PoleVaultPower.com

what brand of poles do you guys use? for what step, height, etc, etc?
do you like essx or spirits more?
which rollover better?
just wondering b/c i jump on spirits for the smaller part of my series and i love them, but when i go to my larger poles, essx, they seem to just mush out and not roll over at all .. . . just curious for some feed back. . . thanks! oops. .. i just realized that i shoulda put this under the pole section, huh? lol

Probably more an issue of technique and consistentcy. I would bet since they're your bigger poles that you try harder or change something (run/plant?) when you jump on them.

I would stay with what works for you.
We feel that we make the poles to bend over better than most poles.
If yours are mushing please try moving your handgrip down one fist or move to stiffer poles you could posibly jump higher.
Many variables play a part in how you store energy and manage the energy when the pole recoils.
If you are using too long of a pole for your ability this could be the reason you get that high bend that feels like mushing.
All brand poles just lay on the ground and do nothing until a talented athlete activates the properties of the pole to their maximum, then you get the great results of your input.
The ESSX poles are very different than other poles.
Your Dealer Rick Foster From Cal Track Reconditioning sells both ESSX and Spirit, I am sure he can sell you Spirits to match your series if you asked him.

You have to stay with what works for you that is more important than brand shopping

I'm a big fan of Spirits because they match the timing of my swing VERY well. I can't stand the older carbons because they always came though too quick for my swing. I have become a convert of the new Carbon FX poles since Gill slowed them down a bit and I've sped up my swing a bit. I jumped some of Brian's FX's when they first started making them in 2002 and vaulted pretty well on them. Now i'm stuck jumping on Altius for the time being(nothing wrong with them, just a little slow for my tastes). Got an ESSX from Bruce a couple weeks ago, but is a little big for me yet. I need a couple more sticks in between that pole and what i'm on now to make the transition. I've taken one jump on it and promptly got rejected.

As Bruce said, stick with what works. One thing we should remember, the way our coach-coaches us is the style of vault we have. Maybe a certain pole wont work with a powerful swing, or maybe a pole will work better with a real quick, swift, not-so powerful swing. I'm 6'3", so i dont have a quick swing, i have a long, slow, power swing, so some poles will work, and some REALLY wont work. I have tested this by jumping on at least 5 different brand names of poles. I'm not going to name names but some worked and some didn't. I have my favorites and i have my least favorites. It doesnt make a pole bad, it just makes it different....

Thats what makes work fun some days - finding how to change the response curves of the poles - it sure wakes people in the shop up when we blow a few poles up - need to come up with something so PVJunkie can real rock this summer in meets - he is going to come out and join the older guys for a few meets.

thanks everyone .. .i think i really just need to find the correct transition and probably adjust some things, as Mr Caldwell has suggested. . . thats what practice is for