Stonelick Boom Review

Name: Stonelick Boom
Brand: Stonelick

stonelick boom bouldering crash pad review — Stonelick Boom
Credit: Stonelick

Price: $259 List

Manufacturer: Stonelick

By Chris Summit ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ Sep 25, 2012

Our Verdict

In 2016, The Stonelick Boom was Discontinued

REASONS TO BUY

All the benefits of the hinge design (compact and easy to store

Folds open/closed easily and foam lasts) combined with the reliable landing zone of a hingeless taco design

REASONS TO AVOID

Suspension system did not fit an average size torso

Closure system did not fit a lot of gear

Hooks hard to un-hook and fairly expensive

This is one of best pads we've reviewed. Stonelick's highly innovative new "integrated/step hinge" design has almost completely eliminated the chance of any rocks or other obstacles poking through the hinge. The hinge never failed (bottomed out) in any of our tests and it folded open and closed as easily as all the other hinged pads. The pads are all made in the USA out of thick, 3- layer, 4.5" foam (1" PE foam impact layer, 3" PU foam core, .5" PE foam foundation) that offers a nice mix of soft and firm.

The only problem that keeps us from suggesting this pad is that the suspension did not quite fit our average-sized 5'10"/165lb tester's frame and it is not adjustable. The waist belt was attached too far below the shoulder straps for his body size. It fit our 6'4" tester perfectly. So if you are taller than 6' this is a great pad with very few other flaws. If you are under 6' and like to use your waist belt, then this may not be the best pad for you. The only other flaw we found was that the closure straps were not quite long enough to allow the pad to open up wide and be stuffed with a lot of gear when in backpack mode.

This pad is best suited for someone 6' tall or taller who wants a good quality, medium sized pad that hauls an average load and has all the benefits of the hinge design (folds open/closed easily and foam lasts longer) combined with the reliable landing zone of a hingeless taco design.

Our Analysis and Test Results

High Falls

The 4.5" mix of soft foam layered between dense foam makes a great impact barrier for high falls, with the outer layers adding rigidity and the softer 3" interior layer adding plenty of cushioning. For about $80 less you can get the same size pad (except for .5" thinner but better quality foam) in the Organic Simple Pad with similar features and the not-as-trustworthy hybrid hinge. The better quality foam of all the Organic pads make them just as good at cushioning high falls as a thicker pad since the foam is more dense and resilient.

Low Falls

The 36" X 48" landing zone is about average for a medium size pad so it is just big enough to protect your head and back in a horizontal fall but only barely (it's always best to use in conjunction with another pad or pads for extreme falls). The padding is constructed from two thin layers of dense foam sandwiching a 3" thick softer/less dense foam that makes for a firm but overall soft landing for short abrupt falls onto your backside.

Packing Big Stuff

The straps were not quite long enough to allow the pad to open up really wide and be stuffed with a lot of gear when in backpack mode, but our testers often carry a lot more gear than most boulderers. The padded waist belt is a nice feature that a lot of other similar pads are lacking and it makes a difference when packing a large load. One key feature that all the Stonelick pads have in common, and that our testers have now come to expect because it is just so needed, is the simple handle between the shoulder straps to assist in lifting a heavily loaded pad onto your back.

Packing Small Stuff

The Boom (like most other crash pad designs) has no flaps and therefore does not hold in small objects well at all. The hook buckles are often hard to unhook and can be a slight annoyance. Otherwise it held in the essentials fairly well when strapped tight — especially if they are in a small to medium size bag inside.

Comfort Hanging Out

The thick and soft foam interior make it comfortable to hang out on but it is hard to beat the coziness of a pad with a soft velvet or fabric top.

Foam Durability

After repeated use all foam softens up. The softer foam interior of this pad seemed soft at first so we thought it would soften up prematurely but it hasn't done so very much after a few months of above average use. The denser outer layers seem like they protected the interior foam from being flattened/abused in one small spot at a time (similar to what would happen in your average bouldering falls), which seems to be keeping the pad at its firm but medium soft level. Scored overall average.

— Chris Summit