The Vic Firth double-sided practice pad offers two different playing surfaces, one softer and one harder, and has a solid wooden base that isn’t overly bulky.
Feel and Playability
This pad plays very well and it has excellent stick feel and rebound on both sides.
The top, gray side has more of a softer, natural feel like a snare drum. It offers great stick definition and rebound, and is excellent for practicing rudiments and warmups. Even with it’s sharp stick definition it still manages to be fairly controlled in terms of sound levels.
The black surface on the reverse side is a harder recycled rubber that is a little bit louder and sharper sound-wise. It has a more pronounced stick definition for an alternative practice option.
Both sides play well, and I usually prefer the softer gray side, mostly since I’m using this pad at home in my apartment. The only thing that’s kind of annoying about this pad is the top section of the pad that is cut off to make room for the logo – I would prefer if it was fully round, but that’s just a minor complaint. It doesn’t really affect play if you need to use the top, since you can just turn it.
How Loud Is The Vic Firth Double-Sided Practice Pad?
The volume varies from side to side, with the gray rubber being more quiet. The gray side is going to be your best option if you’re playing at home with others around, or if you live in an apartment. The gray side has a fairly subdued sound even though it’s not an overly soft rubber. I rarely use the black side since it’s louder, and I’m usually trying to keep sound levels down at home.
Portability and Design
I’m using the 12 inch version of this pad and it’s got just enough heft to it. It feels a little less bulky than some other comparable 12 inch pads, I think it’s a little bit more thin which is what makes it feel that way. When sitting on a smooth surface it can move around a little bit during harder play, so I usually have it sitting on something like a large mouse pad.
The wood base feels smooth compared to other similar pads, which is another thing I like about the design. It’s a smoothly painted wooden material, and at first I didn’t even think it was wood. I thought it was more of a plastic composite. I like that it’s smooth, since it doesn’t catch on clothes or grate on things like some other practice pads with rougher wood bases can do.
In terms of portability, this is fairly portable 12 inch pad. There is a smaller version as well if you prefer something even smaller and more portable. The thinner profile and smooth base makes even the larger version slide easily into a backpack.
Durability
This is a solid, well built pad that can take a lot of abuse. There’s really no complaints out there about these pads falling apart. My experience with it makes me feel like it’s a once in a lifetime purchase, unless I lose it or something. But it doesn’t feel like it’s going to break unless I drove over it or did something extreme.
Pros
- Excellent playing feel with harder and softer surfaces
- Smooth, painted wooden base
- Durable
- Available in multiple sizes
Cons
- Pads aren’t completely round to make room for logo
The Verdict
The Vic Firth double-sided practice pad is a great option for experienced or beginner drummers. It’s priced right and it’s well built.
I like how this pad feels just a little more polished than some other pads, with it’s smooth wooden base and sharp look. Both sides play very well with excellent stick feel and rebound. It also doesn’t feel quite as bulky as some other thicker double-sided pads with comparable design.
