Buying a pole...

[birdi_gurlie]

Okay, my parents said they'd buy me a pole {they figure that buying a pole would only cost a little more than renting one and then driving to pick it up/drop it back off} but I have to do the research.

Can anyone explain the differences in the different brands?

If it helps any, I'm a right-over-100lb sophomore, 5'3" tall, and my PR is 6'0" twice. Also, I am lifting weights now, {I need it...last year, when I asked what I should do to help me vault, my coach and the weight training advisor both said, "EAT MEAT."} so I'm looking for one in the 110 range. I am now getting 5'6", but that's with a messed up plant {I'm working on practicing that...we got a PVC pipe to help me work on my plant.} and holding 2 hand holds lower than last year. Also, at the moment, I'm straightpoling it, but thats partially because the lightest we have, I can't bend {12'6" 120 Pacer Mystic.}

Here are some that we are thinking about buying: {not nec. these heights or from these places}
http://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/ ... ryID_E_202
http://www.gillathletics.com/GillItemVi ... ID=T100110
http://www.gillathletics.com/GillItemVi ... SID=732503

Any advice on the height to get would be awesome...etc...

[rainbowgirl28]

Get an 11'110, but warn your parents that as you get better you'll eventually need more poles.

10' and 10'6" poles are great, but until you are jumping high enough to bend an 11' pole, it really doesn't matter much which pole you use. With shorter poles, they generally only rate them in 20lb increments, so a 10'6" 110 Pacer could really be anywhere from 110lbs to 129 lbs.

If you can get two poles, get an 11'110 and 11'6 110. If you can get three get an 11'110, 11'6 110, and 12'110. I would stick with Gill poles because they have the most variety in both length and weights for 12'6 and shorter poles. Gill brands are Mystic, Skypoles, and PacerFX. Lady Rocket = Mystic.

That is my advice. In my relatively short coaching career (several years) I have worked with a LOT of beginner girls, and have used 10', 10'6", and 11' poles quite a bit. I have also jumped on all of these poles myself.

[birdi_gurlie]

Yeah, they know that. They said that the price of buying a pole {at the height I'm at especially} would be almost the same as renting one and then driving there and back 4 times. {once to pick it up, come home, drop it back off, come home.} And this way, I'd get it for the same price and our school could use it.

Also, my dad said that the chances of me gaining enough so I hit 110lbs in a year is non existent bc one of his ex-gfs was 5'4" and 110-ish and I am NOT built like her in any way shape or form.

[sanoh]

Just my "2 cents".

not sure if you have a coach that know's the vault, if you do then great. I assume you don't, being your school does not have any thing smaller than a {12'6" 120 Pacer Mystic.} Most colleges around this area has smaller poles than that. atleast shorter.

but thats ok, I did't have a coach either when I started vaulting. with this site you can get alot of informaton, I would recomed buying a pole vault video, I really like the beginner to buka, but their are others out there.
If you don't have a coach, make a coach, maybe fellow pole vaulter, friend, family member. you can teach them what to look for as you vault. My dad was my coach. I went to Jan Johnson Sky Jummpers back in the late 80's and learned all I could. I then taught my dad a few things to look for. Now he can not coach a vaulter. but he could watch my take off, drive knee and things like that. It was a great help. I think you are on the right track by being on this site, there is alot of great ideas here. I know I've learned alot. Thanks every one.


As far as poles go, have have bouht them all except Nordic. I've bought the rocket, sky pole, fiber sport essex, pacers, pacer fx spirits, ms stick altius. I usually buy them direct from the manufacturer. But not always. They can help you with an exact weight you are looking for. "using their flex #'s". I have also bought them used off people on this site. Great Deals here!!!!!!!!!!

couple ideas, if you do out grow your pole, you can always sell it. the size you are looking for is in demand and people are always looking for those sizes. or, if you parents buy the poles and donate them to the school they can get a tax write off on the price of the pole, not shipping though.

you can also check around other schools thay may have one you can borrow. I know I have lent many poles to other schools. high school and college. I have around 160 poles.

for my vaulters around your weight and height. "100lb sophomore, 5'3" tall". and the height you are vaulting, "my PR is 6'0" twice".

I have them on 10' 100lb altius pole and with time and practice move them to the 110lb then to the 120lb pole. Each vaulter improves at different rates depending on ability. I love these 10' altius poles.
It is easy to teach a vaulter how to jump on there weight of pole and move up 20 lbs of stiffness.
if you were to get this pole I would recomend getting 1 at least 10 lbs over your weight, I have found. you may out grow these poles quickly, but this is good. This is an expensive sport. but very fun.
This is what I have
1 altius 10' 60 lbs $210.00 2008
2 ms stick 10' 70 lbs $245.00 2005
3 altius 10' 80 lbs $165.00 2007
4 altius 10' 90 lbs $165.00 2007
5 altius 10' 100 lbs $165.00 2007
6 altius 10' 110 lbs $165.00 2007
7 altius 10' 120 lbs $165.00 2007

I have a set of 10' 8" spirit poles but I have found in my own coaching experience I don't like this set of poles they seem harder for the vaulters to learn on. What I have are 75 90 100 110 and 120lbs. I did have one 8th grade girl go 8' 6" on one. but only her. I later moved her to an 11' 6" spirit, she went 9' 6" to take 2nd at the Ohio state Jr high track meet. over 10' but just kept dropping her leg down on the bar. She is holding about 6" down form the weith lable on a 110lb and 120. she is 100lbs about 5' 5" I love the 11' 6" poles.
Altius has a set of 10' 8" poles which I'm planning on getting for this up comming track season. I think they will be a great fit for my pole progression.
their web site is http://www.altiusintl.com

I don't work for any of these companies, I just love the sport of pole vault, I'm a coach, who has spent alot of money enjoying this sport. and have tried all kinds of poles and this system works best for me. others may have a different opinion.If they post here I would listen to them too. for I am only 1 coach and I don't know every thing. I coach in Ohio and we don't have the best weather during most of the track season. so I looked for the best method to teach my vaulters with the time I have with them.

Once they have mastered the 10's I move them to 11' pink ms stick, or my sticks gill changed lables a few years back. here I have the older poles which the weight lable is 4"s down from the top of the pole. they are now at the top of the pole. which my 90lb is, giving you the ability to hold higher on them. With the moving of the lable the gill ms stick is about the same as the 11' 6" spirit pole. These are great poles too. some of my younger boys don't like the color, but hey the poles work.

This is what I have
8 ms stick 11' 60 lbs $267.00 2002
9 ms stick 11 '70 lbs $267.00 2002
10 ms stick 11' 80 lbs $267.00 2002
11 ms stick 11' 90 lbs $290.00 2008
12 ms stick 11' 100 lbs $267.00 2002
13 ms stick 11' 110 lbs $267.00 2002
14 ms stick 11' 120 lbs $267.00 2002
15 ms stick 11' 130 lbs $267.00 2002
16 ms stick 11' 140 lbs $267.00 2002
I had a 7th grade girl who is about 5' 5" 90lbs thus why the new 90lb pole I bought this year. she went 8' on the 11' 110lb pole she started out on the 10's. got to the 10' 120 then to the 11' 90, 100 then 110. she held down about 4" from the top of that pole.

I then move them to the 11' 6" spirit pole. This is also a great pole. Again with gill moving there maximum had grip to the top of the pole, gills 11' pole is about the same as spirits 11' 6" so, if you buy a new ms stick pole I would not recomend buying an 11' 6" spirit, or other way around. if you buy a spirit 11' 6" I wouldn't by a 11' my stick. hand grip is close to the same. I move them, boys or girls, to this length first of all when they can handle the pole safely. and they can clear atleast 8' 6" with something that looks like a vault. lol.
this is what I have.
spirit 11' 6" 75 lbs 2007 $246.00
spirit 11' 6" 90 lbs 2001 $233.00
spirit 11' 6" 100 lbs 2002 $241.00
spirit 11' 6" 110 lbs 2008 $244.00
spirit 11' 6" 110 lbs 2005 $270.00
spirit 11' 6" 120 lbs 2001 $233.00
spirit 11' 6" 130 lbs 2001 $233.00
spirit 11' 6" 140 lbs 2001 $258.00
I like to keep my vaulter on this length until they can clear around 10', and atleast 10lbs over there weitht usually 20lbs but not always, depending on the vaulter. no two vaulter are the same.
I have 2 eight grade girls i'm working with 1 got on 12' 140 "she weighs bout 115lbs" pole and 1 went to a 13' spirit holding 6" down. but they are not ordinary, 1 is a great gymnist she went 10' 6" and close to 11' the other one is 6' tall 130lbs and can get on a 13' easily, great take off but has problems swinging to the top and staying there, flags out, working on that though. she can go 10 easy but after that , who knows, her goal is 12' personally I would like to see 11' but I don't tell her that. I have 3 real good 8th graders, now freshman, I have two juniors now that there best jumps are 9' as sophmors, I fell bad for them. they need to put it in gear. they are still on the 11'6" spirits.

I have mostly spirits up to 14' from 14' 6" 15' 15' 6 and 16's I have pacer carbons, carbon fx, spirits and a couple essex. I like them all. depending on the vaulter. they all work.

good luck in your quest for height.

[birdi_gurlie]

Yeah, our coach does know the vault. He's read a bit and one of our sophomore's got 9'0" at states {twice...but that's not her primary "outdoor" sport} and one of our guys from 2 years ago won states 3 times in a row and one of our girls won states once and would have won it the next time, but she hurt her back. We're a good team. Our school just doesn't like buying poles because it is A. expensive and B. its not a "newspaper" sport, as I call them, {football, soccer, baseball, basketball}

I don't know. I was thinking about going with "http://www.gillathletics.com/GillItemVi ... ID=T100110" in 11'0". But IDK. I think we were going to buy just one pole. I don't know. I haven't been able to find the flex number, but I haven't been able to find them for ANY vaulting pole.

[vcpvcoach]

Just a note. Get to know your local pole rep. My guy in Illinois gives a twenty percent discount.

Also, buy your pole in multiples, ie two, three, four, because you save a ton on shipping. When I order, I get four poles min. shipping is about $110. A single pole is $75.

[rainbowgirl28]

Yeah, our coach does know the vault. He's read a bit and one of our sophomore's got 9'0" at states {twice...but that's not her primary "outdoor" sport} and one of our guys from 2 years ago won states 3 times in a row and one of our girls won states once and would have won it the next time, but she hurt her back. We're a good team. Our school just doesn't like buying poles because it is A. expensive and B. its not a "newspaper" sport, as I call them, {football, soccer, baseball, basketball}

I don't know. I was thinking about going with "http://www.gillathletics.com/GillItemVi ... ID=T100110" in 11'0". But IDK. I think we were going to buy just one pole. I don't know. I haven't been able to find the flex number, but I haven't been able to find them for ANY vaulting pole.

For where you are at, and considering you don't have any poles close to that size, I wouldn't worry about the flex number.

For example, an 11'110 might be any pole with a flex between 28.0 and 26.1 (I have no idea what the #s actually are, I just made those up). So a manufacturer might have 10 in stock: 27.8, 27.5, 27.2, 27.1, 27.1, 27.0, 26.8, 26.7, etc. For little poles like that, it doesn't make that much of a difference where it falls on the scale. A .5 change in flex is huge when you are talking about the poles the guys use in the Olympics, but it is insignificant when talking about short light poles like you'll be using.

[birdi_gurlie]

There are no "local pole reps" or people who sell them or anything.
Thanks for the information about flex numbers.

[rainbowgirl28]

There are no "local pole reps" or people who sell them or anything.
Thanks for the information about flex numbers.

What part of the country do you live in?

[birdi_gurlie]

There are no "local pole reps" or people who sell them or anything.
Thanks for the information about flex numbers.

What part of the country do you live in?

Can I send you a PM?

[rainbowgirl28]

PM away