I need to buy my son a pole !

[miniwhinny]

Before I start to ramble - is this the correct place to ask for "pole shopping" advice?

[VaultPurple]

Yeah this will do. I dont really know what you need because you did not give much information in your post. But It is usualy more venificial if you can find a place to rent. I sent you a pm on that.

But as far as the right pole for good advice you need.

Son's Height.... Weight... PR... Poles he has previously used.... Did he bend these?..... Does he appear to be fast... If he is just starting vaulting, then has he ever done any other events like running or sprinting and how did he do in them?

[miniwhinny]

Thanks for responding. I'll try to add as much info as I can.

Here's some info on my son,

15 years old. 131lbs. 5' 8". Late bloomer but starting to get some muscling now.

13' 6" PR but vaulting over 14' now in practice. With the bungee at 15'.

I think he's pretty fast maybe these vids will show him better...just a mom...not sure how fast "fast" is lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzPu2_O_LYM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZqDKjXH76A

His biggest and favorite 2 poles (at school) are a UCS Spirit 14 150 and 14 155. He seems to crush anything below that. We don't have much above that and school is now over for the summer. So I need to buy him a/some poles.

Should I get him a 14' 7" Spirit (or carbon fibers?) and what weight should I be looking for? I heard there's a weight change the longer the pole - I really know nothing and it's going to be a B'day surprise so I can't ask him (still got a few months to shop) What I don't want to do is invest in poles that only last him a couple of months.

Thanks for any help.

[VaultPurple]

Id say if he is already on UCS, stay on UCS, they are really good poles.

As far as the poles... if he is using a 14'150 and 155, from the videos that looks about a good weight for him. The next poles in the series would be 14'7 150 and 155. But it all depends on the amount of poles you get. Some people make bigger jumps than that in poles if they are forced to depending on pole selection.

[miniwhinny]

okey dokey Thanks for the input...appreciated.

[rainbowgirl28]

Here is a chart that shows you how poles of different lengths and weight ratings compare: http://www.skyjumpers.com/articles/pvpr ... table.html

My advice is to save up until you can buy 2-3 poles, because the shipping is super expensive, but it costs about the same to send several poles as it does one pole.

Also, if he is going to get to train this fall with a Club, I would wait until winter to buy a pole, because if he makes a ton of progress in practice, you may need even bigger poles.

[miniwhinny]

Sadly we have no PV clubs within a 3 hour drive of where we live. Our HS coach is hoping to have some indoor practice so I sure hope he can. Maybe we'll wait and see. It's hard when you can only vault during track season.

[KirkB]

... I really know nothing and it's going to be a B'day surprise so I can't ask him (still got a few months to shop) What I don't want to do is invest in poles that only last him a couple of months.

I understand the fun of B'day surprises, but the surprise only lasts for a few minutes, and the pole should last at least a few months (or a full season). I think it's better to surprise him with a "promise in a b'day card" or "certificate" of some sort to buy him a pole ... without actually going out and buying it yet.

I think you should consult with his HS coach ... AND your son ... before you buy the pole. Nothing like the wrong size pole spoiling the surprise! If you're "just a mom" ... as you put it ... it would be hard for you to buy the perfect pole for him without the advice of him and his coach. Even tho we can help you (and your son and his coach), the final decision would best come from your son and his coach.

Also, if your HS coach is "hoping to have some indoor practice" (presumably in the fall), then it sounds like he might be willing to let your son use the school poles. At any rate, in a couple months your son might grow quite a bit ... and get faster ... so I'd wait until just before he needs the pole before buying one.

I'm a little confused by you saying that you don't need to buy the poles for a couple months (until his birthday, I guess), but wasn't the idea for him to have poles to vault with during the summer months (July and August)?

Kirk

[miniwhinny]

KirkB,

yup b'day isn't until August and you're right about the surprise...guess it was a nice but not practical idea. He has poles to use for the summer. We have an awesome HS coach and he's letting Matt use all of the poles he needs for summer competition. I was trying to plan for down the road a little. There's a great selection of poles at school up to the 14 foot length but after that we have very few. I was trying to plan ahead

I'll re-think the b'day present and leave the pole selection to the experts lol

Thanks for all of your help.

[bel142]

Hip Athletics does offer a progressive pole vault pole exchange program. I would recommend looking into it before you are stuck with a pole that will be out grown soon.

http://www.hipathletics.com/pole_exchange

-cheers
bel

[VaultPurple]

so thats what 265 bucks every time you want to switch poles? Yeah thats cheeper than some new poles, but you can sometimes buy a pole for that price if you look hard enough. I must have gotten really lucky in high school where I traded poles.... 100 bucks a pole and could switch out as many times as I wanted for free (had to turn pole in at end of track season). I rented 3 at a time and probably went through 5 or 6 poles my senior year, so all that for 300 bucks

[powerplant42]

Might I suggest looking around the 'Sales' forum? Some EXCELLENT deals there... I feel like I almost stole a pole from someone there because it was such a ridiculously low price for such a good pole. Just keep an eye out on there, and maybe your school would be willing to exchange poles that they don't use anymore for some that your son could use?