How to Make a Spartan Spear for $15 Or Less
Take your training to a new level with DIY Obstacle tips from the masterminds behind Spartan's obstacles. Get step-by-step instructions and a breakdown of materials to build your own equipment—and dominate OCR like a champ.
The Spear Throw obstacle can be one of the most devastating hits along the Spartan Race course. Many of us have lived the consequences of missing our single chance at spearing that target—a face full of burpees! Famous football coach Vince Lombardi said it best: “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” So, you need the perfect tools to practice perfectly. The most important part of practicing for the Spear Throw is having the right tool. The weight, the length, the tip and length of the tip all come into play (not to mention the tether and distance to stand away from the target). Here's how to make a perfect (read: race accurate) version of a Spartan Spear.
Related: 5 Hardest Spartan Obstacles—and How to Train for Them
What You Need:
Spear Materials:
1 - 60 in. Bow Rake Handle ($9.48)
1 - 3/8 in. x 12 in. Galvanized Spike Nails ($0.75)
1 - Interior Projects 10 oz. Tan Latex Construction Adhesive ($1.77) This stuff is the bes for this as it dries with an elastic property and won't shatter during spear use.
Or
1 - Power Grab Express 6 fl. oz. All Purpose Construction Adhesive Squeeze Tube ($4.68)
Tools:
*Angle Grinder (with metal cut off wheel) OR Hacksaw (metal blade) Reciprocating saw OR Band saw OR Bolt Cutters (Or any other tool used for cutting metal)
*Caulking Gun (If using non squeeze tube construction adhesive)
*PPE: Eye & ear protection for when cutting metal
*Vice Grip pliers or a vice to hold spike nail when removing the head
*Measuring Tape
*Optional Tether:
30’ -5/32” Nylon Paracord 550 Rope. To set your spear target 25’ from your ‘fence line’
1 - 3/16” Stainless Steel Eye x Eye Swivel. To prevent rope from binding.
6” - Tape to protect the spear when drilling a hole for paracord tether
1 - Drill with ¼” drill bit
1 - Lighter to fuse ends of rope after cutting to length
1 - Writing utensil to mark point for hole prior to drilling
Related: How To Train For An Obstacle Course Race
How to Make a Spartan Spear
Step 1:
Acquire & layout the tools & materials needed to make your spear
Step 2:
Secure 3/8 in. x 12 in. Galvanized Spike Nails in vice (vice grips) with nailhead easily accessible to cut and remove from nail shaft
Step 3:
With appropriate ear and eye protection remove nail head from shaft, ensure blade is operating safely and in the case of an angle grinder with spent metal offshooting away. Give the metal a couple minutes to cool down before handling.
Step 4:
Fill cylinder hole of rake handle with construction adhesive. For easier cleanup tape off the end of the rake handle where you will be adding construction adhesive as the glue will overflow when you add your spike.
Step 5:
Insert cut end of metal spike into the cylinder of construction adhesive and rotate to fully coat in glue. Clean off excess glue & tape, let sit for 24hrs before first use (reference your glues drying time for best results).
Related: From Ideas to OCR Courses: How Spartan Obstacles Are Designed
How to Make the Optional Tether:
Step 1:
Measure out & a mark a point 1.5” down from the rounded (non spike) end of spear. Tape off for best results and a clean finished look. Using a Drill & ¼” wooded drill make a hole through the shaft using your mark for reference. Remove the tape when done.
Step 2:
Measure & cut your 5/32” Nylon Paracord 550 Rope into a 1’ section & a 25’ section. With a lighter melt the ends of the rope to fuse back together. You can carefully shape the melted nylon to a point to ensure it will tie through the Spear in future steps. The reason Paracord 550 is used is because of its exceptional strength; the rope sheath is filled with other smaller ropes that make its rated breaking strength 550lbs (thus the title Paracord 550)
Step 3:
Feed your 1’ section of Parachord through the hole you just drilled in your spear. From here you will feed one side of you swivel through the tail of the rope while tying your rope back on itself. This step keeps your rope from getting wound up and difficult to untangle as your spear with spin similar to a football while in flight.
Step 4:
Tie your leash to the opposite end of your tether. This is how Spartan makes its spears, and now you can too. To practice in true Spartan fashion you should set your target 25’ from where you throw from (a fence to tie off to is your best approach but get creative with ideas and know that you have some extra length in your leash if you should want to tie to a tree or something larger).
Final Step:
Get to practice, & ENJOY!!!
