Crash pad needed?

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Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic

photon

Boulder climber

Revere, MA

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 6, 2013 - 11:49am PT

Hi all,
I'll be flying out to San Francisco and driving out to Castle Rock State Park to climb there in a few weeks. I want to avoid traveling with my crash pad on the plane and also want to avoid the expense of buying a totally new one when I get out to San Fran. Does anybody know of a place where I can rent one for the day? Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks!

Bruce Morris

Social climber

Belmont, California

Mar 20, 2013 - 01:38am PT

All the gyms and shops around the Bay want to sell crash pads. But you may find plenty of people at CRSP with crash pads to share at any given moment given the time of day, weather and where you go. Sure you'll make do some way. Besides, lots of low little problem scattered everywhere until you can connect with a crash pad equipped group of boulderers.

Randisi

Social climber

Dalian, Liaoning

Mar 20, 2013 - 07:04am PT

Jesus, we bouldered for decades without the things.

mechrist

Gym climber

South of Heaven

Mar 20, 2013 - 09:58am PT

If you were around Tahoe I'd lend you one.

Spare us the "we were bouldering for decades without [pads]" bullsh#t. If there was one at the base of a problem, you'd hit that. It isn't our fault yall were too stoopid to figure out that landing on foam > landing on the ground.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber

bouldering

Mar 20, 2013 - 11:30am PT

PM C-mack that you'll Gear Review a pad for him.

bjj

climber

beyond the sun

Mar 20, 2013 - 11:53am PT

Jesus, we bouldered for decades without the things."

Always some douche has to show up and make a comment like this. So because you didn't bother to protect yourself from injury or chronic arthritis down the road, everyone else has to follow suit? We get it, you're a tough guy who would rather forgo being good to his body so he can feel superior. I never see anyone make a comment like this about helmets.

I've personally seen Ron Kauk and Ben Moon lugging a mattress around C4 and then bouldering above same. What a couple of pussies.

So, to sum up, no one cares that you didn't use a pad above some 10 foot 5.9 problem that you had no chance of falling off of. Same way you shouldn't care how other people choose to boulder.

enjoimx

Trad climber

Yosemite, ca

Mar 20, 2013 - 11:58am PT

Spare us the "we were bouldering for decades without [pads]" bullsh#t. If there was one at the base of a problem, you'd hit that.

Not always. I've seen more injuries FROM crash pads than without. People landing on the edge of the pad and seriously F'ing their ankles. Perhaps that is due to the fact that most people use pads when bouldering. But without a pad, you are acutely aware of how and where you must land, and your cat reflexes are heightened. It's a toss up but for flat landings on low problems, no crash pad is what I prefer.

TwistedCrank

climber

Dingleberry Gulch, Ideeho

Mar 20, 2013 - 11:59am PT

The mind drifts back to Bachar Cracker in the way-back machine. Crash pad courtesy of Curry Company.

bjj

climber

beyond the sun

Mar 20, 2013 - 12:10pm PT

But without a pad, you are acutely aware of how and where you must land, and your cat reflexes are heightened. It's a toss up but for flat landings on low problems, no crash pad is what I prefer.

Slamming into the ground over and over working out a hard problem, even if it's 6 feet off the ground is a swell way to end up with joint problems down the road. Plus, if you're limiting yourself to only low problems with a flat landing, it sounds boring as hell (in my *opinion*)

I also challenge the idea that there's more injuries directly caused by using a pad that would not have happened without one. People are still generally keenly aware of where and how to land even with a pad.

Your preference is just that. Yours. Other people choose to do it another way, which does not require snide comments from the has-beens. I don't mean you specifically, as your post seems neutral enough.

ontheedgeandscaredtodeath

Social climber

SLO, Ca

Mar 20, 2013 - 12:25pm PT

I reckon chronic injuries ensue regardless of pad use. A guy can only hit the ground so many times in his life.

Obviously pads help and are a great improvement over the dish towels and carpet scraps of yesteryear, but it seems like people just fall more from higher up.

darkmagus

Mountain climber

San Diego, CA

Mar 20, 2013 - 12:38pm PT


	Darkmagus heading off bouldering at sunrise. Credit: darkmagus

I like crash pads!

G_Gnome

Trad climber

Pebble Wrestling.... Badly lately.

Mar 20, 2013 - 12:45pm PT

While I grew up without pads I wouldn't want to boulder anymore without one. They are great! But!!!! I have seen more severe ankle breaks using pads then I ever did prior to their use. I think some of it is that noobs think they are safe if they fall from 15 feet up onto their pad and then reality strikes. But it is also caused by hitting the edge of the pad. Even so, I would not go back.

the Fet

climber

Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La

Mar 20, 2013 - 12:56pm PT

Well the OP did say "Any feedback would be appreciated."

I would say don't let lack of a pad prevent you from bouldering (just adjust the problems you attempt accordingly), but of course if you can get a pad use it.

One thing I'm surprised more people don't do is the ghetto pad. Just a piece of foam. Really cheap and light. Obviously not as good as a real dual layer pad but much better than nothing. To do it cheap find an old couch at Goodwill or craigslist and use the cushion.