not used the accu-rack.

No need.

 

[gretch6364]

I bought the Magic Rack for the new table and while I have not used the others...I do like these more then a traditional rack or shit/puke eating. Can rack pretty fast with it, and it stays tight. We will see how long that last, but to be honest...a set of 8/9/10 Magic Racks is $19.99 on Amazon. If they last even six months, that isn't bad.

 

[Mick]

For your own table? Perma-Rack. Hands down the best racking system I've ever used. Developed by an AZBer whose name escapes me. Here's his site:

Perma-Rack ***SEE VIDEO BELOW***

Tackle Tamer products help keep your fishing tackle organized along with innovative ice fishing products.

tackletamer.com

Edit: I know it says that links to a fishing store. That's the link though.

 

[Black-Balled]

I need a new one too. Have the outsville and it has served me well, but the 1 hole looks like a victim.

Had is for prob 5+yr, couple hours a Month average use.

I can't run a 5 pack without it!

So, what did you end up getting?

 

[R0B]

Accurack is the best IMO.

 

[Sunchaser]

Another vote for Outsville rack. I have no problems with it and use one weekly. It does make the break very predictable...so theres that...

 

[Cuebuddy]

Well a rough count is
2 Outsville
2 Magic Rack
4 Accurack
3 Turtle Rack
1 Permarack

PLEASE don't let AtLarge know I am counting, He is the man.

 

[ShootingArts]

Well a rough count is
2 Outsville
2 Magic Rack
4 Accurack
3 Turtle Rack
1 Permarack

PLEASE don't let AtLarge know I am counting, He is the man.

I am using the turtle rack for no good reason too except I wanted to try the plastic. Hate to admit it, a cheap junk triangle probably from walmart that came with my table racks just fine with new balls. I can throw balls in a triangle quicker than using any template too and I am not really a fan of the templates.

Hu

 

[BRussell]

Well a rough count is
2 Outsville
2 Magic Rack
4 Accurack
3 Turtle Rack
1 Permarack

PLEASE don't let AtLarge know I am counting, He is the man.

I think the Outsville is the Accurack.

 

[TEAM SLO]

We used magic and turtle rack.... turtle rack was by far the better of the two. Then we started using the outsville accurack. Much better if at anytime you need to keep the rack in place and end up shooting a ball across it.

 

[philly]

I have the Magic Rack.
Not really happy with as the balls move off of their spots easily.
I have the Turtle and Magic racks on order to determine which is better so this thread is rather timely,
Well. looks like I will have to make up my own mind when I get them because there seems to be no consensus in this thread.
Pool players !!!

 

[Mick]

Well. looks like I will have to make up my own mind when I get them because there seems to be no consensus in this thread.
Pool players !!!

Do yourself a favor and try the perma-rack too.

I'm convinced the reason it isn't the #1 recommended rack here is that nobody has tried it. Hell, the only reason I found out about it was that I'd seen it in use by the inventor in a straight pool video he posted, and sent him a PM asking what racking system that was. It's definitely worth the $20 to try it out. I've had it for over a year, and can't see myself ever using another rack again. Every single rack in that year has been dead tight, and perfectly aligned, and no farting around with trying to remove templates.

 

[BRussell]

Do yourself a favor and try the perma-rack too.

I'm convinced the reason it isn't the #1 recommended rack here is that nobody has tried it. Hell, the only reason I found out about it was that I'd seen it in use by the inventor in a straight pool video he posted, and sent him a PM asking what racking system that was. It's definitely worth the $20 to try it out. I've had it for over a year, and can't see myself ever using another rack again. Every single rack in that year has been dead tight, and perfectly aligned, and no farting around with trying to remove templates.

That's the one where you tap the balls and use the hole-punch reinforcers? You could only do that on your home table, right?

I "trained" my table ala Dr. Dave's method and it worked while it lasted, but it tended to kind of fade over a couple dozen racks, and I got sick of re-tapping.

 

[Mick]

That's the one where you tap the balls and use the hole-punch reinforcers

No ball tapping required. Basically it works like the best "trained" table you've ever played on, and the rings cause essentially no roll-off of balls crossing over them. No worse than the divots a trained table causes for sure.

Yeah, it's only for use on your own home table. Unless you could talk the bar owner into using it, I guess. I colored mine blue to match my cloth and you can almost not see them.

 

[philly]

Do yourself a favor and try the perma-rack too.

I'm convinced the reason it isn't the #1 recommended rack here is that nobody has tried it. Hell, the only reason I found out about it was that I'd seen it in use by the inventor in a straight pool video he posted, and sent him a PM asking what racking system that was. It's definitely worth the $20 to try it out. I've had it for over a year, and can't see myself ever using another rack again. Every single rack in that year has been dead tight, and perfectly aligned, and no farting around with trying to remove templates.

Have to check into it.
Never heard of it before.
Thank you.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I've had a few "magic ball rack" brand template racks over the years. They are the original one. They are/were a Japanese company and came up with the diamond shaped slot ideas that creates a ramp for the ball to slide down and press against its neighbor. That diamond shaped slot is the whole reason the racks work as well as they do. It has to say "magic ball rack", not just "magic rack" to be the good one. I think CSI partnered up with them about 10 years ago and is the distributor for them since. They started as paper about 15 years ago then switched to the thin plastic. The one I have now is 10 years old, has been scratched to hell by a kitty cat, and it still racks as good as when it was new, perfectly.

The only other one I tried was from Amazon, a knockoff that comes qty 6 racks for about $10. They were garbage and I returned them. They were way too thin, and made it impossible to keep the ball in the diamond shaped slot. It would roll right out.

 

[BRussell]

No ball tapping required. Basically it works like the best "trained" table you've ever played on, and the rings cause essentially no roll-off of balls crossing over them. No worse than the divots a trained table causes for sure.

Yeah, it's only for use on your own home table. Unless you could talk the bar owner into using it, I guess. I colored mine blue to match my cloth and you can almost not see them.

I see, so the product is the plastic sheet you use to place the rings.

 

[The Renfro]

Do yourself a favor and try the perma-rack too.

I'm convinced the reason it isn't the #1 recommended rack here is that nobody has tried it. Hell, the only reason I found out about it was that I'd seen it in use by the inventor in a straight pool video he posted, and sent him a PM asking what racking system that was. It's definitely worth the $20 to try it out. I've had it for over a year, and can't see myself ever using another rack again. Every single rack in that year has been dead tight, and perfectly aligned, and no farting around with trying to remove templates.

Is this same as the racktight system from 2010 that Grace Nakamura was the rep for? They had a patented sheet/device that allowed you to place the ring binder reinforcements in the proper places... https://web.archive.org/web/20100513001448/http://www.racktight.com/

 

[Mick]

I see, so the product is the plastic sheet you use to place the rings.

Correct. The ring template is a cnc cut, 1/8" thick sheet of plastic. Maybe vinyl? He also throws in a few of the paper rings.

Buy it once, and it's good for a lifetime (as long as they keep making paper reinforcements). I don't apply it like he suggests, I use it to actually mark the circles on the cloth with a thin felt marker, but could see why most people wouldn't want to do that. Pics below.

Is this same as the racktight system from 2010 that Grace Nakamura was the rep for? They had a patented sheet/device that allowed you to place the ring binder reinforcements in the proper places... https://web.archive.org/web/20100513001448/http://www.racktight.com/

Never heard of racktight before, but it looks very similar in function. I could see the racktight being more problematic for replacing worn rings though, if I'm understanding it right, since you need to buy more I assume.

Edit to add a video of it in use: