Foam for Bouldering Mats

Extreme sports like bouldering require proper protection to help ensure safety throughout. The right protection comes from choosing to use high-quality foam padding in your bouldering mats.

We’ve been supplying superior performance foam for high-intensity extreme sports for decades now. Our team of experts know what foam you need to create the best quality crash pads for bouldering.

If you’re interested in purchasing foam for bouldering mats or would like to ask any questions about our foam conversion services, our team will be happy to assist you. Call us on 01494 441177, email sales@gbfoam.com or fill out the form on our contact page to get in touch.

What is Bouldering?

Bouldering can be performed indoors or outside. It’s a form of free climbing that can be carried out on artificial rock-climbing walls or small, natural rock formations.

Although bouldering is performed without equipment such as ropes or harnesses, many climbers still opt to use a few pieces of equipment for safety and practicality. One particular piece of equipment, designed to help make bouldering safer is bouldering mats.

What Are Bouldering Mats?

A bouldering mat is a type of foam pad used to offer protection from falling whilst free climbing. Generally, these consist of multiple foam layers, including closed cell polyethylene foam (such as Plastazote) and high-density polyurethane foam.

Most standard bouldering foam mats consist of two layers of foam. However, some crash pads designed to absorb impact from greater heights may consist of three, with closed cell foam making up the top and bottom layers.

The Best Bouldering Mat Foam

As the UK’s leading foam supplier, it’s no surprise that we stock a lot of different types of foam. Some of these are great for bouldering pads and some not so much. It’s really important to know which foam is best for bouldering mats to help ensure optimal safety and practicality.

We’re no strangers when it comes to supplying foam for high intensity sports. We’ve worked alongside some of the biggest names worldwide, supplying the likes of pit foam, crash mats, bouldering pad foam and much more. If you want the best foam for bouldering crash mats, be sure to speak to our team.

Why Use Multiple Foam Layers in Bouldering Mats?

By its very nature, foam is extremely diverse. During the manufacturing process, the raw materials of foam can be manipulated to make the final product exhibit certain properties. This is why we’re able to offer so many different types of foam, with unique characteristics that suit various applications.

By adding multiple layers of foam together we can take the benefits of one type of foam and combine them with the benefits of another.

For example, closed cell foam is highly regarded for its resilience under applied pressure. Because the cells that make up this type of foam are closed off, the gas contained within the cells (Nitrogen for Plastazote) does not escape when pressure is applied; this results in minimal compression. Using closed cell foam as a top (and sometimes bottom) layer is beneficial for bouldering mats because it can help to prevent bottoming out.

The benefits of closed cell foam alone aren’t enough to make a good quality bouldering mat. We also need a layer of foam that can absorb impact and offer the “squishiness” you’d expect from a product designed to protect you from a fall. This is why we also use a suitable layer of open cell, high-density polyurethane foam. Without this layer, a person falling will still experience a hard landing which could result in an injury.

Choosing a good-quality high-density polyurethane foam is also important to help maximise the longevity of your bouldering mat. We’ve discussed high density foam in detail in one of our previous articles and outlined the various benefits of using it.

Speak to us About Foam for Bouldering Pads

When it comes to bouldering mats, our team of experts know what types of foams are necessary for protection and practicality. If you’re interested in purchasing foam for bouldering pads and would like a quote, contact us. We’ll be happy to quote you and answer any questions you have to help you find the best foam products.