In the late '90s, Los Angeles professional drummer Ed Eblen felt there was something missing in the world of practice pads for drummers. Out of a need to find a practice pad that had a realistic feel for drum set players, Eblen created E-PAD!
Eblen states, “There is a big difference in feel and response between a snare drum and a floor tom. E-PAD! wanted to address the slower rebounds that drum sets produce. The material that we found, Enduraflex, best represents more of a drum set feel than typical practice pads. We were the first to introduce the authentic feel of Enduraflex. We hand make all the E-PAD! products in the U.S.A. We look forward to all the drummers who are utilizing E-PAD! to improve their drumming goals.”
E-PAD! sent me a EP9 and a KP5 Kneepad. The EP9 is described as a 9″ circular pad with Enduraflex playing surface on a sturdy particle board base. The KP5 is described as a “Pro Deluxe Kneepad featuring a 5×7 Enduraflex playing surface and shock absorbing padded saddle for extra comfort for intense warmups.” I had four different drummers in L.A. test the two products. The response from all the drummers was that the E-Pads feel more like a real drum than most practice pads, with less rebound and bounce.
Drummer Drum IO from South Korea touring L.A. said, “The E-PAD! drum pad is quieter and provides a more realistic touch compared to regular rubber pads. Rubber pads always gave me excessive rebound that disrupted my practice. The E-PAD! has the tension of a low-tuned floor tom. It will be a great help when I practice.”
L.A. Drum teacher Chris Blondal said, “I was obsessed with pads for years and have logged thousands of hours practicing on pads. I played the E-PAD! for a full lesson. I really like it. It makes you work for everything you play. It’s not "fun" to play on unless you know the benefits of playing on a surface like that. A bouncy pad can be helpful if one needs assistance feeling the stick in your hands when playing rebounds. The E-PAD! is a great workout in not relying on a bouncy surface to do the work for you. One may need to build up to a pad like that.”
E-PAD! makes a total of nine different size practice pads ranging from the compact knee pad all up to a 14” circular pad. From the drummers I spoke with, having a variety of practice pads is most advantageous. E-PAD! makes a unique product that is an asset to any drummer wishing to improve their technique. Available online. EP9 $39.95; KP5 $44.95
