How to Choose a Pool Cue Case

If you have your own cue but enjoy playing billiards at a pool hall, you should be using a pool cue case. These cases aren't just for professionals, either. A quality pool case will protect your cues whether you're a casual pool player or someone that participates in tournaments.

Pool cue cases come in a variety of sizes and styles, holding as few as one butt and one shaft or as many as four butts and eight shafts. Players that carry a break cue, an extra shaft or other specialty cues and shafts will likely need a case that holds more than just a standard two-piece pool cue. When it comes to choosing a case, you need to know the difference between soft, hard and box cases. Here's a quick breakdown of the different case types:

Hard Cases

Hard cases are by far the most popular pool cue cases. This style of case will feature high impact tubes that hold your butt and shaft in place while you're on the move. These cases help protect against dents as well as warping. These cases vary in size, with the smallest being a one butt/one shaft case, meaning they allow you to carry one cue butt and one cue shaft in the case. Cases can go as high as three butt/seven shaft but are most commonly found in the two butt/two shaft and two butt/four shaft variety.

Soft Cases

Soft cases are good for starter cues or for short term storage. Although they do not feature the tubes that you find in hard cases, soft cases do keep each shaft and butt in separate compartments to protect from denting. Soft cases do not feature as many exterior pockets as hard cases, so you won't have as much room for your accessories. Because of their limited nature you won't be paying as much for a soft case as you would for a hard case. Soft cases typically come in the one butt/one shaft variety, but you can get soft cases as large as two butt/four shaft.

Box Cases

The third choice for cue cases is the box case. Box cases have a "classic" look, which is one of the primary reasons that players buy box cases. Many box cases have a briefcase style, complete with latch style fasteners. Some of the nicer box cases can also feature combination locks for additional security. From a protection standpoint, box cases will provide a similar level of security as compared to a hard case.

Ultimately, the type of pool cue case you choose should be based on your needs as a pool player. With all the cases on the market, there is bound to be a pool cue case that will be perfect for you and your pool cue.

Mike Feiman is the Director of Marketing at PoolDawg.com. For more information about pool cues, billiards equipment and the game of pool and billiards, visit www.PoolDawg.com.