[daprince]

I'm looking for a pad around £130. The Moon Warrior, Pod Super and Black Diamond Drop Zone are in the frame. Any one got any thoughts? I'm about 12 stone with a haircut and have middle aged knees.

[Paul B]

I'm looking for a pad around £130. The Moon Warrior, Pod Super and Black Diamond Drop Zone are in the frame. Any one got any thoughts? I'm about 12 stone with a haircut and have middle aged knees.

People cite Moon or POD a lot, not sure I'm a fan of the new moon covers but make your own mind up (can anyone confirm if the foam has changed recently in these pads as a mate was saying the new ones are soft [which mine isn't])...

A few companies (DMM highball and the new Wild Country pads) use 3 layers of foam which make are good to fall on. They're more expensive.

[mrjonathanr]

Don't these guys do three layers too?
http://www.climbingfactory.co.uk/products.html

[Paul B]

Seems that way but at 6.5cm tick isn't that going to be a harsh landing?

(I stand corrected on the WC one, its not 3 layer just different two layer)

[chris_j_s]

I have a DMM Highball and it is excellent.

They're normally out of your price range at £150-£160 but I noticed an offer at Spike Outdoor for £139.99 including free delivery (well it says free delivery for all UK orders over £30) which sounds like a pretty good deal.

http://www.spikeoutdoors.co.uk/dmm-highball.html

[JamesD]

Wait, save a little extra, get a Moon Saturn, you will not regret it, fat and plush it's like landing on Dawn French after a Chocolate Orange binge.

[JamesD]

I have a DMM Highball and it is excellent.

They're normally out of your price range at £150-£160 but I noticed an offer at Spike Outdoor for £139.99 including free delivery (well it says free delivery for all UK orders over £30) which sounds like a pretty good deal.

http://www.spikeoutdoors.co.uk/dmm-highball.html

It's just a shame they don't make a bigger version, I wonder if they have any plans to make something along the lines of the Saturn.

[cofe]

I'd go POD every time. After 2-3 of the small ones, I've now had a super for well over a year, used it a lot and it's still tip top. It will last for ages.

[daprince]

The thought of landing on Dawn French is disturbingly alluring. Thanks for all the comments I'm thinking pod at the moment. The Saturn Looks fantastic but getting it there looks like carrying Lenny Henry. Dmm still might sneak it at the close though.

[JamesD]

The weight diffrence is barely noticable really, but the landing is just so much nicer, I weigh close to 17 stone so I should know!

[Kim]

I'd go POD every time. After 2-3 of the small ones, I've now had a super for well over a year, used it a lot and it's still tip top. It will last for ages.

I'm looking for a new beer towel, do you know who makes the best ones of those?   

[dave]

[JamesD]

There is a guy who works at mile end wall who's the spitting image of Waynes sidekick there ^

[cofe]

I'd go POD every time. After 2-3 of the small ones, I've now had a super for well over a year, used it a lot and it's still tip top. It will last for ages.

I'm looking for a new beer towel, do you know who makes the best ones of those?   

let me think...

[daprince]

Kim, for beer towels it has to be Habitat . Organic, thick comes in a paper bag and also soaks up red wine and Pymns if you wash it in ecover

[slackline]

let me think...

Wow, how'd you make the beer levitate?

[Andy B]

Wild Country: solid simple and good value. I have only used a relatively new one but the foam seemed to be holding up well.

POD: Always good foam and well made outers that both last well, if going for a small pad I would go with POD again, but I don't like the exposed straps on the super.

DMM: Good foam, but I've seen some issues with the outers tearing before. I prefer the hinged one to the taco, and it's thicker.

Moon: Well made, good foam and shape, the taco folds the right way and the strap covers are good. I have a saturn at the moment and I love it, but if it's true that the foam in new ones is soft then that would sway me away from any pad.

Alpkit: Really good value and decent pads, but the sharp corners will wear.

Black Diamond: worst of the bunch, and the only one of these I wouldn't recommend. Poor build quality, outdated taco folds the wrong way, so you're constantly battling to get the mat lie flat, and the foam is not as good as when these were Franklins.

[Kim]

let me think...

Wow, how'd you make the beer levitate?

So that's why their pads are so good, why bother with foam when you can use MAGIC.

[mrjonathanr]

Seems that way but at 6.5cm tick isn't that going to be a harsh landing?

That is for the traverse thingummy. Standard one is 10cm, quite fancy that when current model gets too knackered.

[daprince]

Thanks one and all going POD. Got one of their sacs 20 years later looks brand new. Mind you guess POD himself made that one.

[Norton Sharley]

I'd go POD every time. After 2-3 of the small ones, I've now had a super for well over a year, used it a lot and it's still tip top. It will last for ages.

Don't you always put yours at the bottom of the pile though?