Pacer Butt Plugs

A forum to discuss everything to do with pole vaulting equipment: poles, pits, spikes, etc.

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Cpvault
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Unread postby Cpvault » Fri May 02, 2003 7:14 pm

kknn

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vaultguru6
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Unread postby vaultguru6 » Sun May 04, 2003 3:44 pm

ahhhh....just got new clear pacer plugs. very nice. hopefully they'll hold up.

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dstarkey
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Unread postby dstarkey » Tue May 27, 2003 11:42 am

The main reason a tip blows out is from a low plant/tafe-off and stabbing the pole in the box.

The other reason is never rotating your plug after each jump. Rotating your plug will increase the life of the plug signifigantly because if you do have a low plant the pole tends to dig into the plug on one side.

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Bruce Caldwell
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BUTT PLUGS AKA POLE TIPS

Unread postby Bruce Caldwell » Sun Jun 15, 2003 11:18 am

BUTT PLUGS AKA POLE TIPS
Ok here is the straight stuff on pole tips

The original Catapole pole tips were a vinyl material with some rubber in them and a thin washer. The tip was made with good intentions but when the washer was bent this caused other problems.
Pacer came out with the lexan tip off white material indestructible well almost but made a loud noise in the box. It transfers a lot of energy from the plant to the pole but was hard on the shoulders to some.
Spirit adopted this tip and softened it to meet the middle of the road.
I built the black rubber tips in 1980 so that three sizes will fit all that tooling is now the ownership of PortaPit. The tip was good when you had a washer in them; the larger ones did not and do not last as long.

Pacer Gill made a black tip that was softer also, I felt it was too soft and did not last as long. (These were the old ones)

Most recently I have seen two very good pole tips emerge in the last few months.
The first one, A red and a yellow one made by Rick Foster of Cal Track reconditioning.

He sells to ESSX and to Springco ( I think M-F Athletic too)this urethane tip that is hard and well built. (The first ones were too soft he has hardened them this year to last longer.
The second one I am not sure who makes it but it is clear yellow and has very little weight to it.
This new one seems to be well made.
I am not sure but I think it is made by Pacer/ GILL.

The boys on here from Pacer can let us know I am sure!!!

Other ways to make the pole tips last are:

1. Make sure the tip is on properly?
2. Check the end of the pole to make sure it has no sharp edges to cut the tip? If so use a nail file and flaten it up a bit!
3. Add some grip tape to the end of the pole wrapping it inside to help reduce tip wear.
4. If you blow through tips often, you may need to look at your take-off plant and see if it is too flat.
5. Replace the tip often always have a back-up a $10.00 tip is cheaper than a $300.00 to 400.00 pole!!!!!
I love the PV, it is in my DNA


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