TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Hello ^.^

I am looking to buy my very first REAL poi, I currently practice with weighted tennis balls in tube socks >.>
I have heard so many things about the different pois, but the 2 that intrest me most are the sock poi, and the ball chain poi. A friend said you can do different things with the sock poi that are hard or impossible with the chain, but others have said the chain give them more control and free form or something >.>
This is my first poi, but I plan for it to last along time >.> and hopefully will challange me well, but I can't decide which would be better... I am worried the sock will wear too quickly, but im also worried the chain wont be worth my money if I cant do some things @.@
could someone please share a few opinions to help me along?

Thanks so much,
A very confused girl.

hamamelisBRONZE Member
nut.
756 posts
Location: Bouncing off the walls., England (UK)


Posted:
Um.. stuff like tangles are much harder to do with chain poi (and probably in some cases not really possible.. though I can't really do 'em anyway)

Just wondering- what would you be having on the *end* of the chains?
I mean, if you're planning on spinning fire in the future, getting used to chains will be a good thing- also if you want tail poi I guess- but if you don't plan to spin fire, socks generally are easier- they're more forgiving because they have that bit of stretch. Makes a lot of difference in tangles, wraps, and generally stuff seems easier to learn with socks. I always practice new stuff with them before I try with my chains.

In my opinion, chain gives more control compared to strings, or wires in fire poi- nothing gives you more control than socks.

I haven't bought socks from here- I made my set, but I don't think the wearing is much of an issue (unless you actually *do* wear them..). I've don't think I've seen a set looking tattered.. I've seen more issues with the heads on chain poi breaking.

If you really do get into it though, you'll wind up getting one of each eventually.. wink
Hope that helps..

THE MEEK WILL INHERIT THE EARTH!


If that's okay with you?


HoffSILVER Member
stranger
11 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
Hello smile

both poi have their pro's and con's. sock poi are a more forgiving toy for learning i find. ball chain can pinch your skin when you start wrapping the poi round your arms and legs. and the sock poi are fantastic for wrapping. depending on the pair of socks there is a certain amount of strech in the sock which can lead to the hitting the ground which will trash them, but this can be easily avoided by wrapping the poi round your hands a couple of times. poi on chain do have a nice swing flow to them as you spin however, which makes it easier to spin slowly, the fastest way to learn smile but its not that much harder with sock poi anyway

I would say go with the sock poi for your first pair. the ones with rainbow glowballs are good. but be careful handing them out to drunks, easy way to ruin them.

Hope this helps


hope that helps

If you dive into a bathtub of boiling water with a mirror in the bottom, be careful not to panic or you may forget which way is up and drown


TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
thanks this did help some ^.^

TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
^.^ Thanks for that Hoff, im thinking i probably will get the sock poi ^.^ probably the blue ones >.> cuz i <3 blue
perhaps later i can get a string or ball chian set, when i have had the sock poi for a while.
my main concern with the sock poi was actually the swivel (and about it ruining if it hits the ground) :/ i have seen some sock poi in tutorials that have a swivel after the handle grips, and they seem to flow nicely.

also i was wondering if you or anyone knew if the rainbow LED has different settings, liek fade through colors, strobe and stay on one color. there are ones with different settings on houseofrave.com but they dont look so spiffy and i really want a good pair

Lau_Shadow_BoxerSILVER Member
~ Cup Cakes and Faerie Lights ~
110 posts
Location: Portsmouth, Uk / Kowloon, Hong Kong / Auckland, Ne...


Posted:
SOOOCK POOI!!

I love sock poi! they are just awesome to spin with, and great for the beginner. But I find that more and more I go back to my socks, they just have the most awesome feel to them. And are very easy to counter weight once you get into catch-and-release tricks. All round awesome poi, even if they are not your first set I recommend getting a pair!

"They say it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile; thus smiling is for pansies" - The Short Gorilla

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" - Ace Rimmer


LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
get non-stretchy socks! Stretchy socks are worse for stalls, wraps and throws. Heavier weights make it easier to isolate: but if you learn to isolate lighter poi, it'll make it REALLY easy to isolate heavier poi. Longer poi are better for thru-wraps.

Tangles are just as possible with ball chain as socks, but socks are more forgiving on airwraps whereas chain is more forgiving in extended hyperloops.IMHO.

oh and usually socks are cheaper than chain.

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi


TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
 Written by: LazyAngel


get non-stretchy socks! Stretchy socks are worse for stalls, wraps and throws. Heavier weights make it easier to isolate: but if you learn to isolate lighter poi, it'll make it REALLY easy to isolate heavier poi. Longer poi are better for thru-wraps.

Tangles are just as possible with ball chain as socks, but socks are more forgiving on airwraps whereas chain is more forgiving in extended hyperloops.IMHO.

oh and usually socks are cheaper than chain.




the socks on this site are aparently very stretchy, do you know of a place where i could get some non-stretchy, or lessy stretchy poi? the only seemingly good pair i could find was https://www.happyforestelfsupplies.com.au...lf/Products/505 and they are SO expensive x.x

LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
well...

you could sew some out of cotton (just cut out 2 triangular shapes (a bit like the wide end of a tie but with a flat top) then either put a drawstring at the wide end or sew the weights inside.
Alternatively, get a washing tablet bag, cut the bottom off, sew it VERY securely onto the end of the cotton poi, and you'll have a ready made drawstring. I'm sure there's an article on cone poi construction somewhere..

or you could go to the shops and look for non-stretchy socks (as in actual socks) that are a reasonable length

or you could go to https://www.hyperloop.co.uk/

oh and the socks you linked to are 'Super smooth high-grade nylon lycra ' which probably means they stretch. In fact, they look very similar to the HoP ones.

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi


TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
ya the nylon does stretch, i also found this site https://www.dube.com/poi/lightedsockpoi.php they look promissing but they dont say what they are made of from what i peeked at.. i already have tennis balls in socks, but i really want glowy ones so i can play at night easier and have such fun things.
i suppose if i cant find a really good pair i'll just buy the glow balls them selves and figure out the rest my self.

LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
unfortunately it's quite hard to get non stretch socks for glow poi: that's why I made my own!

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi


Lau_Shadow_BoxerSILVER Member
~ Cup Cakes and Faerie Lights ~
110 posts
Location: Portsmouth, Uk / Kowloon, Hong Kong / Auckland, Ne...


Posted:
 Written by: LazyAngel


Stretchy socks are worse for stalls, wraps and throws.



Maybe i've just gotten used to the stretch in my poi, as everybody that uses them says they feel really odd when thrown etc.. But I dont have a problem with any of these moves.. Each to their own I guess. You've really gotta go out there, try a few pairs and see what works best for you weavesmiley

"They say it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile; thus smiling is for pansies" - The Short Gorilla

"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast" - Ace Rimmer


TalliseBRONZE Member
newbie
8 posts
Location: USA


Posted:
well from the ones i made from socks and tennis balls i know what a non stretch one feel slike, and i friend whos into glowsticking suggested i just get the stretchy ones to try and then i have the LEDs and i have another thing to practice with and such that would be cool for dancing at night :/
its not like im in a rush to get them or anything, lol i have been carefully putting money away so i think i have had lots of patience training, its just so hard to choose something you cant see and hold your self you know..

LazyAngelGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK


Posted:
Lau: the problem being, when you change to chains (for fire or whatever) you then have to get used to non stretch: You can get used to any set of poi, really, but personally I believe in trying to keep constants (not that I haven't had stretchy socks in the past: having used both, it's my opinion that non-stretch is better)

The only way to get exactly what you want is either to give someone specific instructions on what you want to be made, or to make it yourself

Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant

Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.

'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi



Similar Topics

Using the keywords [sock v * chain] we found the following existing topics.

  1. Forums > The joy of sock poi [46 replies]
  2. Forums > Body Poi and Head Poi [8 replies]
  3. Forums > Sock vs chain [13 replies]
  4. Forums > What type of poi do you use?/My socks are stretching out! [18 replies]
  5. Forums > Glowstringing to Fire poi [5 replies]

      Show more..

HOP Newsletter

Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases and more...