The Hero Highball Pad Vs. The Hero Highball PRism
Asana has provided us with a few details on the new upgrades for the pad which now goes by the name of the Hero Highball PRism.
"If you choose the "Disturbed and Random" color selection, you will get a Charcoal or Black Cover and a Prism Deck and Flaps in any multitude of color combinations. The Hero Pad is designed as a highball pad to provide more comfort than the normal 3-3.5 inch mats on the market so when your projects get higher, you can still feel stoked about pulling hard moves. The Asana flap system allows you to "piggy-back" any other pad of equal or lesser size on the front of the Hero. This goes for all of the Asana Crash Pad Line. The pad measures 48 x 36 x 4 inches OPEN and 36 x 24 x 8 inches CLOSED. The pad is made from 1000 denier nylon w/ bottom and side flap and has an "E-justable Suspension System" (includes adjustable height contoured padded shoulder straps, sternum strap, and a waist belt). The pad has three carry handles and weighs 12 pounds. The foam is hybrid fold and has one continuous sheet over two subdivided under layers; 1 inch of closed cell on top, 2 inches of open cell in the middle, 1 inch of closed cell on bottom."
-Asana
The Hero Highball PRism isn't so different from the Hero Highball that it replaces, and so we think our review below will still give you a pretty good feel. The price has increased from $195 to $215 list. Below you will see the older version of the Highball on the left vs. the two photos of the Highball PRism on the right.
Likes
I liked the old taco design of this pad. However, the new hinged design will lay flatter, pack into a car or closet easier, and the padding will last longer without the constant folding and creasing of the taco style. I also like the pull tabs on the end of the straps
Asana - ingenius, pull tab
This idea needs to be used across the board; all pads by all companies should have this.
Asana - pull tab
Dislikes
I do not like how the padding gets soft much sooner than on other comparable pads. It is possible to replace the foam and it is nice to have a pad that already feels broken in when you buy it. That said, it could be a bit stiffer.
Best Application
All-around bouldering.
Value
For $215 this is in the middle of the price range for the pads in this review. At $175 the Organic (also hinge style) has better foam and workmanship. It is probably the better deal for most boulderers. For $199 you can have the Black Diamond Drop Zone with the taco style (no hinge).
