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Inflatable Crash Pad?
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Hi All, I'm looking for some feedback on the development of an inflatable crash pad. Our company has some proprietary technology that would enable us to build a lightweight inflatable mat that would be super resilient to puncture. At a guess, I'd anticipate approx 50% of the weight with the ability to pack down to 25% of the size of existing crash pads. RRP +/- $500 at a guess (so 2x a normal pad). Do you think there would be demand for this? Thanks, Sam |
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Would it have the same shock absorbing properties as foam? How rigid would it be when fully inflated? |
Sam Watson wrote: If you google really hard you will find that there already is inflatable bouldering pad on the market. Since I don't really want to google that hard I can not tell how expensive it is, what it takes to use one, or how resilient to wear and tear it is. |
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Can I fill it with nitrous oxide so I don't have to take my whip-it canisters to the crag? Very interested if so. |
Sam Watson wrote: What would the inflation process be like? Would it come with a pump similar to say an inflatable paddle board? Is that factored into the weight/size numbers you gave? Seems like the incremental weight/bulk change for increasingly large inflatable pads would be lower than foam so perhaps one selling point would be ability to bring a larger pad. Does it deflate like a stunt airbag when "used", requiring re-inflation after a fall? How many chambers would it be? I'd want to hear more about those things and feedback that it holds up well before considering one. |
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The 8a air pad comes to mind. It looked sweet but I guess that the price was a non-starter for a lot of people? There are more climbers now, and more climbers with money to throw at silly expensive crash pads so maybe there’s a market. |
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I'll throw into the mix that as someone who lives in a van and rarely but occasionally boulders, the storage space of a crashpad isn't really something I can justify for my van...BUT if it was significantly smaller, even at the price of convenience that might change the calculation. I've thought about inflatable crashpads for this reason (but didn't know there was already one on the market.) That said, I really boulder so infrequently, that it still might not be worth the space for me. |
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If it really worked well I would buy one. I do a fair amount of highballs that are way out in the woods. |
Jack Jones wrote: No just wondering if you think its a good idea :) Looks like a have a limit on how much I can post at any one time, so I'll try and answer a few questions here: - as far as inflation, the amount you inflate it would change how effective it is. I don’t honestly know how it would feel to land on vs foam, but something for the development and testing program. - I'm envisaging a pump with a gauge on it to get some precision in the pressure. It adds a bit to the weight but is fast and can be precise. They use this in kiteboarding where the pressure is important for the way the kite handles. - the construction we are thinking of is waterproof/doesn't absorb water, so rain is cool. - as far as other products on the market, from what I’ve seen they look really bulky and aren’t using very advanced materials. I didn’t see anything that looked both inflatable and also lightweight and super portable. Maybe I should keep googling but let me know if you have seen anything. - I agree re QA and science behind the claims you make. We are quite big in the watersports space, so have relevant experience here, albeit in a different field. |
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With a good rechargeable battery powered pump, and if the pad were durable with a good warranty and good performance, I’d bet there would be a good market at $500, but not much higher in today’s dollars. |
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https://www.8a.nu/news/air-pad-falling-test They showed videos of people taking huge falls onto these back in the day. 365 Euro seemed like a lot of money back then. Nowadays, $400 is pretty normal for a large crash pad with decent features. There's probably a market for this at the high end if executed well. |
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At our old gym, after hours, we would jump from the top of the lead wall (35 ft) onto a very large air crash pad. It had a velcro release flap so once a certain amount of load was applied it would release the air to have a soft catch. You had to refill it every time. Obviously a small crash pad would be designed very different. One problem I could see is that an air inflated pad without a release would be way way too stiff to fall on and also there would be a large possibility that you would hit the bag and just bounce right off or snap your leg. A filled bag of air is way more solid than you’d think. |
Jon Hartmann wrote: Agreed, getting the release valves right would be key. You'd want one that releases air to prevent overinflation, and a second one that deflates to give a soft catch in the case of a harder fall. |
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The inflatable landings that are used by slopestyle bike professionals comes to mind. They have perfected huge jump landings to be incredibly rip resistant, and have enourmous absorption capabilities. If you have ever been to an indoor trampoline park, you have probably seen them as well. |
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I think $500 is tough. If I was new to bouldering then I think it would be difficult to justify $500 on my first crash pad and if I have existing crash pads, it would be difficult to justify spending another $500. Also, would you have to deflate and reinflate the crash pad when you move from boulder to boulder? A inflatable pad would solve my problem of how can I boulder if I have to fly somewhere. |
