Which pool cue tip is right for you? What makes this tip better than that tip? What is the difference? Is there even a difference at all? With so many tips on the market today and new ones being introduced as "the ultimate tip" to use, it's no wonder these questions pop up so many times. 

Leather Tips

There are hard, soft, and layered leather tips available. House cues usually have soft tips and most custom 2 piece cues come with a hard leather tip. Many performance pool cues like Lucasi Hybrid or Predator have a layered tip. Professional players tend to prefer the playability of a layered tip like a Moori or Kaumi. Layered tips grab the cue ball better than a hard leather tip but does not break down as easily as a soft tip. Layered tips are more consistent in feel. Essentially giving the player the best of both worlds.

Soft Leather Tips

Soft tips are easier to scuff and shape because the leather is less dense. It is much easier for the chalk to stay on a soft leather cue tip. On the flip side, a soft leather cue tip will mushroom and flatten out more quickly than a hard leather tip. So you will need to shape and scuff your pool cue more frequently and change your cue tip more often. It is this "softness" in the leather which allows the fibers of the tip to hold chalk that also grab the cue ball better when playing pool. You will see more draw from the cue ball when playing with a soft tip versus a hard tip if all things were equal. If you are just starting to play pool or learning the basics of position or english then i would recommend a soft tip for practice sessions.

Hard Leather Tips

Hard leather tips have fibers that are more compact or dense so they do not flatten or mushroom as quickly as a soft leather tip. Hard tips also last longer and are more accurate. They are more accurate because their shape does not change quickly. A greater percentage of your hits will react and feel the same because it takes longer for the fibers to adjust to the impact of the tip hitting the cue ball. Most players use a hard leather tip for these reasons.

Bakelite & Carbon Fiber Tips

Many specialty pool cues like the Lucasi Big Beulah use a Bakelite tip to enhance your breaks while Predator breaking cues use a carbon fiber tip. The real difference is that bakelite is a synthetic plastic formed by a reaction under heat and pressure of phenol and formaldehyde, combined with a wood flour filler. Phenolic resin is made from synthetic thermosetting resins, obtained by the reaction of phenols with simple aldehydes. Basically, this means they are both super dense tips. However, the Bakelite tips are known to hold chalk better, meaning less miscues for you and I.

Buying Tips in Bulk

We offer Le Pro hard tips and Tweeten Elk Master soft tips in value boxes of 50 tips. And we can special order many other tips, just give our customer service a call!