[mark20]

I've been trad climbing for nearly two years and am thinking of doing the odd bit of bouldering now and then to help improve. I'll only be out bouldering about once every other month, easy routes around the Eastern Peak, and want a big cheap mat.

I've been looking at the Alpkit Phud and it looks like what I'm after, but I'm a bit worried about the hinge. Is there any chance of landing in the middle and hurting yourself? And will it fit in an average car boot? Currently Alpkit are doing an offer, where you get the Phud and Woomf (smaller, taco) together for £100, which sounds ideal.

I just wanted opinions about these mats for occasional use for a beginner. Thanks.

[Will Hunt]

Sounds good to me. That Alpkit offer is well cheap and will save you a fair bit of money if you decide you quite like bouldering.

If you're serious about using bouldering to improve your trad though then you might want to consider doing it more than you suggest. What level trad are you leading at the mo and what is it that you feel you need to improve? Pure strength, stamina, climbing technique, gear technique etc etc?

[mark20]

I'm currently leading VS pretty confidently, looking to push it a bit next year though, hoping to break into E1s.
I'm looking to improve technique and stamina mostly.

[Nibile]

i've been landing on a phud for the last three or years or so and it's still good. i highly recommend it, especially the current offer of the two pads together.

[Will Hunt]

Yeah, if I was in the market for a pad I would definately get that offer. Bouldering is great for technique and power but possibly get down the wall a bit or traversing long easy stuff for stamina. That's my massively simplified take on training. There are people on here who take training to a huge level who can help more than me.

[Jaspersharpe]

I've been trad climbing for nearly two years and am thinking of doing the odd bit of bouldering now and then to help improve. I'll only be out bouldering about once every other month, easy routes around the Eastern Peak, and want a big cheap mat.

As Will says once every other month probably wont do you a lot of good. Once you start you'll probably get hooked and want to go more often anyway. 

I've been looking at the Alpkit Phud and it looks like what I'm after, but I'm a bit worried about the hinge. Is there any chance of landing in the middle and hurting yourself?

No.

And will it fit in an average car boot?

Yes. Fits in my Polo no problem. In fact I've fitted three adults, a toddler, bags etc and a Phud in with a bit of imagination.

Currently Alpkit are doing an offer, where you get the Phud and Woomf (smaller, taco) together for £100, which sounds ideal.

That's a good deal.

I just wanted opinions about these mats for occasional use for a beginner. Thanks.

The only thing people tend to complain about is the strap / buckles which apparently can be a pain in the arse to use. I've had no prblems with mine though.

[magpie]

i've been landing on a phud for the last three or years or so and it's still good. i highly recommend it

Coming from Glasgow, that means something else entirely

Being more helpful, the Phuds are ace, I don't think you'd go wrong with it.

[mark20]

Cheers, will see what santa can do

[slackline]

Interesting how Alpkit have developed their own Performance Rating 'P', yet do not divulge any details as to how this figure is reached.  Is it a function of the thickness, 'absorbancy' and area covered, or something else more ephemeral?  Unsurpisingly whatever the function is it turns out their own Alpkit pads score very highly.

Call me cynical if you like 

BTW mark20, if thats you leading in your avatar, you should have a go at Wrinkled Wall, straight up instead of traversing out to the arete.  Not much gear, but lots of good holds for  hands and feet.

[Nibile]

i've been landing on a phud for the last three or years or so and it's still good. i highly recommend it

Coming from Glasgow, that means something else entirely

hey i'm intrigued: what does it mean in glasgow, that i took some falls on it while bouldering? because that's absolutely not what i meant...

[magpie]

About a third of the way down this page, Nibs (spelt Fud):
http://glasgow.gmdesign.org.uk/

[mark]

Interesting how Alpkit have developed their own Performance Rating 'P', yet do not divulge any details as to how this figure is reached.  Is it a function of the thickness, 'absorbancy' and area covered, or something else more ephemeral?  Unsurpisingly whatever the function is it turns out their own Alpkit pads score very highly.

Erm, they don't divulge any details apart from the following clue at http://www.alpkit.com/bouldering/...
"The P rating is simply the thickess in cm x the width x the length divided by the price."

[SA Chris]

Now that's SCIENCE (and ACCOUNTANCY).

[slackline]

Interesting how Alpkit have developed their own Performance Rating 'P', yet do not divulge any details as to how this figure is reached.  Is it a function of the thickness, 'absorbancy' and area covered, or something else more ephemeral?  Unsurpisingly whatever the function is it turns out their own Alpkit pads score very highly.

Erm, they don't divulge any details apart from the following clue at http://www.alpkit.com/bouldering/...
"The P rating is simply the thickess in cm x the width x the length divided by the price."

  I've the attention span of a goldfish today and didn't finish the paragraph.

Thats exceptionally crap though, and as Chris says, ACCOUNTANCY.

[Jaspersharpe]

Back to the crack pipe Slackers! 

[slackline]

Back to the crack pipe Slackers! 

Far from it (today at least).  I've been busy vindicating my work and demonstrated that the work that has been done before me is WRONG, and my version of the work is CORRECT         (Its only taken two weeks of digging and head scratching, but its great to finally prove that I'm right  )

[Jaspersharpe]

Good stuff. 

[Breaded_Gecko]

Erm, they don't divulge any details apart from the following clue at http://www.alpkit.com/bouldering/...
"The P rating is simply the thickess in cm x the width x the length divided by the price."

that's a dubious and biased rating, because the equation doesn't include the lastability of the mat.... they could test this with a repeatedly falling crash-test dummy.  and then add  "x amount of falls" somewhere in the original equation.

you can probably tell that maths never was, never will be my strongest subject. but I bet that will shift the scoreboard about a bit. not that i'm complaining about the throw away £70 price.

[slackline]

Nor English, your probably meant "durability" 

[philo]

they are a good overall pad, the only problem is the straps, but for once every month its fine tbh

[grumpycrumpy]

Straps are fine and dandy on mine .....

[SA Chris]

And how about on your bouldering pad?

[grumpycrumpy]

Different story completely .... How on earth you lot manage , I just don't know ...

[slackline]

Nor English, your probably meant "durability"