[Nibile]

anyone has/had one of these pads? a quick search here showed issues with the loops breaking after one session and so on.
other opinions? I'd like to buy this model and not the Drop Zone because the hinged design takes less room in the car and it's cheaper.
thanks.

[chriss]

I bought one of these brand new last year in Australia.

Quality wise nothing broke, straps, cover all lasted well. BUT I felt the foam went soft pretty fast especially compared to my Franklin pad I had at home.

Hope this helps.

[andy_e]

I've got the old Impact (taco, not hinged) and can confirm that the buckles and tags and straps come off easily. The foam's lasted me about 3 years so far and is fine still.

[Nibile]

I've heard a few times that the foam in the newer models lasts less than the "old" ones, so has anyone heard the same? it also happened with the transition from Franklin to BD for what I know.

[sjw]

My old BD lasted years of abuse, but I returned my new version after about 3 months because the foam was bottoming out really badly. The fall in quality from old to new seemed huge.

[Dr T]

I have a couple of these (well the old version)
have lasted pretty well - foam is still very good - had a lot of use as they live under my board.
The catches for the buckles are starting to go but still have a lot of life in them.
I have a thinish starter pad which buckles inside easily too - which is useful
is almost the same size as the BD with none of the frilly bits (which I would worry about catching/ripping etc)
The straps are very comfy too...

[Nibile]

thanks a lot!!!

[rodma]

I don't really understand what has happened to BD. Surely the franklin pads used to be made in the BD factory in SLC, so when they re-branded their bouldering gear as BD, did they outsource manufacture at the same time?

Otherwise I don't see why there should have been any drop in quality.

I did mean to compare the difference between our franklin mondo and other peoples bd mondos whilst in Hueco, but thought that I might look a bit of a dick if I proclaimed how much better our pad was than theirs. Still, wish I had now.

I reckon if the concensus between peeps who have had both the franklin model followed by the bd one is that the quality is shit now, then that is a real shame.

[tomtom]

I've a feeling RobL had one - which we 'affectionately' nicknamed 'the crisp packet'... which he sent back after 3 months.. though I may have the wrong model/make etc..

[Yoof]

My BD pad's foam is significantly softer than my POD equivalent. When falling off highballs/short routes  you can feel the ground through the foam. Which hurts.

That is a fairly old pad though. In terms of straps breaking and alike- none, so no complaints there.

[webbo]

I've a feeling RobL had one - which we 'affectionately' nicknamed 'the crisp packet'... which he sent back after 3 months.. though I may have the wrong model/make etc..

I think he said bought it having used my Franklin one.I thought he'd washed the cover and forgot to put the foam back in.
Unless I heard they'd improved the foam quality I'd by something else.

[Robl]

Yep it was the ones urban rock were selling on special earlier this year. It was dump. don't bother. DB / urban rock have sorted me out though   

[Nibile]

thank you very much!!!