The best spike for beginning pole vaulters...

A forum to discuss everything to do with pole vaulting equipment: poles, pits, spikes, etc.

Moderator: Barto

User avatar
rainbowgirl28
I'm in Charge
Posts: 30435
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2002 1:59 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, I coach and officiate as life allows
Lifetime Best: 11'6"
Gender: Female
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Casey Carrigan
Location: A Temperate Island
Contact:

The best spike for beginning pole vaulters...

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:25 pm

The best spike for beginning pole vaulters is...


whatever mid-distance/jump/long-distance spike you can find on sale for cheap (under $50)!


Seriously guys, I think it's great having spike discussions on here, but a first-year high school vaulter definitely does not need to spend $100+ buying the fanciest jump or pole vault spikes on the market.

You need a spike with some kind of padding in the heel. Sprint spikes are bad because they do not have that padding and will beat your shins up excessively. High jump and throwing shoes are not suited for the pole vault either.

That leaves you with pretty much every other spike out there. I don't usually see too many jump spikes on sale for real cheap, but every track season, I know the local running stores have a generic mid-distance spike that they buy in mass quantities and sell for like $30.

You do need to invest in a pair of spikes (as opposed to just vaulting in sneakers) because it will help you run with faster and with better mechanics, and may give you better traction on wet days. But there is no reason to blow your allowance buying the newest model of pole vault spike.

Besides, you beginning high schoolers should all be doing other events like the sprints and horizontal jumps anyway. You can sprint in jump spikes just fine, but it is harder to jump in sprint spikes.


I never had a pair of real jump spikes until right before outdoor nationals, my 4th year of college. I used mid-distance spikes up until that point.

txpolevaulter_k25
PV Follower
Posts: 488
Joined: Sat Mar 24, 2007 11:53 pm
Expertise: Current college decathlete
Lifetime Best: 15'

Unread postby txpolevaulter_k25 » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:20 pm

there r some cheap pv shoes out there they are only like 70 dollars (which is pretty cheap considering the other shoes are ranging form 90-120) they are called the asic turbo jump my friend got them and i jumped in them one day and they felt pretty soling accept the fact that they have no lace cover and they dont look as cool but they get the job done
"Bravery is the ability to get the job done when you are scared to death."

cdmilton
PV Follower
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 9:38 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, Coach
Lifetime Best: 16-0(4.88)
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Unread postby cdmilton » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:39 am

Distance spikes work well for beginners. It doesn't really matter. I just suggest that they get something with a decent amount of padding in the heel. Once they get better and wear them out they can get the PV/TJ specific spikes.
Chris Milton

pvu-hooligan
PV Wannabe
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:23 am
Location: oceanside

Unread postby pvu-hooligan » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:41 am

if you can contact Dick pond athletics you can get older model jump spikes. i got the mizuno triple jump/ pole vault spike for $54 i think. and ive only seen one other person have it too.
"a lot of speed and a good plant will ALWAYS get you high"

User avatar
rainbowgirl28
I'm in Charge
Posts: 30435
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2002 1:59 pm
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, I coach and officiate as life allows
Lifetime Best: 11'6"
Gender: Female
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Casey Carrigan
Location: A Temperate Island
Contact:

Unread postby rainbowgirl28 » Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:48 am

You guys have quoted $70 and $50, but there is no reason a beginner should even have to pay that much for spikes. From those same sources, you can get closeout distance or whatever spikes for under $40 usually, or from a local running store.

LHSpolevault
PV Master
Posts: 741
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:52 pm
Expertise: Post Collegiate Vaulter, High School Coach, Club Coach
Lifetime Best: 4.00
Favorite Vaulter: Renaud Lavillenie
Location: Ludlow, MA
Contact:

Unread postby LHSpolevault » Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:37 pm

rainbowgirl28 wrote:You guys have quoted $70 and $50, but there is no reason a beginner should even have to pay that much for spikes. From those same sources, you can get closeout distance or whatever spikes for under $40 usually, or from a local running store.


and you can use them for any other events as well. doesn't make a difference, especially if you're a beginner.

cdmilton
PV Follower
Posts: 531
Joined: Tue Aug 17, 2004 9:38 am
Expertise: Former College Vaulter, Coach
Lifetime Best: 16-0(4.88)
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Unread postby cdmilton » Thu Mar 29, 2007 1:27 pm

I think beginners shouldn't have to commit to PV and buying a specific spike their first year. If they get a basic distance spike they can use it for everything. Once they get good and find their niche they can get event specific spikes.
Chris Milton

Sebes
PV Whiz
Posts: 134
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2005 4:48 am
Location: Chicago

The Best Spikes

Unread postby Sebes » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:59 pm

Image

I found that these spikes were the best for the novice vaulter. Not only did they provide great support and exceptional traction...but they also helped me earn the attention from all the ladies. I highly recommend them for any novice jumper.

User avatar
Rhino
PV Pro
Posts: 271
Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2003 4:36 pm
Location: Florida

Unread postby Rhino » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:51 am

Yes, Sebes, you have found some righteous spikes!

User avatar
vaultmd
PV Enthusiast
Posts: 1697
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2003 6:18 pm
Expertise: Masters Vaulter, Coach, Doctor
Lifetime Best: 475
World Record Holder?: Renaud Lavillenie
Favorite Vaulter: Laura Huarte
Location: Roseville, CA
Contact:

Unread postby vaultmd » Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:04 pm

Rhino wrote:Yes, Sebes, you have found some righteous spikes!


Except that it is no longer legal to "climb" the pole.

;)

User avatar
highhopes
PV Fan
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed May 31, 2006 5:17 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Unread postby highhopes » Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:34 pm

No one at my school even uses spikes
“Practice like you playâ€Â

User avatar
decanuck
PV Whiz
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:47 am
Location: Calgary, AB / Saskatoon, SK

Re: The best spike for beginning pole vaulters...

Unread postby decanuck » Tue May 08, 2007 6:27 am

rainbowgirl28 wrote:You can sprint in jump spikes just fine,


This is usually true depending on the jumping spike, but not always. You might not, for instance, want to run the 400m in TJ spikes.

Jumping spikes (that is, LJ, TJ, and PV - high is totally different) are designed are designed with thicker soles in general but particularly thicker and stiffer in the forefoot, to emphasise rising onto the toes when weight is rolled forward on the foot, helping the athlete achieve a higher takeoff angle. This isn't ideal for sprinting, but you still have to run before you jump in these events anyway so they can't be SO bad, so they're fine for high school purposes with the one possible exception of running corners. The thicker the forefoot is relative to the rest of the shoe, the less suitable they will be for sprinting on corners.

I had a pair of Adidas LJ spikes I bought super cheap, and the forefoot was so ridiculously thick that it felt like I went up and down 3" with ever step. They were great for LJ, but I wound up running a leg of a 4x200m at an indoor meet and had to use them because I had no others with me, and the tight corners were murder on me. My right calf cramped up on the first corner, and my left shin on the second. My SHIN! I didn't even know that was possible.

So yeah...I second your suggestion to get a cheap MD spike for HS use. They're the only type of spike that won't ever cause problems if you use them for any or every kind of event.


Return to “Pole Vault - Equipment”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests