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Light-Up LED Pom Poms
Metallic streamers with LEDs built into the pom, a rechargeable pack, and one remote that changes the whole team’s color at once.
$145 USD per pair
For coaches whose squad performs under the lights and in lights-down moments: our LED pom poms keep metallic streamers, so they flash like a metallic set under floodlights, and diodes built into the pom keep the formation lit when the lights drop. One remote changes every pair. Team pricing is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs.
How do metallic, plastic and LED poms compare?
| Plastic (vinyl) | Metallic | LED | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streamer | Matte vinyl | Vinyl with a foil-style reflective coating | Metallic streamers |
| Bright afternoon | True colour | Can look washed out | Like metallic; the diodes show less in sun |
| Gym or stadium lights | True colour | Mirror-style flash | Metallic flash plus lit colour |
| Lights down | Dark | Dark | Lit, by diodes built into the pom |
| Colour | Fixed | Fixed | Any colour by remote |
| Best for | Practice, sideline, youth | Competition and games under lights | Night games, lights-down moments, theme nights |
Plastic and metallic details are from Varsity (sources: Varsity Shop: metallic vs solid poms, Varsity Shop: metallic vs holographic vs vinyl poms).
Are mylar pom poms different from metallic pom poms?
Two poms sold as “metallic” can be built differently: Mylar is one of the best-known trade names for BoPET, a stretched polyester film that is also metallised for products such as metallic balloons and emergency blankets (source: Wikipedia: BoPET), while Varsity describes its metallic poms as vinyl strands with a reflective, foil-style coating (source: Varsity Shop: metallic vs solid poms). Before you order a squad set, ask the supplier what the streamer actually is, how it holds up to creasing and how it is cleaned.
Mylar® is a trademark of Mylar Specialty Films (source: Mylar Specialty Films trademarks). Neon Cowboys is not affiliated with it.
When do metallic poms beat plastic ones?
- Indoor competition: Varsity calls metallic the stronger choice under arena and gym lighting, where the coating picks up every overhead light.
- Games under the lights: the flash reads on every motion.
- Day games and pep rallies: solid vinyl holds its shade in sun, gym fluorescents or overcast skies, and metallic can look washed out on a bright afternoon.
- Budget: solid is the lower-cost option for bulk orders.
Many teams use solid poms for practice and metallic for game day (source: Varsity Shop: metallic vs solid poms).
What happens to metallic poms when the lights go down?
A metallic pom is a mirror. It flashes only while a light hits it, so in a lights-down intro, a fourth-quarter light show or a blackout it goes as dark as any other pom. That is the moment a game-night routine is built around, and the moment a reflective set disappears. See why poms look different under floodlights than in a dark gym and lights-out intro ideas.
LED poms keep metallic streamers, so under full lights they flash like a metallic set, and when the lights drop the diodes built into the pom, some poking past the streamer tips, keep the formation visible.
Should LED poms replace metallic poms or sit beside them?
| Programme | A sensible set-up |
|---|---|
| Day games only | Plastic for practice, metallic for games |
| Night games and indoor basketball | Plastic for practice, LED for games |
| Theme nights every season | One LED set switched by remote: team colours, pink, lavender |
| Two-colour school | LED split sets: the raised pom one colour, the low pom another |
| Tight budget, big roster | LED for the front line or seniors first, metallic for the rest |
An LED set does the metallic job under the lights and the lit job when they drop, so it can replace the metallic game set rather than sit beside it. The Purdue Golduster Dance Team, the dance line of the Purdue “All-American” Marching Band, ordered 24 pairs in September 2026 and performed with them on the field.
How do you care for metallic and LED poms through a season?
- Don’t pack them tight: metallic strands can crease under heavy gear, and creases dull the finish.
- Store flat or hang by the handle.
- Fluff by hand before each use, and air-dry completely before storage if they get wet (source: Varsity Shop: metallic vs solid poms).
- For LED poms, the coach keeps the remotes, every pack is charged the night before and each pair is checked before warm-up.
- Label each pair with the athlete’s name.
How many pairs should a squad order?
One pair per athlete who carries poms, plus two spares in the same order; pairs from separate orders rarely match exactly. At our team rate of $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs:
| Group | Pairs | Cost at the team rate |
|---|---|---|
| Dance team of 12 | 14 | $1,680 |
| Varsity squad of 16 | 18 | $2,160 |
| College squad of 24 | 26 | $3,120 |
| Cheer and dance together, 30 | 32 | $3,840 |
If you would otherwise buy a metallic game set plus a second colour for theme nights, count both against one LED set.
What should you ask a pom supplier before ordering?
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the streamer made of? | Metallic and mylar-style poms are not all built the same |
| Can every pair come from one order? | Pairs from separate orders rarely match exactly |
| How much does each pom weigh? | Full routines with heavy poms tire arms; ours are 7 oz |
| Does it light, and where is the light? | A single light in the handle reads as a dot; diodes built into the pom read as a lit pom |
| Can the colour change? | One set for team colours and theme nights |
| Is there team pricing? | Ours is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs |
How do you order a pom set for the squad?
Email or DM us with the squad size, team colours, whether you want split sets and your first game date. We make our light-up products ourselves and will tell you plainly what fits your date. See team orders for how a group order works.
Frequently asked questions
What are metallic pom poms?
Cheer poms with shiny streamers. Varsity’s are vinyl strands with a reflective, foil-style coating that flashes under lights.
Are metallic or plastic pom poms better for cheer?
Plastic (vinyl) holds a true colour in daylight and costs less in bulk; metallic flashes under gym and stadium lights. Many teams use plastic for practice and metallic for games.
Are mylar pom poms the same as metallic pom poms?
They give the same shiny look, but construction varies. Mylar is a trade name for a polyester film; ask the supplier what the streamer is.
Do metallic pom poms show up at night?
Only while a light hits them. In a lights-down moment they go dark; LED poms stay visible.
How should metallic pom poms be stored?
Flat or hung by the handle, never packed tight under heavy gear, and fully dry.
How much do LED pom poms cost for a squad?
Our team rate is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs. A squad of 16 with two spares is 18 pairs, or $2,160 at that rate.
See also: cheer pom poms buying guide, iridescent vs LED pom poms, floodlights vs a dark gym, every pom pom type compared and team orders.
Sources: Varsity Shop: metallic vs solid poms, Varsity Shop: metallic vs holographic vs vinyl poms, Wikipedia: BoPET, Mylar Specialty Films trademarks.
Questions: info@neoncowboys.com.
