Pole vaulting equipment

Poles are manufactured with ratings corresponding to the vaulter's maximum weight. Some organizations forbid vaulters to use poles rated below their weight as a safety precaution. The recommended weight corresponds to a flex rating that is determined by the manufacturer by placing a standardized amount of stress on the pole and measuring how much the center of the pole is displaced. Therefore, two poles rated at the same weight are not necessarily the same stiffness. Because pole stiffness and length are important factors to a vaulter's performance, it is not uncommon for an elite vaulter to carry as many as 10 poles to a competition. The effective properties of a pole can be changed by gripping the pole higher or lower in relation to the top of the pole. The left and right handgrips are typically about shoulder width apart. Poles are manufactured for people of all skill levels and body sizes, with sizes as small as 2.3 m to more than 6.4 m, and rated for vaulters weighing under 40 kg to over 100 kg.

As in the high jump, the landing area was originally a heap of sawdust or sand where athletes landed on their feet. As technology enabled higher vaults, mats evolved into bags of large chunks of foam. Today's high tech mats are solid pieces of foam usually 1-1.5 meters thick. Mats are growing larger in area as well, in order to minimize any risk of injury. Proper landing technique is on the back or shoulders. Landing on the feet must be trained out of the athlete, to eliminate the risk of spraining or breaking an ankle.

Rule changes over the years have resulted in larger landing areas and additional padding of all hard and unyielding surfaces.

The pole vault crossbar has evolved from a triangular aluminium bar to a round fiberglass bar with rubber ends. This is balanced on standards and can be knocked off when it is hit by a pole vaulter.

 

Pole vaulting shoes are essential equipment for the athlete. The sole must provide grip through the run-up to the plant and take-off phases: it ideally features a rubber /synthetic sole and outsole, including a hard spike plate which houses 8 spikes and provides additional energy transfer from the run to the take-off. Advanced models are lightweight, the uppers made of synthetic and mesh fabric, yet grip the foot very tightly. Some feature double closure systems, both using laces and velcro straps and, with a total weight around 0.98 kg , they are light yet strong enough to make the pole vaulter fly!

 

The vault box is where the athlete plants the far end of the pole at the end of the approach. They are firmly planted on the ground and are usually made of steel or welded or cast aluminium, to endure all conditions and ensure maximum rigidity and energy feed-back.

The crossbar has evolved over time from a triangular aluminium bar to a round fibreglass bar with rubber ends. It is balanced on standards that can be regulated as the height of jumps increases.

The landing area  (the landing pit) was originally a heap of sawdust or sand where athletes landed on their feet. As technology enabled higher vaults, mats evolved into bags of large chunks of foam. Today's high tech mats are solid pieces of foam usually 1-1.5 meters thick. Mats are growing larger in area as well, in order to minimize any risk of injury.

 

From poles butt plugs to keep the inside of the pole dry, to pole carrier bags to drainage pumps for the vault box, to grip tape for the grip end of the pole to the ubiquitous gym chalk, rubbed on the vaulter’s hands to enhance grip, the assortment of small and large accessories is varied and surprising.

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pole_vault