Grip tape

[skyshark177]

Liter fluid!
I never would of thought about that stuff. But, people use it or used too.

[souleman]

Becca, I was joking about the 2 part epoxy, that would be like using super glue for a sticky on the pole. Trouble with most automotive adhesives and gasket materials is that they are "slippery sticky". They are designed to allow some movement before setting. Once they set, that's it, you ain't moving the thing that's being stuck. In this case,just speculating now, using this type of stuff will either make you slip down the pole ar not be able to let go of the pole. You are right, the toxins in most off those composites are very hazzardous and shouldn't be used. Later.....Mike

[rainbowgirl28]

Becca, I was joking about the 2 part epoxy, that would be like using super glue for a sticky on the pole. Trouble with most automotive adhesives and gasket materials is that they are "slippery sticky". They are designed to allow some movement before setting. Once they set, that's it, you ain't moving the thing that's being stuck. In this case,just speculating now, using this type of stuff will either make you slip down the pole ar not be able to let go of the pole. You are right, the toxins in most off those composites are very hazzardous and shouldn't be used. Later.....Mike

They combine it with lighter fluid and somehow get the right level of stickiness

[souleman]

Well, everyone thought I was nuts squirtin' lighter fluid over the top of my tape and working it like a pitcher works a baseball. So who knows, maybe they're on to something. I imagine it would be a real booger to get off though. Later............Mike

[gbob]

When we were in a pinch for some extra "stick" we rubbed green grass on our tape... it got tackey (to a point) when rubbed on the athletic tape. My guess is it was the sugars that happen within the photosynthisis process, along with the waters within the green grass that combined to give the tackey sensation... It worked, but you had to do it every time you vaulted... and soon the tape go so slick that you had to re-tape. But it was a quick fix in the case of a last attempt with a big stick.

of course this only worked when there was grass growing... Kinda hard during indoor, or anywhere in Northern Minnesota, Northern WI, North Dakota or Canada anytime before June. (I am sure you in Michigan and some other northern states have the same problem... "outdoor track!? yeah, i have heard of it... i thought it was just a rumor!")

Yeay for outdoor track seasons in the great white north!

[munsoned]

This is a true story: I vaulted and did decathlon at NWMSU, our conference decathlon was at Missouri Southern and the second day it was raining and windy and cold. My coach at Northwest thought if he layered my pole with tape that it would give me a better grip. However, the tape was so larger and cumbersome that I held under it. Vault was my best event, and going into vault I was 400pts in the lead, I won the vault that day with a vault of 15-3. Not very high, but for the weather that day it was o.k.. Anyway, after completion of the vault (8th event of the decathlon) the Missouri Southern coach filed a complaint about "too much layer of tape". This was infact a violation, I was DQ from the event, and lost the points I had won in the vault. So, watch your layers of tape. I bet you could find more than two layers of tape on several poles, there are some strange rules out there.

[DBH027]

Hopefully it's not 2 part epoxy Later..Mike

I checked today... they're using some kind of gasket sealer. It has all these warning labels about causing cancer in laboratory animals, to avoid contact with skin, and to use in a well ventilated area

That would be Permalex High Tack Gasket Sealer...the red is better than the gold, the gold is a bit oily....the stuff is pretty hard to find, mostly in industrial supply stores, rarely at auto stores....I was using back in late 80's early 90's

[Robert schmitt]

The UW La-Crosse vaulter used to use that in the early 90's. Hands, poles, everything was red from it. Good thing thier uni's were a red maroon color.

[master]

A quick web search finds:

Permatex® High Tack™ Gasket Sealant and High Tack™ Spray-A-Gasket® Sealant
Red colored, all-purpose sealant that holds event he heaviest of gaskets in place during assembly. Seals and bonds rubber, cork, paper, felt, metal, and asbestos gaskets. Sets quickly to a very tacky film. Suitable to 500˚F (260˚C). Contains no ozone-depleting compounds. Resists gasoline, oil, kerosene, propane and butane. Suggested applications: Gaskets, threaded connections, hose connections, weather stripping, waterproofing, tubeless tire beads, differential assemblies, filter line connections, terminal protectors.

and if that is not good enough try:

Permatex® Super High Tack™ Gasket Sealant
Fast-drying sealant dries to highly tacky, non-brittle film. Temperature range -65˚F to 500˚F (-54˚C to 260˚C). Resists lubricants, gasoline, antifreeze, and oil. Suggested applications: Seals rubber, cork, paper and composite gaskets and hose connections.

I think I'll just stick with chalk. (No pun intended.)
- master

[rainbowgirl28]

The UW La-Crosse vaulter used to use that in the early 90's. Hands, poles, everything was red from it. Good thing thier uni's were a red maroon color.

Yeah Stu's hand is quite red after he vaults... I have no idea how he washes it off.

[DBH027]

The stuff takes awhile to come off...I used the stuff together with rosin, quite a mess

[TAMPAKINGPV]

yeah....i started off with gymnastics chaulk. it works....

my coach just bought me this new stuff....its in a small bottle. its called "GRRRIP"....it comes out a clear/white colored liquid, and when rubbed in, turns to a white chaulk on your hands, yet it is more permananet than the gymnists chaulk. it works for me...

ive seen people at NCAA meets that use STICKUM AEROSOL SPRAY. Looks like it works amazing...just a black aerosol ahesive that looks like tar on ur hands....it looks so funny when the vaulters are sittin down with their hands black as night

geoff