soliciting opinions about cloths from you 14.1 boys

jalapus logan

be all. and supports it to
Silver Member
Hey there guys. I always liked this subforum - you fellas are a dedicated bunch. So, it looks like I'll finally be in a position to replace my 4 + year old Simonis 860 in the coming weeks. I'll be honest, my 9' Diamond plays real tough down there in my somewhat humid basement with VERY worn cloth. I've basically quit attempting any 14.1 in the last 6 months or so, since breaking the balls apart had become a brutal excercise in torture.

So, I'm wondering what you guys think of a switch to the Simonis 860 HR? I've never played on it to my knowledge, but I would like a cloth that would be good for my basement environment and one that would wear well. Perhaps the HR is a good selection?

I want a versatile cloth, as I like to play all games, but I would like to step up my 14.1 play in the coming new year (that's my only new year's resolution).

Thanks in advance for any responses and have a great holiday season!

- JL
 
HR is perhaps slightly faster than 860 but not by a lot. It does wear well and the burn marks don't show as much. If you're looking for more speed to overcome high humidity you might consider that some guys use 760.
 
I have a GC in my basement and I have 760 on it. In the summer it is still uncomfortable and sticky down in the basement.

I finally sprung and got something like this ... (this is merely an example) The one I got was 14K BTU and I took a pane of glass out of my basement window, replaced it with Lexan ( if you do it, don't get plexiglass cause it cracks)

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garde...r-Conditioner/5965942/product.html?rcmndsrc=2

I know it costs some, but if you enjoy playing often, this is the ticket.

Now, the next cloth change will be 860 for me. Not because I like it better, but because its what you find out there more commonly and adjusting to the speeds won't be such a factor.
 
Very good cloth are also "Miliken" and the "Z9". Played often here in germany.
If you re interested in Z9 contact me via Pm. I m not sure if it s availae in the US-if not you may contact the guy who founded the company.

lg
Ingo


But the 860 Simonis is for sure a good cloth. Imo the 860 is a bit faster than the Z9- Miliken is a great cloth. i liked it more than 860 when it was fresh installed.
 
I have played on both Brunswick Gold Crown and Diamond Tables with Simonis. I have played on Diamond tables with Miliken. Personally, I prefer the Simonis.

My friend had a humidity problem in his basement and bought an air conditioner that is also a dehumidifier. Seemed to help. :thumbup:
 
Thanks guys. I ended up ordering the 860 HR in tourney blue. I plan to couple this with a dehumidifier. My basement isn't too humid compared to some, but it is there to an extent. My old cloth was SOOOO worn, it just was painful to play 14.1 on it anymore.

I can't wait for the new cloth to be installed next week. I've got my copy of Play Your Best Straight pool and John Scmidt dvd's at the ready, so we'll see what I can learn in 2012. Of course, it'll primarily just be an excercise in self-study, as few (none???) play the game in my area, but who cares? I'll be having fun regardless.

Cheers and happy holidays to all,

JL
 
I have played on Diamond tables with Miliken.
What a way to bastardise a table! Milliken is some of the worst cloth out there, inconsistent and feels really thick compared to Simonis...

Hainsworth Elite Pro cloth is very versatile I find. That's if you can get it in the US...not sure about 14.1 as I've only started playing it and I can't say if the break is a ***** because of the cloth, or just because I have no experience :)

It works in all other games though so could be worth considering but Takini cloth is the best bang for your buck as it plays like Simonis but half the price...
 
I have 860HR on my practice table and like it because I feel better prepared for playing on the new cloth used at national/international events (can't afford to have the cloth replaced each time/every year) - although it isn't as fast as 760 (which isn't really a pool cloth but works best for Russian Pyramid, according to one Simonis representative I once told I don't particularly like it), it keeps sliding almost like new cloth for a long time, that is, is not dissimilar from new 860 even after months of use. Standard 860 allows for more control, but wears off more quickly, and in our variable climate (dry in winter, humid in summer) is best used on heated slate (which I have - DIY but similar to the heating systems used in carom billiards tables).

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti
 
Same issue with a slow Diamond covered with aging 860 - hammering the balls apart makes 14.1 truly frustrating - 760 for me.
 
what about...........

I am surprised no one mentioned the installation of the cloth itself. I also have Diamond with 860. Although I do not considered it slow, it is slower than some public tables I play on . I was under the impression that how tightly a cloth is stretched during installed has a great deal to do with the speed. I would like my table to play faster and will look to speed things up with a tight installation and keeping with the regular 860 cloth.

Am I incorrect with this thinking?
 
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