The Moves Should Be Hard, Not the Approach: Black Diamond Erratic Bouldering Crash Pad Review

Climbing brands are limited in developing bouldering crash pads. At the end of the day, all bouldering pads are, at their core, fabric-covered foam with backpack straps.

Although Black Diamond’s  Erratic Crash Pad is devoid of radical designs, it pushes the envelope of crash pad design. It’s lighter than others, yet durable, and has a superb carrying system. The Erratic challenges other brands to level up their bouldering pad lineup.

I tested the Black Diamond Erratic over three bouldering sessions in Iowa (yes, there are crags in Iowa) that were each a few hours long.

In short: The Black Diamond Erratic bouldering crash pad is a great choice for climbers who routinely tackle long, steep, and arduous approaches. The relatively light weight and excellent carrying system saves energy that can be used to send, and the pad proved durable and resistant to the elements.

Black Diamond Erratic Crash Pad

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Specifications

• Closed dimensions: 24" x 40"
• Open dimensions: 48" x 40"
• Thickness: 4.3"
• Weight: 12 lbs.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Customizable fit when carrying; great for small frames
• Durable

Cons

• Hard to carry multiple pads
• Price

Mary Andino

Erratic Bouldering Pad Spec Sheet

This crash pad is covered with Dynex ripstop grid fabric with a water-resistant TPU coating. Black Diamond added reinforced corners for extra durability. It has an adjustable and removable padded backpack carry system, as well as a water bottle pocket.

Its construction consists of open-cell foam sandwiched between two layers of cross-linked closed-cell foam. The Erratic retails for $380.

The landing zone measures 48×40, and the pad folds to half the width. When open, the Erratic is 4.3 inches thick, which is right around industry standards. Most comparable pads have a thickness of 4 inches.

Carrying the Black Diamond Erratic

The Erratic succeeded in areas where every other crash pad I’ve tried has failed. As someone who is only 5’6”, the carrying system on other crash pads never quite fit me right. I could never cinch down the shoulder straps and/or waist belt to fit me tightly enough.

This caused the pad to thud against the back of my head or tilt back and forth. On approaches longer than 10 minutes, this was quite uncomfortable and made it difficult to hike on steep terrain.

The Black Diamond Erratic was the best-fitting crash pad for my smaller frame. The shoulder straps were adjustable enough that I could fit the pad tightly and closely to my body. It felt like I was wearing a big backpack rather than a mattress that absolutely dwarfed me. At the same time, the Erratic carrying system also comfortably fit my 6’2” friend.

The straps were padded enough that even with gear stuffed inside the Erratic, they don’t dig into the shoulders. I volunteered to hike with the Erratic whenever I was in a group that divided up pads.

The Erratic also has a great size-to-weight ratio. Its fall zone of 48×40 inches is quite substantial for it only weighing 12 pounds. For comparison, Organic’s Simple Pad has a fall zone of 48×36 and clocks in at the same weight. Petzl’s Alto Pad has a surface of 46×39 and weighs 12.5 pounds.

There was one significant downside to the Erratic crash pad. A team of several climbers could not figure out how to strap the Erratic together with other pads. We tried to attach the Erratic to other brands of pads, but were unsuccessful.

I’ve connected or folded other pads of different brands together before. But that did not appear possible with this crash pad. This was a potential deal-breaker for a solo climber needing to schlep multiple different pads to the crag.

Falling on the Black Diamond Erratic

Falling on a crash pad is the most basic yet most decisive test. I took several falls of various heights onto the Erratic; the pad felt rather firm and sturdy. I’ve definitely fallen on softer pads, like Organic’s Full pad. The Erratic seemed to be in the middle of the road when it came to foam density. It was not exceptionally cushy, but it was not overly stiff.

Because of this relative stiffness compared to pads like those from Organic, some climbers repositioned our melange of pads to avoid falling on the Erratic on certain boulders.

Durability and Other Features

The Erratic got major points for its durable construction. Despite being dragged and scraped across limestone and sandstone, the ripstop Dynex fabric showed little wear and tear. And the reinforced corners meant that this pad would likely stand the test of time.

The TPU water-resistant coating meant that in damp conditions or near water features, the pad was less likely to absorb water. This kept the pad from growing heavier. This is a rather unique feature across crash pads; very few other brands’ pads are as resistant to water.

A Note on Price

At $379, the Black Diamond Erratic is on the higher end of pricing for crash pads in this size range. Mad Rock’s Mad Pad (fall zone of 48x36x5) costs $219 and Organic’s Thick Big Pad retails for $339 (fall zone of 46x58x5).

Conclusions on the Black Diamond Erratic Bouldering Crash Pad

If you tend to boulder in places with long or difficult approaches, the Black Diamond Erratic is a great choice. Its carrying system was brilliantly comfortable for people of all sizes and heights. It wasn’t the cushiest pad on the market to fall on, but it absolutely got the job done.

You’re certainly paying a premium for the Erratic. But it proved lightweight, carried supremely well, and should have a long life under the boulders.

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