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A vaulter is 5'9 153 pounds and uses a 6 left approach. He has a pr of 13'9 and is consistently in the upper 13's throughout indoor and is now at the 14'+ area. He has been using a 14' 170 pacer fx, holding 13'8-10", his standards are usually 26 inches +. He needs the next pole as he is blowing through very quickly. Our next pole is a 15' 160 (yet it has a little bit of fiberglass peeling halfway down the pole so its not good to use ) so the next one is a 15' 165 old pacer with a 19.4 flex. This is too extreme of a jump - 15lbs, even holding 13'6" pressing out/flag drills do not allow getting into the pit much at all.

So.........what would better for a 'now' pole and for eventual transition to the bigger pole: a 14'6 165 or a 14'6 170 both pacer fx's. The smaller one is a 5 pound jump from the 14' 170 but then 10 pounds to the 15' 165. The bigger pole is a 10 pound jump from the 14' 170 but a 5 pound jump to the 15' 165. I can only get one pole for the rest of the season and he is a senior too.

Thank you for your help and advice, I truly appreciate this site.

I'd pick up a 14-6 170. My athletes make that transition all the time. For example I have them do the following:
13-0 170
13-6 170
14-0 170
14-6 170
15-0 170

They are 10lb jumps but I usually have them raise their grip 3" when switching poles so it works well. If you do the 14-6 170 it will be an eaisier transition to the 15-165.

patybobady wrote:Our next pole is a 15' 160 (yet it has a little bit of fiberglass peeling halfway down the pole so its not good to use )

I wouldn't necessarily discard the pole for that. I have severely spiked poles that I use routinely, and seldom break one.

Hmmmmmmm...How could I be positive of its goodness and ability to be jumped on holding 14'+?

patybobady wrote:Hmmmmmmm...How could I be positive of its goodness and ability to be jumped on holding 14'+?

Test it out for your kids

You can never be positive. All the poles I have broken have been old poles (5). I use a lot of old poles without breaking them though.

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

patybobady wrote:Hmmmmmmm...How could I be positive of its goodness and ability to be jumped on holding 14'+?

Test it out for your kids

Oh that's mean Becca, just mean. 6 months out of brain surgery...I'll pass. Just sent it to Gill a few weeks ago, and got it back and noticed it. Pretty sure I'd have seen the marks before I sent it, yet it made it through testing unless it got damaged in shipping, doubt it though.

patybobady wrote:

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

patybobady wrote:Hmmmmmmm...How could I be positive of its goodness and ability to be jumped on holding 14'+?

Test it out for your kids

Oh that's mean Becca, just mean. 6 months out of brain surgery...I'll pass. Just sent it to Gill a few weeks ago, and got it back and noticed it. Pretty sure I'd have seen the marks before I sent it, yet it made it through testing unless it got damaged in shipping, doubt it though.

If it didn't break during testing at Gill, I would say there is a solid chance it will be fine for your kids. There is no way to be sure.