When you look at the number of pool cue tips available today deciding which is best for you can be extremely overwhelming. Tip density has advantages and disadvantages at its most basic level. The softer the pool cue tip the more likely it is to mushroom or flatten out with each hit of the cue ball. This means that a soft tip will require more maintenance than a harder tip and need to be replaced more often.
Players that prefer a soft tip believe there is a relationship between tip softness and grip transferring more english with less effort. The theory is that softer tips allow for more English and control over the ball. In addition, softer tips are typically easier to scuff and have better chalk retention. Harder tips on the other hand, require far less maintenance than soft tips. They hold their shape and don't mushroom as quickly, so you'll be replacing your tip less often when you go with a hard tip over a soft.
In the end it's really about personal preference. Look at your play style and you should be able to determine which tip is going to work best for you.
The methodology used for testing tip density is as follows:
- Use a standard Shore A Durometer (0-100 hardness scale)
- 1Kg (2.2 lbs) of pressure
- Measure the density of three tips per brand
- Take the average of the three measurements to determine a density rating
| Tip Brand | Tip Size | Hardness | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zan (Soft) | 14mm | 66.3 | |
| Elk Master | 10-14mm | 66.8 | |
| Kamui Black (Super Soft) | 14mm | 67.5 | |
| Da Vinci (Soft) | 14mm | 68.7 | |
| Black Heart (Soft) | 14mm | 68.7 | |
| 5280 Red Line (Tiger) | 14mm | 69.2 | |
| Kamui (Super Soft) | 14mm | 69.2 | |
| Morakami (Super Soft) | 14mm | 72.0 | |
| Kamui Black (Soft) | 14mm | 72.3 | |
| Aramith Laminated (Soft) | 14mm | 72.6 | |
| Moori (Soft) | 14mm | 72.8 | |
| Da Vinci (Medium) | 14mm | 73.6 | |
| Fuji (Soft) | 14mm | 74.2 | |
| Morakami (Soft) | 14mm | 74.3 | |
| G2 (Soft) | 14mm | 74.8 | |
| Hirano (Soft) | 14mm | 75.2 | |
| Predator Victory (Soft) | 14mm | 75.3 | |
| Moori (Medium) | 14mm | 75.5 | |
| Flying Pig (Medium) | 14mm | 75.5 | |
| Tiger Everest | 14mm | 75.7 | |
| Aramith Laminated (Medium) | 14mm | 75.8 | |
| Tiger Emerald | 14mm | 76.0 | |
| Tiger Onyx | 14mm | 76.4 | |
| Black Heart (Medium) | 14mm | 76.6 | |
| Tiger Laminated (Soft) | 14mm | 76.7 | |
| Zan (Medium) | 14mm | 77.8 | |
| Tiger Sniper | 14mm | 77.8 | |
| Kamui II (Soft) | 14mm | 78.1 | |
| Tiger Laminated (Medium) | 14mm | 78.2 | |
| Elite 10 Layer | 14mm | 78.3 | |
| Fuji (Medium) | 14mm | 78.5 | |
| Kamui Black (Medium) | 14mm | 78.7 | |
| Moori V | 14mm | 79.3 | |
| Talisman Pro (Soft) | 14mm | 79.6 | |
| Great White | 14mm | 79.6 | |
| Predator Victory (Medium) | 14mm | 79.8 | |
| G2 (Medium) | 14mm | 80.1 | |
| Tiger Dynamite | 14mm | 80.8 | |
| Morakami (Medium) | 14mm | 81.3 | |
| Tiger Laminated (Hard) | 14mm | 81.7 | |
| Da Vinci (Hard) | 14mm | 81.9 | |
| Talisman Water Buffalo (Medium) | 14mm | 82.0 | |
| Kamui II (Medium Soft) | 14mm | 82.2 | |
| Stingray | 14mm | 82.6 | |
| Talisman Water Buffalo (Hard) | 14mm | 83.2 | |
| Tweeten Virgin | 12.5mm | 83.3 | |
| Kamui II (Medium) | 14mm | 83.4 | |
| Talisman Pro (Medium) | 14mm | 83.5 | |
| Fuji (Hard) | 14mm | 83.8 | |
| Predator Victory (Hard) | 14mm | 84.3 | |
| Moori (Hard) | 14mm | 84.4 | |
| Talisman Pro (Hard) | 14mm | 84.4 | |
| Hirano (Medium) | 14mm | 84.8 | |
| Kamui Black (Hard) | 14mm | 84.8 | |
| G2 (Hard) | 14mm | 85.5 | |
| Aramith Laminated (Hard) | 14mm | 86.6 | |
| Scorpion | 14mm | 86.8 | |
| Zan (Hard) | 14mm | 87.4 | |
| Morakami (Hard) | 14mm | 87.5 | |
| Le Pro* | 10-14mm | 88.2 | |
| Black Heart (Hard) | 14mm | 88.2 | |
| WB Water Buffalo | 13-14mm | 88.2 | |
| Talisman Pro (Extra Hard) | 14mm | 88.7 | |
| Blue Elf (Hard) | 14mm | 90.4 | |
| Hirano (Hard) | 14mm | 90.6 | |
| Triangle | 12-14mm | 91.0 | |
| Triumph | 14mm | 92.0 | |
| Kamui II (Hard) | 14mm | 92.2 | |
| Samsara Jump Break | 14mm | 95.5 | |
| Tiger Jump | 14mm | Cow/ pig laminated | |
| Mezz Ingot | 14mm | Buffalo | |
| Tiger Ice Breaker | 14mm |
Laminated Leather core/Phenolic Jacket |
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