Jump cues are becoming a more and more important part of the pool game. But how do you choose the right jump cue for you?

I can't go on without saying the old cliche that "the most important thing is feel". If a cue doesn't feel right then you are going to have difficulty using it.

When I first got into the game I believed that to jump a ball you needed a heavy cue stick and be able to contort your arm to all sorts of weird angles. From experience I now know that not to be the case. These are the important points about purchasing a jump cue:

1. The lighter the cue the better you are going to jump. Obviously this has to be within the BCA rules guidelines.
2. The shorter the cue the better you will jump. Most jump cues now come in a standard size as the BCA have ruled to keep a uniform size. Some people have the ability to jump just using the shaft of a playing cue but this is now illegal.
3. The hardness of the tip the better you will jump. Jump cues used to feature standard ferrules and leather tips. Technology has moved on and now a lot of jump/break cues feature super hard composite/phenolic tips which come as a one-piece ferrule and tip. These are the cues I find it easiest to jump with and would recommend this type of cue to any new comer to the game.

Another important decision is whether you require a jump cue as a separate cue or whether you would like to go for a jump/break cue which these days all seem to come with quick release joints. My personal choice is a jump/break cue and I currently use a Bunjee Blaster, however there a large number of similar cues on the market. The advantage that I see with this type of cue is that you need not carry three cues in your case.

When purchasing any cue it is important to try out a number of different options before you hand over your hard earned cash. If you are in the UK and need help and advice on cue purchase visit my website and give me a call, you can even arrange to try out a number of cues.