Anatomy of a Pom
Looking to understand the many options for Pom Lengths, widths, sizes, and handles? You're in the right place!
The construction of a pom is very simple - yet the options are endless!
A pom consists of two main parts - the strands and the handle. The handle helps define the shape of the pom, the strands are what give the pom its unique look.
Poms are all measured the same way - by the length and the width of their strands--for instance 6” (long) x 3/4” (wide) or 12” (long) x 3/16” wide and so on. The shorter and wider the strands are, the less movement you will have in the pom. The longer and narrower the strands are, the more movement you will have.
Strand Lengths
Show Poms and Competition Poms can be made with strand lengths from 4" - 12". The longer the strand, the more movement the pom will have. Classic Narrow Streamer Poms are also available in 15" and 18" lengths.
Performance and competitive teams that want control typically choose 4" - 6" poms. And, anything goes for cheering on your favorite team!
Ordering Poms with Baton Handles: The image shows poms with baton handles. Strands are added to both sides of the handle to achieve a fluffy, circular pom. If you want a 10" diameter pom, order 5" strands.
Ordering Poms with Kap, Dowel, Cheer, Shaker & Block Handles: The pom strands hang from the a single point on the handle. If you want a 5" pom, order 5" strands.
Note: Precise strand length can vary due to how the material is secured into the handle.
Strand Widths
You'll notice in our Custom Poms menu that we categorize Poms by Strand Width.
- Narrow Streamer Poms - 3/16" wide strands
- Show Poms - 1/2", 3/4" and 1" wide strands.
- Competition POWER POMS - 1.5" and 2" wide strands.
Select a Strand Width Size from the Slider Below to compare!
3/16"
Narrow Streamer Poms
These Classic Cut Poms are making a come back! They have maximum movement, perfect for cheering on your favorite teams.
- Strand Lengths of 4" to extra long 18"
- Strand Counts of 2,000 to 8,000
Click Here to Design Your Own!
1/2"
Narrow Show Poms
If you are looking for Show Poms with maximum movement, 1/2" is the right choice! Available in:
- 4" to 12" Strand Lengths (the longer the strand, the more movement
- All Styles and Materials
Click Here to Design Your Own!
3/4"
Standard Show Poms
3/4" is traditionally the most popular width for Show Poms. In our Pom Design Tool you'll design with images that have 3/4" strands.
Our exclusive tool makes it easy for you to experiment with and visualize millions of different color and material options!
Enjoy Designing!
1"
Wide Show Poms
1" wide Show Poms offer a happy medium between movement and stiffness. The wider the strand, the less it moves.
You can achieve more or less movement with any width of Pom by adjusting the length of the strands. The longer the strand, the more movement.
1.5"
"PX-Pro" Competition POWER POMS
We're excited to offer an all-new 1 1/2" width Competition Pom. We call it the PX-Pro, because it's inspired by our very own clients!
The PX-Pro offers yet more stiffness than the 1" width Poms while being more affordable than 2" Superwide Poms. We recommend shorter strands of 4"-5" to achieve the least amount of movement.
Click Here to Design Your Own!
2"
SuperWide Competition POWER POMS
At the top-end of stiffness are 2" Superwide Poms. These have been a favorite of competitive Dance and Pom teams in recent years.
We recommend keeping the length 4"-5" for optimal stiffness and least movement.
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Full Size vs Junior & Lite Show Poms - What's the Difference?
With most Custom Pom Styles, we offer Full-Size, Junior-Size and Lite-Size options which vary in strand count and define the fullness of a Pom.
- Junior Poms have 75% of the strands as a Full size Pom in the same style. All Junior Poms are custom-made.
- Lite Poms have 50% of the strands as a Full size Pom in the same style. Lite Poms can be custom-designed and we offer some Quick Ship Styles here.
Savings Tip: It can be more economical to order Junior or Lite poms in some cases as the difference in appearance minimal. And, you can add both Glitter and Flash to any Pom!
Lite
Example
Size: Lite, 512 Strands
Style: Solid Plastic with Metallic Flash
Materials: Neon Pink Plastic with Silver Metallic Flash
In Stock to Quick Ship Here
Lite
Example
Size: Lite, 512 Strands
Style: Solid Plastic with Single Glitter
Materials: Denver Orange Plastic with Silver Metallic Glitter
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Lite
Example
Size: Lite, 512 Strands
Style: 2-Color Metallic Pom Ball (No Handle)
Materials: Kelly Green and Royal Blue Metallic
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Junior
Custom Example
Size: Junior, 678 Strands
Style: Solid Plastic with Single Glitter
Material: Bright Gold Plastic and Purple Metallic Glitter
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Junior
Example
Size: Junior, 768 Strands
Style: Half and Half with Alternating Glitter
Materials: Royal Blue and Gold Metallic
Click Here to Design your Own!
Junior
Example
Size: Junior, 768 Stramds
Style: 2" Superwide 2-Color Mix
Materials: Purple Crystal and Gold Shimmer Specialty
Design Your Own Here!
Full
Heading
Size: Full, 1024 Strands
Style: Plastic 3-Color Mix
Materials: Navy, White & Bright Blue Plastic
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Full
Example
Size: Full, 1024 Strands
Style: Solid Wet Look with Single Glitter
Materials: White Wet Look with Green Metallic Glitter
Click Here to Design Your Own!
Full
Heading
Size: Full, 1024 Strands
Style: Laser with Double Glitter
Materials: Laser with Blue Shimmer Specialty Glitetr
Click Here to Design Your Own!
What are Pom Balls?
Pom Balls do not have handles. Instead they optionally come with an adjustable elastic strap that can be attached to the hand, finger, wrist or even ankle!
They are ideal for "no-hands" performances or when dropping poms is a risk, such as with Cheer Flyers and acrobatic performances.
Unique characteristics of Pom Balls:
- They have 1/2 the strands of Full-Size Show Poms, with a similar look to Lite-Size.
- The diameter of your Poms will be double the Strand Length. So a 5" Pom Ball will be approximately 10" in diameter. (Whearas a 5" Show Pom with a Baton Handle will be a couple inches larger in diameter due to the handle).
- They are a lighter weight, lighter cost option than Show Poms. And, without a handle to grab, they also make an excellent choice for Junior cheer and dance clinics.
Pom Handles
We have a large selection of Pom Handles available for custom poms! Our descriptions explain the best use for each handle type.
Baton
Baton handles facilitate the shape of round, fluffy Poms, which are by far the most popular for Dance and Pom Performances.
Baton Elastic
A Baton handle with an elastic strap can be a good option for beginners. It can take practice to learn how to securely hold a Pom!
Double Baton
Provides more handle length for holding the Pom. We recommend only using with 7" streamers or longer so the streamers will touch in the center when fluffed.
Block
Designed to hold a lot of Streamers! Perfect for use with Narrow Streamer Poms with 7,000 - 8,000 Streamers. 4 5/8” wide rectangular handle with large 1” diameter sturdy plastic loop.
Kap
Designed for smaller poms. Standard Handle for all of our Quick Ship, In Stock Lite Show Poms. 1 3/4” long x 1 3/8” diameter handle with attached slender elastic band.
Dowel
A Smaller version of a Standard Elastic handle that works well for smaller hands. 2 3/4” long x 1 1/8” diameter handle with attached slender elastic band.
Cheer Elastic
Like the Block, the Cheer Elastic handle is designed for use on large poms. 3 1/2” long x 1 3/8” diameter handle with attached slender elastic band.
Cheer Loop
Same length as the Cheer Loop, 3 1/2", but with loops to secure the hand vs. an elastic. Also designed for use on large poms.
Shaker
Best used on smaller poms and great for "shaking"! 4 3/4” long x 1 ” d. handle with attached slender elastic band.
Pom Ball - Adjustable Elastic Strap
White elastic band is attached to the metal clip holding the Pom together. The strap can adjust to finger, palm, wrist or ankle width.