The Spider trainer- Anyone ever use this?

Never seen that before. It looks interesting. Probably a great way to teach beginners but I dont know about improving my own game. I certainly wouldn't shell out the money just for myself. A laser pointer does the job fine for about $0.99. Tape the button down and then tape it to a piece of chaulk or something.
 
Wow, you guys sure are opinionated about this product considering that you haven't even seen it!@# :p
 
Gregg said:
As a self proclaimed billard accessory junkie, I can't live without knowing what people have thought after using this product, or if anybody owns one. Reviews?

The Spider - http://www.thespideronline.com
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Gregg,

It's been out for a couple years now. I saw it at the 2004 US Open.

Basically, I would agree with JoeyInCali because it really is a kind of googan tool. It doesn't teach you HOW to aim, it just shows you WHERE to aim. Once you take the tool away to aim for yourself, what kind of a reference point do you have?

Barbara
 
Barbara said:
Gregg,

It's been out for a couple years now. I saw it at the 2004 US Open.

Basically, I would agree with JoeyInCali because it really is a kind of googan tool. It doesn't teach you HOW to aim, it just shows you WHERE to aim. Once you take the tool away to aim for yourself, what kind of a reference point do you have?

Barbara
Click to expand...

Well thats exactly what it is used for. Some people don't know where to aim. Its a tool for teaching beginners.
 
Harvywallbanger said:
Well thats exactly what it is used for. Some people don't know where to aim. Its a tool for teaching beginners.
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What continues to amaze me is that whether it be good or bad, I have never seen one bought at all the shows/events i have been to! How do they stay in business? Probably the same answer i hear for lots of pool accessories.' They sell like crazy in Asia.
 
I guess I will have to disagree in a couple of respects with the prevailing sentiment. I think it is a pretty good tool for beginning players.

It will allow them to more quickly develop their visual sense of the proper "thickness of hit" when learning aiming. It will also allow them to more quickly develop a sense that you can aim to different parts of the pocket.

It also shows the tangent line clearly, and will greatly help a new player not only in predicting the path of the cueball after impact, but also in seeing how cheating the pocket can change the path of the cueball, allowing different position routes.

Developing a sense of the tangent line, and a sense of how much draw and follow can change the course of whitey from this tangent line are essential to decent pool. I can't see how this wouldn't rapidly accelerate a newbie's progress. It's no substitute for a good stroke, but I guess I would definitely recommend it to a new player.

Hey, money is no object when it comes to learning pool (don't tell my wife I said that).
 
I could see a few benefits

from using it to accelerate a beginner, but nothing really that the old tried and true method of aiming the ball into the pocket, and then keeping your eye on the object point when shooting doesn't do for you. And I do not know any beginner's willing to shell $150 for something like that.

Of course, the Sardo rack was originally $150, now the new version sells for $60, and many more people are interested in them.
 
Gregg said:
As a self proclaimed billard accessory junkie, I can't live without knowing what people have thought after using this product, or if anybody owns one. Reviews?

The Spider - http://www.thespideronline.com
Click to expand...
I have one. Cuz I won it at the DCC raffle this year. I didn't even open it up until this thread!!!

It's clunky. I haven't turned it on, yet. So, I handed it to my daughter and told her to figure out how to use it and review it as a self-teaching aid. Hopefully, I can also give a review from my side as well.

Fred
 
After Jeanette and Allen are payed the price will come down...
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Apparently Jeanette and Allen use it because they endorse it. How good is it and will it improve your game. I think the proof is in the results. Jeanette didn't qualify for the IPT and Allen got the boot rather early.
 
Without having actually used one, I will say that it is my opinion that $150 spent practicing by yourself at the poolhall or perhaps $150 in quality instruction will teach you as much or more than this tool will.

On top of that, as many of you have said, it really seems like a tool for beginners, and thus would have diminishing returns as you got better. And since this is the most basic of basic stuff in pool, I imagine this thing loses its usefulness rather quickly.

And I highly doubt Jeanette or Allen use the Spider. By the time the Spider had come about, they had already been playing for a long, long time, and would have little use for a tool that teaches such rudimentary things. They endorse it because they were handed a check to do so.
 
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