Legacy Baylor II Slate Pool Table Review: 600 lb of Commitment
Three-piece backed slate, solid hardwood rails and a full wood cabinet at a price that sits below most slate tables, in a 91.5 by 52.5 inch cabinet weighing 600 lb. Buy it if you want real slate and the Dakota is more than you want to spend. Skip it if you have not confirmed both the room clearance and the delivery route, because 600 lb of table does not negotiate with a stairwell.
Hardwood rails and three-piece slate at a price that undercuts most slate tables, with the weight to match.
Empire USA Legacy Baylor II Slate Pool Table with Premium Billiards Accessories, 7 ft
~$2,300
A 7 ft slate table with solid hardwood rails, three-piece one inch backed slate, an all-wood cabinet and an included play kit.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Size | 7 ft |
|---|---|
| Bed | Three-piece 1 inch backed slate |
| Rails | Solid hardwood |
| Cabinet | All wood |
| Weight | 600 lb, about 272 kg |
| Dimensions | 91.5 in long by 52.5 in wide by 31 in high |
| Finishes | Two finish options |
| Included | Play kit bundle |
Specifications above come from Empire USA's published specifications for the Legacy Baylor II. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- Backed slate is easier to handle and less prone to chipping at the edges during installation than unbacked, which matters on a table that will be assembled in your house.
- Solid hardwood rails hold cushion geometry better over years than a rail built from engineered board with a veneer.
- The published dimensions are specific, which is more than many listings in this bracket offer, and 91.5 by 52.5 inches is the number to take to the room measurement.
- It undercuts most three-piece slate tables by several hundred dollars while keeping the specification that actually decides play quality.
- The included play kit means cues, balls and the rest are not a separate purchase.
Where it falls short
- Six hundred pounds. That is the number to think about before the price. Basements, upstairs rooms and anything with a turn in the stairwell need planning, and floor loading in an older building is worth a thought.
- Installation is a separate cost and a separate booking, and a slate table assembled badly plays worse than a good MDF table assembled well.
- The cabinet dimension is 91.5 by 52.5 inches, but the room requirement is far larger. A 7 ft table wants roughly 13 ft 6 in by 16 ft 9 in with a 58 inch cue.
- Finish options are limited to two, so if the room has a specific look you are working within a narrow palette.
- Like every table in this class, the included cloth is a starting cloth rather than a tournament worsted, and serious players end up recovering it.
What owners report
Owner reports on this class of table follow the pattern of the whole category: the slate and the rails are generally as specified, and the outcome is decided at installation. The specific advantage here is that the manufacturer publishes a weight and a cabinet dimension, which lets you plan the delivery instead of discovering it.
Do the room arithmetic first. Our room size calculator converts cue length into required clearance, and the room size chart gives the figures at a glance. If the space is genuinely tight, a set of shorter cues is a legitimate answer rather than a compromise, and our 7 ft versus 8 ft comparison explains why going smaller is more often the right call than going bigger.
If the weight is the sticking point rather than the price, read slate versus MDF and our guide to moving a pool table before deciding. A table you cannot move is a different kind of purchase from one you can.
Who it suits
- Buyers who want three-piece slate and are working to a budget below three thousand dollars.
- Ground floor rooms and garages, where 600 lb arrives without a stairwell in the way.
- Anyone who values published dimensions and weight when planning a delivery.
Who should skip it
- Upstairs rooms and tight basements, unless the route has been measured.
- Renters, because moving slate costs real money every time.
- Rooms under about 13 by 17 feet, unless you are committing to short cues.
Alternatives worth considering
Empire USA Dakota Slate Pool Table with Premium Billiards Accessories, 7 ft, Charcoal
~$3,000
K66 cushions and genuine leather drop pockets specified explicitly, which the Baylor listing does not detail. Worth the difference if pocket material and cushion profile matter to you.
Check price on AmazonGoSports 7 ft Pool Table with Wood Finish
~$600
About a third of the weight and a fifth of the price, with the top pre-assembled. Choose it when the room is upstairs, the stay is temporary, or the budget stops well short of slate plus installation.
Check price on AmazonASKA Short Pool Cue Set of 4, 36, 42, 48 and 52 inch
~$130
Four cues in four lengths for the shots where a wall or a post leaves a full length cue nowhere to go. Cheaper than losing a foot of table size, and it makes a marginal room workable.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Slate vs MDF pool table
- 7 ft vs 8 ft pool table
- Pool table room size calculator
- Pool table room size chart
- Moving a pool table
- Empire USA Dakota slate pool table review
- ASKA short pool cue set review
- Best pool tables
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
How heavy is the Legacy Baylor II?
600 lb, or about 272 kg, per the manufacturer. That is typical for a 7 ft three-piece slate table and it is the figure that decides delivery. Plan the route into the room, check the stairwell and the turn, and in an older building give a thought to floor loading.
What is backed slate?
Slate bonded to a wooden backing frame. It is easier to handle during installation, less likely to chip at the edges, and it gives the fitter something to screw into when securing the bed to the frame. It plays the same as unbacked slate of the same thickness.
Baylor II or Dakota?
The Dakota specifies K66 cushions and genuine leather drop pockets, which the Baylor listing does not detail, and costs several hundred more. If cushion profile and pocket material matter to you, that difference is what you are paying for. Both are three-piece one inch slate, which is the specification that decides how the table rolls.
Do I need professional installation?
Yes. Three-piece slate has to be seamed and levelled properly, and doing it badly produces exactly the roll problems people blame on the table. Get an installer quote before ordering, and ask whether they will fit a different cloth at the same time if you plan to upgrade.
What room size does a 7 ft table need?
About 13 ft 6 in by 16 ft 9 in with a standard 58 inch cue. Shorter cues reduce that requirement, which is often the difference between a room that works and one that does not. Use the room size calculator with your actual measurements rather than trusting a rule of thumb.
Measuring your own room before anything is delivered? The Game Room Layout Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.
How we work: we compare published manufacturer dimensions, the governing playing standards for each game, and reviews from owners who live with the equipment. We do not test games in person, and we say so on every page. Clearance figures here are researched guidance for planning a room, not professional advice: measure your own space, and have a slate table delivered, assembled and levelled by an installer rather than moving it yourself.