Forums > Technical Discussion > First Pair of Fire Poi - Suggestions anyone?
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17 posts
17 posts
Posted:
Hiya, Sorry if this has been asked before,
But I am considering buying some fire poi of my very own due to becoming addicted to fire recently.
Unfortunately I do not know what is safest for me to get.
I would like some cheap(ish) fire poi (not rediculously cheap! Just not stupidly expensive.).
Ones that last pretty long cause I always get a bit disappointed if they go out after a while (I think I'm a pyromaniac
).
So, What: Handles, chains, swivels, and wick types are best/would you recommend?
I would prefer to stick with one wick to a poi obviously, having used fire only about five or six times.
Cheers!
Hiya, Sorry if this has been asked before,
But I am considering buying some fire poi of my very own due to becoming addicted to fire recently.
Unfortunately I do not know what is safest for me to get.
I would like some cheap(ish) fire poi (not rediculously cheap! Just not stupidly expensive.).
Ones that last pretty long cause I always get a bit disappointed if they go out after a while (I think I'm a pyromaniac
).So, What: Handles, chains, swivels, and wick types are best/would you recommend?
I would prefer to stick with one wick to a poi obviously, having used fire only about five or six times.
Cheers!
GOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Posted:
Cathedral heads give you a nice sized flame and length of burn. Not so long your arms ache from spinning them but not so short a burn that you are only just getting into the swing of it.
As for chains, that's personal choice. I like the 15 guage ball chain, but there are others that swear by swivels and link chain. Do you know many other spinners? If you do, ask them if you can try out theres and have a go with the different styles of chains to find which you like best.
I like leather handles double loops, but again thats a matter of taste. What Poi handles are you used to and do you do a lot of throws when you spin? If you do you might want to make some kind of weighted handle. There are a few threads on here that will help you do that.
As for cost, I've bought all of my fire poi from HoP. They are really good quality, and I think the price is good for the goods and back up service you receive. Cheap poi at best don't last long, and at worst fall apart when you are spinning them. Be careful of buying "bargins" when it comes to fire toys. It usually means there is something wrong with them.
{b]Remember If you don't own one already, buy a fire blanket as well. Put it in your kit bag and take it with you whenever you spin fire. If, heaven forbid, something were to go wrong when you are spinning it could save your life!
Cathedral heads give you a nice sized flame and length of burn. Not so long your arms ache from spinning them but not so short a burn that you are only just getting into the swing of it.
As for chains, that's personal choice. I like the 15 guage ball chain, but there are others that swear by swivels and link chain. Do you know many other spinners? If you do, ask them if you can try out theres and have a go with the different styles of chains to find which you like best.
I like leather handles double loops, but again thats a matter of taste. What Poi handles are you used to and do you do a lot of throws when you spin? If you do you might want to make some kind of weighted handle. There are a few threads on here that will help you do that.
As for cost, I've bought all of my fire poi from HoP. They are really good quality, and I think the price is good for the goods and back up service you receive. Cheap poi at best don't last long, and at worst fall apart when you are spinning them. Be careful of buying "bargins" when it comes to fire toys. It usually means there is something wrong with them.
{b]Remember If you don't own one already, buy a fire blanket as well. Put it in your kit bag and take it with you whenever you spin fire. If, heaven forbid, something were to go wrong when you are spinning it could save your life!
Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
GOLD Member
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Posted:
Take a look at these threads:
[Old link]
[Old link]
[Old link]
There's quite a few more if you search or browse.
I personally would suggest these:
https://www.homeofpoi.com/shop/productDetails.php/250_53_Mura_fire
Rolled heads, ball chains. They are probably the lightest fire poi you will get (heavier is harder for the beginner as you need to go faster to keep them in the air, and they require a bit more muscle), and also the cheapest, and drink less fuel.
Ok, so they won't stay alight *as* long, probably 5-10 mins, but you can refuel and relight to your heart's content.
My first set were cathedral poi, I love the flame and duration with them, but the transition from practice poi to cathedrals weight-wise is quite dramatic, and I found that a little inhibiting on a day to day basis. If you want to be able to spin for a long time, then lighter poi are the way forward.
What have you used before? You are lucky to have some experience in this before you buy, so use it!
Take a look at these threads:
[Old link]
[Old link]
[Old link]
There's quite a few more if you search or browse.
I personally would suggest these:
https://www.homeofpoi.com/shop/productDetails.php/250_53_Mura_fire
Rolled heads, ball chains. They are probably the lightest fire poi you will get (heavier is harder for the beginner as you need to go faster to keep them in the air, and they require a bit more muscle), and also the cheapest, and drink less fuel.
Ok, so they won't stay alight *as* long, probably 5-10 mins, but you can refuel and relight to your heart's content.
My first set were cathedral poi, I love the flame and duration with them, but the transition from practice poi to cathedrals weight-wise is quite dramatic, and I found that a little inhibiting on a day to day basis. If you want to be able to spin for a long time, then lighter poi are the way forward.
What have you used before? You are lucky to have some experience in this before you buy, so use it!
GOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Posted:
That depends on the weight of your practise poi Kash. I have heavy practice poi so cathedrals worked out at about the same weight. I also think heavier poi can be spun slower and with more control than the light ones because thier weight gives them momentum. Light ones take much more effot to keep spinning in neat planes in my experiance.
That depends on the weight of your practise poi Kash. I have heavy practice poi so cathedrals worked out at about the same weight. I also think heavier poi can be spun slower and with more control than the light ones because thier weight gives them momentum. Light ones take much more effot to keep spinning in neat planes in my experiance.
Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
SILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
Posted:
I prefer lightish ( but totally strong of course) chain in relation to a larger/heavier head. That way the momentum is good, easier to keep neat planes and do stalls, isolations etc without extra arm tiring weight from the chain.
Also leather single loop handles are the way to go. Nylonny handles or finger loops( even leather) make blisters specially when your hands get sweaty. And they are harder to get out of if you need to drop in a hurry.
I totally agree with Skully.
Whenever you spin you should have a fire blanket, AND ALSO a wet towel. Fire blanket for people, wet towel to put out poi if for some reason you need to before the fire is all out.
Rule 1: if you light it up, you should be able to put it out.
Rule 2: don't fire spin on your own. There should be someone there to help you if necessary. (Is that why whenever someone lights up almost anywhere in the world these days, someone else is taking a photograph?? It's all those underutilised Safetys)
I prefer lightish ( but totally strong of course) chain in relation to a larger/heavier head. That way the momentum is good, easier to keep neat planes and do stalls, isolations etc without extra arm tiring weight from the chain.
Also leather single loop handles are the way to go. Nylonny handles or finger loops( even leather) make blisters specially when your hands get sweaty. And they are harder to get out of if you need to drop in a hurry.
I totally agree with Skully.
Whenever you spin you should have a fire blanket, AND ALSO a wet towel. Fire blanket for people, wet towel to put out poi if for some reason you need to before the fire is all out.
Rule 1: if you light it up, you should be able to put it out.
Rule 2: don't fire spin on your own. There should be someone there to help you if necessary. (Is that why whenever someone lights up almost anywhere in the world these days, someone else is taking a photograph?? It's all those underutilised Safetys)
.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....
GOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Posted:
Good points Gabe!
Safety may sound dull and boring when all you want to do is play and have fun, but it's a must. Have fun and play all you want, but do it safely so you live to play another day.
Good points Gabe!
Safety may sound dull and boring when all you want to do is play and have fun, but it's a must. Have fun and play all you want, but do it safely so you live to play another day.
Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
SILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia
Posted:
Indeed. Chicks might dig scars but burns suck.
Oh yeah and if you have a wick in a can type arrangement for lighting from NEVER EVER try to blow it out. That's nearly as stoopid as fire breathing. Possibly more so cos it will burn your face every time. Whereas the other will at least make you think you're clever first then....
Indeed. Chicks might dig scars but burns suck.
Oh yeah and if you have a wick in a can type arrangement for lighting from NEVER EVER try to blow it out. That's nearly as stoopid as fire breathing. Possibly more so cos it will burn your face every time. Whereas the other will at least make you think you're clever first then....
.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....
SILVER Member
newbie
16 posts
Location: Near London, UK
newbie
16 posts
Location: Near London, UK
Posted:
I had been spinning for about 3 weeks when I first used fire poi. These were cylinder heads on cables.
A couple of weeks later, I finally got around to ordering my first fire poi.
I got the cathedral heads with medium length ball chains from Home of Poi.
They are absolutely fantastic!!!
Hope this helps.
Edit: in response to the comments regarding handles, I get on fine with double loop nylon handles, which have never given me a blister.
The only time I get blisters is when I do the one handed butterfly holding the poi by the split rings, but this doesn't apply with fire as split rings aren't used here. So basically, I don't really get blisters.
I do see what you mean about getting out of the handles, however. As long as the nylon loops are big enough for your fingers, however big these may be, this won't be too much of a problem. Getting out of double loop handles mid-spin is harder, as is getting back into them.
That being said, I haven't wished for a change of handles on my fire poi yet, having got through 4 litres of paraffin so far...
EDITED_BY: CrunchySaviour (1156417099)
I had been spinning for about 3 weeks when I first used fire poi. These were cylinder heads on cables.
A couple of weeks later, I finally got around to ordering my first fire poi.
I got the cathedral heads with medium length ball chains from Home of Poi.
They are absolutely fantastic!!!
Hope this helps.
Edit: in response to the comments regarding handles, I get on fine with double loop nylon handles, which have never given me a blister.
The only time I get blisters is when I do the one handed butterfly holding the poi by the split rings, but this doesn't apply with fire as split rings aren't used here. So basically, I don't really get blisters.
I do see what you mean about getting out of the handles, however. As long as the nylon loops are big enough for your fingers, however big these may be, this won't be too much of a problem. Getting out of double loop handles mid-spin is harder, as is getting back into them.
That being said, I haven't wished for a change of handles on my fire poi yet, having got through 4 litres of paraffin so far...
EDITED_BY: CrunchySaviour (1156417099)
"Where war yuo Cruanchy Savior?"
"I DONT KNOW!!!!111111111111111"
GOLD Member
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Posted:
Agreed, I have just put together a heavy set of practice poi for this reason, but I do find the cathedrals tiring. Once I've been spinning for years I will no doubt have more stamina, but that's another story.
Perhaps it's because when I spin slow I spin flag sloooooow! I have had a couple of instances during fountains when I have gone too slow and the cathedrals have started to fall out of the sky at me :S
Heavy poi do stay true to their planes better definately, but with the trade off that their inertia makes them harder to tweak mid-spin. I like the heavy fire poi as they do have fiercer feel to them which goes with the fire (as opposed to the delicate feel of light poi and flags), but I also find them harder to handle during more intricate moves.
Written by: Skulduggery
That depends on the weight of your practise poi Kash. I have heavy practice poi so cathedrals worked out at about the same weight. I also think heavier poi can be spun slower and with more control than the light ones because thier weight gives them momentum. Light ones take much more effot to keep spinning in neat planes in my experiance.
Agreed, I have just put together a heavy set of practice poi for this reason, but I do find the cathedrals tiring. Once I've been spinning for years I will no doubt have more stamina, but that's another story.
Perhaps it's because when I spin slow I spin flag sloooooow! I have had a couple of instances during fountains when I have gone too slow and the cathedrals have started to fall out of the sky at me :S
Heavy poi do stay true to their planes better definately, but with the trade off that their inertia makes them harder to tweak mid-spin. I like the heavy fire poi as they do have fiercer feel to them which goes with the fire (as opposed to the delicate feel of light poi and flags), but I also find them harder to handle during more intricate moves.
GOLD Member
addict
694 posts
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom
addict
694 posts
Location: Leeds, United Kingdom
Posted:
I got the monkey fist heads, leather handles and SSlink chains (not ball chain)
have been great for me so far
I got the monkey fist heads, leather handles and SSlink chains (not ball chain)
have been great for me so far
newbie
17 posts
17 posts
Posted:
Okay... so... equipment list?
I have three sets of poi, one pair of fairly heavy hard rubber and ribbon with fairly long strings, one pair of "mouse" poi which are so bedraggled that I usually just take the strings of and swing them by the tails, kind of like sock poi. Those are pretty light and I use them indoors usually. I also have a pair of light long-stringed poi with tails that are very long, so they weight them down more.
When I spin fire, I use my friend's cylinder style fire poi which have long link chains (I think they're that long cause he's like 6ft 10... bit weird using them cause I'm only 5ft 4). However these go out too quickly unless you soak them for hours on end, hehe.
I prefer poi with a fair amount of weight on the end. It feels like I'm actually excersizing that way, haha. And much more powerful, too. Does that mean I should go for heavier poi or just ones with long-ish chains to make them seem heavier?
Okay... so... equipment list?
I have three sets of poi, one pair of fairly heavy hard rubber and ribbon with fairly long strings, one pair of "mouse" poi which are so bedraggled that I usually just take the strings of and swing them by the tails, kind of like sock poi. Those are pretty light and I use them indoors usually. I also have a pair of light long-stringed poi with tails that are very long, so they weight them down more.
When I spin fire, I use my friend's cylinder style fire poi which have long link chains (I think they're that long cause he's like 6ft 10... bit weird using them cause I'm only 5ft 4). However these go out too quickly unless you soak them for hours on end, hehe.
I prefer poi with a fair amount of weight on the end. It feels like I'm actually excersizing that way, haha. And much more powerful, too. Does that mean I should go for heavier poi or just ones with long-ish chains to make them seem heavier?
GOLD Member
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Dangerous cynic
166 posts
Location: United Kingdom
Posted:
I would go for heavier poi then. I'm 5'3" and I think my chains are the shortest lengh HOP do (24"). This is short enough that I can do stuff like corkscrew, and so that when I do big circles (using the length of my arm and the poi, like for flowers and giant butterfly) they don't hit the floor (in fact they just miss it https://www.homeofpoi.com/gallery/showpho...00&page=1).
Some people do spin with longer chains and I believe there is a purpose for that, but for most spinning you don't want them longer than your own arm.
I would go for heavier poi then. I'm 5'3" and I think my chains are the shortest lengh HOP do (24"). This is short enough that I can do stuff like corkscrew, and so that when I do big circles (using the length of my arm and the poi, like for flowers and giant butterfly) they don't hit the floor (in fact they just miss it https://www.homeofpoi.com/gallery/showpho...00&page=1).
Some people do spin with longer chains and I believe there is a purpose for that, but for most spinning you don't want them longer than your own arm.
GOLD Member
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Member
120 posts
Location: Nr Petersfield, United Kingdom
Posted:
I think while you get nice big circles with long-chain poi, you lose out on being able to do things like the corkscrew or buzzsaw, and so they limit you somewhat. I use poi that are 22" long, and I'm 1.7m tall, whatever that is in feet
and they are custom-length from here.
Basically, I agree with kash.
I think while you get nice big circles with long-chain poi, you lose out on being able to do things like the corkscrew or buzzsaw, and so they limit you somewhat. I use poi that are 22" long, and I'm 1.7m tall, whatever that is in feet
and they are custom-length from here. Basically, I agree with kash.
GOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
Posted:
long chains are good for thru-wraps, and you can always shorten them them by wrapping them around your hands. As for chain, I usually go with SS ball chain because it feels a lot nicer (to me anyway) than most other chains. Also you can get poi with long chains, then cut the links to the desired length when you work out the best length for you.
long chains are good for thru-wraps, and you can always shorten them them by wrapping them around your hands. As for chain, I usually go with SS ball chain because it feels a lot nicer (to me anyway) than most other chains. Also you can get poi with long chains, then cut the links to the desired length when you work out the best length for you.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
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newbie
17 posts
17 posts
Posted:
I have seen a nice looking pair of poi on eBay at this link:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V...A%3AIT&rd=1
I might go for these as they can make the chains to whatever length you want within reason and seem to be quite well-made. They are also much cheaper than I thought they would end up being!
What do you all think? They look pretty safe to me, they use quicklinks and heavy duty swivels and state the breaking strain of each on their official website. However, they don't say how strong the chains are which is a little worrying although from the pictures they look pretty strong. They also use leather for handles which is good as I read somewhere that nylon ones can melt and cause injuries.
Does anyone else have experience of buying fire poi on eBay? Is it pretty safe?
I have seen a nice looking pair of poi on eBay at this link:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V...A%3AIT&rd=1
I might go for these as they can make the chains to whatever length you want within reason and seem to be quite well-made. They are also much cheaper than I thought they would end up being!
What do you all think? They look pretty safe to me, they use quicklinks and heavy duty swivels and state the breaking strain of each on their official website. However, they don't say how strong the chains are which is a little worrying although from the pictures they look pretty strong. They also use leather for handles which is good as I read somewhere that nylon ones can melt and cause injuries.
Does anyone else have experience of buying fire poi on eBay? Is it pretty safe?
GOLD Member
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Pirate Pixie Crew Captain
8,428 posts
Location: Wales
Posted:
Those are Tepooka Fire poi. Tepooka is a reputable company to buy from. In general I wouldn't advise buying fire poi on Ebay, but in this case as they come from Tepooka I'd say you'll be ok.
Those are Tepooka Fire poi. Tepooka is a reputable company to buy from. In general I wouldn't advise buying fire poi on Ebay, but in this case as they come from Tepooka I'd say you'll be ok.
Feed me Chocolate!!! Feed me NOW!
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