Alpkit Phud

daniel mills
Reviewed: 13 May 2007

BETTER THAN MY £130 POD MAT

its the same size as my pod mat but slighty softer so its a little kinder on the dodgy landings and 70 cheaper
i've used this in some of the worst conditions possible and it still looks new just let it dry and brush of the crap and its back to brand new again

none realy except it could do with rucksack style straps which the new ones have

super bargain dont buy another mat which costs twice as much ! buy 2 of these and then climb higher cos youve got lots of mat to fall on and when youve finished falling off stuff you can drag them in your tent and sleep on them and have a realy good sleep ready for more falling off the next day

Matthew Lloyd
Reviewed: 24 July 2005

60 QUID MAT THAT CAN HOLD ITS OWN

-really big for those highball problems (slightly larger than the franklin dropzone)
-foam is top notch, really really good
-outer fabric is tough
-lots of colours to choose from
-folds away really neatly for storage because of the no fuss fold in the middle (i keep mine under my bed)
- nice thickness (thicker than most out there)
-can buy replacement outer, and both densities of foam with free shipping from the Alpkit website (www.alpkit.com)

- Carrying handles not the most secure (but make no mistake- they will survive a lot of abuse for a very long time)
- cant store anything inside the mat (but a new addition is on the way to modify this)

If you want a bouldering mat- buy this. You can buy two of these for the price of one typically priced crash pad. Postage is free, and it will take about 2 days to get to you. The foam is just as good as the foam used in the more expensive pads, and it is thick and firm. the outer is top notch. It is even bukier and more substantial than most pads out there and its a cheaper price.

cutomer service is ace aswell, the guys at Alpkit are happy dealing with any question you may have, and you can return it in seven days if you dont like it.

i can't praise this mat enough. truly if money is no object and you have 140 pounds burning your back pocket buy the franklin dropzone. But if you want a bouldering mat that is affordable that is just as capable as a mat twice its price then go for this.