The Circuit Z is the double hinge version of Black Diamond's popular Circuit Pad. The benefit of the double hinge design is that it folds up smaller - which is ideal for those lacking space, whether at home or in the car - whilst folding out to offer an impressive amount of coverage. Light, adaptable, and comfortable to carry, the Circuit Z is a solid pad at a competitive price. But it does have its limitations, which we'll come onto shortly…

In Use

The Circuit Z is impressively compact for the amount of surface area it provides you with. It folds up to 50 x 101 x 32cm and flattens out to 152 x 101 x 10cm, making it good both in terms of storage (at home or in the car) and when in use. It features a 10cm layer of foam, which consists of a closed cell PE foam, bonded with EVA. This is relatively minimalist when compared to most modern day pads, and isn't something you'd want to go highballing with, but it does help to keep the size and weight down.

When it comes to weight the Circuit Z comes in at 5.5kg, which is - in the grand scheme of bouldering mats - quite light. Moreover, the small footprint of the Circuit Z when folded up means that it doesn't feel anywhere near as cumbersome as most other pads when being carried. As a result, it somehow manages to feel lighter than pads of a similar weight, and it's comfortable to carry to crags and ideal for circuits where you're likely to be picking it up and putting it down a lot.

Whilst the Circuit Z can be used on its own, it wouldn't necessarily be my first choice for a solo pad set-up. Where it comes into its own is as a second pad, because it's great at fitting where other pads don't.

I've used it a lot on problems with awkward landings, those that start in a gully, or those with a boulder close behind you, as the Circuit Z is able to morph much better around features than a standard hinge or taco style bouldering mat. I'm also a fan of the crisp square cut edges, which help to reduce gaps when lots of bouldering mats are being used.

Features

The straps, handles and metal buckles on the Circuit Z are all quite simple, which is nice because they are - as a result - quite easy to grab and use. It's also got a waist strap, which some lighter pads lack, but which is definitely a benefit when it comes to carrying stability, particularly when crossing rough ground. It should last well too, thanks to its burly PU-coated 900D nylon face fabric.

The pad itself folds out (and back up) easily - much more easily than you might expect for a double-hinged pad. It's not fiddly like some designs, which can feel like a wrestling match to deploy or put away.

Given how much we've liked it as a second pad, Black Diamond have also made it nice and easy to strap it to other pads in their range, courtesy of their multi-pad carry system.

Summary

This is a great pad for if you're heading off to do a steady circuit, for if you're meeting a mate who has a bigger pad with them at the crag, or as a second mat to help make sure that your landing and surroundings are safe.

At a competitive price point, the Circuit Z would be a good entry level option for those looking to get into outdoor bouldering, or for any user who wants to make sure that they're fully covered when it comes to those awkward and hard-to-protect landings.