LIVE NCAA Men's Prelims Updates

[skyshark177]

I just had a High School vaulter today that was using an ultra light, I believe, I'll have to confirm it though. I know it is a new kind of carbon for sure.
But, it was a 14' 165lbs.
The vaulter was only like 145 to 150 pounds too.
It also broke into 4 pieces.

[izzystikchik]

I just had a High School vaulter today that was using an ultra light, I believe, I'll have to confirm it though. I know it is a new kind of carbon for sure.
But, it was a 14' 165lbs.
The vaulter was only like 145 to 150 pounds too.
It also broke into 4 pieces.

Holy Jeez! 4 places?

[mikepv1]

The new ultralights have thinner walls. As such, they are more susceptible to breakage if they are knicked or maimed in any way. They also are more likely to get blown around in your hands on a windy day.

[rainbowgirl28]

The new ultralights have thinner walls. As such, they are more susceptible to breakage if they are knicked or maimed in any way. They also are more likely to get blown around in your hands on a windy day.

Actually the guys at Gill told me they were better able to handle dings and nicks because of the weave of the carbon vs the unidirectional fibers of traditional carbon.

[vaultguru6]

from everything i've heard the ultra lites break, a lot. Kate Soma has broken at least two, and these are poles that are 30 pounds over her weight. I know Toby tried them out earlier this year and broke so many that he switched back to the regular carbons. I don't care what the people who are selling the poles tell you, they have ulterior motives (ie selling enough poles to cover the R&D costs and maybe even turn a profit?), but from what i have seen and heard from some of the best vauters in the country, they are very fragile and very suceptable to breaking, dinged or not.

I think its a good thing that pacer made these poles. We need companies to push the edges of technology. However, in order to find out where that edge is sometimes you have to step over it. I think thats what has happened wtih these poles.

[rainbowgirl28]

I know Toby tried them out earlier this year and broke so many that he switched back to the regular carbons.

He only broke 2. I know one of them he had a tap when he broke it. He also broke a regular carbon that was damaged in shipping but he jumped on it anyway.

He switched back to regular carbon because he switched length of pole and Gill did not have any carbon weave available at the time to make him a new series.