REASONS TO BUY
Least expensive
Compact (small but burly)
Thick and stiff foam (also a dislike)
REASONS TO AVOID
Thick
Stiff square cut foam
Hard to pack
Hinged
Mad Rock Mad Pad Review
Excellent value pad with thick foam and no frills
Credit: Mad Rock
RELATED: Best Bouldering Crash Pad of 2023
Our Verdict
The Mad Rock Mad Pad is one of the least expensive medium size bouldering pads we tested and has some of the thickest and stiffest foam out there. It was nearly impossible to "bottom out" on sharp rocks under the pad from any height. For its size, it is relatively light and compact. This is our Best Buy Award winner for bouldering crash pads because it is among the least expensive, most versatile, and well-featured pads available. That said, it is very stiff and low falls can be slightly jarring. If you don't do many tall problems, you might want a more forgiving pad with an angled hinge or a softer landing. Overall, the Mad Pad has the thickest piece of foam you can get for the money.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Our testers felt comfortable climbing high above the Mad Pad.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Padding Falls
The Mad Pad features 5 inch-thick foam with 3 inches of soft open cell foam sandwiched between two harder 1 inch closed cell foam layers. Mad Rock's foam was very stiff and only softened up a bit through our testing. It was great for cushioning the impact of high falls but low falls didn't feel great and landing on your back or tailbone could be pretty jarring on a new pad.
Aside from its impressively thick padding, the Mad Pad's best feature for protecting falls is a full-length velcro strip that runs along the backside of its hinge. This virtually eliminates the hinge and we struggled to think of scenarios where it would fail. Although it makes the pad too rigid for extremely rocky landings we felt better about not having to worry about injuring an ankle in the pad's hinge.
With five inches of firm foam, the Mad Pad is among the stiffest pads we tested. When you put it over a sharp rock it is almost impossible to feel it whether it is a big or small fall. It will soften over time, but not much compared to other pads we tested.
Durability
The Mad Pad's 5-inch thick foam softened up a bit over time but not as much as we initially expected. Because of how hard the foam is in a new pad, this aging makes the pad more versatile under shorter falls. We found the Mad Rock foam to last longer than that of most other pads.
The Mad Pad's stiff foam and reinforced stitching make a very durable crash pad.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Packing Gear
With no closure flaps the Mad Pad is not great for carrying gear but still can accommodate the basic items that most boulderers carry. Smaller items tended to fall through the pad in our testing but we never had issues with loading shoes, chalk bags, and jackets in the Mad Pad.
The lack of closure flaps made it difficult to pack more than the essentials into the Mad Pad.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Features
The Mad Pad was one of the simplest pads we tested and has some useful features. Our favorite is that it can be converted into a couch with two straps that connect opposing corners. This is great for hanging out around camp and between bouldering sessions.
When you aren't busy climbing, the Mad Pad makes for a great couch.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
One of the cool features not found on many other pads is the Velcro attachments on the sides that let you link multiple Mad Rock pads (except for the R3) into one giant pad. If money is tight or you just want a more flexible pad configuration, this is a great way to go.
Climb comfortably above 5" of foam without forking over too much cash.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
The Mad Pad stands out because of how much foam you get for the price, and that it was one of the least expensive pads that we reviewed. With few frills and impressively durable foam, this is a great option for climbers who are looking to save money without compromising functionality. Although you won't be able to carry tons of gear in it, the Mad Pad does a good job of performing its primary function of padding falls.
Conclusion
For those on a budget, the Mad Pad provides excellent functionality. It's a great pad for a variety of users because of its medium size, thick foam, and low cost. For climbers getting their first pad, it's an affordable entry-level model, and for those supplementing a collection of pads, it will help to cover more ground under your project.
—
Chris Summit, Chris McNamara, & Steven Tata
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