The tip industry is a vast network of companies trying to come out with the next best thing. With that being said there are a few companies that really stand out, Kamui, Tiger, OutsVile. Just to name a couple on top. We all wanna find that special tip that lasts forever, has great elasticity and doesn't harden too much over time.
Piku tips is a relatively newer company that has arrived and gained a reputation in the industry and holds up to that. Their new break tip is a “Piku” infused tip that has a leather base. This Break tip was easy to install and is softer then Phenolic and harder then a SamSara and it feels very similar to that tip. It has the grip of a leather tip which is a leather base that is Piku infused. The hardness on the durometer was a 76. So it is a medium hard tip that He says grips like a soft with the speed of a hard. I saw that marketing at its finest covers all the bases needed.
The tip breaks well and you can get instant feedback from the tip when you strike. I try putting as much English on the cue ball as humanly possible to see how far I can stretch. Now a tips feel and performance all has to do with the players stroke and how long they have been playing. All these factors go into the “feeling” of the tips that everyone plays with. The tip also proformas as a playing tip and breaks with it. It’s important to see exactly what all the tips can do under pressure so that's where I start. The Nitro X is a non layered tip that is infused with Piku as it claims. Now I'm not sure what that means and I haven't gotten one under a scope to test it but honestly that isn't as important as the playability of the tip and how it performs on the end of my shaft.
I always give tips for playability and breaking. That's what this tip is designed to do. Piku has a fan following and they all love the work that goes into the R&D of these tips and that is what we as manufacturers strive to achieve. All in all this new tip breaks ok and strongly reminds me of a Samsara as another leather infused tip. You are able to grip the cue ball a bit better then say Phenolic but less power as well.
By Garret Troop