Simonis 760 vs 860 vs 860 HR vs 920 Cloth Compared
Simonis 760 is the faster cloth and 860 is the slightly slower, higher-wool one. That surprises people because 760 is also the lighter cloth (about 355 grams per square meter against 410), but speed here comes from the blend, not the weight: Iwan Simonis says it adds nylon to high-wool worsted to make it play faster, and 760 is 30 percent nylon while 860 is 10 percent. Simonis's authorized dealers describe 860 as "slightly slower than the #760."
Here are the mill's own specs for 760, 860, 860 HR and 920, where the carom cloth (300, now 330 Rapide) fits in, and which one belongs on your table.
Simonis cloth specs side by side
Every number below comes from Iwan Simonis's product pages, with ounce weights from an authorized dealer's listings. Simonis does not publish a speed rating for any of them.
| Cloth | Wool / nylon | Weight | Colors | What Simonis or its dealer says it is for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 860 | 90 / 10 | ±410 g/m² (about 12 oz/yd²) | 26 | "Chosen for virtually all major pool tournaments"; initially developed for 9-ball |
| 760 | 70 / 30 | ±355 g/m² (about 10.5 oz/yd²) | 25 | "Especially recommended for high traffic"; dealer adds higher-speed play for bank pool, straight pool and one-pocket |
| 860 HR | 70 / 30 | ±410 g/m² (about 12 oz/yd²) | 6 | "The best compromise between the ball control and the speed" |
| 920 | 85 / 15 | ±330 g/m² per Simonis, ±325 per the dealer | 12 | Home tables and rooms with low to moderate traffic; also listed for home carom tables |
| 330 Rapide (replaced 300) | 90 / 10 | ±300 g/m² (about 9 oz/yd²) | 9 | Carom: three-cushion and artistic |
All of them are worsted: combed wool, nap-free, so they do not pill or shed. Roll widths differ (860 comes 165 or 198 cm wide, 760 in 165, 195 or 206 cm), which is why a dealer sells cloth cut for a table size rather than by the plain yard.
760 vs 860: which is faster, and does it matter?
760 is faster. Two things point the same way. Simonis's own FAQ says nylon is added to high-wool worsted to make it go faster, and 760 carries three times the nylon of 860. And the authorized-dealer listing for 860 calls it "slightly slower than the #760 Blend." Our best pool table felt guide reaches the same answer from the same sources.
How much faster is where opinions split. Players and installers on AZBilliards agree 760 rolls longer but argue over the size of the gap, and some say the rails and the age of the cloth change table speed more than the grade does. Nobody publishes a lab measurement, so we won't put a percentage on it. Expect a noticeable but modest difference, not a different game.
What the speed changes at the table is touch. On 760 the cue ball travels farther for the same stroke, so position routes around the table open up with a softer hit, and a heavy-handed player overruns shape until they adjust. On 860 the same stroke stops a little sooner, which gives you more room for error on the speed of your shot. That small margin is the reason 860 is the default for 9-ball and 10-ball rooms.
Simonis 860: the tournament cloth
When a room says it has Simonis, this is usually the cloth. It is the highest-wool pool cloth in the lineup and the heaviest of the four, and Simonis says it was chosen for virtually all major pool tournaments and championships. It has the widest choice of colors too, 26 by the mill's own count, from tournament blue and yellow green to black, gold and fuchsia.
Pick 860 for a home slate table where people play league or practice seriously and want it to feel like a well-kept hall. It is also the safer choice if you are not sure: the slightly slower speed is forgiving while you learn the table.
Simonis 760: faster, and built for traffic
760 is the cloth Simonis singles out for high-traffic tables, and its higher nylon content is the reason it plays quicker. The dealer description ties it to the games where a long-rolling ball helps: banks, straight pool and one-pocket. It is lighter than 860, but don't read light as fragile. The mill recommends it for the tables that get the most use.
Pick 760 if you want a faster table, play a lot of pattern and bank games, or the table gets hammered by a crowd. If you are coming from a bar box with slow napped cloth, give yourself a few weeks; the first thing that changes is your speed control.
Simonis 860 HR: is it worth it?
860 HR takes 860's weight (±410 g/m²) and 760's 70/30 blend. The dealer calls it a true hybrid and the most durable commercial-grade cloth it sells, and Simonis pitches it as the best compromise between ball control and speed. That puts it between the two: more nylon than 860 for speed and toughness, more weight than 760.
We have not played on 860 HR, and Simonis does not publish wear test numbers, so this is a spec reading rather than a review. On paper it makes the most sense for tables that run all day: bars, clubhouses, league rooms. For a home table the trade-off is choice. 860 HR comes in only six colors, all blues and greens (blue green, electric blue, powder blue, royal blue, tournament and yellow green). If you want burgundy or gray, it is 860 or 760.
One correction to a myth we repeated on an older version of this page: HR is a wool and nylon cloth like the rest of the line. Simonis lists no polyester in it.
Simonis 920 and the 300 or 330 Rapide
920 is the lightest pool-and-home cloth in the range at about 330 g/m², 85 percent wool and 15 percent nylon. Simonis calls it a lighter all-round cloth for home tables, pool and carom alike, and for rooms with light to moderate traffic. It comes in 12 colors. Simonis gives no speed comparison against 760 or 860, so we don't either. Think of it as the entry ticket to genuine Simonis worsted for a home table that sees a few games a week.
The 300 you see in old forum threads and some dealer catalogs is carom cloth. Simonis now lists the 330 Rapide as its replacement, 90/10 at about 300 g/m², for three-cushion and artistic billiards, and a dealer listing for the 300 Rapide notes approval by the international carom federation for tournament play. It is made for heated, pocketless carom tables, so leave it off a pool table. More on that game in our carom billiards guide.
Which Simonis cloth for which table
| Your table | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Home slate table, league practice, 8-ball or 9-ball | 860 | Tournament cloth, a touch slower, every color |
| Home table, you want it fast, lots of banks or straight pool | 760 | Quicker roll; dealer recommends it for those games |
| Bar, club or busy family room | 760 or 860 HR | Both are aimed at heavy use; HR keeps more weight |
| Home table, a few games a week, tighter budget | 920 | Real Simonis worsted at a lighter weight |
| Carom table | 330 Rapide | Carom cloth; not for pool |
| Non-slate or MDF table | Probably not Simonis | Fast worsted shows every dip in a bed that isn't flat; see best pool table felt |
One point on rules: the WPA's equipment spec asks for 80 to 85 percent worsted wool and 15 to 20 percent nylon, prefers 100 percent wool, and bans backed cloth. On paper 860 (90/10) sits between that band and the preferred all-wool cloth, while 760 and 860 HR (70/30) carry more nylon than the band allows. That matters to event organizers, not to your basement.
Buying genuine Simonis and installing it right
Simonis says each roll carries three identifying markings, one of them visible only under ultraviolet light, so an authorized dealer can prove what you're getting. The visible one is the edge print with the grade, such as SIMONIS 860. That printed side is the playing surface. The back is sheared less finely and feels slightly fuzzy, and cloth installed upside down plays on the fuzzy side for its whole life.
Worsted cloth has to be stretched tight and evenly over the slate and stapled into the wood liner; the WPA's fastening guideline and the steps are in how to replace pool table felt. Most owners hire a mechanic for the first one, because a wrinkled or loose install wastes the cloth. Pro labor costs are in our refelting cost guide.
For cloth alone, authorized-dealer listings for 7 and 8 foot Simonis 760, 860 and 920 ran from about $290 to $410 when we checked in October 2026, with 920 at the low end. Bigger tables need more cloth. Color does not change the price much, but special-order colors take longer to arrive.
How long Simonis cloth lasts and how to keep it
No Simonis page gives a lifespan. Sawyer Twain, a table retailer, puts home cloth with occasional play at three to five years or longer and bar or club cloth at one to two. Worsted generally outlasts woolen under the same use. You get more years by brushing toward one end with a horsehair brush, keeping chalk cubes off the rails, and putting a cover on between sessions. See how to clean pool table felt and best pool table brush. Color choices for all four cloths are in our felt colors guide.
Sources
- Iwan Simonis: pool cloth (860, 760, 860 HR, 920)
- Iwan Simonis: carom cloth (330 Rapide)
- Iwan Simonis: FAQ (nylon and speed, playing side, roll markings)
- Billiard City, authorized dealer: Simonis 860
- Billiard City: Simonis 760
- Billiard City: Simonis 860 HR
- Billiard City: Simonis 920
- WPA Recommended Equipment Specifications (cloth)
Our picks
Links open the current selection and price on Amazon so you can compare real reviews before buying.
Simonis 860 Worsted Cloth, 8 ft
Most serious home tablesThe tournament cloth, 90 percent wool, with pre-cut rails from an authorized dealer. Rated slightly slower than 760, which buys you a margin on speed control that 9-ball players appreciate. Install it with the printed edge up; that smooth side is the playing surface.
Check price on Amazon
Simonis 760 Pool Table Cloth, Pre-Cut Rails
A faster table or heavy trafficThe 70/30 blend Simonis recommends for high-traffic tables, with pre-cut rail pieces. The extra nylon is what makes it roll quicker than 860, so position play opens up with a softer stroke. Pick it for banks, straight pool and one-pocket.
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Simonis 860 HR Cloth
Bars, clubs and all-day tables860's weight with 760's 70/30 blend, sold as the balance of control and speed. Only six colors, all blues and greens, so check the color before you settle on it.
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Simonis 920 Cloth
Home tables with light play85 percent wool, about 9.6 oz per square yard, nap-free, with pre-cut rails. Simonis recommends it for home use and rooms with low to moderate traffic: genuine Simonis worsted for a table that sees a few games a week.
Check price on Amazon
Simonis 860 Precut Cloth Kit for 8 Ft Tables
DIY refeltsPre-cut 860 bed and rail cloth with a horsehair brush, table spots and chalk. The brush is the piece people forget, and it is the right tool for worsted from the first day.
Check price on AmazonFrequently asked questions
Is Simonis 760 or 860 faster?
760. Simonis adds nylon to make worsted cloth faster, 760 is 30 percent nylon against 860's 10, and authorized dealers describe 860 as slightly slower than 760.
Is Simonis 860 or 760 better for a home table?
860 for most people: it is the tournament cloth, a touch slower and more forgiving, and comes in 26 colors. Choose 760 if you want a faster table or the table gets heavy traffic.
What is Simonis 860 HR?
A hybrid with 860's weight (about 410 g per square meter) and 760's 70 percent wool, 30 percent nylon blend. Simonis sells it as the best compromise between control and speed, and it comes in six blue and green colors.
Is Simonis 860 HR worth it for a home table?
Usually not. It is aimed at tables that see constant play. Most home tables do fine with 860, and HR limits you to six colors.
What is Simonis 920?
A lighter worsted cloth, 85 percent wool and about 330 g per square meter, that Simonis recommends for home tables and rooms with low to moderate traffic.
Can I use Simonis 300 on a pool table?
It is carom cloth (now replaced by the 330 Rapide) made for heated, pocketless carom tables. Use 860, 760, 860 HR or 920 for pool.
Which side of Simonis cloth goes up?
The side with SIMONIS and the grade printed on the edge. It is the smooth playing side; the back is slightly fuzzy.
How long does Simonis cloth last?
Simonis does not publish a figure. Retailer Sawyer Twain puts home cloth at three to five years or longer with occasional play and bar cloth at one to two years.
Related guides
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