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The Predator 314-3 shaft is one of the best low-deflection shafts on the market today. This is the 3rd generation shaft made from the Predator 314 shaft (hence the "-3", 314-3). Predator has been around a long time and they have been killing the market in terms of low-deflection shafts. Ask any pool junkie around and 9 out of 10 of them will have heard of them. My overall ranking of this pool shaft is 9 out of 10 stars. Keep reading if you are curious of my 1 star I didn't give it in the Pro's and Con's section. Predator - The Brand Predator has created a couple of the top popular shafts in the billiard world today. They have been striving to create the best low-deflection shafts, playing cues, and break cues in the world. They have been in the billiard industry since 1994. The 314-3 is actually the choice of a number of Pro pool players like Ralf Souquet and Jasmin Ouschan (There are more but that is just to name one or two). A good tidbit is that all or most Predator cue comes standard with a 314 shaft. What's even more awesome is that most Predator Cue qualifies for Free Ground Shipping in the lower 48 United States! Plus if you buy through PoolDawg, they are actually an Authorized Dealer for Predator cues, shafts and billiards products. BONUS - ALL Predator products include a whopping 1-year manufacturer's warranty against defects or issues! Personal Experience I have personally owned and used this shaft as my primary shooting cue for over 2 years now. It was one of the best billiard investments I have ever made. Whenever my friends ask to try my pool cue out, they generally fall in love at first shot. I usually hear how smooth the hit is and how well the English or spin takes on the ball. It doesn't take long for jealousy to set in and the conversation will usually lead to what options are next depending on people's price range and skill level. This is the perfect shaft for a player who has mastered the basics and is transitioning into a more intermediate player. Have you been experimenting with English/Spin? Are you ready to upgrade from the hand-me-down cue you've been shooting with for a while? The 314-3 is the answer. I would 110% recommend the Predator 314-3 shaft to anyone who is looking to get into billiards/pool more seriously. I know when I purchased it, it immediately sparked a fire in me and further motivated myself to become a better player. I am so glad I took that step because I saw it as an investment and the fact that I spent hundreds of dollar on a piece of wood - you can bet I was going to put in the time after spending that kind of money. Incredibly Low-Deflection The 314-3 boasts of incredible low-deflection and that is due to all their technology (Vault Plate, V-Tek Construction, and iMatch) and efficiencies they have built into it. Before I started using a low-deflection shaft, I would always have to account so much for the english/spin I was applying to the cue ball. Now that I use this, it is no longer a problem. Here is a video of the Predator 314-3 Shaft being put to the Deflection Test: Video Credit: Brandon the Billiard Guy from Select Billiards and Darts. Vault Plate Over the past few years, I have never had to repair the 314-3 shaft due to it breaking or fault of the product. It is still going strong and feels as reliable as ever. I do take the time to maintain my cue, keep it out of the harsh weather and properly store it in my case whenever applicable. The Vault Plate - The front end construction has the vault plate engineered into it which is a huge factor on why it's so durable. It has re-engineered the points of stress between the ferrule, tip silencer, tip, and splices to make something that is greater than the norm. V-Tek Ferrule I still can't get over how smooth and easy the hit is on this shaft. The V-Tek Ferrule is Predators sole proprietary formula which allows it to have a strong and light hit. This helps with its improved accuracy and reduced mass. Literally, no other company is allowed to use their formula and its no wonder that the 314-3 is one of the best low-deflection shaft sellers in many billiard stores. From personal experience, I have visited a few billiard stores around my local area and the evidence doesn't lie - the 314-3 is at the top of the list. Pros And Cons: Pros: Very low-deflection This will help improve your accuracy without having to account for so much spin Soft hit The 314-3 has the V-Tek Fiber Tip Silencing technology built into it to help with a pleasing sound on contact. Durability This has personally lasted me well over 2 years and it still shoots amazing. I would not recommend a product to anyone unless I knew it was going to last. Smooth The hit on this cue is just incredibly smooth and natural. Cons: This is the main reason I did not give this shaft 10 out of 10 stars are for 1 specific reason below: Price Range $$$ This is more on the expensive side of the spectrum. If you are on a budget and need to stay below the $150 range, this shaft brand new will not fall in that price range. Sizing Up The Competition There are a lot of other great low-deflection shafts out there besides the 314-3. Other notable low-deflection shafts that can go toe-to-toe in terms of quality and price point with the 314-3 are: Of course, Predators other 2 main shaft models: Predator Z-3rd Generation Radial Shaft Cuetec Cynergy Carbon Fiber And Katana's low-deflection shaft, The KATXS1 which is on sale now at Pool Dawg. Click on the link to see more details. Besides the KATXS1, OB cues have been killing it. OB Fusion5 12.3mm (Click on the PoolDawg Link to see the price) OB Fusion4 12.8 mm (Click on the PoolDawg Link to see the price) You can read more about other Predator shafts, the KATXS1, and the OB shafts in detail Here in my post specifically about the best low-deflection shafts on the market. Heads up - this is all opinion based and I'm sure that if you all ask 10 people the same question on what's the best low-deflection shaft, you will get a lot of different answers. To summarize, pretty much any low-deflection shaft from the Predator or OB line of shafts are great. You cannot go wrong with any of them. Technical Specifications The 314-3 has been implemented with the newest technology. The 3rd generation of one of Predator’s most popular shaft has a list of great features: V-Tek Construction V-Tek Fiber Tip Silencing iMatch 10-Piece splice construction Pro Taper Premium Predator 8 layer Victory Tip It's hard to ignore the 314-3 with its stronger high-tech materials, game-changing performance and new front end construction. Specs: Tip Diameter - 12.75mm Taper - Pro Ferrule Length - 12.80mm Joint - Various Tip - Predator Victory Tip (Medium) Shaft Length - 29" Where To Buy You can purchase the 314 from a few places: #1. PoolDawgs has it listed here (click the link for the price). What I love about PoolDawgs is they let you customize the tip and other factors within your order. Plus shipping your customized order and then getting it delivered to your front doorstep is a sweet deal. #2. Amazon is another big name seller (click on the link for the price too) that many folks trust. Many people have ordered Amazon before and its a recognizable brand. Plus you may find orders that ship for free with Amazon Prime, especially if you already have a Prime account (I know I do!). #3. In person! There will most likely be a local billiard store around you and I urge you to do your own research online and in person. I will say that 99% (personal experience) of the time, you will not find a better price in store. A majority of the time it will be cheaper to order it online at Amazon, PoolDawg, Seyberts or another online source. There are however to perks to purchasing in person because there is someone physically in the store who will be able to assist you and answer any other questions you may have. I will be receiving a commission from any purchases that you make through the links on this post, so I greatly appreciate it if you do use my link. I hope this post was helpful to you and thank you for reading.