Pool Player's Equipment

Pool like any other sport or game has various pieces of equipment that will be required to play the game. Some equipment is common to all players and some is specific to the individual player.
Some examples of those items which are common are the pool table, balls, rack, lights, scoring mechanism such as counters on the table or beads on a overhead wire, the mechanical bridge is often an item that is shared by the players even though a player may have his own and similiarly the chalk is usually left on the table to be shared but many players have their own preferred "chalk-on-a-stick" or some variation of a personal chalk holder.
The equipment that is usually specific to the individual player and most advance players will own their on preferred version of these are: The pool cue (many players have several types such as playing cue, break cue, jump cue), glove or talcum product, chalk and holder(as described above), mechanical bridge (as described above), cue case, shooting glasses, tip shaper & or tapper, towel, shaft slicker, and then there are some players who have special attire like a hat, shirt, pants or shoes that they feel give them an added edge over their oponent.
If you talk with any serious player you'll find there are a number of training and practice aids used when trying to learn or practice the various facits of the game. It is truly impossible to know all these but to list just a few there are: The Rempe Practice Ball by Jim Rempe and the Elephant Practice Balls by Tom Simpson, the Stroke Trainer by Doug Carter, The practice drills, videos and sharpshooter table decals by Joe Tucker, books such as "The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards" by Dr. Dave, "Play Your Best Pool" by Phil Capelle and "The 99 Critical Shots in Pool" by Ray Martin. The list of books goes on and on and gets more and more into the various aspects of the game, for example you can even get a book called "How To Be The Captain Of A Winning APA 8-Ball Team" by John Loftus.
As a pool nut myself, the above equipment and training aids are just some of the stuff I personally found beneficial. There are many more that I have not had the pleasure of actually using but I am sure that someone will find them beneficial and I will undoubtedly find new gadgets my self as my search for perfection continues in the world of pool and billiards.
Technology is impacting the game of billiards just like it is everything else in our lives. There are now laser aiming devices and laser speed measurement devices. The Sardo Tight Rack has revolutionized the act of racking the balls resulting in many professional pool players changing the way they break. Some say that when the rack is near perfect it allows a practiced professional player to do a soft break and make certain balls with such regularity that they are calling for a change in the official rules regarding the break. The latest in pool cue design has almost eliminated the problems caused by deflection, squirt, and swerve which in turn result in the advanced players having to rethink their aiming techniques and practices.
The game and equipment used in the game will continue to evolve and so must the rules of the game. The players of the future will be better equiped and the game will be a more precise game if you can believe that possible, but like other great sports the game of billiards is up to the task of living long into the future and will continue to gain popularity among the masses. Rightfully so too, since pool can be played the intire life span of anyone (male or female, young or old) who wishes to emerce themselves in the varied and colorful history and future of the game in the United States or around the world. There is no end in site for pool and billiards.