The black tape Used by the Europeans

[MightyMouse]

how do you wrap sticky side out?

[2-15-46]

with black friction tape there is no need to ..both sides are sticky

[agapit]

I was wondering what is that black tape that most of the Europeans use. I see vaulters like Yelena and Burgess using and it looks really sticky. Does anyone know what it is?

My god I remember taking 30 min to remove this staff after vaulting. You can do without it. We used it because we did not have a medical tape available it was too expensive. So we used electician's tape with gasoline and some pine glue.

Good grip does give you an advantage. However this black staff is not very good if you need to adjust a hand grip. With this staff you need to take pole with the perfect grip at the beginin of your run up. It is hard to make any adjustments after that.

[htheodore]

Gasoline will get it off of your hands. But why would you want to? A black hand is a good conversation piece. Another good "stickum" is Permatex gasket sealer. It is a red spray that becomes real gummy. I dont recomend it because it has a warning on the label that it caused cancer in lab rats. So dont let your lab rats vault with it!!

[decanuck]

I find it ironic that the rules of the sport allow you to douse your hands in any number of corrosive or carcinogenic chemicals to melt the pole and your hand into one sticky, smelly blob that leaves you light-headed when you inhale too closely, yet it's illegal to wrap more than two layers of tape or to use gloves.


Personally I'd love to vault wearing something like a receiver's glove or mechanic's glove on the top hand. Now THAT would be grippy, AND it wouldn't take off your first layer of skin or give you tumours, not to mention how much more consistent it would be and how much cleaner it would leave your poles.

[VTechVaulter]

i used to wear a receivers glove, idont think it violates ncaa policy. in fact i wore it at a regional meet. they dont last long though

I find it ironic that the rules of the sport allow you to douse your hands in any number of corrosive or carcinogenic chemicals to melt the pole and your hand into one sticky, smelly blob that leaves you light-headed when you inhale too closely, yet it's illegal to wrap more than two layers of tape or to use gloves.


Personally I'd love to vault wearing something like a receiver's glove or mechanic's glove on the top hand. Now THAT would be grippy, AND it wouldn't take off your first layer of skin or give you tumours, not to mention how much more consistent it would be and how much cleaner it would leave your poles.

[Glory]

I use a black cloth like tape..its not any more sticky than regular athletic tape, but it gets the job done....i just think it looks cooler.haha...it also comes unravled real easy and requires constant upkeep

[master]

i used to wear a receivers glove, idont think it violates ncaa policy. in fact i wore it at a regional meet. they dont last long though

It is specifically allowed in NCAA. See
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/vie ... 7895#67895

- master

[ashcraftpv]

whatever happened to good ol' athletic tape and chalk?

[vaultmd]

When I was in college I used the black friction tape. It came off easily with the gunk mechanics use to get grease off their hands.

[master]

whatever happened to good ol' athletic tape and chalk?

That's what I use and it works for me.

- master