Poi Design - General Overview and Thoughts.

Poi Design - General Overview and Thoughts
last updated - 22 Jan '04 - 14:20 GMT

Err, Hi *this might be quite long*

Welcome to the first of what should be the first of a group of topics on poi design.

I'm starting with a general overview mostly as it will give me something to refer to and it really is the most sensible place to start.

Future topics should follow the following sort of system/theme e.g.
Poi Components - Head - Types & Materials
Poi Types - Sock Poi - Basic & Variants

Once a few of the in-depth topics have been written I will re-use this topic to refer to the other topics. This might work, it might not.

Here goes....*gulp*

Poi Types - Overview
Sock Poi - There a quite a few variations of this type, although the all are similar to the design of a juggling/swinging club. The most significant variation that I know of is stretchy and non-stretchy.

Ribbon Poi - Perhaps the most common type of daylight poi used. Looks pretty, damned hard to use compared to the Sock Poi though.

Glowstick Poi - Pretty much the lightest and smallest of poi types, very good for doing recoil combos. Bear a significant similarity to Sock Poi.

Fire Poi - Hugely varied in designs and components.

Flag Poi - This is the only other significant variation in design and bears a similarity to Ribbon Poi. I have never used this type but believe them to be the least useful.

Now the above list hasn't really stated anything amazing and as this is an enourmous topic I will undoubtedly make mistakes.

Poi Components - Overview
Head - The heavy bit, be it; a kevlar rope monkey fist knot, an aerotech globall, a dog toy, a split tennis ball, lentils, whatever.

Handle - The bit you hold.

:roll: Body :roll: - The flexible part that connects the Head to the Handle
(you know the chain/string/whatever. OK I made the name up, sorry if you don't like it but it's the only generic term I could think of)

Connections - The bits that connect it all to one another.

And again nothing amazingly intersting there but bear with me, I might get somewhere.

Using different components with a type of poi will have marked effects on how the poi performs and will make certain types of moves easier, try doing any hyperloop other than the 'outside across the body' with Ribbon Poi and even that is incredibly hard.

Right, that's not what I thought I was going to end up with when I started but I think it might work.

If there is anything people would like to say or add to this please do

Next Topic Poi Components - Handles - Materials & Types