[squeek]

Thinking of getting a new bouldering mat as my current one is getting ripped all over the place and the foam's screwed.  From the mat's I've used the Franklin Drop Zone seems to have the best foam and I like that mat, but there's a lot of new mats out there that I haven't used.  Needle sports have the large moon mat + small one for only £10 more than large which could be useful for traverses.  What's the foam like in them (and Flashed if anyone knows) compared to the Franklin?

Any others I should be considering?

[dave]

best foam is Pod, without a doubt.

[Johnny Brown]

It's not normal, but I've gotta agree with dave. My most recent POD mat has survived 2 years of proper hammer and is still plenty firm enough.

[Fiend]

Foam nerd  

I dunno, my Pod's got a bit saggy after a couple of years, but then again I probably fall off a lot more, and I don't have anything else to compare it to (well apart from a mates Pod that's even worse but then again I can't recall him topping out on anything in living memory).

[Carnage]

Stick with Franklin.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[cofe]

POD. buy british. simple.

[dave]

I dunno, my Pod's got a bit saggy after a couple of years

i'll wager its still firmer than a brand new metolius!

[Big Frank]

I dunno, my Pod's got a bit saggy after a couple of years

i'll wager its still firmer than a brand new metolius!

I would like to say that my three year old Metolius is propa bo, but I can't. It's like a sagging tit!

I need to replace it (when I have the folding), Jons pod is good, drop zones are good and snap are rock.

[squeek]

Cheers for the info guys, probably get a Large POD as they're a little bigger than the Franklin, the same price and British.

[c.j.d.]

I reckon Metolius are top.  Hefty for falling on (they get fucking hammererd in Wales as the landings are mostly shit), and theyre pretty light aswell.

[AndyR]

I reckon Metolius are top.  Hefty for falling on (they get fucking hammererd in Wales as the landings are mostly shit), and theyre pretty light aswell.

Do I sense the effects of sponsorship here??

[Pantontino]

I'm sure Christopher's enthusiasm is entirely genuine. :wink:

[Jim]

my metolius xxl went shit v quickly but I have since got 2 extra layers of the white foam in there and its now one of the best mats around

[tommytwotone]

think it's been said on here before but Snap mats seem to stay hard for ages like Ron Jeremy - that said I ain't ever had a POD one.

I dunno, my Pod's got a bit saggy after a couple of years

...you can get pills for that nowadays old son...

[ian h]

i got a franklin which i am tottaly happy with and is still firm after stacks of use

but my hate has a flashed and while he has only had it a few months the foam def seems very good.

[MrBlue]

pod or franklin seem to be the choice of many...

my pod has begun to die, am thinking of getting a new one (the larger one) as it's lasted me about 2-3 years, niiice. still firm enough to land on from a fair height tho

[dave]

but my hate has a flashed and while he has only had it a few months the foam def seems very good.

strange

i had a feel of a flashed mat in the shop a bit since. i had to go to the counter and ask if you had to pay extra to get one with foam in.

[ian h]

they do have a baggy feel but trust me they are very good for landing on. have a very airbag feel. (very nice)

[cofe]

apparently the outer is designed to be loose around the foam - it means they 'grip' when you land on one on a less than grippy surface....it'd be interesting to see'f it works?

[dave]

i think if danny baker turned up on my doorstep with a camera crew, i woulnd't swap 2 larger flashed mats for my small pod, and it gets all the kids stuff whiter then white.

[cofe]

i think if danny baker turned up on my doorstep with a camera crew, i woulnd't swap 2 larger flashed mats for my small pod, and it gets all the kids stuff whiter then white.

so, to summarise: your small pod gets all the kids stuff white...hmmmm theres an inuendo in there somewhere....

[fatboySlimfast]

Ave tried the flash ones, and even though im mates wit Si B have to say there pretty good.
Theres actually more foam in the flash biggy than the franklin!

[Bubba]

The Flashed pads do look really nicely designed.