I need a Practice pad: Suggestions?

[Suspiria]

Hello fellow HODers.
I recently decided its time for a new practice pad, here in my home away from home (Montreal). Back home I used a very basic pad from Remo (I think). It was round and came with a small stand. It was mad of solid rubber and had a relief ring of about 3mm around it. No other special features.
While I don't really need the newest most elaborate pad, I would appreciate some of your suggestions as to what to buy. Post pictures/model names or even links and maybe include personal experiences with the particular pad. Am I looking at a realistic price range of something like 40-60 Dollars?
Take care everyone,

-Suspiria

[Kurt R]

For drumset drummer pads the real feel is pretty good. Something like This would work great. It has 2 surfaces on the one side. The black one is a real dense dead material for building them chops [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]

Another plus is that you can play a rudiment on both materials and learn how to break it down easier then work on it hand by hand. Your local music store should have some real feels. If they don't they need to.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 13, 2005 11:05 PM: Message edited by: Kurt R ]</font>

[matricks]

That is a good one.

[troutbrooke]

I've owned several Real Feel pads over the years (different sizes for different locations) and I love them. I know Vinnie likes 'em too!

[Morgenthaler]

I like Moongel. ( www.rtom.com )
They let YOU / ME do the work, no rebound.
Do a week intensively of singles / doubles / paradiddles -maybe in a pyramid of pain (Virgil Donati workout idea) 2 hrs+ a day on such a pad and you'll be flying on your snare/kit a week later.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 14, 2005 06:14 AM: Message edited by: Jeppe Morgenthaler ]</font>

[donu]

For me without any doubt this one : http://www.rtom.com/snarepad.html

[moosetication]

The Sabian one is meant to be good too, but I have no direct experience of it. Here's a reference to Jim Chapin using one at a clinic, and MF seems to have them at about $30 right now.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ January 14, 2005 07:26 AM: Message edited by: moosetication ]</font>

[matricks]

Moongels are great too, BUT, you can't practice intricate doubles with them, or multiple bounce stickings. I LOVE the moongels... really, i would get a real-feel pad AND a moongel one. I play on both, the moongel first, then switch to the real-feel to work the intricate fingering stuff. You can fly after working on the moongel... then if you went to a real-feel after, you could refine that speed and, oh man, yeah... rippin' [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[Suspiria]

Theres great variety here, thanks. I was actually considering Moongel at one point. I see how lack of rebound can be beneficial at times. Maybe the purchase of two pads really is the way to go. I'll be checking out the various links in a while. Thanks for the suggestions!

[tombo74]

I wanna get a new pad too (still got that old "Zorro hat").
I went to the drumshop to get a RealFeel, but they don't keep it anymore. They sell the Vic Firth ones instead:
http://www.vicfirth.com/products/pads_mutes.html

Apparently the RealFeel rubber patent has expired and it can be copied. Vic Firth now does same thing for ~10$ cheaper.

I don't want a pad which is harder or easier to play than a snare, just quiet and as close as possible to a snare drum feel. What's the best?