PoleVaultPower.com

Hopefully everyone knows that the key to vaulting safely in the rain is keeping your grip dry.

Here in Seattle it obviously rains a lot during the track season, but it's usually closer to a drizzle than a downpour. We also rarely get lightning, so we pretty much just have to suck it up and vault in the rain a lot.

Anyway, this year we have been setting up 1-2 pop tents in the pole vault area to keep poles dry. I use 2-4 hurdles and put them back to back so the vaulters can prop the handles on them.

I think pretty much every one of our home meets has been rainy (or snowy!) I can't think of a single case of anyone's grip slipping due to a wet pole. I still occasionally have to retape a pole that gets too wet, but it's usually from the pole brushing up against something wet.

Pop tents = amazing.

Becca, In Missouri I always carry a container of Rosin for ALL the vaulters to use - Just rub a small amount in your hands and then rub them on the areas of the tape that you grip. A $6.00 bottle of gymnastic rosin will almost always last the whole season - a small price to pay for injury free vaulting. We also use a hurdle with large trash bags over the grip areas of the poles that we are not using - any clue to a web site that describes the "pop up" tents that you use.

1yeldud1 wrote:Becca, In Missouri I always carry a container of Rosin for ALL the vaulters to use - Just rub a small amount in your hands and then rub them on the areas of the tape that you grip. A $6.00 bottle of gymnastic rosin will almost always last the whole season - a small price to pay for injury free vaulting. We also use a hurdle with large trash bags over the grip areas of the poles that we are not using - any clue to a web site that describes the "pop up" tents that you use.

Sure: http://ezupdirect.com/

Is Rosin the really sticky stuff the elites use or something different? I am OCD about keeping my grip chalky and dry, so if this stuff is like turbo-charged chalk i might get some.

Yeah is that the stuff that Isinbayeva has like an inch of on her pole? The black stuff?

Also, what does one do about the pit getting wet? Do you just drain it out as soon as you can or is there some weird secret that I don't know about?

powerplant42 wrote:Also, what does one do about the pit getting wet? Do you just drain it out as soon as you can or is there some weird secret that I don't know about?

The pit won't ever dry from leaving it open in the sun; it will only turn the top layer of foam into dust. You need to turn the sections upside-down, preferably over pallets.

Ok, that's what I thought... Thanks!

No it's not!

powerplant42 wrote:Yeah is that the stuff that Isinbayeva has like an inch of on her pole? The black stuff?

Also, what does one do about the pit getting wet? Do you just drain it out as soon as you can or is there some weird secret that I don't know about?

What is it? I'm just curious...

powerplant42 wrote:What is it? I'm just curious...

It's similar to chalk.

The black stuff that they use is cloth friction tape. If you use a little lighter fluid it makes it super sticky.

Whats the downside? I heard it tears up your hands worse than chalk, is that true?