My Experience At ESSX

[OAKPV2004]

All I know is that I started using ESSX poles last year and PR'ed by 9" on them within 2 weeks. I have seen the new Carbons and im very excited to start jumping on them. I have used alot of diffrent brands of poles and ESSX poles are diffrent then other poles in the way that the bend (higher), i you haven't used one I reccomend you try one if you get the chance. Im not saying that I dont use other poles, or other people should only use ESSX but Im just saying that they have worked real well for me.

[Skyin' Brian]

thats the great thing about competition between manufacturers. they are all out trying to make the best product that will help us jump higher. of course the pole makes a difference. this is the only event in track where your implement actually helps you. hurdles are obstacles, shots, javelins, just projectiles.
fiberglass is obviously better than bamboo, steel.
sometimes its about what works better for the vaulter, be it UCS or Pacer(gill rocks). or sometimes it is about what works better for the level of experience of the vaulter: skypole, pacer, carbonfx.
there is a reason that we take such care in pole selection. of course, once you have your series of poles, then all that matters is hauling a** down that runway and sticking the pole in the box.

[jhesch]

I think that while a new pole obviously isn't going to add speed or strength to a person nor give them a pr of 2 feet higher, I think it's the ability of the pole to help harness a person's talent and potential that makes different poles better. To completely disregard different manufacturing methods and brands and depend solely on one's own talent i think is a little off. For example, if someone is very fast, has a strong and fast swing, perhaps he or she would be better off on a carbon-fx and make use of the faster unbending of the pole. or a novice vaulter would make better use of a skypole in order to help match their slower swing. Or if someone's looking for a system of consistency between poles without bothering with flex numbers it seems ESSX would be a good choice. Then comes convenience, in which people have extra money that they use on accessories or other types of poles. for example, from what I hear, ESSX Carbons are designed to match regular ESSX fiberglass on performance, but they are lighter. while this weight decrease most likely won't affect pr's, it does make the vault (or run, rather) more comfortable.

what I'm trying to get at is that while pole brands don't necessarily affect major gains or decreases in heights, the differences throughout companies make it easier for different vaulters to find which properties of different brand's poles help them the most, and I think it is the company that meets most needs of vaulters that tend to be more successful. in other words, universal properties that aid all vaulters (i.e. weight of pole, consistancy between different sizes, pole diameter, availability, etc.)

it is also these differences between companies that help provide many personal preferences to be met and allowing different companies to have competition, therefore making changes throughout the years in order to meet vaulter's needs.

[Bruce Caldwell]

HOW did the ESSX vaulters finish up this year??? Let us know how much your progressed???

We are located in Fort Worth TX any one who wishes to tour the factory may do by writing us. Bruce@essxsport.com
Also you get to sign in the board with your name and PR.

Ask anyone who has taken our tour as to how much hands on we provide about infomtion on pole making?

[Rhino]

I have been hoping for a trip to Dallas/Ft. Worth so I could tour the XLogic factory, and I had business here this week, so it finally happened. I tell you, it was better than a trip to the fair! I am from the same part of the world (Northwest Missouri) as Bruce, and first heard of him when I was in High School (He wrote the book, The Elusive Bar, which I never got to read until he published it on the Internet). Bruce opened up on a Sunday afternoon and gave me a tour that was well worth the trip. Though there weren't any poles being made today, he walked me through the whole process, from design through flexing. Anyone who gets to the area should make a point of visiting.

[txpolevaulter_k25]

i went at the start of the summer, and i felt like they were trying to help me get the right pole instead of just selling a pole. Very friendly environment, and interesting, although they weren't making poles, but i will most likely be going down there again to get my next pole.

[pv161]

I agree it has much more to do with the vaulter then the brand of pole. I have jumped on most brands at one time or another and have found that once the pole hits the back of the box I don't notice much difference between brands. I have an odd selection of poles in my bag including pacer carbons, regular pacers, and a few accelerators. I think KC fiber/accelerator was a great pole, too bad they wern't able to stay in business. as far as pacer carbons or any carbon pole for that matter being fragile I jumped on a 14'6" 175 pacer carbon this weekend thats probably older then some of you reading this. most of the white tape has flaked off and it has a few scars, a really ugly pole . been using it a long time, been a great pole. I have used a few essx poles from short approach and liked them, haven't come across one big enough for full approach to try out yet.

[Bruce Caldwell]

Enjoyed your visit and talking about vaulter we mutually know!

thanks txpolevaulter_k25 for your kind words I look forward to seeing you again too.

pv161 Your comments welcome also and you are invited to come for a visit anytime.
I was talkng with Danial Ryland the other day and he was in Europe at a place where the pit was lousy and the box was werird. all the vaulters were bailing out after 530 he was jumping 563. They wanted to know why he was not having the problems others were having. he showed them that the bottom of his ESSX poles had very little scratches at the bottom of the pole . Infact some had none at all.
It was like his pole never touched the back of the box as they are stiffer in the butt than other poles that bend low.
he said his ESSX are made correctly the way you need to jump.
So when you said

"have found that once the pole hits the back of the box I don't notice much difference between brands"

Iwanted to tell you the story as once you plant an ESSX in the box from there it is totally different than any other pole. When you get on a stiffer ESSX you will be able to confirm this.
PS the ovens and maderal we have are the KC fiber/accelerator equipment we bought and updraded !!!

[AR01]

I've been wondering why ESSX uses such odd weight ratings. For example, 151.8 lbs or less. Can anyone answer this for me?

[rainbowgirl28]

I've been wondering why ESSX uses such odd weight ratings. For example, 151.8 lbs or less. Can anyone answer this for me?

They do their ratings in kilograms and then convert them to pounds.

[Bruce Caldwell]

We use a rating system that is divisible by 10 which is the metric system.
We do not round the weights off such as a 118.8 is a 54 kilo and a 121.0 is a 55 kilo others may call a 55 kilo a 120 lbs pole.
But when you get to 64=140.0, 65= 143.0, 66=145.2, 67= 147.4, 68=149.6, & 69=151.8 then it seems more logical rather than a 140 a 145 & a 150 as in other lines. IT is of course more logical to have a vaulter who is 143 lbs to be able to use a pole that fits.

BRUCE
www.officialessx.com see the right pole
Model Conversion Chart
KG LBS KG LBS
35 77.0 68 149.6
36 79.2 69 151.8
37 81.4 70 154.0
38 83.6 71 156.2
39 85.8 72 158.4
40 88.0 73 160.6
41 90.2 74 162.8
42 92.4 75 165.0
43 94.6 76 167.2
44 96.8 77 169.4
45 99.0 78 171.6
46 101.2 79 173.8
47 103.4 80 176.0
48 105.6 81 178.2
49 107.8 82 180.4
50 110.0 83 182.6
51 112.2 84 184.8
52 114.4 85 187.0
53 116.6 86 189.2
54 118.8 87 191.4
55 121.0 88 193.6
56 123.2 89 195.8
57 125.4 90 198.0
58 127.6 91 200.2
59 129.8 92 202.4
60 132.0 93 204.6
61 134.2 94 206.8
62 136.4 95 209.0
63 138.6 96 211.2
64 140.8 97 213.4
65 143.0 98 215.6
66 145.2 99 217.8
67 147.4 100 220.0