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Hey I am in a bit of a dilemma I am looking at getting a new pole 15ft 175lb. I have only looked at new poles that I can get in Australia otherwise it can become a little pricey. I have found the following poles
15ft CarbonFX
15ft PacerFX
15ft Skypole
15ft Essx
I am focusing more on the PacerFX and the Essx because the CarbonFX is a little too expensive, does anyone have any information, pros and cons with these poles. cheers chris.

pacers bend "lower" than most poles and essx bend a little "higher" than normal.

the pacers create a big bend and snaps back to verticle very fast. this causes you to tuck your trail leg and lose power. i have never been a fan of the pacers

I have always had the opposite experience with Pacer poles. I've always felt like they bent high and returned rather quickly. They helped me develop a high takeoff and a long powerful swing, it could be just me though. For me UCS Spirit poles always seemed like long slow bottom loaders. I know I'm probably in the minority here but I can't lie about my own experience.

Most poles will be pretty close to each other just make sure you have your flex numbers lined up so you know exactly what you need and what you will get.

Yeah I'am currently vaulting on a old Pacer 14ft 170lb (well actually probable more of an antique) so was going to look at getting another 14ft as well. My current pole is a bit soft and slow I find, it leaves me hanging a little to long so I am interested in trying a new pole. The way the pole bends is more personal preference than anything isn't it?

Vault Old School wrote:I have always had the opposite experience with Pacer poles. I've always felt like they bent high and returned rather quickly. They helped me develop a high takeoff and a long powerful swing, it could be just me though. For me UCS Spirit poles always seemed like long slow bottom loaders. I know I'm probably in the minority here but I can't lie about my own experience.

Most poles will be pretty close to each other just make sure you have your flex numbers lined up so you know exactly what you need and what you will get.

i should have said PacerFX. the older pacers were designed much like the Spirits now.

This is a little snippet from DJ from the "Big bend vs. small bend" thread in the technique forum. I personally agree with him in the sense that UCS is the way to go!

[quote]Some coaches and vaulters have adjusted their jumping style to the poles, earl/essex toby/fx, others? and been successful. The fx seems to bend more near the bottom, in effect shorting the radius, non symmetrically and puts the vaulter close to the pole early (or passing the pole) off the ground, creating the necessity of a ‘tuck’ to get back properly and/or making the vaulter feel they need a bigger pole. As a result most vaulters can hold high on a big flex, hope for “big airâ€Â

Don't believe the "spin". All poles will bend "high" or "low" depending upon the takeoff of the vaulter.

PacerFX is a good pole.

Essex is a good pole.

Spirit is a good pole.

You are on a 15' 175. Become a better Indian and your arrow will fly farther.

Barto

I would go Essx hands down.... after personally seeing the care and percision in how the poles are made, it is the most pole for your money. Every pole is made one at a time to ensure proper placement of the sail peice, in other words made so each pole bends correctly. you will never get an Ex pole that is poorly made. sometimes with some of the mass produced poles sail peices are not put on as carefully and on occasion poles do not come out in the best way. all the poles you have mentioned are good poles, but Essx is consistently good.

good luck this season
jp

Barto wrote:Don't believe the "spin". All poles will bend "high" or "low" depending upon the takeoff of the vaulter.

PacerFX is a good pole.

Essex is a good pole.

Spirit is a good pole.

You are on a 15' 175. Become a better Indian and your arrow will fly farther.

Barto

I agree. Those are all good poles.

Maybe you should see what is currently in stock in Australia, since those are all manufactured overseas.

Barto wrote:Don't believe the "spin". All poles will bend "high" or "low" depending upon the takeoff of the vaulter.
PacerFX is a good pole.
Essex is a good pole.
Spirit is a good pole.
You are on a 15' 175. Become a better Indian and your arrow will fly farther.
Barto

Barto is correct poles bend by the way you plant and swing on them. However we do make the ESSX pole (Not ESSEX there is no SEX in them Grin.)
We make the ESSX poles with a stiffer butt area to eliminate a low bend. If the take off is proper or a little off this keeps the pole from bending into the pit.
Now that does not mean that a very poor plant and take off could not bend the ESSX pole lower, as it can happen, but this action does make the ESSX pole appear to bend higher. Barto is correct if you really jump with any pole properly the pole should bend as you apply the forces.
Other poles seem to have different center of gravity on their poles. We feel a stiffer butt area is important to teach beginning vaulters better technique. And we make the pole match others lightness by using carbon as a butt reinforcement to reduce some of the weight caused by the stiffer butt area.

In reference to DJ's comments on late swing up because the pole bends high???? DJ is brilliant and has come up with some really great ideas however this is one theory I do not buy!

[quote]DJ The essex seems to bend more at the top, again shorting the radius non symmetrically and puts the vaulter close to the pole “lateâ€Â

JMP8928 wrote:I would go Essx hands down.... after personally seeing the care and percision in how the poles are made, it is the most pole for your money. Every pole is made one at a time to ensure proper placement of the sail peice, in other words made so each pole bends correctly. you will never get an Ex pole that is poorly made. sometimes with some of the mass produced poles sail peices are not put on as carefully and on occasion poles do not come out in the best way. all the poles you have mentioned are good poles, but Essx is consistently good.

good luck this season
jp

I've visited 3 out of the 4 US manufacturers, and they all make poles by hand. Some are doing a higher volume than others, but I saw everyone put a great deal of care into each pole.

sorry for the mis-info

rainbowgirl28 wrote:

JMP8928 wrote:I would go Essx hands down.... after personally seeing the care and percision in how the poles are made, it is the most pole for your money. Every pole is made one at a time to ensure proper placement of the sail peice, in other words made so each pole bends correctly. you will never get an Ex pole that is poorly made. sometimes with some of the mass produced poles sail peices are not put on as carefully and on occasion poles do not come out in the best way. all the poles you have mentioned are good poles, but Essx is consistently good.

good luck this season
jp

I've visited 3 out of the 4 US manufacturers, and they all make poles by hand. Some are doing a higher volume than others, but I saw everyone put a great deal of care into each pole.

This was not mis information thanks JP
There are at least two to three other manufacturers who do not understand why the glass must be straight at all times when rolling. Essx is the only ones with rollers on all sides and we in the rolling process do not iron the glass to a laminate. We are also the only company that uses a fusion oil system. All others use steam. We are also the only ones who state we check each pole and provide proof of that in a picture with each pole.
We are the only ones who sync our patterrns to insure ease in moving from one length to another. OUR Serial numbers are tied to patterrns, tests, and QC process. We are the only company who packs the pole in a fully sealed PVC tube to protect it.

Bruce Caldwell