How to Make Your Pit Last 10+ Years

Weather Cover: The #1 Thing You Can Do

If you do nothing else in this guide, do this: cover your pit every single time it is not in use. UV radiation and moisture are the two forces that destroy landing systems faster than anything else — and a weather cover eliminates both.

A quality weather cover for a high jump pit costs $800–1,500. A pit that fails 3 years early costs $5,000–18,000 to replace. The math isn't close. The cover is one of the highest-ROI purchases in track & field equipment management.

What a Weather Cover Actually Prevents

• UV degradation — UV radiation breaks down vinyl and foam over time. Uncovered outdoor pits in Sun Belt states can lose 30–40% of their useful foam life in 3–4 years. A cover blocks this entirely.
• Water pooling on top — standing water on an uncovered pit seeps through seams and saturates the foam. Waterlogged foam grows mold and loses compression performance. Once it's in, it's hard to get out.
• Bird and pest damage — birds will nest in or on uncovered pits. Claws and beaks damage fabric and foam surfaces faster than you'd expect.
• Debris accumulation — leaves, dirt, and debris trap moisture and accelerate fabric wear at contact points.

Off-Season Storage

What you do with your pit from June through February determines how it performs in March. Most pit degradation happens during the off-season, not during the season — because programs cover during the season and forget about the pit in the off-season.

Indoor Storage (Best Option)

If you have the space, store the pit indoors during the off-season. A field house, equipment room, or large storage bay all work. Indoor storage eliminates all UV and weather exposure and can add 2–4 years to total pit life. If the storage space is climate-controlled, even better — extreme heat accelerates foam breakdown.

Covered Outdoor Storage (Acceptable)

If indoor storage isn't available, covered outdoor storage is workable with proper precautions:

• Verify the weather cover is fully secured — wind will unseat a loose cover, leaving part of the pit exposed for weeks without anyone noticing
• Use a ground cover as well — moisture wicks upward from ground contact. A vinyl ground cover under the pit prevents this
• Check monthly — don't set-it-and-forget-it from June to February. A monthly check catches a shifted cover or pooling water before it becomes a problem
• Avoid locations with standing shade — perpetually shaded areas stay damp longer and promote mold growth in the foam

Seasonal Inspection Routine

A 20-minute inspection at three points in the year catches problems before they become emergencies. The three points: before the season begins, midseason, and at season end before storage.

Pre-Season Inspection Checklist

Mid-Season Quick Check

Once mid-season, do a fast check for any seam that has developed since the start: top pad wear, carabiner function, and whether the base sections are staying aligned under competition load.

End-of-Season Storage Prep

• Clean the pit surface — remove dirt, debris, and any organic material that could cause mold during storage
• Dry the pit before covering — if the pit is wet from rain, let it air dry before applying the weather cover for storage
• Document any damage found — take photos and notes of anything that needs attention before next season, while it's fresh
• Order replacement parts in the off-season — a worn top pad ordered in July ships in a week; ordered in February, it may not arrive before your season opens

In-Season Daily Practices

Before Every Practice and Meet

• Remove the weather cover — verify no water is pooling before pulling it off
• Check that all base sections are connected and aligned
• Ensure the top pad is fully attached at all carabiner points
• Clear the landing zone of any equipment, bags, or debris

After Every Practice and Meet

• Replace the weather cover — every single session, including mid-week practices
• Secure the cover fully — high winds will unseat a partially attached cover
• Check that standards and crossbar are not leaning on or contacting the pit fabric

Foam Care and Longevity

The foam core is the heart of the pit. It's also the most expensive component to replace and the one most damaged by improper care. Here's what you can and can't do to extend foam life.

What Helps Foam Last Longer

• Consistent top pad use — the top pad exists to take spike abuse and impact energy so the core foam doesn't have to. Never let athletes land directly on the base foam sections without the top pad in place
• Rotating reversible sections — if your base sections are reversible (most quality pits are), flip them every season so wear is distributed evenly across all foam surfaces
• Keeping foam dry — waterlogged foam loses compression performance faster than anything. Weather covers and proper drainage prevent this
• Temperature moderation — extreme heat (140°F+ in a metal storage building in summer) accelerates foam breakdown. If you store in a metal building, ventilation or indoor alternatives help significantly

Signs Your Foam Is Failing

• A firm "bottom out" feeling during normal landing — you can feel the hard base structure through the foam
• Visible foam compression — sections that appear notably thinner than when new
• Foam crumbling at edges or where zippers allow access
• Athletes consistently repositioning to land in specific "good" spots — they've found where the foam still works

Common Mistakes That Shorten Pit Life

• Storing without a weather cover — #1 cause of premature pit failure, by a wide margin
• Stacking equipment on top — weight compressed onto the foam during off-season storage sets compression that doesn't fully recover
• Skipping the top pad — using the pit without the 2" top pad in place sends all spike damage and landing energy directly into the base foam
• Pallets under the pit — liability risk and doesn't actually solve moisture problems the way a proper ground cover does
• Power washing — high-pressure water forces itself through seams and into the foam core. Clean with low-pressure water and a soft brush only
• Leaving standards leaning on the casing — metal standards left in contact with vinyl fabric create abrasion points that wear through the casing over time
• Not ordering replacement parts until they fail — weather covers, top pads, and carabiner hardware ordered in the off-season arrive in a week. Ordered in February, you may be waiting when your season opens

Replacement Parts: When to Order

Some components wear faster than others and are designed to be replaced before they compromise the whole system. Knowing which parts to watch and when to replace them is part of good pit management.

• Top pad — inspect annually. Replace when spike damage is extensive or foam depth is noticeably reduced from new. Typical replacement interval: 4–8 years depending on use volume
• Weather cover — inspect at start of every season. Replace when seams are splitting, vinyl is cracking, or the cover can no longer be secured to the pit properly. A failed cover is false security.
• Carabiner hardware — replace any carabiner that is bent, corroded, or doesn't latch positively. These are inexpensive and critical to keeping the top pad attached
• Zipper sliders — if a zipper is difficult to operate, the slider may just need replacement rather than the whole zipper assembly

Dropzone Pits sells replacement parts for our systems and can build replacement covers to fit pits from other manufacturers. See our replacement parts page or contact us with your dimensions.