The Vater chop builder double-side practice pad is an excellent option for drummers that prefer a couple different surfaces for working on techniques or for warmups. The red surface offers a softer, more quiet rubber while the black surface is a harder rubber.
Feel and Playability
This practice pad offers a couple different surface for variation in feel. Both surfaces are made from a similar feeling rubber materials, but the red surface is a little softer.
The red surface is my go-to when using this pad and it has a softer rubber feel with good sticking definition and rebound. To me it feels very similar to the gray surface on the Evans RealFeel pad. Playing rudiments and working on techniques is no problem with the red surface, and everything I play on it feels great.
The black surface on the reverse side is a similar feeling rubber as the red surface in terms of texture. However, the black rubber is harder and provides a different feel. It has a little more stick definition and a little less rebound, and it makes you work a little more.
How Loud Is The Vater Chop Builder Practice Pad?
The volume levels for this pad are very controlled and this is a good practice pad for those that want to be a little more quiet. Of course, if you play it harder, the levels can get up there, but if you focus more on using the tip of the stick and less rim shots it’s a pretty quiet pad. In terms of volume levels it’s very similar to the Evans RealFeel practice pad, but the harder surface on the Vater is more quiet.
Portability and Design
This drum pad is available in both a 12 inch and 6 inch version. In this review are specifically looking at the 12 inch version, but the smaller version is the same except for the size. The 12 inch version is pretty bulky and weighs in at around 3 lbs. It is probably more suitable for drummers who want to mount their pad in a snare stand, or those who just prefer a larger practice pad. If you need portability, the 6 inch version will be the better option.
The pad I’m using is well constructed and I haven’t seen any issues with rubber separating from the wood. The rubber playing surfaces are thick and they are flat and smooth. The wood is painted black, which I like, but it’s got some roughness to it. The paint helps smooth it out though so it doesn’t feel like a raw pressed board like some other similar practice pads from other manufacturers.
Durability
This feels like a well built practice pad when in hand. It’s a simple design with some rubber surfaces attached to wood. The wood feels heavy and it’s thick, and doesn’t feel like anything that will fall apart. Both of the rubber surfaces feel very durable and secured well to the wood. I doubt I’ll ever wear this thing out. Time will tell, but this pad has a good quality feel to it.
Pros
- Durable and well constructed
- Available in two sizes
- Plays great with good rebound and sticking definition on both sides
- Can be played more quietly
Cons
- More expensive than comparable options
The Verdict
This is an excellent practice pad and it’s great for drummers that like a double-sided option. The surfaces feel great during play and it looks really sharp.
This feels like a premium version of a standard double sided practice pad with it’s solid construction and thick rubber surfaces. The 12 inch version has some bulk to it, but in a good way. It’s hard to go wrong with this one.
