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Best Bouldering Crash Pads
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Style
When it comes to bouldering crash pads, there are a number of criteria that most rock climbing and bouldering enthusiasts look for. First on the list for many is the overall design of the crash pad, or simply put how it folds or lays flat. Generally speaking, there are pads that fold like a sandwich, those that fold like a taco, and those that actually are more akin to an accordion. Each has their advantages and drawbacks.
For example, the type that folds more like a sandwich, like the Black Diamond Mondo often offer great “bounce” and support for landing, but will often require something like a Velcro fastener to keep them together. And while the accordion style offers fantastic versatility, it doesn’t often last as long as the simpler “taco” or “sandwich” design. And while the “taco” design does offer fantastic cushioning when using it as a crash pad, it’s not as portable as the other choices.
Materials
For the most part, the interior of a bouldering crash pad is made of some type of foam material arranged in either “cells” or “layers” One way to think of the interior is much like a mattress. The firmness or stiffness of the inner foam material is often what dictates how much support or give the pad provides. This is important, since you want a good balance between providing good shock absorption and flexibility when you fall. The stiffer the foam, the more shock absorption, the softer, the more “give” the bouldering crash pad will have. And while hopefully, you’ll not have to replace the interior foam of your bouldering crash pad, it’s good to know that in some cases, it is possible.
Size
And finally, when it comes to finding the best bouldering crash pad for you, you need to consider the overall thickness. As expected, the thicker pads not only offer more cushioning for your body, but also more shock absorption. However, it’s also important to remember that they do weigh more, sometimes by quite a lot. This decreases their portability and usefulness, especially if your boulder field is slightly inaccessible. Making sure the mouldering crash pad is thick enough to keep you safe from any type of fall or height can be life saving.
Portability
Of course, being able to transport your crash pad to the bouldering location is another thing to consider, and one that quite a few beginners tend to overlook. While the accordion or sandwich style of bouldering crash pad is often cited as offering the best portability due to their foldable nature, some find that the larger “taco” style is just as preferable. This is true especially when the location can easily be reached by car. Making sure you are able to carry it comfortable from your car is just as important as well. Some people still need their bouldering crash pad to be large for higher climbs so they make even come in one or two pieces which is easy to transport from climb to climb.
Top 10 Picks
1. Petzl Alto
When it comes to overall design, portability and protection from the bumps and bruises of bouldering it’s hard to mess with a Petzl. This company is well known to be a champion of all things climbing, and the Alto Crash pad is absolutely no exception.
Read moreOverall Design
Not only does this bouldering crash pad fold down easily for carrying, it also features a zippered flap enclosure and a backpack carrying harness that allows it to quickly move from one location to the next with amazing ease.
Interior Composition
The interior material is created from polyurethane foam that is relatively stiff and offers great overall shock absorption. In addition, there are three individual layers that help to distribute the force of your weight quickly.
Size
When it’s fully extended, this crash pad measures 118 x 100 x 10 centimeters, so it’s a relatively good size for a single person. The folded dimensions are much smaller, and can easily fit onto a back for an easier climb to your destination.
Portability
One of the nicest things about this particular bouldering crash pad is that it is so easy to transport from one place to another. It easily folds down so that the weather resistant outer cover protects the foam from the elements, and slides easily into the harness that you can wear as a backpack. Simply put, if you can get to the bouldering field, chances are this crash pad can do it as well.
Thickness
Perhaps the one drawback that we found concerning this particular crash pad was the overall thickness. It measures about 10 centimeters when fully deployed, which is slightly thinner than we would like to see. If you’re bouldering escapades take you to greater vertical distances, you might want to consider other options.
Summary
If you’re looking for a fantastic all around bouldering crash pad that has great versatility and portability, the Petzl Alto is certainly one to consider. If you don’t mind giving up a bit of thickness overall, this go-anywhere bouldering crash pad can certainly serve you well.
2. Mad Rock Triple
If you’re looking for a bouldering crash pad that offers great overall support and firmness, it’s hard to go wrong with this second example on our list. The Mad Rock Triple Mad Pad is one of the thickest, and most durable that we’ve seen on the market.
Read moreOverall Design
This particular bouldering crash pad is a three sectioned sandwich style that allows for the pad to be easily folded into one flat surface. This can either be used to add additional thickness when needed over a smaller surface area, or it can help keep the storage space to a minimum.
Interior Composition
This bouldering crash pad is designed with both closed cell and open cell polyurethane material, which allows for maximum firmness and support when in use.
Size
When it is completely deployed, this bouldering crash pad is fairly large, measuring approximately 44 x 25 inches, and weighing just of 13.5 pounds. It is a bit bulky at times, but when it comes to protecting you from falling injuries, it’s hard to beat.
Portability
Perhaps the one drawback to this particular crash pad is that it’s not easy to move around. The overall size and weight make it a bit cumbersome to move, or transport, even in a car. This is one piece of equipment that doesn’t quite have that “go anywhere” vibe.
Thickness
The thickness of the mat is approximately 5 inches thick. Also, because of the nature of the interior portions, it can easily hold this thickness and the firmness of the mat long after others have worn out.
Summary
If you’re not worried about transporting this bouldering crash pad from place to place, and you want to provide the maximum protection you can, this is certainly an option. Designed for both firmness and cushioning, this is one of the best bouldering crash pads on the market today.
3. Black Diamond Drop Zone
Sometimes you want a bouldering crash pad that is easy to transport. Other times you want one that provides great durability and longevity. Most of the time, however, you want one with both these qualities. Thankfully, the Black Diamond Drop Zone Bouldering Pad delivers.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad has a simple and foldable taco design that is easy to store away and transport. It is small enough when folded and features a quick-closure elastic mesh flap for a secure hold.
Interior Composition
While many bouldering crash pads feature a three-layer interior design, this one features a two-tier design. There is a closed cell PE foam top layer, and a high compression PU foam in the bottom one. This allows for great overall shock absorption, but it does leave a bit to be desired when it comes to overall comfort on the landing.
Size
This bouldering crash pad is relatively small, and a great choice overall for a single climber. It measures 48 x 43 inches in size when completely deployed and offers a continuous fall surface because of its design.
Portability
With its easy to fold nature, and included shoulder straps and waist belt, this bouldering crash pad is simple to transport from one locale to the next.
Thickness
The pad itself measures about 4 inches in thickness, which makes it about average. We would have liked to see a bit more, but considering the easy portability, we can forgive the relative thinness of the pad itself.
Summary
The Black Diamond Drop Zone Bouldering Pad is extremely portable, and provides great overall protection and shock absorption with its dual-layered technology. While we certainly would have liked to see that pad a bit thicker, overall, this is a great choice for a single bouldering adventurer.
4. Mad Rock R3
If you’re looking for both flexibility and durability in your bouldering crash pad, the Mad Rock R3 Crash pad is certainly worth a closer look. Designed to be accommodating in nearly any bouldering environment, this is one crash pad that is quickly being noticed by novices and veterans alike.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad has a baffle or accordion style of design, which makes it extremely flexible, and easily used in a wide range of bouldering environments. Chances are if you can get it into position below you, it will provide great fall protection, and allow you to “even out” the bumps in your terrain quite easily.
Interior Composition
Each section in this crash pad contains both EVA and PU foam recycled material. It is designed to both lay flat and be rolled up for easy transportation.
Size
When completely spread out, this bouldering crash pad measures approximately 35 x 22 inches. It’s relatively small, and is a great choice for a single person, or an area where an overall smaller size can make the difference.
Portability
Overall, transportation and portability of this bouldering crash pad can be somewhat cumbersome if it isn’t folded down correctly.
Thickness
This pad is approximately nine inches in thickness. It’s clearly one of the thicker ones on the market today, and offers a great deal of cushioning and support.
Summary
If you want a bouldering crash pad that offers fantastic flexibility and comfort while in use, it’s had to mess with this choice. While it’s not the best bouldering crash pad when it comes to portability, what it lacks in ease of carrying it more than makes up for in comfort.
5. Metolius Magnum
If you’re a little tough on your equipment, especially when it comes to bouldering, you’ll want to take a second look at the Metolius Magnum Crash Pad. Designed from the ground up to be tough and dependable, it’s a great choice if your bouldering takes on a more rugged aspect.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad features a sandwich foam design that allows for maximum impact and shock absorption. It also has a portion of the pad that is rougher that is designed for cleaning shoes, and an angled hinged design that helps to keep dirt and debris out of the folds for long lasting durability.
Interior Composition
The interior portions of this crash pad features a closed cell top layer that measures approximately 2.5 inches, an open cell middle layer, and a base layer that features a closed cell design. This allows for fantastic shock absorption and a relatively lightweight pad.
Size
When fully deployed, this crash pad measures four by six feet in size, making it ideal for use by multiple people.
Portability
The sandwich tri-fold design allows this mat to easily fold down into a size that can be carried on the back, or within a sedan or truck. While it may be slightly heavy, it’s still quite manageable.
Thickness
This bouldering crash pad measures four inches thick when fully deployed. It is a bit thin for our liking, but with the triple layer design, it still offers great protection.
Summary
If you’re looking for a bouldering crash pad that is a great choice for a small group that loves a rugged adventure, this Magnum Crash Pad from Metolius is a great overall choice
6. Black Diamond Mondo
Black Diamond makes another appearance on our list with the Mondo Bouldering Pad. It’s a great choice for those who enjoy bouldering in tight areas where having the maximum amount of protection in the smallest area is essential.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad is a fantastic choice for when having a compact size is ideal. It features a relatively slim taco style design with a three-strap closure to allow the user to reduce the already compact size for easy transportation
Interior Composition
This pad features a dual layered system including a closed cell PE foam top layer and a high-compression PU foam on the bottom. While it certainly offers a great deal of firmness and support, it’s not what we would call the most comfortable landing pad available.
Size
This pad is relatively small, measuring just 44 x 33 inches when fully deployed. It’s a great choice for those who are more experienced, and only need a small amount of protection while bouldering.
Portability
This bouldering crash pad features padded shoulder straps and waist belt, as well as four grab handles at the corners. It’s also fairly lightweight, so transporting it from one place to another is fairly simple.
Thickness
This pad is surprisingly thick for its size, measuring about 10 inches.
Summary
If you’re looking for a pad that can easily be moved into position at a moment’s notice, and has a great thickness for shock absorption, this crash pad is worth a second look. While the landing may not be as comfortable as we would like it still gets the job done
7. Metolius Recon
Sometimes bigger is truly better. If you’re looking for a bouldering crash pad that is large enough to truly fit the bill in a group setting, the Metolius Recon Crashpad is certainly worth a look.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad features a tri-fold design that can be easily folded out to provide over five square feet more than most conventional pads, but folds down to be about 4 inches less overall for easier storage and transportation.
Interior Composition
The interior portions feature a sandwich foam design with multiple layers that allow for a good deal of shock absorption and impact from the closed cell top layer.
Size
When fully spread out, this crash pad measures 44 x 23 x 14 inches and weighs about 19 pounds.
Portability
While the pad is certainly large enough for use by multiple people, at 19 pounds, it can be slightly heavy for one person to carry over long distances. This pad is a great choice for those relatively short jaunts, or when transportation by car is the norm.
Thickness
The pad is approximately 4 inches thick, which is somewhat thinner than we expected. However, with the closed cell design, it provides more than enough cushioning for most uses.
Summary
If you’re looking for a bouldering crash pad that is great for a group of people, provides adequate protection, and you don’t mind some added weight, the Metolius Recon Crashpad is a great choice.
8. Mad Rock Hera
As a general rule, those who enjoy bouldering, also enjoy making the world the live in a better place. With the Hera Crash Pad from Mad Rock, you can do both, since a portion of the proceeds go to fight ovarian cancer.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad features a bi-fold sandwich design that allows the user to easily carry it to the destination and deploy it with relative ease.
Interior Composition
The interior foam is actually quite a bit lighter than what is seen in most cases, and this provides for a greater overall “bounce” and softness when landing. If you’re worried about hurting your joints because the mat is a little too stiff, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.
Size
When this bouldering crash pad is fully deployed, it measures a respectable 48 x 36 x 5 inches, and folds easily in half. It weighs just under 14 pounds, so it is also relatively lightweight.
Portability
With the included handles, this crash pad is fairly easy to carry, although it is slightly on the bulky side overall. This is something that is more easily carried by two people than one.
Thickness
When fully folded out, this pad measures about 5 inches in thickness. It’s more than enough for what most people need.
Summary
If you’re worried about protecting your joints from impact damage, and it’s caused you to shy away from bouldering, you should consider this option. It’s lighter, has a bit softer bounce, and gives you ample room for falling.
9. Asana Hero
If you’re worried about finding a bouldering crash pad that won’t develop “dead spots” of less cushioning over time, you’ll want to take a closer look at the Asana Hero Crash Pad.
Read moreOverall Design
This bouldering crash pad features a bi-fold design that is fairly easy to fold and store away. However, unlike most crash pads, this one features a gusseted closure system that helps to keep the foam from breaking down over time, and reduces the dead spaces that can be created with use. In addition, it features high-friction corners that help to keep the pad in place, even in the windiest conditions.
Interior Composition
Unlike many of the other bouldering crash pads, this one features continuous top and bottom layers of foam on the inside. This helps to the foam keep a uniform thickness. However, it also means that it doesn’t have quite the level of shock absorption that we would like.
Size
When in use, this bouldering crash pad measures approximately 40 x 24 x4 inches. It’s a respectable size for use in most situations. It also weighs a little over 13.5 pounds, so it is fairly lightweight.
Portability
When it comes to portability, it’s hard to beat this particular crash pad. It can be easily transported in the car, or carried using the convertible shoulder and backpack straps.
Thickness
This pad measures about 4 inches thick, so it is a little on the thin side for our tastes.
Summary
This bouldering crash pad from Asana is a great choice if you want a pad that is designed to fit and stay in just about any climbing environment, and keep its overall shape. While it’s not as thick as we would like, overall it is not a bad choice.
10. Metolius Session II
If you’re looking for a more specialized bouldering crash pad, one that is designed for the professional or advanced user, you might want to take a closer look at the Metolius Session II Rock Climbing and Bouldering Crash Pad. It’s smaller in size, but can easily become your favorite over time.
Read moreOverall Design
Instead of focusing on overall size and foldability, this particular bouldering crash pad is significantly smaller and thicker than others on this list.
It is a single, non-fold design, but with its relatively compact size it is still a good fit for your car or to be carried on a person. In addition, the reinforced corners and rip-stop outer fabric make it easy to use this bouldering crash pad just about anywhere.
Interior Composition
The interior portions of this bouldering crash pad features a number of thick alternating layers of open and closed cell polyurethane foam that allows for a more comfortable landing with great overall shock absorption as well.
Size
At twelve pounds and a size of approximately 19.5 x 39.5 inches, this pad is significantly more compact than the others on this list. This is one that is best used by more advanced bouldering enthusiasts who can control their fall more easily.
Portability
Because of its relative size and weight, this bouldering crash pad is fairly easy to carry.
Thickness
This pad measures about 11 inches in thickness, which is over twice the normal thickness seen on the market today.
Summary
If you want to upgrade your bouldering crash pad to reflect your more advanced skill, but you still want it to be easily moved from place to place, this bouldering crash pad from Amber might just be what you’re looking for.
The compact size overall and thicker dimensions make it an ideal choice for those who only use bouldering pads as a safety precaution.