Author |
|
13-May-2003 1:12:23 PM
|
I'm looking to buy a bouldering mat very soon, does anyone have any advice on brands, features, etc. to look out for? Budget:$300-$400.
|
13-May-2003 2:24:29 PM
|
2 basic designs - Taco and hinged.
Taco designs don't have a potential thin spot in the fold and if it has side flaps allows you to stuff your daypack in the middle when walking to the problems.
Make sure it also has pack straps rather than a single over the shoulder strap for those approaches.
|
13-May-2003 2:35:53 PM
|
what about thicknesses, sizes and materials. Any recomended brands or places to buy them from?
|
13-May-2003 2:52:43 PM
|
Materials - Hard wearing cordura is good as a shell, a material landing zone is important also. (nothing worse than hitting vinyl - too slippery)
Sizes - As big as you can get.
Thickness - same as sizes, as thick as you can get. Having different density foam is good - soft for sit starts, and harder for high balls.
As for brands and where to buy in Australia, I can't help. I bought my Cordless D-Lux mat in the States.
For what to look for info try
http://www.climbing.com/Pages/equipment/equipment-214.html although this covers american brands in the review.
Rock magazine (Issue 52) also had a bouldering mat review.
|
19-May-2003 6:21:17 PM
|
Hi Tim
You might want to check out the new Ben Moon Crash Pad,has lots of good features.
You can buy one from www.eclimb.com
Hope this helps.
Cheers
Stuart
|
19-May-2003 7:37:50 PM
|
mmmmm, big crash mats. Can't go past the Tools of the Adventure stunt mat, 1350x120 if i remember correctly. It's special taco/hinged model works a treat too.
http://www.uncarvedblock.com.au/crashmatts.html
|
18-Jan-2007 12:28:25 PM
|
Since it has been at least three years since this post was addressed I thought I might put the question back out there. There are now a number of mats available in Aus and I am thinking about making a purchase. I currently own a small pusher which is increadibly thin and would make a great second mat but when it comes to being the main one I am too fearful to land on it as it just doesnt cut it.
Any suggestions from the floor as to the best purchase? value for money etc keeping in mind at only 5.5 foot tall a big mat will drag along the ground so looking in the middle range.
|
18-Jan-2007 12:39:13 PM
|
Black Diamond (ex Franklin) Dropzone - No competition. Its thick, comfy to carry, durable, light and is a taco-style so you can shove all your stuff in it.
|
18-Jan-2007 1:05:36 PM
|
Flashed mats are new to Australia and look really good value!
|
18-Jan-2007 3:25:07 PM
|
On 18/01/2007 Stuey wrote:
>Black Diamond (ex Franklin) Dropzone - No competition. Its thick, comfy
>to carry, durable, light and is a taco-style so you can shove all your
>stuff in it.
x2. I have a TOTA and a Dropzone and the dropzone is infinitely better.
|
18-Jan-2007 3:35:37 PM
|
Not sure what they cost here, but if here is too expensive, Flashed mats are shipped from Canada:
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442618617&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302690669&bmUID=1169094525665
Or email Mike Allen at [vancouver@valhalla-pure.com] - competitor company, might be cheaper.
|
18-Jan-2007 3:41:46 PM
|
Far cheaper (especially freight costs as they will charge by demensions!) through an Australian seller.
I can PM anyone interested the details... Price is less than the Canadian price also minus the conversion rate... Hence my earlier comment about the value for money!
|
18-Jan-2007 3:43:21 PM
|
On 18/01/2007 sticky wrote:
>Not sure what they cost here, but if here is too expensive, Flashed mats
>are shipped from Canada:
they retail for cheaper in oz! PM me if you want the URL
|
18-Jan-2007 7:34:46 PM
|
Why PM the url? For everyone's benifit, the contact details for flashed's aus importer are here: http://www.flashed.com/au/
The (Canadian) dude lives up here in Armidale and is a pretty decent guy, I've climbed with him a couple of times. Anyway, that's neither here nor there, but 2 of my mates have now bought mats through him and they seem reasonable. I haven't got one myself, I'm kind of thinking if I do get one it will be a TOTA mat if anything - but I still think clark rubber could be a good bet!
|
18-Jan-2007 8:40:18 PM
|
The link I know was for a shop, not the product distributor..
|
19-Jan-2007 11:15:06 AM
|
The problem with bouldering mats is that they're so damn expensive that it's not worth buying for the 'occasional' outdoor boulderer. Which then eliminates the occasional boulder altogether cos u don't have a crash mat. catch 22 and it sux :(
|
19-Jan-2007 11:54:11 AM
|
>the 'occasional' outdoor boulderer
~can go with mates who have mats?
~can find landing freindly boulders (eg on a beach), if they go alone?
~if desperate can rig a self belay for highball boulders?
I agree with you though that mats are expensive items and one needs to be dedicated to the genre to invest in same.
|
19-Jan-2007 11:54:23 AM
|
Ive got a direct hit pad (the mountain designs pad). In the sales they are often reduced to $199. I bought it when I first wanted to get into bouldering. It is relatively cheap compared to others and is not a bad pad if you are cruising about on your own. The pad it pretty basic but it does the trick. Most of the time you boulder with a few other people so you end up with more than one pad. I find whenever I am doing higher stuff of stuff with dodgey landings there are enough pads or you just skip it on that day.
I ended up picking up a madpad in China when I was there, it’s a better pad but it also had its disadvantages (way thick and slippery on the bottom). My vote is definitely the Drop Zone pads or the large tools pad.
|
19-Jan-2007 12:32:00 PM
|
The large TOTA pads would be ok if TOTA didn't use such shitty buckles. At our house we have two small tota's, a large tota and a dropzone. The dropzone is the best without a doubt. True you can get a slightly cheaper pad with annoying features, or you can spend a couple more dollars and get the best.
|
19-Jan-2007 1:55:30 PM
|
I just bit the bullet and bought a flashed mat today. i'll let you guys know how it goes.
|