Predator Air 2 jump Discussions

Smutzc

Smutzc

Well-known member
Very rarely, but happening more and more I am starting to jump/attempt. I have a Nick Varner jump/break cue and the first year I owned the cue I didn’t even know it broke down into a small jump cue. The thing I don’t like about break/ jump cues is the fact that when you break them down the jump part is so short for my long arms, you can only dart the small section. So on a whim the other night my father and I decided to order a new Predator Air 2 just to try out using a dedicated jump cue. Any one out there have the Predator Air 2? And I’d like to hear your feedback about the dedicated jump cue. Is a dedicated jump cue more satisfying than a jump/break for you guys? I’m hoping it is for me. Looking forward to some discussion !
 
Do you guys find it easier to dart or to shoot underhand (traditional method) ? I have only tried underhand with a full cue and that was not a good experience for myself. Hope the lighter jump cue will be a nice addition to the bag
 
They are good jump cues. I’ve owned a couple. If I wasn’t using a Hanshew the Air 2 is what I’d have.
 
Smutzc said:
Do you guys find it easier to dart or to shoot underhand (traditional method) ? I have only tried underhand with a full cue and that was not a good experience for myself. Hope the lighter jump cue will be a nice addition to the bag
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Ive always gone traditional overhand. Just works better for me personally. I’ve never felt comfortable or trusted the dart stroke. Everybody’s different though.
 
I've tried jumping with it and it jumps good. I have also had a Hanshew and I didn't like it unfortunately...He was real nice to deal with though. The Hanshew was a good cue I felt like for dart jumping but it was tough to get the ball of the table with it under my arm. My favorite jumper I've tried is a Lomax or any of the carbon fiber ones. I'm by no means great at pool but I found the Lomax easiest out of all of them to jump with under my arm and the Hanshew the easiest dart method.

As for your other question, a jump cue is a great thing to have for tournaments that allow jumping.
 
Follow JennBarretta on Instagram, she is a #1 player WPBA 2022 and she just did a photo with the latest predator jump.

Usually a demo of the cue in action follows.
 
Dart is best in many ways. You are looking down the shaft to aim so it's more precise. You can control tip placement on the cueball better to put follow, draw, side on it. You can reach out much farther on the table. If you are used to dart shooting, easy to shoot the same way with a bridge and get out in the middle of the table or better when the need arises.

Pick a spot on the ball that you are jumping or a spot on the table to aim through. Something withing a couple feet. Let's you watch the hit on the cueball for a more accurate hit.
 
The Air 2 is a good jump cue, but I prefer a dart style due to an old shoulder injury. A lighter cue works better for that style, at least for me. For me the Jacoby jumper is perfect as it only weighs 6.5 oz total.
 
In my experience the Air 2 is an acceptable jump cue, there are certainly better and cheaper alternatives. They perform okay, but nothing out of this world. With that said I use a Cuetec Propel, which I believe is the best jump cue on the market, but then again, you certainly pay for it, with it being all composite etc...
 
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