Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I was wondering this too. I feel like the flower noodles would be better served to compress a bit more over the round noodles, which might help in playing defense. Has anybody conducted an impromptu study on this?

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I haven't seen flower noodles in local stores in any diameter. We have enough trouble finding anything between 2-1/4" and 2-3/4" in round to worry about shapes.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

The bigger issue is really solid versus hollow - solid bumper noodles compress less and resist T-Bone pins, but hollow bumper noodles compress more and are better for performing said pins and other defensive maneuvers.

If I were so hyper-competitive that I wanted to give my robotics team every edge possible, I'd consider making one of each and switching bumpers based on strategy. But I don't know if I want to put in that much effort.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I believe the strategy Chris mentioned would still be allowed in 2017? (Assuming one were willing to make 4 sets of bumpers for Red/Blue and Offensive/Defensive)

Pure speculation, but I'm wondering if solid noodles on bottom and hollow noodles on top would allow a robot to have a better chance of "getting under" an opposing robot depending on that robot's bumper height and this could aid in a pushing match

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

Not a good strategy at all. If you go into a season with the intention of "getting under" other robots, I can all but guarantee you will end up with at least one red card for tipping. It was bad enough as is this year with the large bumper zone and most robots were not even top heavy.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

That was the strategy previously. It often resulted in a red card for the other team because of contact inside of your frame perimeter. This happened decently often in 2014.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

How does 2 sets of each color work with weigh in?

Yes solid on bottom and hollow on top and pulling the fabric as tight as possible makes your bumpers a slight wedge and is likely why this was ruled illegal. I believe 469 did this on their world champion 2014 robot.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I thought the weight limit was per bumper assembly?

Regardless, you could just have two reversible bumpers.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

Not allowed in 2016 rules, and apparently not in 2017, either:

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

Yes, this is literally the subject of the thread, and the reason the discussion even started. It's been mentioned in just about every post. He literally quoted the post stating it was illegal in the post you are responding to.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I believe he knew this and was just speculating on why it was made illegal.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

It is per set of bumpers. I had just checked because I was unsure of that as well. (Per 2016 rules).

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

There is space on the robot inspection form to weigh two set of bumpers. RIs tend to go by the inspection form & not like anything that doesn't fit on the form. You would probably get by with two sets of reversible bumpers. Absent something specific in the rules or Q&A, I think more than two sets is iffy and would depend on the LRI at the event. Insert the usual disclaimer about prior years rules.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

I would say per 2016, >2 sets of bumpers are pretty clearly allowed. Relevant rules are R20 and R27. As long as a team is prepared with the rules, they should have no problem with the majority of LRIs.

Re: [FRC Blog] Pool Noodles for the 2017 Season
 

You might well be right. But the only LRI that matters is the one at your event. They as always have the option of discussing that with Al or First. A few years ago, somebody thought that about using batteries for ballast. The confusion cost them in the eliminations.