[sxrxg]

Came across a couple of new inflatable pads, one looks a bit like the construction of the paddle board and already seems to be avialable to purchase whereas the other concept is a kickstarter and seems to be considerably smaller and lighter pads - this one seems like a great concept for longer approaches be great to be able to put two or three in a rucksac and use an mtb to get to the crag or even just to aid the approach on those long walk ins.

Both options are appealing to me as they would take up consideably less space when packing the car for a family holiday!

https://kailasgear.com/products/inflatable-bouldering-rock-crash-pad

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1847051333/sick-sequence-climbing-ultra-portable-crash-pad/description

What does everyone think? Is this concept appealing to anyone else?

[Bonjoy]

Somethings like these would be useful for coastal/loch bouldering where the lowest effort approach is by kayak.

[Dingdong]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

[User deactivated.]

Great concept if it actually worked, but it looks terrible to fall on. There's no dampening and it looks like you'd just bounce off it from a moderate fall. I could imagine an air pad providing a better landing if there was a pressure valve that releases some of the air upon impact. But that would require either pumping back up every time or a motorised pump with heavy batteries...

[sirlockoff]

I just pitched this idea to Carlos about week ago , might get some more people to grinah

[spidermonkey09]

420 quid! I've never been that desperate to go bouldering.

[SA Chris]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

[edshakey]

Great concept if it actually worked, but it looks terrible to fall on. There's no dampening and it looks like you'd just bounce off it from a moderate fall. I could imagine an air pad providing a better landing if there was a pressure valve that releases some of the air upon impact. But that would require either pumping back up every time or a motorised pump with heavy batteries...

My thoughts exactly. Where's the dissipation of energy on landing? Looks like prime territory for heavy landings, with the added bonus of maybe breaking your ankle?
Maybe if it contained foam too, and you didn't even have to blow it up each time... wait a minute

[Dingdong]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

I literally did a 2 hour approach to Beinn Airigh Charr boulderfield but go on 

[GazM]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

I was actually surprised by how long it took to get up to the crag from the car when I was at Stanage a few months back! Parked on the road near Plantation CP and ended up doing some routes near the Unconquerables. Much bigger approach than most of my esoteric choss bouldering up here in the Highlands!

[petejh]

I could imagine an air pad providing a better landing if there was a pressure valve that releases some of the air upon impact. But that would require either pumping back up every time or a motorised pump with heavy batteries...

No need for motorised pump - it would work well with one of the ‘pump sacks’ you get with large expedition sleeping mats. I have a sea-to-summit expedition mat, it’s massive, inflating it is piece of piss you just scoop air with the pump sack and then roll the sack of air into the mat. Fully inflated in 2-3 goes, no effort required. Would work the same with an air pad between goes.

[remus]

No need for motorised pump - it would work well with one of the ‘pump sacks’ you get with large expedition sleeping mats. I have a sea-to-summit expedition mat, it’s massive, inflating it is piece of piss you just scoop air with the pump sack and then roll the sack of air into the mat. Fully inflated in 2-3 goes, no effort required. Would work the same with an air pad between goes.

Would depend how much pressure the pad requires surely? The sleeping mat is easy because it's at ~1bar. I had to pump up 10 inflatable SUPs once (which look like a similar construction to this) and it's a pain in the ass because you need to add a lot of pressure.

[Moo]

A few different iterations of the inflatable pad have come and gone over the years, most notably I think the 8a.nu massive one which cost a bomb and was only produced on a limited run. I think they always end up coming to nothing because they don't weigh a lot less and are basically a lot more faff.

No doubt they'll pack down smaller though so maybe they'll only ever fill a pretty small niche.

[stone]

I'm surprised Simon/shark hasn't joined in because he has(or had) an inflatable pad. I guess if he isn't using it anymore, then either it broke or he no longer likes it. When they were first marketing the one he had, they had a big ladder and were getting people to jump off onto it. Apparently it gave a better landing than the foam pads available at the time.

I'm not sure what mechanism it used to dissipate energy. In principle, if a pad had various segments, with a porous baffle between each segment, then redistributing air from the segment you landed on to the rest of the pad through the porous baffle could give a sort of wind resistance all within the pad couldn't it? I don't think the pad would need to be pumped up very hard for that to work.

I have a "DekkerMat" pad that I bought in about 1993. I've used it ever since (used it yesterday). It is crap but not as crap as it looks. It has thick open cell foam and a cover that is mostly air tight except for some side vents. When landed on, air gets forced through the side vents. It can break a fall much better than might be imagined from how over-soft it feels. I largely use it to put under my wide, thin Edelrid pad to cushion my elderly knees, fill in holes between rocks etc.

[Bradders]

The second pad on the kick starter weighs less than 2kg, so at the first breathe of wind it'll be gone.

The market for a more easily portable pad is clearly massive though. Everyone with a family would surely be keen.

[stone]

I think Simon/shark's inflatable pad is draped over the rock fin in this video (the pads are in view at the start).

[petejh]

Would depend how much pressure the pad requires surely? The sleeping mat is easy because it's at ~1bar. I had to pump up 10 inflatable SUPs once (which look like a similar construction to this) and it's a pain in the ass because you need to add a lot of pressure.

No I mean for the ‘in between goes’ bit, if you had a pad that released air to cushion impact. Not for the initial inflation.

[SA Chris]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

I literally did a 2 hour approach to Beinn Airigh Charr boulderfield but go on 

Yet you go on about walking a flagstone path?

[SA Chris]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

I was actually surprised by how long it took to get up to the crag from the car when I was at Stanage a few months back! Parked on the road near Plantation CP and ended up doing some routes near the Unconquerables.

If you want to be daft, it's up to you

[Dingdong]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

I literally did a 2 hour approach to Beinn Airigh Charr boulderfield but go on 

Yet you go on about walking a flagstone path?

Who pissed in your cornflakes  it’s called a joke mate

[Jono.r23]

I’d use these just to make that god forsaken stanage approach easier 

If you moan about Stanage, don't visit Scotland.

Or Crookrise

[jwi]

The 8a air pad was very on-brand: uneccessary and really fucking dangerous. They were manufactured by a reputable company with long experience of gymnasitc pads ( https://hgb.org/ ) so it might not be so easy to construct a good one. The Kailas inflatable pad look fairly similar to the one from HGB, so I would not buy without a reliable third-party review from an experienced climber.

[cheque]

If you search this forum for “flashed ronin” there’s lots of info from the last time air pads were big and all the knackered ankle’d guys who’d been bouldering since the pre-pad good old days were getting them. The phrase “falling onto a bag of kittens” was used 

[SA Chris]

it’s called a joke mate

Apologies, I can see it's hilarious now.

[highrepute]

The Flashed Ronin weren't inflatable they just had this method of moving air around inside the pad. UKC article anout this.

I have one and found it a great pad for landing on, especially from high up.

It's the same design that's in certain Snap pads - Wham - maybe. Which I also have, and it's also the best pad I've owned for landing on - again especially big falls.

The only downside is they are a bit heavier - so often I choose two normal pads over one of these.

I've never climbed on an inflatable pad - which I assume means one you inflate.

[haydn jones]

i can confirm the large snap pad i own is the nicest pad i have to fall onto, the foam on the inside is all sectioned into almost airtight pods so when ou lamd on it it slowly disapates the energy. the problem is it weighs a fuck ton and I'd never carry it in on a big walk in.

[Johnny Brown]

Yep, well impressed with the flashed tech, it really worked and was the nicest landing I've experienced. I would have bought one if they'd been reasonably priced.

Unlike the couple of times I've experienced landing on inflatable pads - awful. Plus, I second what others have said about inflating SUPs - a fucking chore. And they're heavy.

[Hoseyb]

https://youtu.be/GaSMlvwppYc?si=Auk-eE5VC08hdNY-

Saw this video, and thought could work, until I saw the price for the airbeds for the larger gentleman

[Bradders]

The Flashed Ronin weren't inflatable they just had this method of moving air around inside the pad. UKC article anout this.

Fantastic bit of noughties advertising in there:

[Paul B]

Unlike the couple of times I've experienced landing on inflatable pads - awful. Plus, I second what others have said about inflating SUPs - a fucking chore. And they're heavy.

Do people not use 12v (powered from your #vanlife weapon of choice) or battery powered compressors for these kind of things?

[hongkongstuey]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1847051333/sick-sequence-climbing-ultra-portable-crash-pad/description

What does everyone think? Is this concept appealing to anyone else?

Test out some of these last weekend as a friend had taken the plunge a bought a couple.

First thoughts below (disclaimer that the test was done in HK summer conditions of 34 deg C and 90% humidity so i may not have been in my 'happy place'):

Size/Weight: Each pad packs up to about the size of 2/3 a typical dry bag, so not too big or bulky but not small either, especially as you'd really want to using two or three of them to make their use even remotely worthwhile. The pads are pretty light to be fair, as is the pump that comes with them - although the pump is pretty bulky too so your pack would be quite full by the time you had 2-3 pads, pump, plus bouldering kit.

Note: the inflated pads are pretty lightweight so any strong winds will have them blowing all over the place unless you either: a) have normal pads on top; or b) use the velcro strap attachment thingy to try and tie them down.

Pad Construction: They 'seem' reasonably robust but we didn't do the "put them on top of some pointy rocks and then jump on them test" yet. Size is about the same as a typical organic Full pad (maybe a touch smaller). Probably about an inch thicker than a normal organic pad when fully inflated, which'll make those sit starts a bit easier (especially if you can get a bit of a bounce going too - whole new can of ethical worms to open with that one...). Each pad has vecro strips around the sides allowing them to be connected to adjacent pads with a pretty sturdy strip attachment. This attachment also has a built in handle to help you move things around.

Inflation/Deflation: Takes something between 3 to 4 minutes to inflate the pad so, a bit of a faff but no massive issue (although doing three or four of them would be a pain). Deflating was pretty easy - think old school thermarest type approach of rolling the air out and then using the extraction function of the pump to vacuum the last little bits of air.

Maneuverability: Once inflated, its a bit of a pain in the arse to move them around to be honest as the only strap/handle is on the velcro strip. Unless all the problems you want to do are really close together, they'll start getting a bit annoying - especially if it means repeated inflation/deflation cycles.

Falling on them: The bit everyone want to know about. I'll be fair, they do work but landing feels weird and is highly dependent on how hard you inflate them. Too much air and its a hard, shocking and bit bouncy landing. Too little air and, whilst the cushioning effect is better you can bottom them out quite easily. Takes a bit of trial and error to get an inflation level that feels workable (a small pressure gauge would help you baseline this but that's not included).

Once the air level is such that you get a bit of cushion, but not enough to bottom out, they're okay to land on provided you hitting the central air and the air can distribute around all sides of the impact spot. Landing anywhere towards the edges felt quite sketchy as the air primarily moves inwards in the pad, leaving you on a sloping edge - which can then bounce you away from the pads a bit. For this reason i think you'd need a bunch of them all strapped together to provide a much larger landing surface than normal and take away the risk of landing on the very outer edges.   

The landing itself is a bouncy and weird, but i guess with time you'd adjust the way you let your body impact pads to accommodate this. It didn't feel right/comfortable from the one session i've had on them so far though and i certainly wouldn't be comfortable taking any big falls directly onto these pads alone. Using a Blubber on top of them helped a bit, but kind of offsets the 'no need to carry a big bulky pad' aspect of using them in the first place... 

Summary: Overall performance was pretty much as you’d expect - they don’t really cushion the impact that nicely and have a slightly bouncy feel to the landing that could lead to knackered ankles if you're coming down slightly off balance etc. Whilst i'd be happy using them as either a base beneath normal pads to help give some extra thickness to my landing (they do pack up reasonably small and don’t weigh too much) or as secondary pads off to the side of the area i'd expect to land in, for anything other than problems less than 2-3m in height I’d be reluctant to have them as my main landing material…

[Bradders]

Nice one, great review.

It sounds like the main utility for these is likely to be as a way of filling in gaps underneath foam pads. Certainly as a frequent solo boulderer I can think of quite a few examples where they'd have been very handy. I can see how you'd carry in one big foam pad plus a couple blow ups meaning less weight overall than having to carry multiple foam ones.

Lot of money to spend on gap fillers though!

Approach wise I imagine you'd stuff them into your foam pad?

[hongkongstuey]

YouTube review of the pads from my friend also available now too - she seems to pretty much say the same as i do above, but this gives a better feel for what the pads are like to pack / carry etc.