[Danny]

So,

I'm away to Niagara Falls for a conference in April and I hear there's some fairly handy bouldering close by.

Though I wont have bags of time I'm hoping to sneak in some bouldering if at all possible, and that got me thinking about pads...

Does anyone remember that Franklin Butler pad? The small one you could zip up. That sort of thing would be ideal for me - shove some clothes in it, take the laptop on carry on. Job done.

Yet it seems there isn't anything like it on the market these days. Anyone got any suggestions on decent paddage / luggage tactics for this sort of situation?

[mrjonathanr]

http://www.bananafingers.co.uk/evolv-wingman-p-1188.html ?

[Drew]

Don't know if you can still get the Rock n Run Lepton.

[Danny]

Looks ideal - hopefully they still do. Evolv thingy looks to be a good alternative without zip.
Maybe a zip is more trouble than its worth and using a stuffsack will allow me to cram more inside a compression strap style design.

Cheers both.

[tommytwotone]

How about the Ocun version? - not sure where you'd score one in the UK though.

http://www.ocun.cz/en/products/crashpads/paddy-quack.html

[andyd]

Just wrap a taco pad around your bag. it's still one bag, it'll just need to be passed through outsized baggage. Call the airline to check. The glen isn't the sort of place to have a little pad.

[Dr T]

Maybe buy a pad when you're out there then send it back cheapest possible ship freight....
Is an idea I'm toying with when I finally get that Utah trip sorted out

[Danny]

Hmmm, I would be tempted to bring a bigger pad but it could end up being a cluster fuck. I was thinking of doing some circuit style bouldering or low harder stuff. In the videos I've seen the landings don't look too bad, though it's not font.

Someone needs to come up with a good design for this sort of thing. A travel crash pad. maybe a taco of high density foam with space to shove your clothes in to give a little more cushion. Probably a silly idea.

[slackline]

What about trying to hook up with locals?

Not familiar with the US forums that exist, but there might be similar for the area you're heading.

[JohnM]

What about trying to hook up with locals?

Yeah Andy Stripp lives in that neck of the woods now.  Maybe he could pad you out.

[Danny]

Hopefully I'll catch him up in Toronto. As for the locals, well, I'm antisocial. And if the average Canadian boulderer is anything like the average American I'll struggle. That comes across as a little bigoted, but I'm really just after a bit of peaceful climbing on my tod.