How to choose between which case to buy?
- Thread starter LSU1018
- Start date
Vinyl vs. leather is normally about looks. There are a couple of things I look for. What is the interior like? I want the cue to be padded for protection from hitting other cues, etc. Also, I don't want something with an interior compartment that would lend itself to scuffing or wearing off a cue's finish over time. Cases such as the It's George/Ron Thomas/Fellini style with felt liners are great. Cases like Instroke and other brands with similar style are commonly availabe with good and bad interiors. Justis, Melton, Whitten, etc. and most custom cases will have very good interiors. JB Cases have good interiors as well, and they also sell inserts to other case makers. I personally also like snaps, latches, or zippers. Many have purse style closers that wear out and break more readily than others. Hope that helps.
How many cues do you use to play with ?
Also will keep for a long time ? and looking for something light to carry around on your shoulder ?
All this means alot .
I would say that leather and something custom that you can keep for a long time..
P.s tis is just my 2 cents , Pm e maybe we can make you something really good..
Also will keep for a long time ? and looking for something light to carry around on your shoulder ?
All this means alot .
I would say that leather and something custom that you can keep for a long time..
P.s tis is just my 2 cents , Pm e maybe we can make you something really good..
Obviously, knowing how many cues you are going to carry starts you off. So what works best? 2x4, 3x5, etc. You decide how many butts/shafts you need room for.
How many accessories do you carry? There's nothing worse than finding out you can't fit your Q-Claw or something else in the case because the pockets are too small.
What's the case for? Are you a recreational player, a league player, or a tournament player? This one is key for me:
A recreational player doesn't move around much so weight isn't as much of a concern. Also, the style of the case isn't as important. A butterfly case is easiest to work with because it spreads wide open and they often have lots of space for goodies. It's going to stay in one spot, so wear and tear should be minimal.
A league player will probably need something tough because you move from table to table, venue to venue. People knock them about, drinks are often flowing, and propping your cues up against a cocktail table is a bad idea. Here I'd rather have a tube style with an open top and lots of room so I can store my cues in it, fully assembled. Leather would be a must for this one. A big concern here is also visibility. Because there are lots of people milling around, and you can't keep your eyes on your equipment non stop, make it something that stands out from what everyone else has. If someone, "accidentally", takes your case for a walk it will be easier to spot them quickly.
Tournament play is different too. It's cleaner but not the US Open. With long wait times between matches weight will be important. You need to be able to walk around with your cues and not feel like a Sherpa. Materials may not be as important but I'd still go with leather. Gadgets, toys, reading material, medicines, etc, will all probably go with you so storage is again a concern. Here either style will work but if these are small, local tournaments with faster match play the tube-style is better suited to you. For bigger events, you can go back to the butterfly.
Also, not really sure if you need to spend more money on a case then is worth more than your cue......
I see guys playing with $200 cues with $400 cases ??? Kinda crazy imho.
I'd go the old car logic. Never buy a car that is more than 1/2 your annual salary. Thus, keep the case under 1/2 your cue value, the lower you can go with still getting a quality case, the better.
Yeah, we know folks buy expensive cues later on.... well, I'd rather have the extra money now ready to buy the next cue later......and then you can start to upgrade the case later as well.....
I see guys playing with $200 cues with $400 cases ??? Kinda crazy imho.
I'd go the old car logic. Never buy a car that is more than 1/2 your annual salary. Thus, keep the case under 1/2 your cue value, the lower you can go with still getting a quality case, the better.
Yeah, we know folks buy expensive cues later on.... well, I'd rather have the extra money now ready to buy the next cue later......and then you can start to upgrade the case later as well.....
If money isn't a problem, then consider leather over vyn..., vin..., naugahyde. It almost always looks better. In addition, the cowboy style leather Instrokes are popular, and come in a variety of sizes and colors.
We here at Steamer Cue Sports Ltd., use only the finest leathers in our cue cases. They come from the foreskin of the Orcinus Orca, or in laymans terms the Killer whale. We have found these leathers to be hard, as well as durable. It is for this reason we call them Killer cue cases. :smile:
We here at Steamer Cue Sports Ltd., use only the finest leathers in our cue cases. They come from the foreskin of the Orcinus Orca, or in laymans terms the Killer whale. We have found these leathers to be hard, as well as durable. It is for this reason we call them Killer cue cases. :smile:
Good stuff so far, I would just add that if you are a league or tournament player and carry around multi cues I would suggest you get a case that you can put the butts in either way, it comes in handy.
I agree especially about the latches and closures.
There are a lot of really good cases out there. It really depends on what kind of money you want to fork out. I know folks that buy hight quality and keep the same case for a long time, others that buy cheap and when it wears out, just buy another. It's a personal and financial decision in my view. One thing though, just because the case is expensive, doesn't mean it is high quality. I would shop around a lot before making a decision, espcially if you plan on spending $$$$.
I feel that the interior is by FAR the most important factor in a case. I have a vinyl Sterling 2x3 and it has an ultra-padded JB interior that is incredible. Snug fit with lots of padding, and the thing is built like a tank. Plus it cost less than 90 bucks. You can't do that with leather.
Get whatever material you like better, just make sure it has a good interior. If it has nice leather on the outside, but PVC tubes on the inside, your cues are going to rattle around and get scuffed up. Can't judge a book by its cover.
Get whatever material you like better, just make sure it has a good interior. If it has nice leather on the outside, but PVC tubes on the inside, your cues are going to rattle around and get scuffed up. Can't judge a book by its cover.
Yea I'm mainly a recreational player, occasionally will play a session of league, occasionally play a tournament. I want something probably around 3x5. Wouldn't want to spend more than about $200. Looks isn't important to me.. I just want something where my cues won't get dinged up.
Case
First, it depends how you take care of a case. My case goes from the front closet to my car to the pool room and back. I never leave my cues in the car. Interior is important, but not all important to me. Convenience of use is important to me. Having ample Pocket space for everything, and being able to get to it without a hassle.
Being light enough to carry around without it wearing on your shoulder is important too. Make sure the shoulder strap is padded well. I carry a 3 x 5 case right now, with 2 butts and 3 shafts currently. I am getting a cue made in February with 2 shafts, so that will fill it up completely. If you go to Nationals in Vegas especially for 10 days, the shoulder strap will really be important.
I have always thought that your case should not cost more than about 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost of your cues in the case.
First, it depends how you take care of a case. My case goes from the front closet to my car to the pool room and back. I never leave my cues in the car. Interior is important, but not all important to me. Convenience of use is important to me. Having ample Pocket space for everything, and being able to get to it without a hassle.
Being light enough to carry around without it wearing on your shoulder is important too. Make sure the shoulder strap is padded well. I carry a 3 x 5 case right now, with 2 butts and 3 shafts currently. I am getting a cue made in February with 2 shafts, so that will fill it up completely. If you go to Nationals in Vegas especially for 10 days, the shoulder strap will really be important.
I have always thought that your case should not cost more than about 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost of your cues in the case.
For the money, the sterling wave cases are hard to beat. The backpack straps are perfect for carrying it around for long periods of time, and the padding on the interior is gentle on cues but holds them tightly. I bought a 4x8 and a 3x4 (both also have room for a jump butt in the pocket) and found that I prefer the 3x4 most of the time.
Thank God you are suggesting leather over naugahide. I've heard that the nauga is close to extinction & should be placed on the endangered species list.
I think the regular Sterling cases have the same interior. Not as nice looking on the outside and a different strap connection than the Wave, but also much lower in price.
Seriously? The above nails it.
If you can afford leather it is by far more durable than synthetic materials. It wont protect the cue better (a quality interior will do that) but it will last a life time where as vinyl will tear and show use very quickly. If your low on funds a vinyl case will work fine and if you upgrade you can use an old case as storage.
Leather is better...lasts much longer than most synthetic materials (with care) and scuffs and scrapes are easily repaired with a little dye and love/care. A well made leather case will last longer than you will. I'm agnostic with respect to reptile hides; I've got a ringtail lizard wrap on my player that's holding up excellent, so that might work, too...but it's all relative and expense is a factor. Leather's not THAT much more, and definitely worth the extra $ and wait.
I had a Joe Porper 2 X 4 leather case for 15 years. The leather looks as good today as when I received it as a present. The hardware has taken a beating over the years and my wife just bought me a new one for a birthday present. I received it about one week ago and am very pleased with the inside and the outside. It appears to be in the price range you stated and they have several capacities. Just have to look around.
http://www.wayfair.com/5280-Pool-Cues-34-Pool-Cue-Case-in-Burgundy-RM24B-OUO1020.html
http://www.wayfair.com/5280-Pool-Cues-34-Pool-Cue-Case-in-Burgundy-RM24B-OUO1020.html
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