Crash pads

Crash pads for safe landings

Crash pads provide a cushioned landing for climbers when outdoor bouldering.

They're made from durable nylon and polyester to handle shuffling into place or moving from boulder to boulder on rough ground. On the inside, crash pads are packed with layers of squishy foam to cushion your fall without bottoming out.

Large crash pads make a big landing area and work best on flat ground, but they’re heavy and harder to transport. Small crash pads are easy to move and cover gaps in your multi-pad landing. They also make a nice spot to wipe your feet or chill while waiting to tackle a problem.

Fold ‘em up

Tri-fold crash pads hinge at two points and fold up small for easy transportation. This is a great choice if you’re only after one crash pad to do it all as they usually cover a large area. Tri-fold crash pads are also great for rocky terrain as they bend in two different points, as opposed to hinge crashpads, allowing for more flexibility against uneven terrain.

Hinge-style crash pads are two pieces of foam held together by a piece of fabric. They lay completely flat and fold up tightly. Bonus – they double as a place to stash climbing shoes and a chalk bag on the approach. Set it up on a multi-pad landing to ensure no rocks get through the unprotected hinge point.

Taco-style crash pads are a big piece of continuous foam that can be folded in half, so there’s no gaps for something to poke you. They don’t lay fully flat so they’re also good for uneven and rocky terrain.

Check out cushy crash pads from popular climbing brands Black Diamond, Metolius and Flashed.