bumper noodles

[lopz056]

hey i was just wondering about the bumper material. do we have to use the regular round pool noodles or does it matter as long as they are still 2 1/2 inches

[DonRotolo]

Rule <R08> is not specific that the noodles MUST be round. I am guessing you're thinking of those octagonal ones I have seen. The drawings show round ones, and the rule uses the word "Must" a lot...

I can offer my opinion, but if you want an answer that you can use at competition, then have your team contact post the question on the Q&A system (search there first!).

In other words, my opinion doesn't count for anything here, only the official Q&A system is, well, official.

Don

EDIT: Woo hoo, one kilopost!

[Andy L]

the rule isn't specific about what type of pool noodles, but I would imagine most shapes would be acceptable and if it is the octagonal ones like Don thought it's pretty much impossible to tell the exact shape on the noodles after you're building.

I don't wanna promote rule breaking so you should post on Q&A

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Chris,
The round pool noodles are specified in the robot section 8. In the past when teams were able to prove that the round noodles were impossible to find, the GDC relented and allowed either the hex or the star shapes. You must ask the Q&A for a ruling this year before other shapes will be allowed. Yes, inspectors most definitely check the construction of the bumpers, the mounting and the hardware.