6 Best Pole Vault Landing Mats For Home Practice Coaches Recommend

Your child comes home from track practice buzzing with excitement about a new event: the pole vault. Soon, that excitement turns into a request for a way to practice at home. You see their passion, but the thought of buying a massive landing pit for the backyard can feel overwhelming, both financially and logistically. How do you support their growing dedication safely without making a purchase you’ll regret?

Choosing a Safe Home Pole Vault Landing System

When your child gets serious about an activity like pole vaulting, the gear conversation shifts from wants to needs. A home landing pit isn’t just a training tool; it’s a critical piece of safety equipment. This is one of those moments where "good enough" isn’t good enough. You’re investing in a system designed to absorb the impact of your child falling from significant heights, so quality and construction are non-negotiable.

Think of this decision in terms of your child’s developmental stage. A middle schooler just learning the basics has very different needs than a high school junior aiming for the state championships. The key is to match the pit’s size, foam density, and overall quality to the heights and techniques they will actually be practicing at home. Remember, the goal of a home pit is to work on drills and technique, not to set new personal records. Safety must always be the primary consideration.

Before you even look at brands, measure your space and talk to their coach. The coach can provide invaluable insight into the specific drills your child should be focusing on, which directly influences the type of landing system you need. This isn’t just about buying a product; it’s about creating a safe and effective training environment that complements their official team practices.

Gill Athletics Scholastic Pit for Young Vaulters

You’re watching your 13-year-old get hooked on vaulting, and you want to encourage them. They aren’t clearing massive heights yet, but they are dedicated to mastering the foundational movements. The Gill Athletics Scholastic Pit is often recommended by coaches for exactly this stage. It’s a trusted brand name in track and field, known for reliable construction and safety standards.

This type of pit is designed for the beginner-to-intermediate level. It provides adequate landing area and cushioning for the lower heights and drills common for developing vaulters. It’s a significant step up from any DIY solution but doesn’t have the size or price tag of a collegiate-level system. Think of it as the perfect "first real pit" for a young athlete who has proven their commitment over a season or two.

Investing in a scholastic-level pit strikes a great balance. You’re providing a genuinely safe practice space that allows for real skill progression. At the same time, if their interests shift in a couple of years—as they often do in middle school—you haven’t over-invested in a professional-grade system. It also holds its value reasonably well for resale to another family starting their vaulting journey.

UCS Spirit 1600: A Durable Home Practice Choice

Your high schooler is all in. They live and breathe pole vault, and their progress shows it. This is no longer a casual hobby; it’s their primary sport. For this level of dedication, you need equipment that can withstand consistent, long-term use. The UCS Spirit line is a workhorse in the track and field world, and a model like the 1600 is a frequent recommendation for a serious home setup.

This pit is built for durability. It features high-quality foam and robust vinyl that can handle the repeated impact from a more advanced vaulter. It’s the kind of investment you make when you and your child see a multi-year path in the sport. The construction is meant to last through thousands of practice vaults, making it a reliable tool for an athlete focused on incremental gains.

Choosing a durable, well-known system like this also has a practical benefit: resale value. When your athlete heads off to college or eventually moves on from the sport, a high-quality pit from a brand like UCS is much easier to sell to the next generation of local vaulters. It’s an investment in their current safety and their future progress, with a better chance of recouping some of the cost down the line.

AAE Advantage System for Progressive Skill Building

What if your vaulter is growing and improving at a rapid pace? You might be hesitant to buy a pit they could "outgrow" in terms of size or capability within a year. This is where a more modular system, like those offered by AAE, can be a smart choice for a family playing the long game. These systems are often designed with progression in mind.

The key benefit here is adaptability. Some systems allow you to expand the landing area or upgrade components as the athlete advances. This means the pit you buy for their sophomore year can still be the right pit for their senior year with a few additions. It’s a strategic way to manage a large investment over time, aligning your spending with their demonstrated and continued commitment.

This approach is perfect for the athlete who is clearly on an upward trajectory. It allows you to provide the right amount of safety for their current skill level while having a clear path to upgrade as they begin vaulting higher and requiring a larger landing zone. It’s a forward-thinking choice for the dedicated track and field family.

Richey Little Giant for Space-Conscious Training

Your backyard isn’t the size of a football field, but your vaulter’s passion is huge. Limited space is a common hurdle for families wanting to set up a home practice area. The Richey Little Giant is a name that frequently comes up in coaching circles as a solution for this exact problem. It’s designed to provide a safe landing zone for specific drills in a more compact footprint.

This pit is not intended for full-approach, personal-record attempts. Its strength lies in facilitating high-repetition drills from a short approach. Think "pop-ups" to practice the turn, swing-up drills, or work on bar clearance from a few steps out. These are the fundamental movements that build the muscle memory required for higher vaults, and this pit makes it safe to practice them at home.

For the family with a smaller yard or a dedicated training space in a barn or large garage, this is an ideal solution. It allows for focused, productive practice sessions without requiring an enormous, dedicated area. It’s a testament to the idea that effective training is about the quality of the drills, not just the size of the equipment.

Port-a-Pit Varsity: A Versatile Training Option

Perhaps you’re looking for a pit that feels like the one your child uses at their high school. The Port-a-Pit brand is a staple at schools across the country, and their Varsity model offers a great blend of size, quality, and practicality for a serious home setup. This is a choice that signals a very high level of commitment to the sport.

This system is known for its all-around performance. It’s large enough to safely accommodate full-approach vaults for most high school athletes, giving them a realistic practice experience. The multi-density foam construction provides a forgiving landing, which is crucial for building the confidence needed to attack higher bars. It’s a versatile option that can serve a dedicated athlete throughout their entire high school career.

Because of its widespread use in official school programs, a Port-a-Pit system is a familiar and trusted piece of equipment. This can be psychologically comforting for an athlete, allowing them to focus purely on their technique. It’s a substantial investment, but for the family of a varsity-level vaulter, it provides a practice environment that closely mirrors competition conditions.

VS Athletics Essentials Pit for Foundational Drills

Let’s be realistic: sometimes the budget is the primary driver of the decision. You want to support your child, but a top-tier system is financially out of reach. The VS Athletics Essentials Pit is often recommended as a budget-friendly option specifically for foundational drills only. This is a critical distinction.

This type of pit is smaller and less dense than its more expensive counterparts. Therefore, it should be used exclusively for low-impact, ground-level, or short-approach exercises. It’s an excellent tool for:

• Perfecting the "plant" without a pole.
• Practicing swing-ups from a seated or standing position.
• Doing slide-box drills to simulate the take-off.

It is crucial to understand that this is not a landing system for actual vaulting over a bar. Its purpose is to provide a safe cushion for the repetitive, foundational movements that build a vaulter’s core skills. It’s the right choice when the goal is to get hundreds of drill reps in safely, but it must be paired with a clear understanding of its limitations.

Key Safety Checks for Your Home Vaulting Setup

Buying the pit is only the first step. Creating a safe home vaulting environment is about the entire system, and as a parent, you are the ultimate safety manager. Once the pit is delivered, your job is to ensure the entire area is secure before your child ever takes their first practice jump.

First, the ground must be perfectly level. A pit on an uneven surface can shift upon landing, creating a dangerous and unstable target. Second, look up. Check for any overhead obstacles like tree branches, power lines, or roof eaves. You need a completely clear vertical path well above the highest potential vault. The area around the pit should also be clear of any trip hazards like rocks, sprinklers, or yard equipment.

Finally, establish firm rules with your vaulter. Always inspect the equipment before each session—check that all pit sections are secured together and the weather cover is properly fitted. Most importantly, reinforce that the home pit is for drills and practice at sub-maximal heights. Never allow them to practice alone. A spotter, whether it’s you, a sibling, or a teammate, is an essential part of the safety system.

Choosing the right landing pit is a major decision, but it’s a manageable one. Frame your choice around your child’s current stage, their level of commitment, and your family’s practical constraints of space and budget. More than anything, bring their coach into the conversation. Their expert guidance will ensure you invest wisely in your child’s safety and help them soar to new heights, both on and off the field.