PoleVaultPower.com

Does anyone have any reliable information about the quality and utility of the Cata-Poles currently made by the company called BSN? They are online at bsnsports.com (I think that's the site).

They offer a variety of relatively inexpensive poles. Many are in the $140 range. They also advertise some as "prep models" which they claim are easier for novice-type vaulters to learn to bend.

When I vaulted in hs in the 70's, of course Cata-Pole was the standard, but, as I understand it, the new BSN Cata-Poles are made by an entirely different manufacturer. Is it the same old technology or what?

If anybody has non-rumor facts or experience with these new BSN Cata-Poles, please share that information.

Thanks,

Looks a lot to me like those are trainer poles. Great for practice and teaching a young vaulter to use the bend properly. But, they are useless for meets, i.e. not legal.

The BSN CATS
These are kind of like the old Maxima 4 poles I had when Earl Bell was jumping 19'3â€Â

indestructo wrote:Looks a lot to me like those are trainer poles. Great for practice and teaching a young vaulter to use the bend properly. But, they are useless for meets, i.e. not legal.

I understand why you would saythat:
Yes they look and seem to be similar to a training pole,(I invented the traiing pole in High School 1969) however they are rated just like normal poles and do meet the criteria for pole rules under NFHS.
I understand your thoughts and what you have heard. But they are legal as they are vaulting poles with rings at the top indicating the top handhold and a rating in the ring that is relatively the same as other pole stiffness ratings.
You can jump very well on them, as they are very forgiving but very heavy and do not return to vertical rapidly.

Bruce,

Thank you very much for the info. I appreciate hearing straight from the horses's mouth, so to speak.

Bruce is a "HOSS" not a horse..................