Are you in the market for a breaking cue—a cue you can use to break the rack and thus preserve the tip and shaft of your regular shooting cue? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article we have reviewed several of the best and most highly-praised breaking cues on the market today, and highlighted some of the pros and cons associated with each cue. We have also put together a Breaking Pool Buying Guide, in which we will discuss the various features and characteristics you should look for when purchasing one of these products.
Table of Contents
Best Break Cue Reviews
1. Iszy Billiards 58″ – 2 Piece Break Pool Cue
Pros
- Durable. Made from Canadian maple hardwood, the Iszy Billiards 58″ – 2 Piece Break Pool Cue is very sturdy and long-lasting.
- Easy to chalk. With its leather tip this pool cue is easy to chalk and the chalk stays on the tip much longer.
Cons
- Slippery. Some reviewers have remarked that the grip on the Iszy Billiards 58″ – 2 Piece Break Pool Cue can be fairly slippery.
Made of hardwood Canadian maple wood, the Iszy Billiards 58″ – 2 Piece Break Pool Cue is one of the most durable breaking cue sticks on the market today. This two-piece pool cue features a tough steel joint, one measuring 5/16 x 18 that is guaranteed not to slip. The stick comes equipped with a 13-millimeter glue-on leather tip and weighs 23 ounces—the midpoint weight for cues of this type. Its sleek black finish also makes this cue one of the most attractive of its kind.
2.Cuetec Meteor Break Pool Cue
Pros
- Strong ferrule. The Bakelite ferrule on the Cuetec Meteor Break Pool Cue really increases breaking power.
- Treated. The treated coating over the hard maple wood design adds strength and durability to this cue.
Cons
- Very lightweight. Weighing only 19 ounces, the Cuetec Meteor Break Pool Cue may not offer the same punch as heavier cues on our list.
The Cuetec Meteor Break Pool Cue features a maple shaft with a tough composite coating for added strength during breaks. Its meteor-like five-layer cowhide tip helps to prevent miscues on every shot; and its Bakelite ferrule helps to increase breaking power. A great pool cue for the combination of value and performance it offers, the Cuetec Meteor Break Pool Cue is ideal for the beginner player just coming off a house stick.
3.Rage Heavy Hitter Jump Break Cue
Pros
- Impact-resistant. The tough ferrule on the Rage Heavy Hitter Jump Break Cue truly helps with impact absorption.
- Heavy. At 25 ounces this cue truly generates a lot of acceleration and force.
Cons
- Premium priced. As you might expect from a cue with all of these bells and whistles, the Rage Heavy Hitter Jump Break Cue does come with a premium price tag as compared to other cues on our list.
With its double turbo lock quick release joints, the two-piece Rage Heavy Hitter Jump Break Cue is very easy to put together and disassemble. The cue features a 14-millimeter phenolic tip, which offers maximum power and loads of durability. The cue is made from 100 percent Canadian Maple and has a matte black finish that really pops. Its full professional taper allows the cue to zero in on the cue ball, and the wrap-less handles are ideal for slip-free stroking. Weighing in at a whopping 25 ounces, it is one of the heaviest pool cues on the market—a cue that literally explodes the cue ball toward the rack.
Breaking Cue Buying Guide
If your goal is to purchase the very best breaking cue for your playing style, strength level and level of experience, there are a few factors, features and characteristics you should consider. Understanding these considerations, most of which we will outline below, will help you make a more educated purchasing decision when the time comes to buy your new breaking cue.
What to Look for in a Breaking Cue
It is said that all good pool players should follow one simple piece of advice: “don’t break with your shooting cue, and don’t shoot with your breaking cue.” With that being said, it’s important to note that breaking/jump cues have a few characteristics that differentiate them from shooting cues, as well as a number of similarities. In terms of the differences, breaking cues tend to have stronger ferrules than their shooting counterparts, as well as harder tips. In combination, these features will enable you to strike the cue ball with maximum force without worrying about damaging the tip or shaft of your cue.
Here are just a few things to look for in your next breaking cue:
Breaking Cue Weight
How heavy do you want your breaking cue to be? This of course is a matter of strength and comfort, but the weight can also impact the performance of the cue in breaking situations. Breaking cues tend to vary in weight, ranging from about 19 ounces on the low end to 25 or 26 ounces on the high side. When selecting the proper weight for your breaking cue you will also need to take into account your stroke speed. Here’s why:
Remember the Laws of Motion you learned in school? If you do, think back to Newton’s second law and remember what it said: mass times acceleration equals force. Thus, if you want to increase the overall force of your break shot, you have to increase either the mass of your break cue, or its acceleration – and the way to do that is with weight and stroke speed. There are many players who tend to lean toward the heavier cues when selecting a breaking stick. Heavier breaking cues have more mass and are thus able to generate a lot of momentum and deliver a crushing blow to the rack of balls. If you want to achieve that same force with a lighter cue you would have to increase your normal stroke speed dramatically. Therefore, we recommend you try out a lot of different weights when choosing a pool cue. Practice breaking with various weights until you find a cue that is light enough for you to shoot comfortably, yet heavy enough to really give the rack a good smack.
Breaking Cue Tip
As we mentioned briefly above, breaking cues tend to have harder, more durable tips than shooting cue sticks. This is necessary giving the pounding they will take with every break. It is also necessary as a way to preserve the tip and shaft of your shooting cue. Most breaking cues come with tips that are made from either leather or phenolic. Here are the differences between these two tip types:
Phenolic Tips
Phenolic tips offer maximum energy transfer and they hold their shape very well over time, much longer than leather tips. Phenolic tips are also extremely durable and are less likely to chip or break off your cue. In recent years phenolic tips have become popular on break cues, replacing classic hard leather tips for many players. Phenolic resin tips are good for players who want to add more power to their break because they can transfer the maximum amount of energy from your cue to the cue ball. When a phenolic tip makes contact with the cue ball, that tip simply does not give, causing the cue ball to literally spring from its surface with great speed and power. For this reason, many of today’s professional players have now turned to phenolic tips for their breaking cues.
Leather Tips
Leather tips, as long as they are hard leather, can also be used on breaking cues. Like phenolic tips, leather tips offer a few great advantages such as offering increased control and spin, being scuffable, and holding chalk must better than their phenolic counterparts. Hard leather tips also do a great job of transferring energy from the cue to the cue ball, and because leather is scuffable, these tips take chalk very well and can help avoid miscues. Most players of experience have used hard leather tips on the breaking cues for years with great success, so it really just comes down to a matter of preference.
Breaking Cue Length
Most breaking cues, just like most shooting cues, are roughly 58 inches in length. However, many players have customized their breaking cues to fit their height and stroke. With that being said, do not be afraid to try out different lengths in your cue before making a final purchase; you might just find that a longer or shorter cue serves your game better.
Breaking Cue Material
Breaking cues can be found in a number of materials, including fiberglass, wood, graphite and plastic compounds. The wood breaking cues are usually made from a tough, durable hardwood like maple, which can take a beating and really stand the test of time. Keep in mind, however, that wood cues can become sticky in the hands and negatively impact your shot from time to time, so be sure to use some type of powder if you elect to go with a wooden cue.
Breaking Cue Grip
Most cues have a wrap near the butt (or back end) of the breaking cue stick to prevent your grip hand from slipping off the bottom. These grips come in a variety of styles and materials, and some are even a bit tacky to ensure you never lose your grip when making a crucial break.
Shaft Taper
With a breaking cue you want a taper on the shaft side of the cue that is less pronounced, giving you a larger hitting area for more impactful shots. Try to find a shaft with a shorter pro-taper—the shaft starts to taper at a point further from the tip—so that you will have an easier transition from a house cue to your very own breaking stick.
Joints of the Breaking Cue
Last but not least, if you elect to purchase a two-piece (or three-piece) breaking cue, make sure the joints are very strong where the ends of the cue come together. Cheaply made cues will tend to slip at the joints sometimes, which can really ruin your shot.
We hope the above buying guide and reviews will help you choose the best breaking cue for your requirements. Let us know how you got on in the comments.
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