5 Best Cue Tips for English

  • By: Rob
  • Date: April 23, 2023
  • Time to read: 10 min.
Affiliate Disclaimer

LoveCueSports is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Searching for the best cue tips for english can be somewhat consuming as there are numerous brands on the market, with each claiming to be the best. 

Pool cue tips have a density of either hard, medium or soft. So, if you are looking to achieve extra spin with every hit of the cue ball, then consider getting a soft cue tip. Soft cue tips grip to the cue ball for longer, making it easier to add side english to the white ball.

These cue tips typically need more maintenance in comparison to the harder ones but are better at transferring more english without requiring a lot of extra technique from you. 

Therefore, in this article, I will take you through five of the best cue tips for english, giving extra spin as well as things to consider when looking for the perfect cue tip. 

In a hurry?

If you don’t have much time use the links below to quickly find my best cue tip for english for you on Amazon. You can be assured we only choose the best products…

Reviews: Best Cue Tips for English

I have compiled what I consider to be the 5 best cue tips for producing english.

The humble cue tip is very underrated. Choosing the right cue tip for your game is of huge importance and i highly recommend you spend a little time looking for the best tip to suit your game.

If you like positional play then a soft tip will certainly help you in both the attacking and defending aspects of your game.

By choosing a softer cue tip you will find it easier to get that extra spin on the cue ball. This is because softer tips allow for more cue tip surface area and longer contact time on the cue ball. The result is the cue tip can get a better grip on the cue ball which will produce spin easier.

On the contrary, harder cue tips spend less time on the cue ball and therefore don’t grip as easily but create stronger shots.

It’s certainly possible to create a good amount of english with a harder cue tip, but the physics is in our favor when we use a softer tip.

If you need a little more information on the best tip for you, then you should take a look at our buyer’s guide below. 

Our best cue tips for english based on playability, durometer and cost are:

  • Kamui Clear black – Best Overall
  • Elk Master – Best Value
  • Predator Victory
  • Collapsar
  • Honbay
Image
Best For English
KAMUI Clear Black Laminated Pool Billiard CUE TIP - 1 pc (Soft, 13 mm)
Budget Friendly
Elk Master 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Tips (5 Tips)
Best for Performance
Predator Victory Soft Cue Tip
Best Underrated Tip
Collapsar 6pcs 14mm Black Multiple Layer Pigskin Pool Cue Tips H M S (H)
Best For Multiple Tips
HONBAY 10pcs 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Stick Tips
Product
KAMUI Clear Black Laminated Pool Billiard CUE TIP - 1 pc (Soft, 13 mm)
Elk Master 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Tips (5 Tips)
Predator Victory Soft Cue Tip
Collapsar 6pcs 14mm Black Multiple Layer Pigskin Pool Cue Tips H M S (H)
HONBAY 10pcs 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Stick Tips
Quantity
1
5
1
6
10
Type
Layered
Solid
Layered
Layered
Solid
Size
13 & 14mm
13mm
14mm
14mm
13mm
Best For English
Image
KAMUI Clear Black Laminated Pool Billiard CUE TIP - 1 pc (Soft, 13 mm)
Product
KAMUI Clear Black Laminated Pool Billiard CUE TIP - 1 pc (Soft, 13 mm)
Quantity
1
Type
Layered
Size
13 & 14mm
Check Price Out
Budget Friendly
Image
Elk Master 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Tips (5 Tips)
Product
Elk Master 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Tips (5 Tips)
Quantity
5
Type
Solid
Size
13mm
Check Price Out
Best for Performance
Image
Predator Victory Soft Cue Tip
Product
Predator Victory Soft Cue Tip
Quantity
1
Type
Layered
Size
14mm
Check Price Out
Best Underrated Tip
Image
Collapsar 6pcs 14mm Black Multiple Layer Pigskin Pool Cue Tips H M S (H)
Product
Collapsar 6pcs 14mm Black Multiple Layer Pigskin Pool Cue Tips H M S (H)
Quantity
6
Type
Layered
Size
14mm
Check Price Out
Best For Multiple Tips
Image
HONBAY 10pcs 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Stick Tips
Product
HONBAY 10pcs 13mm Pool Billiard Cue Stick Tips
Quantity
10
Type
Solid
Size
13mm
Check Price Out

Kamui Clear Black Pool Tip

The Kamui Clear Black Pool tip is the perfect choice if you are not overly concerned about the price of the tip. It is available in a range of hardnesses:  hard, medium, and soft options.

Nevertheless, if you are aiming to achieve extra spin, then the soft option is perfect as it provides you with better control over the cue ball, making it undoubtedly one of the best cue tips for English out there today!

This Kamui clear black cue tip is made using japanize pigskin, which is considered one of the best materials for making cue tips as the leather makes for the most consistent layers. This is one of the main reasons why its sold at a higher price.

Kamui’s are designed to play excellent positional shots and reduce deflections, providing you with a great feel for every shot you play, and the ability to play outstanding english shots.

This cue tip really delivers consistent performance, thereby relieving you from any worries on what to expect from the tip during each match.

At the base of the tip is a shield that protects the leather from getting contaminated by glue. This is a great feature as tip glue will seep into the tip and harden it over time.

The maintenance is minimum, the layers compact together means there is less mushrooming and less need for tip grooming, which is always nice!

Pro Pick

This 14 mm tip is really is a premium cue tip. The added elasticity combined with the soft density creates a grip on the cue ball that’s unrivaled, that’s why its the best cue tip for english on the market today!

PROS

  • Incredibly consistent performance
  • Excellent durability
  • High-quality leather
  • It holds chalk brilliantly
  • holds its form and shape

CONS

  • It’s costly
  • It’s only 1 tip

Elk Master Pool Cue Tips

The Elk Master cue tip is among the best-selling and most popular cue tips thanks to its soft design.

It allows you to achieve extra spin on the cue ball thanks to its excellent grip of the chalk and hence why it often is considered to be one of the best cue tips for English. Therefore, with it on your pool stick, you rarely have to worry about miscuing.

This cue tip is made from a single strip of leather, meaning it regularly requires grooming. Furthermore, this tip constantly needs shaping and typically mushrooms after using it for 30 to 40 hours. However, this is subject to no complaints considering each tip costs you $0.60.

Budget Pick

Finally, whereas this cue tip is cheap, it does not compromise on quality, making it an ideal choice if you love making use of a soft tip in adding more English to the cue ball.

PROS

  • Provides you with remarkable control
  • Pricing is reasonable
  • You get 5 tips

CONS

  • Requires regular maintenance.

Predator Victory Tips

This is also one of the best cue tip for english, and it comes in different levels of hardness, Hard, Medium, and Soft.

The soft cue tip nevertheless is the perfect choice if you want to achieve exceptional control over the cue ball as well as produce an excellent performance.

However, the soft variety of tips are still somewhat harder hence produce results identical to that of medium to hard tips. Thus, if you want to achieve extra spin, you then should consider another brand.

Furthermore, these tips incorporate a yellow color that makes spotting and then shaping it simple in poor light conditions. This tip is an excellent choice as it provides you with outstanding performance and is also reasonably durable.

PROS

  • Durable build quality
  • Installing tip is straightforward
  • Bright color that is easily visible in a low-light environment
  • Great performance

CONS

  • Tip is harder compared to that of competing brands
  • Only 1 tip

Collapsar Pool Cue Tips

Are you searching for a pool cue tips that offers you maximum value? If so, look no further than the Collapsar 14mm tips, which have a price of less than $20, and each set has six pieces. This cue tip comes in three levels of hardness, that is, hard, medium, and soft. The difference in the hardness enables you to achieve different results, so the preferred cue type varies from one individual to another.

However, if you are looking to create english as well as control over the cue ball, you then should go for the soft cue tips. 

Despite the performance of this tip not being similar to that of more expensive models, it still does an excellent job of adding an extra spin to the cue ball. Additionally, this tip holds chalk reasonably well, so you should not have any concerns about chalking, plus it maintains its shape well even after repeated use. 

So, thanks to its exceptional performance and affordable price, this is, without a doubt, one of the best cue tips for english that you need to consider. 

PROS

  • Incredible value with this cue tip
  • Astonishing control over the cue ball
  • Excellent quality and is easy to shape

CONS

  • Somewhat medium-soft when compared to other cue tips.

Honbay Pool Cue Tips

The Honbay pool cue tip incorporates a simple design, albeit seamlessly matching the style of pool sticks. With this tip, you get the best value and are very tough, so you should not worry about it mushrooming easily.

These cue tips are made out of regular old leather rather than synthetics such as phenolic resin or plastic despite offering excellent toughness. Additionally, despite having a medium-hard texture, it does deliver excellent cue ball control, thereby making it among the best cue tip for English while still being relatively affordable. So, if you are either an intermediate or beginner, then look no further than this cue tip.

PROS

  • Excellent control as well as adds nice spin to the ball
  • Durable cue tip
  • Exceptional value

CONS

  • Not as fun compared to more expensive tips.

Buying Guide: Best cue tips for adding english

The choice of an ideal pool cue tip differs from one person to another and it’s usually down to individual preference as well as your preferred style of playing. Therefore, some people prefer their cue tips to be soft, whereas others are love hard tips. In this buying guide, I will take you through several features you need to consider before making a choice on which cue tip best suits your style.

Layered Tip

Pool cue tips typically come in two types, that is non-layered and layered varieties. Moreover, integrated into their design are different kinds of leather, such as cowhide and pigskin.

The layered cue tips usually consist of several layers of leather that have been laminated together. Also, these tips provide you with more consistency from one tip to another within a specific tip brand, explaining why you experience little variation from one tip to another.

Size of Cue Tip

The size of the tip is one of the most crucial things you first need to consider before deciding which type to buy. Typically, the appropriate size is that at the end of your pool stick, and frequently, the cue tip has a diameter of 13mm. Whereas this is the standard measurement provided by many of the major cue tips manufacturers, you can also request for a different size, and frequently can reduce the diameter of a shaft. The sizes usually vary from one manufacturer to another, but it ranges between 11.5mm to 13mm.

Smaller cue tips are ideal for achieving extra spin, with some players stating a thinner pool stick offers a better feel. Nevertheless, all this is an individual preference. The drawback of having a smaller cue tip is that it is more unforgiving compared to bigger tips.

Finally, a cue tip needs to either be larger or identical in size to the cue shaft’s diameter.

Cue Tip Material

Nowadays, cue tips are made out of different materials, and this depends on their planned use, with leather being the most popular material used in tips. However, the use of non-organic hard plastics such as G10 or phenolic is fast gaining momentum, with these materials hard like the cue ball, thus a perfect choice if you want the cue tip to be very hard.

Moreover, manufacturers also apply leather in several layers in what is referred to as laminated leather tips. This can be anything from cowhide, pigskin, and in some cases, bore hide, and this is dependent on the tip model as well as the manufacturer. The best pool tip for english usually incorporates laminated leather tips, and the leather is often applied in layers. This design is crucial as it assists in supporting the cue tip’s strength, thereby enabling it to maintain its shape better.  

Solid leather is also integrated into some cue tips, and this comprises of one strip of leather, either from elm, cow or pig. They usually need more maintenance, which is somewhat harder as well as inexpensive. Additionally, they are more susceptible to mushrooming, so they regularly need grooming and shaping.

Hardness of Cue Tip

Pool cue tips are available in different levels of hardness, and this typically ranges from soft to hard. Therefore, to make an informed decision regarding the perfect hardness level, your style of play as well as your your preference.

If you are looking for the best cue tip for english, you should opt for the soft cue tips as they compress once they come into contact with the cue ball. Consequently, this allows it to grip the ball for a prolonged time, thereby creating more spin on the cue ball. Furthermore, soft tips enable better accuracy as well as enhanced control over the cue ball, but they need more maintenance as they are more prone to mushrooming.

How to Fit a Cue Tip

The ease of replacing the current cue tip is also another thing you need to consider, but this process is often very simple and straightforward. Thus, using appropriate equipment, you can be done with installing the tip in ten minutes or less. The steps you need to follow are;

  • Make use of a sharp cutting tool, such as a razor to remove the present cue tip.
  • Use sandpaper to file the leftover components from the ferrule while ensuring you neither scratch nor scuff the ferrule.
  • Apply super glue to cue tip and to the ferrule.
  • Position the tip to the ferrule’s center and hold it firmly for several minutes to allow it to firmly stick to the cue. If needed, use a clamp to secure the tip.
  • Take off the tape and subsequently wipe off the excess glue.
  • Cut the excess tip from the sides that is protruding outwards.

Make use of good sandpaper to finalize the sides and give a dome shape to the tip. You can also use a tip tool that helps simplify your work.

Conclusion

Having read through this article, you now have an idea of some of the best cue tip for english. Additionally, you also know about some of the essential features you need to look for in a pool tip, thereby ensuring you can achieve extra spin using your pool stick. Consequently, with continued practice and persistence, you will get to perfect your skills, and all this will be aided by having a pool cue that best suits your style.

+ posts

Rob is an avid player and fan of all cue sports, particularly 8-ball, and snooker. He has competed in a few local 8-ball tournaments and although he is not a professional, he can compete with the best of them.

Featured Article

Edit in Customizer > Popcorn Options > Post Settings

Next Post

5 Top Garden Party Ideas – Billiard Themed

billiards theme garden party