Mad Rock R3 Crash Pad Review

• Shell Material: 1680 denier
• Fill Material: recycled EVA/PU foam
• Unfolded Length/Width: 54" x 39" x 8"
• Carry Length/Width: 24" x 39" x 17.5"
• Weight: 27lbs!
• MSRP: $188

With Mad Rock's introduction of the R3 the days of cardboard hard, stiff and unwieldy crash pads is behind us. Taking an approach from left field Mad Rock has created a pad that I think will revolutionize the industry, by utilizing a baffle system of recycled chunks of EVA foam and mix of PU foam this pad allows a softer landing that also stiffens just enough on impact to allow for an embrace as opposed to the jarring thud most of us are use to. Mad Rock has accomplished this by utilizing the chewed up foam pieces, due to the odd shapes of the foam air fills the dead space between the individual pieces and upon impact that air is displaced allowing a bit of a cushion prior to compression of the foam.

The name R3 comes from the environmental chant of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and is displayed by utilizing chunks of foam left over from other manufacturing within each of the 7 baffles. Each independent baffle is filled through one end of the pad allowing you to adjust the thickness of each baffle. Mad Rock will be offering foam refill packs in coming months to allow the buyer to refill the baffles once the foam is compressed so you can bring it back to life.

The pad is admittedly a bit heavier than a standard pad but not enough to warrant much concern and because of the baffles, when folded up and ready to carry the pad offers a nice pocket within to help with carrying shoes, chalk pots, lunch, beer, or what ever you else you need.

A few of the other features that I enjoyed were; the strap cover that you can lie under the back pack straps to keep grime off of them when using the pad, the daisy chain style webbing stitched along the back of the pad to allow multiple attachment points should you need to hang extra stuff on the outside, and the orange fabric base that actually folds across the bottom of the pad to keep stuff inside from falling out while trekking to the crag.

My only real concern is the weight. Coming in at almost twice what a standard pad would weigh this thing is burly, but come on, you're a climber, you can handle it!

Over all the R3 is easy to carry, forms to any terrain, is super comfy and I think any dirtbag climber that sleeps in the back of their truck will be super stoked at how cushy this thing is, heck you might even be able to convince that chick at the crag that always crushes you to come over and relax on the pad! All in all this could very well be the last pad you will ever need to purchase.