If you have ever bought a billiard cloth, you would know the Simonis and Championship brands. These big names have produced some of the best clothes for a billiard table. You would find their clothes in different styles and colors on major tournament tables.
But what happens when you have a Simonis vs. Championship cloth comparison?
Simonis vs. Championship cloth war has been going on for a long time. Each brand has tried to outdo the other in durability, speed, and brand reputation. You would find that some styles are faster but might not be as durable, while some are slower and more durable. The choice of the best depends on what you want in the cloth.
Find out more about these two brands, how they produce their billiard clothes, and choose one of the brands. You will know which of the brands is best for your table at the end of this comparison.
About Simonis Cloth
Simonis cloth has been in the business of making billiard clothes for over three centuries.
The Iwan Simonis brand is the only company globally that exclusively manufactures billiard cloths. There are no third parties involved in their manufacturing process.
It has its textile mill in Verviers, Belgium, where all the weaving and processing take place. Simonis is the oldest brand in the game and has maintained its momentum over the years.
Most tournament tables are covered with one of their clothes.
You might wonder why? Simonis clothes are all made of worsted wool. This type of cloth has incredible accuracy and is easy to maintain. You won’t find fuzz and pills on a Simonis table for a long time. You would also love that every Simonis cloth is ISO-certified.
Over the centuries, the brand has produced different styles of clothes in a variety of colors to suit the needs of various people. Presently, the most popular of the Simonis clothes are the Simonis 760, 860, and 860HR.
Each of these clothes is worsted felt but with different combinations of wool and nylon. The differences make each one suitable for different purposes, allowing every player to choose what works best.
Simonis 760 is considered the fastest of the bunch, where 860 is the slowest. Simonis 860HR provides mid-range speed compared to the two. Each of these Simonis clothes wears well and plays well if properly maintained.
For detailed information on the difference between simonis 760 vs 860, click on the link to read the article I wrote on the subject.
Now, you know about Simonis, let’s find out what the Championship clothes entail.
About Championship Cloth
Championship billiard clothes are made to combine effectiveness and affordability.
The Mexico-based brand has different types of billiard clothes for customers, depending on what they need. The Tour edition is considered as their most refined production.
You get to make your choice between worsted and woolen billiard clothes with this brand. Despite using a third party in producing their clothes, the quality has been maintained for years.
You can choose any of their specialty clothes or worsted edition, and you won’t go wrong.
In their adverts, Championship has often compared themselves to the Simonis brand and proclaimed their brand is better than Simonis. Simonis has taken these adverts up in court with claims not substantiated in any proof or tests.
With all this drama, it might become hard for you as an end-user to pick one of the clothes for your pool table at home. We have made a comparison of the Simonis vs. Championship cloth to help you make a choice.
Comparison Between the Different Cloth Types
It might be hard to compare all the different types of clothes from each of the brands. But, we can select and compare some of the most used styles of clothes by both brands.
We will be comparing the Simonis 860 & 760 and Championship Tour and Saturn II Edition. The comparison would be based on the style, blend, speed, nap, and weight of each of these cloth types.
Simonis 760 VS Championship Saturn II Edition
Simonis 760 is made with 70% wool and 30% nylon, a different blend from the 75% wool and 25% nylon you will get from a Championship Saturn II cloth. The weight is also quite different, with Simonis 760 on the heavier side at 21oz to the Championship Saturn II’s 19oz.
These two clothes are also different in their finishing. Simonis brand keeps to its worsted woolen felt, but the Championship cloth is a woolen material. One advantage to the woolen make is that the cloth stretches more during installation, a feature worsted felt doesn’t have.
Championship cloth is treated with Dupont Teflon, which makes it resistant to stains. Simonis makes their worsted cloth tightly woven to keep moisture and dust out. You should ensure that you don’t clean the Championship cloth with hydrochloric acid. It would spoil the cloth.
You can check out the article I wrote for detailed instructions on how to Clean Pool Table Felt.
Simonis has the advantage over the Championship cloth in terms of speed, though. Its worsted felt allows for faster plays than you can ever hope to get on the Championship cloth. However, this Championship cloth does better than most woolen cloth.
If you are going for affordable, though, the Championship cloth would be your best choice. However, you would get more in terms of speed from the Simonis brand.
| Simonis 760 | Championship Saturn II | |
| Style | Worsted Felt | Woolen Felt |
| Blend | 70% wool, 30% nylon | 75% wool, 25% nylon |
| Nap | Nap-Free | Nap-Free |
| Speed | Faster | Slower |
| Weight | 21oz | 19oz |
Simonis 860 VS Championship 3030 Tour Edition
Simonis 860 and Championship 3030 Tour Edition billiard cloths are high-tier clothes that you will see used in tournaments. So, we can compare both. These two are both worsted fabrics but with different blends.
Simonis 860 has 90% wool and 10% nylon compared to the Champion 3030’s blend of 70% wool and 30% nylon. The heavier blend of wool in the 860 makes it a slower table cloth than the 3030. However, this combination makes it more resistant to ball burns.
The Simonis cloth is the heavier material with 27oz and Championship cloth weighing 24oz. Simonis designed its cloth for the 9-ball, but you can also use it for 7 and 8-ball tables. The Championship cloth also works perfectly for 8 and 9-ball.
Both of these clothes were built with durability in mind. But, Simonis cloth, with its heavier wool content, is more likely to last longer. However, the Championship 3030 would play faster than the 860 cloth.
You should also find an expert to install for you if you were going for the 860 cloth. It does not stretch, which usually leads to overcutting when done by a beginner. With the right maintenance, you would enjoy the choice of any of these two clothes.
| Simonis 860 | Championship 3030 | |
| Style | Worsted Felt | Worsted Felt |
| Blend | 90% wool, 10% nylon | 70% wool, 30% nylon |
| Nap | Nap-Free | Nap-Free |
| Speed | Slower | Faster |
| Weight | 27oz | 24oz |
Conclusion
Unless you are being paid by one of the brands to promote, you don’t have to get into the Simonis and Championship clothes war. Take your time to look for the brand and cloth style that is most suitable for your needs. Use the comparison above to make your choice.
Also if you’d like a wider range of options to choose from, you should check out my list of the Best Pool Table Felt in the article I wrote on the subject.
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.
