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Best "Blubber" pad?

Original Post
Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

Anything to note between the Metolius Shortstop pad vs the Organic Slider? Also, as the second post pointed out, the bigger version of the Slider is called a Blubber pad. So which one does the most for you? "Slider" style, or "Blubber"?

Shortstop is an inch bigger in one direction than the Slider, and a 1/4" thinner. Theyre basically the same price, so does it even matter? Or... the blubber?

James J · · UT · Joined Aug 2019 · Points: 19

Do you mean the Organic Slider or the Organic Blubber Pad?

Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

Edit to op. Thanks for pointing that out.

D Elliot · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2017 · Points: 0

If I had to choose one, I’d go with the Blubber pad. A little more weight, but worth it to me for the coverage aspect. I used to see them as “insignificant” but I’d have several ankle injuries by now, and would have witnessed many more if not for using them.

That said, my choice is the Flashed Hueco crash pad for versatility. It’s a 4.25” burrito-style pad wrapped with a removable 3/4” topper pad. If you need basic padding, use the base layer only...for highballs, it Velcro’s together for a 5” pad, but more times than not,  I’m using the topper alone to fix climbers’ sketchy pad placements.

Bottom line: coverage is most important to me, so first choice is Flashed Hueco pad/topper combo for versatility and value, with Blubber as a close second for a standalone pad. They both allow more time climbing, and less time for self-proclaimed climbing engineers repeatedly convening between burns to argue which geometric pattern of placement is more correct. 

Dan Schmidt · · Eugene, OR · Joined Feb 2016 · Points: 349

I haven't used sliders but I <3 my blubber. It's saved me many rolled ankles, doubles as a good sit-start pad, lasts forever (I've had mine… 5y?), and helps smooth out landings formed by layering different types of pads.

Misha Sweeney · · SLC · Joined Feb 2019 · Points: 5

I call my blubber pad the single best climbing gear purchase I've made. I absolutely adore it, especially for solo bouldering.

Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

Anyone compared the Asana to the Organic? Little cheaper, seems about the same.

https://asanaclimbing.com/collections/crash-pads/products/pro-spotter-pad

Sean Fleuriel · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2017 · Points: 25

I have the metolious shortstop and it has been very useful in covering gaps.  I have friends who bring the blubber pads and those are fantastic too, but both are really different.  The organic blubber pad is softer, can fold up, and covers a really large area.  The shortstop pad is smaller, super light, and really stiff.  You can't fold it at all and it doesn't provide much cushioning.  So they definitely are meant for different situations.  I've never used the organic slider pad but it looks and sounds similar to the metolious short stop.  The Organic slider pad would probably be more durable. Honestly, the metolious one feels a little cheap and like the stitching might give way at some point, but hasn't so far.  I did get the shortstop on sale for $20 and i never go out without the thing.  Was 100% worth it.  

Matthew Jaggers · · Red River Gorge · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 695

Got a couple of days worth of use from the Asana Pro Spotter blubber pad, and I won't boulder without one again. This is a little cheaper than the Organic, and would assume a little less bulky, and maybe even less durable, but it does the trick. If I bouldered regularly, there's no chance I'd be going out without some sort of blubber pad. I watched multiple people land on this, right where the seams were with no issues.  This thing is an ankle saver!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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