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Hey i have a new pacer fx pole and i was wondering if the higher the flex number means its easier or harder to bend? I thought the higher the flex the more flexable it is but a pole vault coach told me it was the other way around. Anyways if i have a 160 lbs 15 ft pole with a 20 flex is it going to be stiff or flexable? (i weigh 150) Someone also told me that new poles are very stiff and need to be broken in by bending it alot, is that true?

Higher flex=easier bend, and vice versa. Also, poles DO NOT need to be broken in, I got a new 14' 150 pole Spirit right outta the box (i was on a 13' 135) and i almost snapped it on my first jump. It all depends on how good ur pole transition is. If you are jumping from a pole that is a foot longer, it will take more outta ya than just a 6 inch incrament.

Benjamin1205 wrote:Hey i have a new pacer fx pole and i was wondering if the higher the flex number means its easier or harder to bend? I thought the higher the flex the more flexable it is but a pole vault coach told me it was the other way around.

That coach was wrong.

Anyways if i have a 160 lbs 15 ft pole with a 20 flex is it going to be stiff or flexable? (i weigh 150)

You're asking the wrong questions. What pole do you use before this pole? How high will you be gripping on this pole?

Someone also told me that new poles are very stiff and need to be broken in by bending it alot, is that true?

No they are wrong also.

I was using a 14-9 pacer with a flex of 18.5. I held down about a foot on it and i was getting good penetration. But this new pole feels stiffer then the 14-6 i was using.

Benjamin1205 wrote:I was using a 14-9 pacer with a flex of 18.5. I held down about a foot on it and i was getting good penetration. But this new pole feels stiffer then the 14-6 i was using.

But what was the weight rating on the first pole?

You can't compare flex numbers on different lengths of poles. They change the span for every length of pole, so a 14'6" pole will have different flex numbers than a 15' pole.

Well Im jumping on a 165 15ft UCS Spirt pole with flex of 18.6 or something like i think it's smaller actualy..but um i just order some pacer fx 170 and 175 15ft poles im exicted....b/c the other poles were getting to small.

it may be me, but i think the pacer fx has a stronger and faster recoil than a UCS.