This is a review about large sheets of foam, encased in nylon, designed to be worn like a backpack, and prevent injury from falling. Bouldering is weird, isn’t it?
All joking aside, crash pads are the most important piece of gear a Boulderer can have aside from a good pair of Bouldering Shoes.
Crash Pads keep us from getting injured while climbing and allow us to climb higher boulders without a rope.
Aren’t all Pads created equally?
Not quite. If you don’t believe it let your ankles be the judge.
So what makes a Crash Pad good:
- Fall Protection
- Weight
- Size
- Price
Obviously good Protection against falling is the #1 quality for a Crash Pad to have. If your pad isn’t good to fall on then it’s time to get a new pad…
Protection is mainly based on the foam inside the pad and the amount of area your crash pad takes up. This means that the best crashpad is the one that has the most foam and the most area right? Well, that is true as long as you can still carry all that heavy load.
Weight is another huge consideration when it comes to Crash Pads. If your pad weights 40 pounds and only covers 3 square feet it doesn’t matter how amazing it is, you won’t be lugging it out to the boulders. This is a bit of a give and takes though considering that more padding often means more weight.
Sometimes the extra weight is worth it. You can buy a 5″ thick organic pad that covers the same area as the standard 4″ pad but weights a bit more. The extra weight also means a softer landing.
The Size of your pad will determine if you need extra protection and spotter while climbing. This could also determine if you want to get 2 smaller pads instead of 1 larger one. You could also get a trifold crash pad or order an extra slider pad to bundle together with a regular bifold.
The last consideration when choosing the best pad for you will be Price. Some Crash Pads can cost almost $500 and that’s a bit ridiculous for most people. Sometimes paying a bit more for a pad is well worth it and other times it’s just a waste. Having a good balance of performance to price is important in any pad, remember it’s just foam…
If you are trying to Boulder Solo (aka by yourself) check out this review
If you want some more information on Crash Pads read what Climbing Mag has to say.
Calculating the Best Crash Pad
The following tool will help you determine which Crash Pad is best for you. Enter the information about the pad you are looking at and it will spit out the Area, Ratio, and Performance Score.
The Area is quite simple to understand, this is the space in which you can land on. You can calculate this by inputting the length and width of your crash pad. The more the better!
Note: Make sure to use the unfolded dimensions!
Weight to Area ratio is simply the Weight of the Crash Pad divided by the Area. The lowest number is best in this case since you want more area per pound of pad you are carrying. Units are in lbs/ft^2
Last, the Price Performace Score will tell you what’s the best bang for your buck. This uses all factors including thickness and price to come up with an overall score. 100 is the ideal number, but the higher the better! The is just a combination of all the other factors, it doesn’t specifically correlate to a specific attribute.
*Note: since prices are subject to change daily the following pads reviewed are not given a score, however, you can easily plug in the specs listed with the best price you have found to determine the score.
| Crash Pad | Weight (lbs) | Area (ft^2) | Ratio (lbs/ft^2) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metolius Recon Crash Pad | 14 | 17.5 | 0.8 | $$ |
| BLACK DIAMOND Mondo Pad | 20 | 19.9 | 1 | $$$ |
| Mad Rock R3 Crash Pad | 18 | 13.3 | 1.35 | $ |
| Organic Full Pad | 12 | 12 | 1 | $$$ |
| Mad Rock Mad Pad Crash Pad | 13.8 | 12.8 | 1.07 | $ |
| Metolius Session Crash Pad | 9 | 12 | 0.75 | $ |
| Flashed Tanto | 5 | 2 | 0.375 | $$ |
Top 7 – Bouldering Crash Pads
*Crash Pads are all rated for each quality out of five (5) 💥
#1 Metolius Recon Crash Pad
Weight: 💥💥💥💥
Size: 💥💥💥💥💥
Price: 💥💥💥💥
The Metolius Recon Crash Pad is the best overall pad for single pad owners. It offers 17.5 square feet of landing zone
If you can only have one pad this is the one. You getting the most foam for the dollar in a nice, compact package. This pad also gets better with age as the foam starts to soften up!
The Recon Crashpad also is a trifold pad, meaning it is more compact to travel with and carry to the boulders. You can easily fit this in the back of your sedan or small SUV.
#2 BLACK DIAMOND Mondo Bouldering Pad
Falls: 💥💥💥💥💥
Weight: 💥💥💥💥
Size: 💥💥💥💥💥
Price: 💥💥
The Black Diamond Mondo is one of the greatest pads to fall on. It covers a massive 19.9 square feet of ground while weighing only 20 lbs, giving the Mondo a 1 to 1 ratio. The Mondo has a substantial 5″ thick layered foam system that is good for keeping ankles healthy.
The price of the Mondo may make you queasy so it may not be the one for you. The other downside is at this size it can be harder to transport as this pad only folds in half and not in thirds.
#3 Mad Rock R3 Crash Pad
Weight: 💥💥
Size: 💥💥
Price: 💥💥💥💥
The R3 comes in at a whopping 18 lbs and 1.35 lbs per ft^2 which is almost double to competition. If you can handle the weight you can’t beat the performance and the Price!
#4 Organic Full Pad
Falls: 💥💥💥💥
Weight: 💥💥💥
Size: 💥💥💥💥
Price: 💥💥💥
Made in the Good Ol’ USA the Organic Full Pad will not disappoint! It has a solid construction with any extra frills. 12 square feet of landing area and weighing 12 lbs this 1 to 1 ratio pad is perfect for almost any situation.
Organic is a time-tested brand that has become one of the favorites in the bouldering community. This may not be a good first pad for you but if you end up getting one you won’t regret it.
#5 Mad Rock Mad Pad Crash Pad
Weight: 💥💥💥💥
Size: 💥💥
Price: 💥💥💥💥
The Mad Pad is 5″ thick so it’s great for all around Bouldering, especially high balls.
If you are looking for your first Crash Pad then you want to really consider this Mad Rock pad. It will last you forever and it’s one of the cheapest options out there.
#6 Metolius Session Crash Pad
Weight: 💥💥💥💥
Size: 💥💥
Price: 💥💥💥💥
At only 9 pounds this is an excellent second pad to add to your collection.
#7 Flashed Tanto
A bit of a wildcard but worth taking a look!
A Backpack that doubles as a Crash Pad. The Tanto is a cool design by Flashed that is perfect for carrying all the supplies out for the day and also for the start of your project.
This pad is not designed to be fallen on from any significant height!
The Tanto is perfect for larger groups where everyone does not have their own pad. This will allow someone to carry all the essentials and free up some weight for the pad haulers.
Final Thoughts
Make sure you get yourself a good Crash Pad before your next outdoor Bouldering trip. We hope the calculator helps you out in your decision.
If you see something you would like reviewed please leave a comment below.
Keep Crushing!
Owner and Operator of Every Last Rock. He is dedicated to spreading the Stoke about all things climbing. Often found Bouldering around the US and obsessively training.
