Recommendations on purchasing grounded strips

[rsy]

The New Jersey Division is considering the purchase of up to 4 grounded strips for use at its divisional events next season. We welcome the thoughts and recommendations of those who have been involved in this type of purchase. Our needs are:

• Dimensions, 1.5 x 14 meters
  
• Portability, these strips will have to be transported to the sites of the various competitions in a trailer hauled by an SUV and handled by 2-4 individuals with nothing more than a hand cart, wrench and screwdriver. No trucks, riggers or forklifts will be available.
  
• Adaptability, the strips will have to be laid down on various hard surfaces (gym floors, tiled floors, etc) and excessive taping with duct tape to hold the strips in place is not favored (damage to the floor and cleanup of the sticky mess).
  
• Durability, the strips will represent a considerable investment and will be expected to have a considerable life span (say 10 yrs at 30 competition days per year).
  
• Use, the strips should provide a safe and effective fencing surface without excessive movement such as rippling and sliding.

Please let me have your input.

-r

[Smyles]

Budget?

[KD5MDK]

10 years is only going to be plausible with sectional rigid strips, in my opinion.

Of course, if you've been taping things down with duct tape you've got a problem to begin with.

[swordsen]

Avoid the new non metallic strips. They are exceptionally portable, easy to lay out, and good to fence on but durability is a MAJOR issue. We bought 4 and have sent all 4 of them back due to the conductive layer delaminating from the vinal base layer. the manufacturer says there was a bad batch and the replacements shouldn't have that problem. I'd hold off on getting them until that has been proven.

[rsy]

Originally Posted by Smyles

Budget?

We do not yet have a budget, but if we determine to move forward there are sufficient funds available to pay what is necessary to get what is approriate. $8,000 for 4 strips that don't work is no bargain; neither is $20,000 when something less expensive would do. So the budget is one of the things I am investigating.

-r

[KD5MDK]

These strips will work fine for what you need. 2 can easily be transported in a full sized pickup or van, and 4 should be no problem for a trailer.

If that's too much, this is cheaper than rigid and far more durable than copper. Speak to the vendor about their upright taping tool and how to lay them out correctly.

[brtech]

The very latest BG sectional aluminum strip looks very nice. It's been in the USFA inventory only a couple of months, and that is not enough time to really evaluate it but:

1. It is in larger sections (like the Turkish, e.g. PBT), but is thicker, like the older BGs. The sections are pretty heavy

2. The best part is the backing. It has a sheet of very solid rubber. The strip DOES NOT MOVE. It's also thick, which lifts the aluminum off the ground. This means that the rivets do not touch the ground, and should help the problem of rivet damage we see on both the older BG and PBT strips

3. The camlock extrusions look solid. They appear to be more rugged than the older design. They seem to lock together easily and tightly without effort. The older BGs go together easily, but have gaps. The PBTs need to be carefully pushed so there is no visible gap or they split.

[rsy]

Originally Posted by swordsen

Avoid the new non metallic strips. They are exceptionally portable, easy to lay out, and good to fence on but durability is a MAJOR issue. We bought 4 and have sent all 4 of them back due to the conductive layer delaminating from the vinal base layer. the manufacturer says there was a bad batch and the replacements shouldn't have that problem. I'd hold off on getting them until that has been proven.

Can you advise who the manufacturer was?

-r

[swordsen]

I believe they came from FWF out of Germany. As to who ACTUALLY makes the things I couldn't say.

[brtech]

The first source I saw for this idea was: http://www.artos-sport.de/english/co...chnik/bahn.php

However, I was told by some other vendors that the fabric comes from France. Artos says they get it from Germany. So far, all of them I have seen look like the base material is from the same source.

[Squall_Leonhart]

Keep in mind the vendors who bolt down their metal sheet of ownership ( *cough BG*) often have sabre fencers rip them off with their back legs are they're retreating and lose touches because of the velocitial (not a real word, I know) trauma. The loud noise.... it's horrible to watch a piece of sheet metal fly up in the air and hit somebody.

I know this probably won't happen too often, but you never know...

Either way, please don't get the metal strips that have the "micro/mini bumps" because those EAT UP SHOES! like nobody's business. The plain old ridges about every couple inches, though, I don't really have much complaints about.

[AndrewH]

Originally Posted by Squall_Leonhart

Either way, please don't get the metal strips that have the "micro/mini bumps" because those EAT UP SHOES! like nobody's business. The plain old ridges about every couple inches, though, I don't really have much complaints about.

The sandpaper strips? Those are my favorite! You should like them too, as a sabre fencer... the traction is unmatched, you can change direction much quicker than on any other strip. They are tough on shoes but then again so is sabre fencing in general. The worst sabre strips are the cheesegraters. No grip whatsoever.