Flag Basics / Installment 4: Pole Weights

This is installment number 4 of our Flag Basics Series, to check out all of our flag posts Click Here.

Our team is asked fairly often about flag pole weights - what are they and are they necessary. In this post, we'll give you the basics, show you a few available options, and give you some tips on how to safely use your pole weights.

Remember: There are no real hard and fast rules for balancing your pole. Pole weighting really varies from person to person, group to group, if they even choose to do so. These are simply guidelines to help take some of the guess-work out of weighting your poles.

That said, let's get started!

What are pole weights and what do they do?

Pole weights, are exactly what they sound like, weights that you add to your color guard flag pole. These weights may come in the form of carriage bolts, specialized "jam" weights, PVC inserts, or even rolls of nickels and quarters taped inside the ends of the poles.

Weighting your pole helps the flag rotate in the air when executing tosses. The drag from the fabric moving through the air causes the pole to slow down and not really go anywhere. Adding some weight to the top of the pole helps it to make the full rotation and come back down. Adding additional weight to the bottom of the pole helps to balance it out a bit – having just weight in the top can cause wobbling if the weight is more than 2 inches.

How much weight to add, if any, all depends on your choreography, what kind of flag your group is using, and whether you are spinning into the wind like during the outdoor marching seasons. If your group doesn't do many tosses during your show or are spinning during the winter guard season, you may find it completely unnecessary. Likewise, if your flags are very lightweight, as with budget flags or digital silks, you may find that you do not need to add any weight to balance your pole. However, if you're using a more intricate show flag that contains plenty of seams, or larger swing flags, you may find that it takes a fair amount of weight to get your pole perfectly balanced.

Safety First!

The biggest concerns with using weights are having them fly out of the pole and hitting someone or something. This happens fairly often... To prevent damage to property and other people on the field or floor, taping is key. You will want to tape your preferred weight into the end of the pole using electrical tape, add a high-quality rubber crutch tip (such as the 58561), and then tape your crutch tip in place.

If you begin to hear your bolt clanking around in your pole, it may be time to re-tape your weight. If it's still making a bunch of noise, try wrapping with some foam and/or tape around the bolt.

So what weight system works best?

It's all a matter of what works best for your group. Will, color guard instructor and a member of the Band Shoppe Sales Team says, "I've spent years trying different things and have used everything from nickels and quarters taped together, to washers stacked up, to a bolt and washer, to carriage bolts, to no weights at all. It really just depends on the person and/or group and what they want. I try to discourage people from thinking that unweighted poles are “bad” or “wrong” because it’s not. If you don’t do a lot of tosses, then you don’t need much additional weight and that is okay."

There are basically 2 kinds of weights:

• Aluminum Flag Weights - Used with aluminum flag poles, the weights are also called stack weights or "jam weights" because they are jammed into the end of the pole for a permanent to semi-permanent fit
• Carriage Bolts - Typically available in 1-1/2", 2", 3", and 5" lengths. Carriage bolts may be the most popular way to weight your flag because you have more control to pick the exact combination of weight needed for your flag and choreography needs.

Determining the size of your weight:

The amount of weight needed for your flag will depend on a few factors.

1. The size and weight of your flag
2. Your choreography and how much equipment-work your group performs
3. Wind conditions (in outdoor performance situations)
4. Personal preferences

The only way to find the perfect weight for your situation is to experiment. Try a few different combinations of weights in a couple of different poles. A good starting point for experimenting with weights is to choose a carriage bolt in the top of the pole that's about 1/2″ longer than the bolt in the bottom end of the flag. For example, a 2″ long bolt in the top with a 1 1/2″ bolt in the bottom. Then, toss & spin through difficult sections of your choreography to determine which feels the best.

Tape, tape, tape, aaaand a little more tape...

Now that we have all that out of the way, we're ready to install our weights. We've put together this handy, printable guide help get you started! Click Here for the PDF version.

Here's what you'll need: 2 Rubber Crutch Tips, Your Pole Weight of Choice (we are using a Carriage Bolt for this example), A Flag Pole (whatever size you wish), Scissors, and Plenty of Electrical Tape.

Flag Basics / Installment 3

If you've not read Parts 1 & 2, of our Flag Basics Series, then you can check them out part 1 here and part 2 here. Today, we are going to go over Spirit flags and Battle flags.





Spirit flags and Battle flags are a fun way to incorporate the crowd into any game or pep session! Choose one of our designs or create one of your own. Whether you are going for a more traditional look or a modern design, if you can dream it, we can print it!

So, what’s the difference between a Spirit flag and a Battle flag?

Size! Spirit flags measure 36” x 54” and are recommended to use with a 6’ pole (VE102).
Battle flags (pictured above) are much larger at 58” x 80”, so go for the 10’ bungee pole (VE225).


Is that the only difference? Yep, that's it!
Here are some features that you’ll enjoy with either the Spirit or Battle flag:

• Vibrant colors – Printed with the highest quality inks, our flags sport 100% front saturation and 99% back saturation. 
• Durable fabric – Quality is a must at Band Shoppe. That’s why all our flags are made of the highest grade Poly China Silk! 
• Machine washable – Dirt happens. Our flags are made to handle that! Just toss them in the washing machine on a delicate cycle in cold water. Mild detergent can be used if necessary. Tumble dry low or no heat and remove promptly to prevent wrinkles! Forgot to take them out of the drier? No sweat! Just cool iron as needed. 
• Made in the USA! – Quality that speaks for itself!  
• 1-year warranty – Backed by Band Shoppe’s warranty against manufacturing defects.
  

Now that you know a little about our Spirit and Battle flags, how do you get started?

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: Is there a minimum order?
A: No! You can order just one of your design(s), or you can order as many as you like. There are no minimums.

Q: How much does it cost to get a sketch?
A: Sketches of your designs and ideas are absolutely free!

Q: How do I attach the flag to the pole?
A: You can attach your flag to the pole one of two ways. You can 1) use the hook-and-loop attachments included with your pole and flag purchase or 2) you can tape the flag to the pole. We usually recommend the hook-and-loop method for clean, easy on and off!

Q: Can I get the letters to read correctly, regardless of which side of the flag I am looking at?
A: Yes! This is what we call a double-sided flag. We print your flag twice and sew the pieces together, back to back. This will make sure your letters/words read correctly, no matter how you look at it! (Well, unless it’s upside down, that is.   )

Now that you know a little about the flags, which one is best suited for you and your team? Here are some factors that might help you decide which size flag fits you:

1. Are you looking to spell out a mascot or school initials on each individual flag? Spirit flags work better with larger words or phrases, such as “GO TEAM” or “SPARTANS”. Battle flags are great for school initials, like “NPHS” or “ECC”. Both sizes work great for mascots and school pride. 
2. Where will you be using these flags? For smaller stadiums, fields, or courts, Spirit flags work great to accent the space. Larger areas can sometimes swallow Spirit flags, so it might work better for your team to look into Battle flags. 
3. Who will be using the flags? While a Battle flag on a 10’ pole is easily managed by a high school student, an elementary or middle school student could have troubles hoisting it. Opt for a Spirit flag if your bearer is of small stature. 

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You’re all set! You know the in’s and out’s of Spirit and Battle flags! So what's next? Give us a call to get started on your own design! Our friendly sales staff is happy to assist in creating your very own customized flag.

Be sure to check out designs online and in the catalog for inspiration at bandshoppe.com!

A Welcome Message from Band Shoppe!

Welcome to the Band Shoppe blog/newsroom – we're glad you stopped by!

For those who don't know about us, Band Shoppe is a division of Pearison Incorporated based in Cynthiana, Indiana. Pearison Inc. was founded in 1970 by Chuck Pearison, along his wife Susan, as a small music repair shop operated out of their two car garage in Poseyville, Indiana. The business soon expanded to include marching uniforms and accessories, these products were sold from a small black and white flyer that was mailed to three states under the name "Band Shoppe".

Since then, Band Shoppe has grown to nearly 90 employees! With a full staff of sales and customer service representatives all based here in the USA, as well as secure online shopping, Band Shoppe gives you an easy shopping experience with fast and reliable shipping through USPS and UPS. Our recent 20,000 square foot manufacturing addition has expanded our facilities to 55,000 square feet. This expansion gives Band Shoppe the ability to make even more of our quality marching products right here in the USA, including our full line of custom uniforms and flags!

Here's what you can look forward to in the Band Shoppe Blog: 

• We'll introduce you to the people who make Band Shoppe different
• We'll share with you information about the products we sell - our quality custom marching jackets, color guard and percussion uniforms, and our made-to-last show flags as well as fun tips and tricks to help your group stand out 
• Look for special guest bloggers, interviews with giants in the activity, and a few surprises
• We'll answer your questions about how to make your show's vision a reality
• We'll keep you up to date on sales and events taking place

Stay tuned for weekly updates with tips, tricks, tutorials, how-to guides, event wrap ups, photos, and much much more for both marching band, and color guard. We hope you find some interesting and helpful information, new ideas, and opportunities to join the conversation.

Here are a few link to help you get started:
>> Read more about Band Shoppe
>> Read the Band Shoppe Responsibility Statement
>> Follow us on Social Media:            
>> Shop now at bandshoppe.com

Please remember: We ask that you keep your comments relevant to the conversations taking place here so that we can maintain respect for all those involved and add value and depth to the discussion. All comments are moderated. Profanity, racial and ethnic slurs, and rude behavior won’t be tolerated and we will quickly remove any comments that are offensive, disrespectful or irrelevant.

This blog is a public forum – don’t post anything confidential or private. Also, these are the personal views of the individuals posting here, and not necessarily those of the Company. And, lastly, this is not the place to submit specific customer service questions or technical support inquires. For specific customer issues, please complete a Contact Us request with as much information as possible or give us a call at 1.800.457.3501.

Thank you for reading, visiting, commenting and contributing. We’re excited to have you here!

The Band Shoppe Blog Team

In the Know

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, you do better.”
-Maya Angelou

College graduations are just around the corner, and that means the job hunt has most likely commenced for many future music and performing arts educators around the country. Some of the lucky ones may have experience teaching a band camp or two, but it is important to remember that heading up your first band program is something that can be overwhelming at times. There are a plethora of resources out there, and a simple Google search will pull up at least a dozen links. There seems to be more and more media floating about than ever before, and we know it all can seem too much. Here are a few sites that might be of interest to our customers:

MARCHING.COM is a one-stop source of marching events, links, resources, news and photos. Find details of major parade and field competitions, links to marching bands on the net, and a directory of services and supplies for your marching band, color guard or drum line.

Halftime Magazine® is a bimonthly lifestyle magazine aimed at the marching arts. Halftime Magazine® connects high school and college musician-athletes through shared experiences about competitions, school spirit and band traditions.

Winter Guard International is the world's premier organization producing indoor color guard and percussion ensemble competitions. As a non-profit youth organization, WGI serves as the leading governing body of the winter guard and indoor percussion activities. The staff at WGI has written and produced some great articles and videos that cover a wide range of topics important to developing instructors. Color Guard people might want to look here, while Percussion people might want to check out this link.

ColorGuardEducators.com was started in January 2007 as a resource and community for color guard educators: designers, coaches, choreographers, directors, judges, parents, and student leaders who are dedicated to providing the best possible experiences for their performers.

Micro Marching League (MML) lets marching fans design their own shows and share them online. Our supportive community is a great place to try new ideas, collaborate, and generally share your passion for the marching arts.

Band Shoppe also carries a full selection of educational DVD videos, and later this spring/summer we will be adding several more titles to the collection.

Do you have any favorite resources?  Share them below in the comments section!