Help Choosing A Crashpad

Help Choosing A Crashpad

Since I have been a bit busier than usual lately, I haven’t gotten around to answering a great question posted in the forums.  The question being:  how does one choose a crashpad to buy??

So this is what I ask of you all, what do you think would be the best crash pad for me to purchase for a starter at a low end price for a decent sized pad?  I am a college student so money is tight, thats why I pose this question.  I have been looking at the Mad Rock Mad Pad, but I would like second opinions.  Also I would like an pad from Organic but, like I said money is tight and their sizes don’t seem to be in the medium range If I’m wrong please correct me.  I want to know if the full pad from organic is worth it.  Please any opinions and/or advice is welcome.

Good question.  It seems like every major manufacturer out there has their take on the crash pad.  There are great small companies like Organic that make pads as well.  To complicate the matter, a prospective pad buyer has myriad choices between different sizes and closure systems too.  It can be an overwhelming decision when you consider the fact that you are about to drop upwards of $200-$300 on something you hope to use for years.

Currently, Mrs. Narc and I are the owners of two pads.  We have a Revolution AK Pad that I bought a few years ago.  I frankly have no idea why I chose this pad at the time.  It has been a solid performer thus far with my only complaint being that the foam has started to maintain a bit of a “taco” shape when opened.  Our other pad is an Organic pad.  We purchased it a few months ago and so far it has been awesome.  It seems to have the perfect combination of durability and performance.

So if you have a crash pad that you are using currently, why did you buy it over a different pad?  Feel free to leave a comment with what you are using and why.

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Posted In: Off the Board

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28 Responses to Help Choosing A Crashpad

  1. steve schultz October 15, 2008 at 10:25 am #

    I’ve personally got two revolutions from about 4 years ago and a metolius from about 7 years ago. I’m looking at replacing one of the revolutions with an organic. I like their style and the AK is starting to bottom out a little. I’m still really happy with the 12 guage. I have used one of the newer revolutions and their new carpet isn’t as nice as the older ones, for what it’s worth.

    The few times I’ve used a Mad Pad, I’ve hated them. The foam sucks, the quality sucks and it’s kind of an awkward size. Go with an organic full pad. It’ll last longer and after you use it you won’t even remember the 50 or 60 dollar difference. Hope that helps.

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    • Tiffany Hensley October 4, 2013 at 9:19 am #

      I’ve had the Mad Pad and Triple Pad for years, and brought them to Joshua Tree, Bishop and Red Rocks. The Triple Pad was amazing – I slept on it for a month of camping in Bishop, and it fit perfectly in my 2-person tent. It was also great for solo sessions and highballs. The Mad Pad is just like any other pad, but cheaper and softer, and last just as long. I prefer the softness over the uncomfortable Organic pads.

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  2. Mike B. October 15, 2008 at 11:01 am #

    I currently own an Organic and a Metolius pad. I previously owned a Flashed as well. The Flashed was alright but the foam got “tired” fast. The Metolius is stiff, featureless and feels cheap (well it is cheap to buy so one can expect…).

    Organic is by far the best crashpad that I’ve owned. It’s durable and well made. Plus the owner is really nice to work with and very available to respond to various requests.

    Durability was the main driver behind my choice, and i sure don’t regret it so far!

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  3. TNChris October 15, 2008 at 11:05 am #

    On the cheap, I bought a Metolius Cheap Bastard and it’s been performing well for me. It’s not the softest crash pad ever, but I got it on sale for around 100 bucks and it does what you need it to. I wouldn’t feel too happy highballing with it underneath me though…of course the more expensive pads are going to be bigger, thicker, softer, or what have you but for the $$$ it suits me.

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  4. sock hands October 15, 2008 at 11:06 am #

    i agree on going w/ the organic pad… i always explain to folks that i bought mine when i was still getting free pads from franklin [now black diamond]… i had problems with all my former pads bottoming out, ripping the shoulder straps right off, ripping buckles off, etc.

    going on 4 years of heavy abuse [and carrying heavy loads and multiple pads strapped to it], my first organic is still kicking. the velcro is done, but they are using metal buckles now. of course, the foam is seeing some effects of age, but i’ve never had a pad last longer than 12 months before my first organic… 4 years and still going!

    in the long run, the additional cost is certainly worthwhile.

    there are a few pads out there that i do not currently hate, but in comparison to the organic pads, the marginally lower price is not justifiable in my mind.

    the caveat is that i’m friends w/ josh, but i agreed to buy one of his first retail-sold pads well before i knew him.

    i’d save a little cash and go for the largest organic pad and call it good. you will not be disappointed.

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  5. DenverBouldering October 15, 2008 at 11:39 am #

    I would look at the Asana pads. I have been using mine for about four years and it is held up to some pretty rough abuse. There pads are at a great price and the quality is amazing.

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  6. j October 15, 2008 at 11:49 am #

    Organic pads are now pretty cheap in comparison to all other brands check out current prices on the BD, Metolius and Revolution pads ORGANIC is 50-100 cheaper for big and 20-50 for a standard size pad

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  7. phil October 15, 2008 at 12:25 pm #

    i’ve had a voodoo pad for about 2 years now. it’s held up pretty well, but the organic pad i bought a year ago is far superior. there really is no comparison, i say organic all the way.

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  8. tissue October 15, 2008 at 1:44 pm #

    organic. you’ll save in the long run.

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  9. Situner October 15, 2008 at 1:55 pm #

    I agree. ORGANIC ORGANIC AND ORGANIC!!!!

    I’ve had mad-pads, misty, and metolius and the only pad I would buy again is my Organic.

    Everything else just seems to fall apart, pack out, or just plain carry poorly.

    It’s worth the extra pennies for the extra YEARS you get out of it.

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  10. entropy October 15, 2008 at 4:27 pm #

    I really love my Metolius Behemoth. It’s lighter and less awkward to carry in talus fields and on steep trails than the big, thick pads that a lot of companies make. I also like it because it’s 4″ thick and covers a good deal of landing zone (almost twice what a normal sized pad covers) which is nice if you climb alone very much. The pad is solidly built (much better than the first generation Behemoths) and the foam feels like it will last for a good while. One other thing that I love about the Behemoth is that is is great for sleeping on during road trips, the size makes it comfortable for two people to sleep on and you don’t end up with half the body hanging off one side of the pad or another. I love the pad and my friends seem pretty happy to fall on it too.

    Oh, and one last thing, whatever you do end up getting, do not get a Black Diamond pad. I’ve run into a few people over the last 6 months that have had them fall apart within a month of buying. I’m not sure if it’s true but I’ve heard the Black Diamond is having their products made cheaply overseas now. True or not, these days the quality of their pads have become considerably worse.

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  11. Matt October 15, 2008 at 4:48 pm #

    I would go Misty Mountain or Organic..let’s be honest their the best….buck up and avoid the BOOT OF DOOM

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  12. peter October 15, 2008 at 5:43 pm #

    The madrock pad is a really awkward ratio of area to thickness for protecting landings. every time I’ve used one I’ve wanted to use it at the bottom of a large pile to try to even out the huge drop off. Thick can be good for highballs, but if you catch the edge your ankle is fucked.

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  13. Jamie October 15, 2008 at 9:30 pm #

    Organic pads are clearly the best pads for having as much fun as possible!

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  14. Matt C October 16, 2008 at 8:13 am #

    OK……2 words…….Misty Mountain. I hav a standard misty that I have had for 8 years now and a misty magnum that I have had for 6 years. Both pads have seen extinsive use and are still going strong. Sure you need to replace th foam after a couple of years (you need to do this with any pad) but the straps and body of the pad are still as bomber today as they were when I bought them. The organinc pads do look nice, but misty gets my money.

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  15. tissue October 16, 2008 at 8:33 am #

    i forgot about misty mountain. very nice pads. tough exteriors but they still use average padding. like my metolius fat bastard (another nice exterior that carries well) the foam in my misty was dead in a season. the only exception in the world of pad foam is organic. organic pads are at least 10x more durable than any other pad on the market. i’ve fallen on 3 year old pads that felt almost brand new. IT”S MIND BOGGLING. oh, and they look nice. *not a representative of organic bouldering mats*

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  16. peter b October 16, 2008 at 8:42 am #

    I bought a small Asana pad recently and it has been used a lot. Very affordable, lightweight, and solid. The Organic pads are in my opinion overbuilt with lightweight shoulder straps. The pads can feel very heavy which is good except when carrying them a long way. I have an almost 10 year old Misty Mtn pad that has held up really well.

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  17. sock hands October 16, 2008 at 10:28 am #

    i don’t see the overbuilt charge, peter. of course, i’ve always appreciated your opinions, but plz explain. i’ve always thought that i give the no-BS opinion on things… e.g. i have never like the pocket pouch of the organics since i use a dry bag inside of my pad for gear, i’ve always thought that was extraneous… also, i always hated the velcro. with the simple metal buckle design, and no attached pouch thing, it seems to simplify and lighten the design. as far as being ‘overbuilt’, i still have to disagree… when hauling heavy loads and busting through spiked trees/shredding talus, the thick fabric has avoided the rips that i’ve had in other pads… infact i have actually ripped the fabric on non-organic pads that i’m carrying, strapped to the organic!

    i will admit, perhaps to josh’s chagrin, that the oldest shoulder strap system was no where near as good as the new shoulder straps. still, compared to the straps on most other pads, including misty, the organic’s shoulder harness still wins.

    the only shoulder straps that i can think of that may be more comfortable would be those legit backpack straps that flashed has on one of its rigs… but that would fly in the face of the “overbuilt” and “heavy” arguments x10.

    just stirring the pot with a steady hand…

    discuss!

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  18. yohans October 16, 2008 at 1:46 pm #

    FLASHED. The foam is a perfect balance between being lightweight yet firm. Organic is overly firm and hence, too heavy. Asana is light but so soft it will last you barely a few months.
    Flashed is also the only pad with a good waistbelt. It is the only one beefy enough to transfer weight onto your skeleton and off your back.
    Plus, it is cheaper than organic. All around best value. Get the Ninja for a starter pad.

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  19. sock hands October 16, 2008 at 3:42 pm #

    food for thought: there is NEVER such a thing as overly firm if you are falling on talus or tree roots, etc… i call shenanagans. if you can afford a softer cushion because of flatter, dirt-er, or sand-er landings, then MAYBE!

    not only does stiff foam protect you from sharp corners and such beneath you, it also bridges over irregular landings better, thereby making them more flat… and while the firmer pads will still slip down into holes, etc, they at least protect against that initial impact much better and you don’t seem to slip into the holes nearly as deep if it is inevitable. though i’m not articulating this well, anyone who’s climbed above very very poor landings knows what i’m talking about….

    also, the softer the foam, the quicker it deteriorates.

    if this kid is only going to carry one pad, i find weight-based arguments very difficult to stomach. i’m an old wuss with rickety knees and carrying my big boy organic with a briefcase pad miles and miles over talus in the alpine zone, then walking around some place like hueco or the virtually approach-free midwest/southeast should never be an issue for even the meek.

    with the resurgence of highballing and the establishment of death-pit boulder problems all over the country, carrying some weight for greater safety is something everyone needs to get on board with…

    enough ankles and legs have been snapped in the last 24 months for the decade.

    pad it heavily and pad it well, fools.

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  20. j October 16, 2008 at 3:51 pm #

    The organic Full pad is less than half a pound heavier. Take into consideration that in a Organic pad you get BALLISTIC NYLON and way better foam that is time tested to outlast the “Lighter” “Softer” stuff, or 1000d nylon in other companies pads. The only other pads in the Organic class are the Revolutions which also use a good foam and good fabrics. Simple economics you get what you pay for. 5 Bucks gets you a lot more in the long run in my opinion.

    Organic shoulder straps are also replaceable for extra long life unlike the sewn in ones on misty, revolution,BD, asana, flashed. You break the adjuster or strap and you need a new pad on those.

    Also, good luck getting a repair from any other brand pad, if for some reason you manage to tear an organic just send it back to the wyoming shop to get a quick fix.

    If price and weight are important take a look at the streamlined Simple pad from Organic, no extra weight from the pouch yet bomber foam and fabric.

    And with the recent economic news remember Organic=MADE IN USA

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  21. peter b October 16, 2008 at 5:49 pm #

    I currently carry 3-4 pads on nay given session so overall weight is a consideration, even for short approaches. Chances are good that the next pad I get will be an Organic Pad but an old one that I currently have has some of the features that JJ didn’t like: velcro closures and wimpy shoulder straps. I’m not saying that Organic Pads are bad, just that Organic partisans, of which there are many on the Front Range, don’t have a lock on quality.

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  22. sock hands October 16, 2008 at 6:35 pm #

    ok peter based on your concerns about weight, but your shared love for much paddage [i’m well accustomed to the multi stack on back, as you know], i’d like to change the course of this discussion to instead gain some leverage on josh…

    here’s what i want: two sheets of the 1″ BURLY STIFF FOAM OF DOOM in the size of the largest organic pad. no soft foam between. then, only a handle and a buckle strap at bottom and top.

    purpose: MAXX COVERAGE AGAINST TALUS without nancyboy frills. this woudl be designed as what i call a “rider pad”, to be strapped on your main rig. the result: a lightweight system of maximum talus protection without any frills.

    yeah, this would be stiff as hell, but the point would not be soft, cushy landings… it would be to make sure you don’t get stabbed in the back and that you’d have enough surface area to cover all hazards without extra weight.

    thoughts?

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  23. peter b October 16, 2008 at 7:41 pm #

    I’d say a great idea, especially if it were rigged as a kind of pack frame that could easily carry 2 other pads strapped on. A stiff platform carries better, so I would say put the cush straps and waist belt on this. Neutralizing pointy talus is the name of the game at a lot of CO destinations as you well know.

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  24. sock hands October 17, 2008 at 9:21 am #

    interesting… i had envisioned something that would be strapped to my existing big boy pad, but you’d want it to have the straps and whatnot to actually use as the hauling pad for the rest to be lashed to it…. seems like both options would be easily done based on the same template.

    options.

    awesome.

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  25. peter October 17, 2008 at 11:30 am #

    I think it would be pretty easy to create. Whether anyone besides you and me might actually want one is another issue.

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  26. sock hands October 17, 2008 at 12:28 pm #

    i will require all people who want to climb w/ me to purchase one. if you do the same, including all the strongmo foolish kids who go to gyms, then it will be grand.

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  1. ClimbingNarc.com Readers Like Quality In Their Crashpads | Climbing Narcissist - October 31, 2008

    […] couple of weeks back, I posed a question for readers.  The question being “What was the main factor in choosing your current crashpad?”.  After […]

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