Thursday 20 November 2008

Our perspective on the Ronin

Ronin AIR Bouldering Pad

So, how’s it work then?

It’s still a pad; you fold it up, put in the car, get it out, carry it to the crag, open it out and fall on it. No pumps, inflation stuff or anything.

It has the usual closed cell foam as the outer sandwich, but doesn’t have softer foam on the inside... it has a hundred or so AIR cells in it. Each about the size of a fag pack that are all fixed in strips...

It's the cells that make it special. They have a small central foam core enveloped by a semi permeable membrane to allow for a big cushion of air to be expelled as you slam onto the pad. The air acts as the shock absorber.

On walking over the pad it feels squishy... each small surface area of your footprint deflates some cells, that spontaneously re-inflate some 2 - 3 seconds later as your foot leaves the area.

The pad feels really plush, but at this stage doesn’t reveal it's true performance.

However, take a fall onto it and progressively more cells are deployed as the closed cell foam spreads the shock load over the surface of the pad. The pad comes back to shape in 2 seconds as above.

So, the shock absorbing ability of the pad is not linear and more of the pad in effect gets used to cushion your fall with progressive deflation of the cells. That's why it's much better at coping with greater and greater impacts.

Nothing is perfect, but this shock absorption system is way better than foam can ever be.

In addition the cushioning effect it's very reassuring to cash onto from on high, jarring is kept to a minimum.

Does the AIR pad make bouldering safer?

Here’s the scary stuff:
All extreme activities have a defined risk of personal injury, disability and death. It is the responsibility of the end user of equipment made for use for any extreme activity to be responsible for their actions and no liability is accepted by us, GA climbing consultant or any affiliated parties.

We are convinced this is the safest pad on the market.

AIR pad’s unique fall absorption gives you maximum control and the potential to fall further without injury.
The progressive nature of the FAT AIR cell deployment means you can fall higher with less shock from the fall being transferred to you. This is noticeable from both big falls and from general fatigue after the end of a long day.

The way the pad forms around your foot leaves it less likely for you turn your ankle.
The pad envelops you foot as you strike the pad, the resulting deformation then resists inversion injury.

All in all if you want to save your legs, fall higher & keep as safe as you can this is the best bouldering pad you can buy.

Jon Cort MB, ChB, FRCA
Hospital Consultant

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