Pole Build and Technology- Agapit, Altius, DJ... Etc

A forum to discuss everything to do with pole vaulting equipment: poles, pits, spikes, etc.

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Victory Sports
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Pole Build and Technology- Agapit, Altius, DJ... Etc

Unread postby Victory Sports » Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:58 pm

I have been coaching a while and really started thinking about pole technology...
Not fiberglass vs carbon or what brand is better than the other... That is not this discussion...

Rather a study of observation, experience, and pole technology... How does each pole brand differ in sail piece placement relative bend, penetration, recoil, return, etc. IE. If you were to jump these poles side by side. What is the technological and scientific differences. I have a good concept of all this from what I have seen but want some thoughts and explanation from those who have...

What do you think about relative stiffness, the technology, and trade off from take off to push off. What makes them the same and different, what would one feel on one pole vs another.... Ready GO!
Last edited by Victory Sports on Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

Victory Sports
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Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:10 pm
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Re: Pole Build and Technology- Agapit, Altius, DJ... Etc

Unread postby Victory Sports » Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:24 am

This is my personal observation based on 14-170 + or - ...

Altius Carbon - 13'6 -180 felt like a long time to come back but good result and good position for me.

Altius 14-175 felt like a long time to come back but good result and good position for me.

Skypole 14-170 (???) and Essx 169 (16.9) and 173 (16.5) - Smooth all the way through and both 2002-2004 models (nearly identical to what I felt in Skypole.

Essx Carbon 178 (16.0) 2010 maybe a different sail piece seemed softer at takeoff than earlier models but was lighter and came back quicker.

Spirit 170 (16.2) and (175) 15.4 Had these custom made S glass in 14 ft... Mandrel super tight, light and quick... Great poles, smooth, pole keeps moving, no slowing down, but no huge whip. (Ie I did not feel rushed, but I had to keep moving to vertical or I miss the jump. My go to poles for now...

Pacer Fx, (???) a few years ago... Bigger mandrel it seemed, but not as smooth as spirit, came back a little quicker?

Pacer FX Carbon - quick take off, quicker roll over, quicker return, but in my opinion really choppy feel. But I don't think my jump lines up as well with carbon or I need more jumps to test out.

Essx Power X - NA Have not jumped only made to 14'3"

Mystic - NA

Nordic - NA

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Re: Pole Build and Technology- Agapit, Altius, DJ... Etc

Unread postby altius » Wed Sep 12, 2012 9:10 pm

Sorry - cannot contribute much to this because - for personal reasons (friendship with George Moore and Steve Chappell) I stayed with first Pacer and then Spirit. Never used other brands. Happy with Spirit because they are tough and absolutely consistent in their response. if the flex numbers are the same the poles are identical =an important consideration when you are building a large range of poles.
Its what you learn after you know it all that counts. John Wooden

Victory Sports
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Posts: 71
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:10 pm
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Re: Pole Build and Technology- Agapit, Altius, DJ... Etc

Unread postby Victory Sports » Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:33 pm

Let me clarify this post a little. I coach about 30 kids from 10 different schools. Most kids and schools have little to no poles... The schools don't provide poles to the kids and the ones that do have random mis-match poles... So I asked a kid to write down all the poles the school owns so we can get them on the right poles for the meet...

School A
11'0" 110 mystic...
11'0" 130 mystic...
11'6 100 spirit,
11'6 110 essx...
11'6" 130 spirit,
12' 120 mystic...
12'6 120 pacer fx
12'6 135 skypole
12'6 140 pacer fx
13 130 spirit.
13 140 pacer fx
13-165 skypole
14-165 spirit

School B (6 vaulters at this school jump at my club and this is all the poles they have :(
12 120 rocket
13' 135 altius
13'155 altius
13' 175 altius
14-160 pacer (old)

So I guess I need to get my own flex system... Thanks?


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