PoleVaultPower.com

I need help fully understanding how to read the "pole progression" chart.

My confusion is in moving across the chart.
Example - a 12' 140# is listed as being equivalent to a 12'6" 130# and a 13' 120#

Does this mean these poles are equivalent if you simple move your grip from where you were holding on the 12' pole to the same spot on the longer poles?
Example - You are holding at 11'6" on the 12' foot pole so to be equivalent you would hold at 11'6" on the 13' pole.

Or does it imply they would be equivalent if you held the same distance from the top of the longer poles as you were on the 12' pole?
Example - Your top hand is 4" from the top of the 12' pole so to make the 13' pole equivalent you would have to hold 4" from the top of the 13' pole.

Thanks,
Gary

The poles are "literally" equivalent. Think of them being the same pole - just cut at different lengths. The pole manufacture will put a different weight rating assuming that the vaulter will be gripping near the label (every 6" is equivalent to approximately 10 pounds). Of course, there are small additional factors due to the placement of the sail piece which are not taken into consideration with the weight chart.

Gary_vaulter wrote:... Does this mean these poles are equivalent if you simple move your grip from where you were holding on the 12' pole to the same spot on the longer poles?
Example - You are holding at 11'6" on the 12' foot pole so to be equivalent you would hold at 11'6" on the 13' pole.

Yes, this. Holding at same height measured from the bottom of the pole should (+/-) be about the same stiffness and (+/-) be roughly the same. However, two caveats:

1. It is *only* true for the same mfg and model of pole. (what one mfg declares is a 150# pole might be considered a 140 (or a 160) by another; seriously, they can be way different).

2. Poles are made *then* tested for stiffness, and will be labeled with the closest weight number that is evenly divisible by 5. So a 150 pole will really be somewhere in the range of 147.5 to 152.5. And that 155 pole will be somewhere between 152.5 to 157.5. So the difference of two poles that are the same length but rated 5 pounds different might be negligible, or as much as 10 pounds. The mfg should be able to tell you exactly from the flex number (which is a more accurate number to use when assessing the stiffness of a pole). Similar situation applies in your case where you are comparing a 12 pole to a 13 ft pole rated 20 pounds less stiff gripped at the same spot: they might be equivalent, or they could be up to 5 pounds different.