What Size Flow Prop Do I Need? Staff, Saber, Whip and Rope Lengths

The short version

LED saber

24 inch if you're unsure

The everyday spinning size. 30 inch is the classic contact length.

LED staff

About chin height to start

Six lengths from 23 to 83 inches. Shorter is quicker, longer is bigger.

Fiber optic whip

5.5 ft

Fiber count changes fullness, not reach. Extra Long heads are 7 ft.

LED jump rope

9 ft up to 5 ft 11 in

10 ft for 6 ft 0 in to 6 ft 4 in.

LED saber lengths: 6 to 36 inches

The Saber Kit comes in six blade lengths, and every length is the same build. Longer blades throw a bigger arc and cost a little more; shorter blades are faster in the hand and travel better.

• 6 and 12 inch: short and quick. Doubles, contact work, light painting, and the ones that fit in a bag.
• 18 and 24 inch: the everyday spinning sizes, with enough blade to read on camera without slowing you down.
• 30 and 36 inch: the full-size performance blades. The 30 inch is the classic contact-play length.

Not sure? Start at 24 inch. It's the size most people spin, and it's the one the kit opens on.

Contact sabers are measured differently, because the hilt matters as much as the blade. The Contact Saber Kit takes an 18, 24, 30 or 36 inch blade and is weighted at both ends: on the 24 inch blade it's 39.2 inches long and 911 grams, with its balance right at the buttons. The Forward Balance version is 35.9 inches and 607 grams on the same blade, balanced forward so it leads the turn.

LED staff lengths: 23 to 83 inches

Our LED Staff Kit is two sabers joined back to back on two RGB Critter BT lights, so the staff length follows the tube length you pick:

• (2) 6 inch tubes make a 23 inch staff.
• (2) 12 inch tubes make a 35 inch staff.
• (2) 18 inch tubes make a 47 inch staff.
• (2) 24 inch tubes make a 59 inch staff.
• (2) 30 inch tubes make a 71 inch staff.
• (2) 36 inch tubes make an 83 inch staff.

A common starting point for a spinning or contact staff is one that stands somewhere around your chin when its end is on the floor. Measure from the floor to your chin and pick the closest length: someone around 5 ft 9 in usually lands near the 59 inch staff.

Go shorter if you want speed, tight body moves or easy travel. Go longer if you want big, slow shapes or you're tall. And because the staff is two sabers, it comes apart into a pair whenever you want to spin doubles instead.

Fiber optic whip length: 5.5 ft, whatever the fiber count

A BitWhip is 5.5 ft (168 cm) long. Its fibers are cut at staggered lengths from 6 inches up to the full 5.5 ft, which is what gives the trail its taper.

That means the fiber count, 140, 200 or 300, changes how full the whip looks and how it feels, not how far it reaches. 140 is the lightest and quickest in the hand, 300 is the fullest look, and 200 sits in between. If you want a longer trail, the BitWhip Accessory comes as a 7 ft Extra Long head that twists onto the same light. Our whip buying guide goes deeper on fibers and feel.

LED nunchucks: about a foot per handle

Each handle of the Saber Chucks is an RGB Critter BT with a 6 inch saber tube on the front, which makes it about a foot long, the usual nunchuck size. The two handles are joined by 3 inches of 550 paracord.

Rope lengths: jumping or trailing

• Jump rope: our LED jump rope comes in 9 ft for jumpers from 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 11 in, 10 ft from 6 ft 0 in to 6 ft 4 in. Our LED jump rope guide has the details.
• Jupiter Rope: 3 ft or 6 ft, single-sided on one Critter or double-sided on two, for bikes, backpacks and light trails.

Costume fiber length: measure from the light

Fiber optic costume bundles come in 360 strands at 6 ft, or 500 strands at 6, 8, 10 or 12 ft. To size one, measure from where the light will sit (usually a pouch at the center back) to the farthest point you want to glow, along the path the fibers will actually travel.

The fibers can be cut to any length without affecting brightness, so if you're between sizes, go longer and trim. Our guide to making a fiber optic costume covers the rest.

Flow prop size FAQ

What length LED staff should I get?
A common starting point is a staff that reaches about your chin when it stands on the floor. Our staffs come in 23, 35, 47, 59, 71 and 83 inches, and someone around 5 ft 9 in usually lands near 59 inches.

What size LED saber is best for beginners?
24 inch is the everyday spinning size and a safe first pick. 6 and 12 inch are quicker and travel well; 30 inch is the classic contact length.

How long is a fiber optic whip?
A BitWhip is 5.5 ft (168 cm). A 7 ft Extra Long head is available as the BitWhip Accessory.

Does more fibers mean a longer whip?
No. Fiber count changes how full the whip looks and feels. The length stays 5.5 ft whether you pick 140, 200 or 300 fibers.

What size LED jump rope do I need?
9 ft for jumpers from 5 ft 4 in to 5 ft 11 in, and 10 ft for 6 ft 0 in to 6 ft 4 in.