Pole Vault Pit Age

[Mlynarcik]

Can anyone weigh in on how often pits should be replaced? I need to justify this cost to our school board, and fear if I turn to salespeople, they may give me an inaccurate number to ensure a sale. Thanks in advance!

[Bjack6635@gmail.com]

Call me at 2147735815 i can help you with this

[KirkB]

Safety, appearance, and comfort are the main factors.

What will affect those factors are weather; how often it's been used (foam eventually breaks down due to useage and/or old age, causing it to sag down); whether there's any tears or rips (usually from moving the pit around, rather than from normal usage); whether it's been kept indoors or out; and (especially) whether it's always been covered during rain or snow conditions or not.

Sometimes all you need is a new top mat and a new rain cover, if the pit has never gotten wet.

Someone else will have to tell you how this translates to "age" (your question), but it depends on at least the above factors.

Since you didn't mention it, I'm already assuming "compliance" - that the design of the pit meets the minimum standards for HS use.

Kirk

Edit: Added "and/or old age" to why foam deteriorates.

[Bjack6635@gmail.com]

That is excellent advice kirk if the pit is older than 15 yrs there is a good chance its not in compliance. I believe the rule change was implamented between 2000 and 2002 that gives us our current demensions. That may be the only reason you need to give the school, because it becomes a liablity issue at that point. Again call me and i can help.