Hauling crash pads around is such a pain. But boy is it worth the hassle. These unwieldy mattresses will save your ankles and your ass. And while they elicit no shortage of lame dad-joke commentary from the general hiking public, choosing the right one is serious business. That’s why we’ve put together this compilation of the best bouldering pads you can buy this year.

To figure out who makes the best bouldering pads, we tested a group of pads during a season at Joe’s Valley and Triassic. Our criteria for choosing the best bouldering pads involved considerations around weight, functionality, ease of packing up and moving between boulders, cost, and of course whether these pads saved our (aging) bones from impact. Here are some shots from a typical review day. Cushy!

Send Climbing has taken crash pad technology to the next level with their layer cake foam and framesheet design. The result distributes forces across open and closed cell foams soft, for a landing that is soft and supportive through years of failed attempts. The 3X4 Pro is Send’s highest quality standard sized pad, and can be extended with an optional Add-A-Pad panel into a lap pool sized 3’ by 6’ flop zone.

Every detail of this pad feels like it was built with attention and care, and after a year of heavy use, it isn’t showing any signs of wear. The handles are made from easy to grab rope sections and all the buckles are sturdy, smooth sliding metal with daisy chain style links to easily attach other pads or compress gear within the flaps. I opted for the $20 upgrade to customize the suspension to my exact torso length, yielding the most comfortable pad I have ever carried.

Specifications

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Expandable size with optional Add-A-Pad ($109)

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Customizable suspension, colors and foam density

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Weight: 12 lbs 10oz

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Open dimensions: “36” x 48″ x 3.8″ Closed dimensions: 36″ x 24″ x 8″

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$299.  Available at Send Climbing

Read “Pay Your Dues: Colorado Bouldering” for a guide to the state’s best old-school test pieces.

Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to crash pads. For those times when a lighter, more compact pad will get the job done, the Black Diamond Circuit is a fully functional, economical option and it’s available in an array of highlighter colors.

The simplicity of this pad and briefcase handles make it easy to deploy and pack up when you’re moving quickly between problems or different areas. Weighing a mere 8lbs and 5oz, the Circuit is a great option as an additional pad to piggyback on something beefier. It lacks a flap for smashing in a lot of extra gear, and the minimal webbing waist belt doesn’t lend this pad to long hikes with a heavy load.

Specifications

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Compact and easy to move around for quick paced sessions

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Simple, no frills design works well as piggybacker

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Weight: 8 lbs 5 oz.

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Closed: 35” x 7.9” x 24” Open: 35” x 3.94” x 47”

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$149. Available at Black Diamond.

Purchasing a first crash pad is a right of passage for any new climber. They’re bulky and awkward to store and transport, cost at least as much as a decent pair of shoes and your parents won’t know WTF it’s for no matter how many times you explain it. But show up at the boulders without your own foam to contribute to the pile and, well let’s just hope you’ve brought a lot of cold beer instead.

Metolius has made that first big commitment to bouldering easier with their pared down Basic Pad. It has everything you need, with nothing to spare and an entry level price tag to match. The single metal buckle is sufficient for keeping it closed, but I did dent the foam after wrenching it down too hard trying to keep a pack in place. And without a bottom buckle or flap, it’s not well suited for holding your extra gear (go for the front pack carry). Weighing in at a feathery 7.4 lbs and sporting padded shoulder straps, this pad is an easy on the body entree into the world of crash pad hauling.

Specifications

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Great starter pad at a great price

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Simple design that won’t weigh you down

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Open size: 36″ x 48″ x 4″. Folded size: 36″ x 26″ x 8″

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Weight: 7.4 lbs

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$129.95. Available at Metolius.

Read: “Eliminated: Boulder’s Pure Experience Reclaimed”

If you’ve seen anything even remotely related to bouldering media in the last decade, then you’ve spotted the ubiquitous, and gloriously colorful Organic crash pads. They’ve won over the hearts and ankles of so many boulderers thanks to uncompromising quality, till death do us part durability, and a straightforward yet very comfortable carry system.

Beloved by highballers, and lower ballers alike, the 5” Thick Big Pad is the reigning favorite big pad thanks to it’s extra thick foam and plus size footprint. The hybrid style hinge is smoothed over with a thinner top layer of foam, so there’s no gap or snapping turtle effect if you land smack dab in the middle. Organic Climbing has also made an impressive commitment to powering their factory with solar energy, and repurposing scraps to create their iconic designs.

Specifications

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Plus-sized protection that will last you for years

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Choose your own adventure color options

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Powered by renewable energy and made in the USA

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Open: 46″x 58″ x 5” Closed: 29″ x 46″ x 10″

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Weight: 19lbs

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$329. Available at Organic Climbing