Mad Rock R3 Crash Pad

The cushion and versatility of this pad beats nearly all other pads I've climbed with. The standard pad is quite stiff and folds in half, making it difficult to position over natural terrain. The R3 easily contours over uneven or rocky ground. We've even slung it up against tree trunks that were in the way. The point of a crash pad is to provide protection when falling during bouldering, and this crash pad excels in this.

As other reviews have said, this thing is HEAVY. I've never bouldered in an area further than ~1-1.5 miles from a parking lot, and haven't had to much fuss carrying it uphill, or in the heat. It's a pain sure, but for me, the sheer awesomness of this pad outweighs the only downside - it's weight.

Straight to the point, this is an amazing crash pad. I initially purchased this without having any knowledge of crash pads (I've only climbed indoors) and went with the highest rated. I'm seriously glad I did!

The rolls help to hug rocks that may be underneath you and considering I've only taken a couple of falls on it so far, I didn't feel any of those rocks. I've focused my climbing in central Arizona, so far, where the desert foliage reigns mighty and stabby. I try to keep it away from as many stabby things as possible to prolong it's life, but sometimes you just can't and this pad has withstood all kinds of rocks and roots.

I really, really, really want to give this five stars, but I have to give it four ONLY due to it's weight. I didn't see anything about how heavy it was when initially purchasing it, so taking it out of the box was a surprise. I have a little bit of trouble trying to get the flaps to velcro like they're supposed to, but I haven't lost anything out of the bottom yet. The farthest I've had to travel with this on my back is roughly 20 minutes in and 20 minutes out on flat ground. I don't know how this will be when having to hike and scramble into a climbing area, but when I get there, I'll use that as practice for backpacking the PCT and AT. Have to get used to it somehow, amiright?

I've had this pad for some time now and have a very mixed feeling about it as a result.



I had originally bought this pad for times I go out bouldering by myself. I felt the need to have something hefty for the most optimal protection for times I do my solo trips.



For the sheer heft of the pad, it score a solid A+ for ground coverage and its ability to mold to uneven terrain. And as a added bonus, manages to double as a haul bag too.



Landing on this pad isn't too bad, but its not soft ether. I've taken some hellish back first falls on it, and managed to walk away uninjured. However you can certainly feel the impact more so then most other traditional crash pads (it has very dense form).



Where this pad losses, is its sheer weight and bulk. This thing is extremely heavy and clumsy (Think fully loaded 60LT hiking backpack but larger). Walking up or down rocky terrain can be quite the experience. Its also piratically impossible to strap additional crash-pad to it..

Great pad for bouldering and to chill on if sport climbing! Easy to carry, perfect dimension to add to your school of crashpads. The foam is great! Love that it's not too thick but still very dense to comfortably fall on. Would recommend for the price!

I'm going to buck the trend here. This pad is downright unsafe.

The pad uses a terrible baffle system that causes a very uneven landing surface. It's great that the pad can move around objects in landings, but a crash pad should make a landing more even and not reinforce the danger of a stepped landing by just molding around the obstacle. The baffles can very easily roll your ankle if you land on them incorrectly, and I took a larger fall on to my butt and landed with a tailbone between a baffle, which would have seriously injured me if I didn't know how to roll out from a fall.

When I see this pad under my landing, I politely request to move it to a place where I won't fall. One star is reserved for products that straight up suck. I acknowledge that Mad Rock is trying to use recycled foam, but that doesn't make the pad any more usable or less dangerous.

To add to all this, the pad must weigh 30 lbs with nothing in it. They pack foam in so densely, the foam doesn't compact the way it should in case of a hard fall. Please don't buy this pad; Petzl and BD make great comparable options, and Organic and Asana make the best crash pads (which we don't sell, but I'd rather you just buy the best thing rather than always buy it through us.)

Great pad thickness, surface area. like the rolls so it can hug rocks and roots. also nice to lay on!

I think Mad Rock kills it with their pads, and the R3 is no exception. The recycled foam filling is very thick and soft, making even the wildest of landings soft. That isn't unheard of in pads though, in fact it should be standard. What sets this pad apart is the design. The circular foam pillars make this awesome for laying over that poorly placed boulder right in the middle of your landing zone. Unlike other pads which stick up in the air after being placed over a rock, this pad rolls smoothly over any obstacle providing 100% coverage and no odd landings.

Despite the advantage for strange landings, this pad isn't perfect. It is very heavy. Dragging this up any hill to a boulder isn't idea. It's worth it if the landing calls for it, but if you have a good flat landing, then I would use the Mad Pad and leave the R3 in the car for later.

All-in-all, this a phenomenal pad, but pick your battles wisely with this one.

Bringing exceptional product to climbers at a low end cost. I have nothing bad to say about this product. It is extremely versatile, does great at all higths, it's ability to pack in large items is number one thing about this crash pad.

For a crash pad I highly recommend this product.

Great pad. The baffles make it a really bendable pad which is perfect for uneven surfaces - which tend to be quite prevalent in the great outdoors! The bottom flap also makes this pad a great pack for carrying all the necessities for a day of bouldering.

This is my favorite pad to have with me on a trip. Covers up bad landings better than anything else out there. Also carries things well in backpack form. Best when paired up other pads, using this for the sketchy parts and other pads filling in the rest of the landing. It is a little heavy, and doesn't pack as easily in a car as most taco pads, but it's worth it.

I've used the R3 on two bouldering trips now, and it is awesome for creating soft landings and protecting awkward obstacles on the ground. It's also great for carrying stuff with the 'burrito' style backpack wrap without anything falling out the bottom as you hike. The flexible roll-up design also helps when you are trying to fit one last crash pad into your car - the R3 squishes into weird spaces quite nicely! Overall a great pad and great value for the price.

Love the pad! I'm a fan of the design.

Great for protection. But I wanted to also point out some nice thoughtful perks. The backpack mode is very useful for hauling gear. Just one huge bucket to carry gear. It's also got a cover that protects your backpack straps from mud and dust when you roll the pad out for protection. The pad worked great as a sleeping pad for camping too.

The only downside is the weight. It's noticeably heavier than other pads like the metolius session pad.

This pad is incredible. It's just firm enough to protect you on those darn highball problems but is still soft enough to keep you comfortable on low falls. It's shape is great in areas with uneven landing for landing zones with large rocks/roots in the way. This pad also carries an insane amount of gear

the usual taco and flat pads. I got this because all of my friends had the usual taco and flat pads, and i thought it would be a nice addition. Boy was i right! Fits perfectly over rocks that are in the landing zone and oblong feeling with other pads on it. I was a little skepticle about the bevel system and how deep each crease was and the possibility of rolling an ankle from a high fall, until i got the pad and properly broke it in, a I have tested and tried to purposely roll my ankle and have not thus far. I have rode freestyle BMX for 17 years and know how to take a fall, and falling on this is a treat to say the least!

I really like this thing overall, but my one gripe is that it doesn't seem to close properly. I just couldn't get it to look quite right, and it pulls on the clasps in weird ways when shut, ultimately leaving a flap on the bottom where things could fall out. Overall, not a big deal if you just put something big on the bottom, but it's kind of annoying. It feels great to fall on though! Also the fact that it's made out of recycled materials (hence the name R3) is really great. Wish more companies would do stuff like this, because it works really well!

great pad. saved my butt more than a couple times

This pad is great. It's bit heavier than others, but the comfort of having this under me while climbing is worth it. We stuff it with plenty of gear every day and there is almost always room to spare. The only downside was when we laid it on a sharp rock in one of the landings, a buckle for the chest strap broke off. However, for me the positives easily outweigh (the one) negative. Looking forward to getting another R3 soon.

Although it's heavier than most, I absolutely love it. As long as MR keeps making them, I'll keep buying them and beating them up. Worth every penny.

I didn't realize how amazing it was until I used someone else's pad. Super happy with it, especially for the money. You won't regret it.

All I can say is buy it. If you're in the market for a new pad this is for you. No complaints other than I wish there was a built in piece of carpet.... But really that's not a huge deal. Great pack as well 👍