Flex of a Pole?!?!

[sdvaulter06]

Ok, I guess i'm not up on all the technology on poles! I know I'm vaulting on a 2 year old 130 Atius! What is the flex of poles and what are the varriations? What does a higher flex # do, rather then a lower flex #? Thanks! Lance

[rainbowgirl28]

The higher the flex number, the softer the pole.

Altius flexes their poles in inches, all other brands are in centimeters.

Different lengths of poles are flexed on different spans, so you cannot compare flex numbers between lengths of poles.

Different manufacturers flex their poles slightly differently, so you can't really compare the engraved flex numbers of poles made by different manufacturers.

Here is a great thread that gets in to a lot more detail
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88

[swtvault]

Lance,

When you look at the flex of a pole, the lower the number is the stiffer the pole--ie, 21.0 is stiffer than a 22.4. That should get you on the right track. Also, altius uses english measurements to calibrate their poles. Most manufacturers will use the metric system. So keep that in mind.

Geoff

[VTechVaulter]

The higher the flex number, the softer the pole.

Altius flexes their poles in inches, all other brands are in centimeters.

Different lengths of poles are flexed on different spans, so you cannot compare flex numbers between lengths of poles.

Different manufacturers flex their poles slightly differently, so you can't really compare the engraved flex numbers of poles made by different manufacturers.

Here is a great thread that gets in to a lot more detail
http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=88

this is not always the case. pacer carbons of 5.0m lenght and 4.90 length were flexed from the same 2 points, making their numbers directly comparable. We proved this experimentally using a 5.0m 16.8 flex and a 4.90m 17.1 flex. The 5.0 felt almost identical, just lsightly softer

[rainbowgirl28]

this is not always the case. pacer carbons of 5.0m lenght and 4.90 length were flexed from the same 2 points, making their numbers directly comparable. We proved this experimentally using a 5.0m 16.8 flex and a 4.90m 17.1 flex. The 5.0 felt almost identical, just lsightly softer

Most high school kids are not on 5 meter poles.

[VTechVaulter]

this is not always the case. pacer carbons of 5.0m lenght and 4.90 length were flexed from the same 2 points, making their numbers directly comparable. We proved this experimentally using a 5.0m 16.8 flex and a 4.90m 17.1 flex. The 5.0 felt almost identical, just lsightly softer

Most high school kids are not on 5 meter poles.

this is very true. i was simply stating a fact for anyone it may concern.