What pole to order?

[C-townvault]

School isn't going to buy me another pole. Already bought me two that i've outgrown. Last year i used a 14'6" 170 Carbon FX I consistently had my standards around 18-24. Just recently i competed at an indoor meet that i was crushing my carbon from a 6-7 left approach with the standard at around 26. I was still blowing through. I swithed to a 14'6" 175 skypole, but my standards were still at 24. I need to know what size of pole to progress to. Keep in mind i would like to be able to use this pole atleast through next fall, considering its coming out of my pocket. I weighed apporixamatly 164 last season. Now i weigh around 167-168.

[zack]

How high do you jump? Where do you hold? Based on what you've said you probably need a 14'6 180. Do you consistently have good penetration into the pit?

[Lord of the Poles]

Same question to me... I have an urge to start collecting poles that I'll be using for a while...I don't want to quickly buy a pole and then outgrow it really quick...

I currently jump 11'6" using a 13'155 with my grip around 12'6" with good penetration...

I have been practicing lately on both a 14'140 and a 14'145, and at practice with the 145 I was atleast 12'6-13' with good penetration.

All the poles I name are UCS, and I'd like to stick with this brand...

standards are around 60-65...

[Oldcoach]

My experience tells me that when you are vaulting at or near your grip height, you are likely to progress thru poles pretty rapidly. The reason being your technique is limiting your ability to jump over your grip and improved technique will cause you to go thru poles fast.
I have found that for 14' poles a good(easy) transition is 1.2-1.5 cm of flex.between poles. I had some kids jump 2.5 cm of flex before but it took a couple of weeks to get on it but it stayed a useable pole for them for months.

[zack]

Ideally you will "outgrow" poles as your technique improves but if a pole becomes too small you can usually use it from a shorter run. It is pretty hard to recommend a pole to someone without seeing them jump because there are so many variables such as technique and speed.

Lord of the Poles- Doesn't sound like you need a stiffer pole yet if your standards are still around 60. When you jump with them at 80 and are overrotating the pole you need to go bigger. But there can also be a difference between overrotating and overbending. But if you're thinking for the future I would say maybe go with some 13-6s based on where you're currently holding. 14s would work too. Don't go by what I say though! I've never seen you jump. If you jump with a knowledgeable coach they can help you much more then I can.

Hope that wasn't too confusing.

Yeah and what Oldcoach said.

[Oldcoach]

Following up on what Zach said, you do have the ability to compensate for the less than ideal pole with your standard placement and the length of your run. I personally use 50 to 80 cm as an acceptable standard range and this range is worth about an 8-9lbs. of pole stiffness(wt. rating). Less seldom I see people adjust run length to compensate having no next pole.
But if you know your 2 stride (1left) stride length you can add or subtract this distance from your existing run length and still be close to your optimum takeoff point. EB calls this your "Magic Number" and it does work, but don't ask me to explain how its derived.

[theflyingkorean]

If I vault 14' on a 14' pole, should i think about moving up if my standards are at 60?

[achtungpv]

If I vault 14' on a 14' pole, should i think about moving up if my standards are at 60?

Nope. You should keep working on technique so you can move up poles until you can jump with them at 80 for every vault. Once they're at 80 and you have a need to move them forward, you are doing something wrong.

[C-townvault]

I vaulted 14' as a sophamore, but my technique has improve leaps and bounds over the summer. holding around 14'3" i think. I've been great penetration. Usually landing where the back on the coaches box is.
Also when i jumped 14' i wasnt' catching the bend. At camp this summer i learned to catch the bend and felt a drastic improvement in the recoil of my pole. I would like to move up to a 15' 170-175

[mdavis2685]

finding a pole isn't difficult, but with your improving technique its going to be difficult to find a pole that you can stay on until fall, most likey you will be blowing through poles as your technique progresses. You can alway move your run in a step and use those poles that you have now for a shorter run.

[C-townvault]

Yes that has worked out pretty good, but i'm trying to figure out what pole to get considering i'm getting in good on a 14'6" 170 from a 6 left approach. I had 14'6" cleared but nudged it on the way down. i was going to try the pole from a 5 left, but lacked the adrenaline i usually have. The night before i didn't get much sleep