Flag Poi in the Wind

(Sorry if this is a repeat topic, didn't see one already up.)

I have a pair of Dual Color Flags from HoP. I bought them this past June as my first (and currently only) poi. I desperately wanted flag poi because of my experience in color guard (apologies for the cheesy music, but the video is good). However, now I can't even practice with them because of the wind! Perhaps it's due to my own inexperience, but I find even just a light breeze can mess up more precise moves like the butterfly and make other moves rather awkward and one-sided. Imagine doing a windmill or fountain, just to have the wind wrap the nylon flag around your face. Not fun!

I also have a problem with the flag tangling up on itself when I switch directions, and it does not untangle even with the swivel. Instead, I have to stop and untangle it by hand, shake it furiously until it untangles by itself, or just deal with it being tangled and hope it eventually unravels.

Again, it could just be my inexperience, but does anyone have any ideas or advice to make spinning flag poi a little less frustrating? I also plan on buying FlowToy's Crystal Poi next month. Would adding a flowmass help keep them steady in the wind?

Thanks for the help
~Laasya, the fox in socks

Flags are heavily influenced by wind, it is one of their most famous characteristics.

This means that a stiff breeze is A Good Thing if you are saluting the flag of your nation with a tear in your eye and with bagpipes tooting mournfully in the background, because otherwise it will just sag limply from the flagpole puncturing the emotional gravitas of the scene.

HOWEVER if you wish to manipulate a flag in geometric patterns then wind is a Pain In The Arse. Heavier flags are less influenced by wind, but they are also heavier which is kinda lame.

If you do NEED to spin flags in the wind, perhaps due to some kind of wager, or forfeit, then i would suggest making sure your planes are aligned with the wind, rather than being perpendicular to it, as shown in this useful diagram:


Flags are prone to twisting and tangling, i've found that spinning them in isolated circles is good for untangling, although it has to be in the correct direction or it will just twist up even more.

Those crystal poi do not look like they would have trouble with wind, but i am not fully privy to the secrets of crystals and their mystic vibration so i cannot say for sure. i also know nothing of THE FLOWMASS other than i find its presence sinister and unsettling.

Considering the resistance of the nylon silk* through the air slows the poi down quite a bit as it is, heavier flags sound rather miserable. I wonder if using graphite lame or gossamer silks instead of nylon would help any. Maybe if I want to go back to flag poi in the future, I'll look into buying the angel wing flags.

*For clarification, 'silk' refers to the flag part of the poi, not to the material.

As for the flowmass, it's just a weight Sean and Prisna designed for their LED poi. It's a transparent weight that you slide onto your crystal or flow poi to make it heavier without disrupting the pretty lights. Think of the crystal poi like spinning a glowstick on a string. Then think of the crystal poi + flowmass like spinning a glowstick on a string with a fishing weight attached to the glowstick.

Thanks for the input! You both helped me and brightened my day with a couple laughs. Good job
(and your picture is fantastic!)

the FairyWings Flags dont tangle and roll themselves up, cause they have a special antirolling piece..they dont make flapping noise and are better to play in wind than silkflags as the organza fabric is better for that.
They fly excact and effortless.

You can see them in Videos here:
http://fairywings.de/videos