An amazing upgrade over the basic set

I’ve been fire spinning for just under a year. After my first time spinning with fire, I immediately bought a set of basic fire poi for under £20. These were nice enough as a starter set, allowing me to spin at occasions other than the fire clubs of nearby cities. But as my skills developed, their limitations became apparent.

The problems with my starter set

My first issue was that the heads were small and, when combined with the chains, meant that not much weight was at the end. This made spinning feel different from my homemade practice poi, adding an extra hazard to be aware of.

I also found that as my skills improved and I was able to perform a wider variety of tricks, the burn time became annoyingly short. I’d run out of fuel before I’d run out of performance.

Enter the TechPro Cathedral

The Firetoys TechPro Cathedral Fire Poi are a significant improvement. At around £70 they’re a considerably higher investment than my starter set—probably too much if you’re not sure fire spinning is for you—but I’m delighted I made the upgrade.

The technora cords are lovely and, combined with the heavier heads, mean they behave much more like my practice poi. I’ve found performing tricks much smoother and easier than before. There’s a small section of chain between the head and the technora rope, which is great at letting the heads get dipped into the fuel whilst keeping the fuel off the rope. The chain is long enough to maintain this separation, but short enough not to interfere with the weight distribution or feel of the poi.

The heavier heads don’t feel burdensome—the lack of chains elsewhere actually helps—and I really like the extra weight at the business end.

It’s disappointing how few fire poi are sold with technora from UK suppliers. Even Firetoys seem to sell many more sets with chains rather than rope. I think rope should be the default, possibly with some “budget friendly” chain options for those who want them.

Cathedral flames

The wicks are much larger as well. I’m enjoying the bigger flames and louder roars, though I suspect these would have been quite intimidating for my first few spins. My wife commented on how much brighter the flames were and that they lit up my face better.

I didn’t test the maximum burn time because I ended the burn early using a fire blanket, but it was long enough for me to go through all the tricks I’m currently confident to perform—a marked improvement over my previous set.

Nice touches

The glow-in-the-dark handles are also a nice addition. I prefer holding them over the finger loops and, while I’m not yet ready to start tossing the poi, it’s nice to know that the equipment I have is capable when I am.

One minor inconvenience

My main issue with the new poi isn’t a fault of the poi themselves, but of my setup. I had a small paint tin and fuel container that worked nicely for the old small-headed poi, but the cathedral heads are much larger and don’t fit my existing setup. I need to source larger dipping and fuel storage containers.

Verdict

These are an excellent upgrade. The technora cords, heavier heads, and larger wicks have made spinning more enjoyable and my performances more confident. If you’re past the beginner stage and ready to invest in better equipment, I’d thoroughly recommend them.