Best value tailed poi

For myself I've always used sock-style poi, but there's no escaping the fact that for workshops, parks etc, tailed poi have a lot of appeal.

I've been looking into the available options and wondered if anyone would like to offer their opinions from experiences they've had with the commercialy available tailed poi.

I'm especially interested in the 'poi-toy' models, bearing in mind there are two versions, the 'classic' about which I've heard good things, and the budget 'orbiter' which I've heard is overly fragile.

Then there's the sonic spinners, cobras etc, etc- all the other brands of tailed poi.

Digging up comments on the net I'm hearing a lot of stuff along the lines of 'Poi 'X' has been under continuous developement and no longer suffers from the chronic fraying/breakages that the earlier versions did'- bearing in mind that some companies stock may be fairly old, it's not particularly inspiring

So, anyone wish to comment about especially good value poi they've used, or about especially bad ones?

Especially concerning durability, spinability, good value etc.

The cheap Poy-Toy orbiter is all plastic - Not fabric. They are also very light. I've heard much better things about classic ones.

I make all my tailed poi..then you always get what you want!

Ditto, all my current poi are hand made. Every now and then I try a few from HoP or other places but I usually end up giving them away to beginners or modifying them to the extent that they are no longer anything like the original product.

I guess every serious spinner has their own taste in poi so unless they give you options, you are better off building your own. I hope I find the perfect practice poi one day.

these are my favourites:

erik's double tails.

i have a pair of these in black and silver that i've had for nearly three years.
i've used them a lot - that's everyday use for about the first 6 months and then on and off at parties and festivals since - and they still look great.

as for why i like them:
the swivel at both ends really makes a difference i reckon and suits all spinning/grip styles (if you hold the string, the poi head swivel takes all the twist out, and if you use finger loops, the swivel at the hand end does most of the work).
they are obviously well made to have the kind of durability i have experienced.
tail shape and the length that the two tails are stitched together seems ideal and gives the tails a lovely line when spinning.

erik also does 5-tailed rainbow poi now which sound swishy and look lovely but i can't comment on these because i haven't played with them much and don't own a pair myself.

i don't know who made dom's white tails but they are gorgeous too.


cole. x

On the other side of things, ie reasons to avoid certain brands, I would encourage you to avoid the cobra brand tailed poi.

I've owned a set for about a year now and I very, very rarely use them- they are very noisy (which some people like I know) and I find that the material for the tails is a little too rigid, meaning should you clip[ yourself with the end of a tail it can be pretty unpleaant, especially around the eyes.

The detachable tails are useful for beginners needing to learn without tangling up, but on the whole the construction is too flimsy. I managed to kick a head clean off whilst doing a foot wrap on the first afternoon I had them.

On the whole not terrible, but they're expensive and I'm convinced there are far better out there.

err this discussion belongs in technical.

ive got a box of the classic poi toy i likes em they have a great design very adjustable not to mention they dont hurt cos of their nurf like nature. ive got no complaints

*agrees*

[now i know what nerf means ]

Cheers for the replies everyone- they've been helpful.

Truth is, I've never been inspired to use tailed poi myself, I'm totally happy with sock poi; I consider them ideal for all the advanced release/one-hand stuff I do.

I also consider them to be excellent for beginners, but the fact is that many kids who come to workshops tend to turn their noses up at sock style poi.

In terms of tailed poi that I've actually used, the majority I've found to be not that good to spin- tails too long/too noisy, and many of them seem to be not that durable.

For spinnability, though it was only for a brief try, I did find the poi-toy 'classic poi' to be considerably better than any others I've used- a sensible design with good length tails (can any long-term users comment on their durability?)

yeah sockpoi i find are much more adaptable and a full range of moves available with them.
they just dont look as pretty as tails.
then again last thursdays meet was in conditions of high wind and tails became practically unusable.

my first ever set of poi were tailed sonic stars and i totally destroyed them within a month...... i blame the swivels, but then again i have never liked swivels anyway.

and tails get in the way of a lot of throws with poi, well no but it takes a lot more concentration.

tails will always be popular cos they look nice, but most people who get' heavily' into poi start to use socks as they are easier to use especially for hyperloops isolations etc.

apologies for contradicting myself multiple times in the last pst

I use some that I bought off ebay, but they are not very good, I'm going to have to compleatly change the cord they are on as they just break. Definately don't go for orbitors, they are cheap for a reason, I know someone who got them and after an afternoon of spinning the tails had compleatlty been shredded off.

I've heard some good things about cobra, I've only tried them once but they were nice to spin, even if they were in day-glo colours that I'm not keen on. Although I was a bit dubious about the fact the tails are only held on with velcro. They have tennis ball centres, but you can get to the and put slits in them to make them softer for children.

My first pair of poi were those tribal poi. They lasted a year of compleate abuse, although the tails had to be saftey pinned on as the press studs weren't very secure. My friend has had a pair for 2 years, although I don't think shes abused them as much as me! However the tails fray a lot, but they do look good and are in nice colours. They are fairly soft, as they are filled with thread, not tennis balls. Also as the tails are made out of a soft fabric (hence the chronic fraying) they are a lot quieter than standard tails.

I also know someone with sonic stars. They have the disadvantage of the tails not being detacthable, having said that, For the first year I learnt all my moves with tails, so it is possible. Again they mainly come in day-glo colours,although have a slightly wider range than cobra. They are filled with tennis balls and I'm not sure if you can access them to put slits in them and make them softer. They seem fairly durable and are pleasant to spin. In fact, at juggling club they have some tails with the sonic stars logo on that are really nice to spin, but in a fabric different to the normal stiff waterproof stuff, and so a lot quieter. They would be worth looking in to.

A friend of mine brought some poi toy ones to the beach the other day. I think they were these ones. Really nice. I usually hate all tail poi as I always tie my hands together doing buzzsaw routines, but these ones were really good, and hardly tangled me at all.

Don't think I'm quite ready to part with my socks yet though...

Also, they're ethically produced- I can't remember the details, but it's connected with some kind of worthy charity, always a bonus

Worth pointing out (if it hasn't been already), Cobras and Cobra 2s are different. What you guys all seem to be talking about are the supposedly-advanced-yet-vastly-inferior Cobra 2s. Whilst I only got my Cobra 1s recently, I'm seriously impressed. They have longer tails (with finished edges, mercifully), they fly much sweeter and the tails are stitched in. Personally I always spin with tennis-balls, so the cobra 1s are just right for me. Although it has to be said the day-glo colour scheme is a bit poo. They're the best tailed poi I've found, and a bargain at £5 from Glasto. Poi Poi aren't generally very good in my experience, their flags are dreadful (unusable), their fire poi are flimsy, their glo poi are shockingly fragile and cobra 2s, whist almost every spinner I know started with a pair of them, are shite. Thankfully the Cobra 1s are worth 5 times what I paid for them.

[/ramble]

Although I have to admit, nothing will replace my home-made tennis-balls, which are simple yet incredibly easy to use/mod/generally piss about with.

Avoid Eola poi, the swivels are the most horrific things I've seen. Can anyone tell me why you'd put a swivel which locks when pulled on poi, which work by virtue of their pulling on the handle?

After reading Cole's post... I decided to buy myself some Erik's poi... and they arrived today

They're black and orange and they're great!!!

Woohoo... my first tailed poi

apart from my homemade socks & flags i'm still stuck in n_a_g's cobra2 box. just discovered they're easily converted to short meteors tho.

seem to be well made and easy to change parts (make your own, you gotta start somewhere ) but like i say they're all i've used.

well someone had to stand up for them

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...ssPageName=WD4V

I have a pair of Spargo's Baby Blue Practise Poi, and allthough Ive never been in the same room as any other types of poi I think there just fine compared, at least I would imagine so anyway.

The stritching is very strong, the tails wont fray because there made out of that material those giant novelty kites are made of so of course there very strong and very light. The tails dont get in the way for me I thought they might do before they arrived, I was a little worried they would be the wrong type of poi to begin with, but once I got them and started spinning I took to them like a duck to water. Plus the colour is nice, not some awful bright neon orrange or yellow poi hehe, no offense guys if you have any of these eye sores

The tails do occasionaly brush against each other if I spin too fast but they just swish past each other, make a slight ruffleing noise and carry on spinning, ive never had them tangle because of the tails, only the string or the balls hiting each other (and me lol).

There perfectly fine to use even for someone who has never even picked up a pair of poi before, so they should be fine for people who are used to other types of poi since you should have better arm and wrist controll.

I ordered that a poi set from this site with the removable tails.. And when i first got them -- the material of them surprised me..
Yaah, they are noisy.

I usually spin with them off because im learning..
And with them on is fustrating at times..

I kinda regretted getting them at one point.
Wished i talked to people about whats best. Though i like them .. and im learning.. And they have been good so far.
They are my first set, and so far my only set. .So its my baby. lol
I cant wait to try different types though!