Carbon Poles Vs. Fiberglass Poles

[ECvaulter30]

what is the biggest difference between the two? and are than any real advantages one has over the other?
any info is appreciated

[golfdane]

what is the biggest difference between the two? and are than any real advantages one has over the other?
any info is appreciated

Weight!

This is the primary advantage. Everything else is secondary and a target for discussions.
A lighter pole allows for more speed in the run up, but will also let you get away more easily with minor flaws in your plant (easier to manipulate).

Some say it recoils faster, but I highly doubt that's even measurable in a real vault. Theoretically, the speed of recoil depends on modulus and the weight you are trying to push or lift. This includes your bodyweight, and suddenly is the weight advantage diluted significantly.
I seem to recall a manufacturer claim, that the lightness of the carbon fabric allows for different and hopefully better distribution of weight, when they design the pole (wrapping, sailpiece size and dimensions).

[nitro]

they are also smaller around so you dont have to feel like you are carrying a tree trunk

[kcvault]

Carbon is a naturally stiffer material then fiber glass and therefor gives a stronger return with a lighter pole. There are several different variations of carbon and fiber glass poles all with different benifits that depend on what type of pole vaulter you are. However you can pretty much jump the same height on any pole of the same flex but how the and what the pole is made from will determine how easily you get into the pit.

Sky poles are desighed to bend down slowly giving a beginning vaulter alot of time to get a full swing to inversion.

A mystic has a low sail peice to accomadate the take off of smeone who is short or that has a low take off.

A spirit pole has a high sail peice which makes it able to bend a little more without breaking. Also it bends down slower then the carbons but the bend ecelerates a little bit through the top of the jump.

A pacer fx is alot like a spirit but bends down a little easier without as fast of a recoil though they somtimes twist.

A carbon pacer pole which is the poles I have jumped most on were desighned to unbend faster then any other pole. However alot of people felt they unbent to fast to get a full swing. If however you are powerful enough to get a full swing or your are a swing tucker this pole has alot of potential on the top end of the jump.

The carbon fx is the next generation pacer carbon it was desighened to give a little more time for the swing then the pacer carbon, but it is still lighter and unbends faster then any of the fiberglass poles.

The carbon weave is pretty much the same as the carbon fx except alot lighter. There is alot of potential to jump high with this pole but it tends to break easy. I broke three of the prototype poles in 2005. But since then they found out with the new carbon the poles needed to be heated perfectly evenly all the way across, so they spent millions buying new ovens however from what I here though stronger they still tend to break easy and are sensitive ti nicks and scrathes.

The carbon ESSX was desighed with a low sail peice and high top of sail. It gives you the feeling of being lifted up at take off. It is the least likly pole to twist and was desighed to have a even unbend and recoil all the way through the jump resulting in a smooth jump. Also because it seems to bend high there is no problem if the mat hangs over or is really close to the box it will not block the bend of the pole. The disadvantage is it is just as heavy or heavier then many of the glass poles.


There is also altius, catapole, nordic, fibersport, carbon skypole, and carbon altius. I either have very little exsperince with these poles or have not jumped on them so I can not say anything else about these 5.

This is all from my exsperince and little bit of knowledge I have of these pole I have jumped alot on all the ones I mentioned and gave descriptions on however I apoligize if everything I said is not perfectly acuurate.

--Kasey

[saylorm3]

I have also heard that the carbon fx is effected by weather (temperatures) more than a UCS Spirit. Personally I would agree that carbons are stiffer than fiberglass poles but have a larger return at the top end. But i guess its what you put into it.

[rainbowgirl28]

I have also heard that the carbon fx is effected by weather (temperatures) more than a UCS Spirit.

This is untrue. No fiberglass or carbon pole is affected by outdoor temperatures in any noticeable way. The vaulter is the one who is affected!

[dj]

hey

i don't want to post here but you might read what i had to say on.. USA elite.. Older film of Daniel Ryland

dj

[ECvaulter30]

okay.. thank you.

the weight difference is what i keep hearing and that seems to be a good trade off..
are they still unforgiving when it comes to scratches and nics as they were before?

[kcvault]

This is untrue. No fiberglass or carbon pole is affected by outdoor temperatures in any noticeable way. The vaulter is the one who is affected!

I always thought this was untrue also. However if you lay a spirit pole out in the sun will it is 100 degrees outside and put it on a flex machine it will consistently be 3 to 6 tenths stiffer. You will see a 1 to 3 tenth flex difference with the carbon. Now I always put my poles in the shade when it's really hot so the poles react the same.

---Kasey

[golfdane]

Carbon is a naturally stiffer material then fiber glass and therefore gives a stronger return with a lighter pole.
--Kasey

It's stiffer and stronger per gram. However, you choose a pole based on stiffness and bend characteristics, so regardless of material, will a carbon and a glass pole with the same stiffness (flex) and bend characteristics, uncoil with virtually the same rate (when the weight issue is diluted by the weight of the vaulter).

It's simple physics: The rate of energy return is based on stiffness and the weight you are trying to move.

I'm not saying carbon poles doesn't feel different, but it does so based on the design and bend characteristics differences, and not the material.

Glass and carbon fiber are designated linear-elastic and obeys Hooke's Law.

I have no preferences, and my vaulters use both, and interchange regularly (but true, none are elite vaulters, but they only notice the weight and circumference).

[PVJunkie]

It is interesting to see opinions, salesmanship, wives tales etc over and over again. Lets look at some facts.

Lets say you have every brand of pole, all the exact same length and flex (using the same flex test for every pole). They are all the exact same pole EXCEPT for how they were made and the material they were made out of.

If you then took a steel cable and attached it to the top and bottom of each pole. Put a fishing scale in the middle to measure the force the pole wants to unbend with. Then bent each one to 70% of its length and measured the force each pole exerted you would find that some of them would have a greater force than others. So NO, poles of the exact same length and flex do not return with the same force. We refer to this measurment as the end load. The Slovers (Scott and his father) have done this and while I do not recommend it outside of controlled testing it is a fact. Glass poles vary depending on how they are made. Some carbon poles can and do have the same end load as some current glass poles. Some carbon poles have a noticably greater end load.

Poles with a higher end load return with greater force BUT are more difficult to roll to vertical. A more advanced vaulter can benefit from this. Since carbon poles are lighter the vaulter can generate greater speed so some of the difficuley to roll over is negated but not all. In additon the mechanics of the plant are easier with a lighter piece of equiptment as well. It is easier to manipulate a lighter implement than a heavier one.

Let the arguements begin.

[vaultmd]

If I'm not mistaken, what PVJunkie is referring to is not just his opinion, but based on actual hard research performed at his company. I think I've got a copy of a summary but I think it's covered by an NDA.