Simonis 860 cloth vs Championship Tour

4/16/2009 12:14:20 PM

Simonis 860 cloth vs Championship Tour

I have a 8 ft. table that came with standard Championship cloth. After 8 years of masse's, jumping balls and burn marks I want to recover the table and upgrade to a better cloth. Everyone totes about the Simonis 860 being the "choice of champions" but how does it fare with say the Championship Tour (CT) cloth? The (CT) is 24 oz. and is said to be more durable than simonis and shows less "tiger marks". What's the overall opinion out there? BTW, I'm and intermediate player that plays often and is looking to go to the next level.

Responses based on experience are welcomed.

Bobkat

bobkat1203

Simonis 860 cloth vs Championship Tour

Replies & Comments

Mitch Alsup on 4/16/2009 7:01:46 PM
If you want to make it to the next level, consider whether your game needs work on subtly and defense or on power and position. For the former you want a faster cloth, for the later you want a slower cloth.

A really fast cloth (like simonis 300 billiards cloth) will make you work on the lowest power range. What would have only moved a few inches on slow fuzzy felt will traves 10s of feet on 300. Learinng how to play on felt this fast requires you to develop precise energy control so you can roll the cue ball 1/2 a diamond on comand. The same energy shor on slow fuzy felt might not even get out of the self inflicted hole the ball makes in the felt due to its own weight (slight exageration). But most of us agree that felt this fast is too fast basically because pool is NOT biliards (with no disrespect intended or implied) and our tables are not 10 feet long.The (relatively) recent championships at the Mohegan Sun were run on billiards cloth. This has been fun to watch as the balls just roll and roll and roll. And I bet the pros had a little trouble adjusting in the modicum of practice time alloted.

This leaves the choice of 760 or 860. 760 is faster, and if you hometable is for practice, and you want to bring up the level of your game in the low power end of the shooting spectrum, then 760 could be advised. Now if you want to play on this table, or if the table is less than 9 feet in length, you might sericously want to consider 860.

I am having an 8 foot table (3 weeks from now) be delivered with 760--because I DO want to work on the low power end of my game (defense, curves, speed control). And, for full disclosure, to give me an advantage when friends drop by that are not use to a table this fast. {he he he}

In general, 860 is recommended for general use on 7 and 8, and 8.5 tables while either 860 or 760 is recommended on 9 footers. 760 or a 9 footer has rather similar distance traveled characteristics (in diamonds) as 860 on an 8 footer and medium slow felt on a 7 footer.

Now, conversely, if your game need serious work on (the control of) hitting balls hard you should be looking for dead slow fuzy felt and bang away.

whammo on 1/14/2010 10:34:09 AM
I recently recovered my 9 ft Olio pool table with Championship tour edition 3030 cloth. I had Simonis 860 on it for 2 years. I like the Championship cloth better. It is 24 oz instead of the Simonis 21 oz. Championship cloth stretches on the table better and plays faster than Simonis. The Championship cloth is a little tougher to put on the rail corner pockets because it is a little heaver, but that might be just me as I did it myself. The BCA likes it and I have read that it is the most sold cloth in the industry. They have 3 or 4 variations of quality and price. Simonis just had a price increase to $251 for a 9 ft table and the Championship Tour cloth is $208. (for the DIY people)

try it.... you'll like it

Kim

Simonis 860 cloth vs Championship Tour

Title: Simonis 860 cloth vs Championship Tour
Author: bobkat1203
Published: 4/16/2009 12:14:20 PM