UKC

Im in the market for a new mat. Im after the do it all mat if there ever is one.

Has anyone had any experience with the climbing factory mats, im looking at the long hog and was wondering if anyone had used them.

The contestants currently are the climbing factory lokg hog, black diamond drop zone or dmm highball???

In reply to ods: For a "do it all pad" I would highly recommend the Moon Saturn. Full of useful features and a great size as well! Worth investigating I say.

In reply to ods: I've never used the climbing factory 1 but i highly recomend the dmm highball mat as it is double sided so makes covering rocks really easy unlike most pads with a hinge.Some of my mates have the dropzone and have found the foam softens up reall quickly as does the moon pad.Another pad I highly reccomend is the metolius boss hog as it is a good size, has a carpet landing surface (great for cleaning your feet), has quite deep durable foam and also has a waist strap which greatly helps for long walk-ins and when you strap 2 pads together.

In reply to ods: I have a Climbing Factory Groundhog and a mate owns one of the smaller Craghogs. The foam is decent quality, the price is keen and they're made here in the UK.

Based purely on the experience of our two pads, I'd have to say that the straps are a weak point: we've both had the stitching at the end of one (where it attaches to a plastic clip, which fastens to the pad). To be fair, it's repairable, but I've not had this problem with any other pad I've owned. On the whole though, they're good pads.

A few people I know have DMM pads. They're happy with them and my impression is that they're very well thought out and high quality (and you pay extra for it).

Don't know anything about Black Diamond Drop Zones. If I was in the market for a new pad now I'd be considering either of the above, or something from Moon, POD or Wild Country - all made in the UK (AFAIK), good quality and largely designed with British conditions - mud - in mind!

In reply to ods: the Snap Bun is worth a look too. Solid construction and foam. The only downside is the lack of a waistbelt for longer approaches as I have a dodgy old man back!