Best Bass Drum Practice Pedal Pad: Never Skip Leg Day

The practice is what any drummer needs. Well, you can practice your tom and snare skills with special pads on the stands. But what about the kick? Yes, there are practice pads that are way more compact and more silent than the real kick drums, yet they provide the same physical feel.

As for me, the best bass drum practice pedal pad is definitely the one by the famous vendor Meinl, compatible with both single and double kick pedals, provides a realistic feel, and is sturdily built while well affordable. Others, though, may vote for different options: some for their portability, some for unusual style, and some for physical properties. What a good practice bass drum pedal pad should be and what’s so special about some of them is the thing to talk about.

7 Best Bass Drum Practice Pedal Pads Reviewed

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While a generic practice pad is a surface similar to a drum head in size and physical feel, being noiseless, bass drum practice pads are quite different. The most important thing about bass drum padding is that they imitate the physical feel rather than the size. Way smaller and more compact, they offer a realistic feel, so you actually feel the rebound while practicing. There are exceptions (for example, a marching bass drum practice pad is held the same way as the real marching bass drum for obvious reasons, for playing with sticks). But for practicing the kick drum a regular drum kit has, these pedal pads are the default.

1. Meinl Cymbals MDPP Dynamic Pedal Pad: Top Pick

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Meinl is among the best-known brands that go for practice pads. The one by this German vendor is unusually rectangular in shape, not even trying to imitate the real drumhead visually. Nevertheless, it successfully emulates it physically, providing the same sort of bouncing resistance. As for its acoustic properties, it’s quite low, but your kicks will be heard well enough for adequate feedback.

Compatible with single and double pedals, it also features adjustable height, and non-slip spikes on its legs (that do not immobilize it completely, so I had to press it with a barbell plate. Aside from that, it’s a greatly built pad on a stand with adjustable height that maintains it regardless of how hard I hit it. Absolutely recommended, unless you have some problem with fixing it on the floor or carpet (which is absolutely recommended too).

What’s included:

• Meinl Cymbals MDPP Dynamic Pedal Pad

2. DW Drum Workshop Steve Smith Bass Drum Kick: Great Value

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This one looks sturdy! Its massive base seems impossible to move even if you kick it hard with the beater, due to the heavy-duty steel construction. Being about 15 lbs., it’s heavy enough to stand on the floor or on the carpet. At the same time, it’s foldable and easy to transport, if you don’t mind the weight.

In addition, it’s big enough to be played with double pedals, though the pad itself looks surprisingly small on the solid stand. Due to its adjustable height, you can set it up so that you won’t have to readjust your pedal when switching between the pad and the real bass drum.

What’s included:

• DW Drum Workshop Steve Smith Bass Drum Kick

3. Pearl BD10 Bass Practice Pad: Premium Choice

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Pearl is, well, quite a name in the drum industry. This Japanese (and recently American as well) brand creates that premium feels that comes from all its products, including these seemingly minor devices. The practice kick pad by Pearl is a sturdy metal construction looking like a little billboard with extra support.

The pad is compatible with various pedals – though not with all of them, as the practice shows. For some double pedals (like Pearl Powershifter), it’s just too small; for most of them, though, it’s large enough.

What’s included:

• Pearl BD10 Bass Practice Pad

4. Prologix Thunderkick Bass Drum Pad: Wood, Foam, and Variable Resistance

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That’s one unusual pad! While all the others show off the win-win combination of metal and rubber, this one is made of wood and foam. It’s also very unusual in its low profile, so it’s not raised over the pedal like other pads, but stays way lower. This means you will have to mount the beater to the pedal in a special way to have it aiming properly. The reverse beater is included. Alas, it cannot be used with double pedals.

As for acoustic properties, wood (Baltic birch, used for many musical instruments) and foam provide both a great physical feel and a silent (maybe, even too silent) response. There are two foam inserts that emulate various resistance, depending on which side up you install them. One side of the insert is rubberized, another is pure foam.

What’s included:

• Prologix Thunderkick – Bass Drum Pedal Practice Pad

5. DRUMTOP 1000: So Stylish It’s Extra-Terrestrial

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Very traditional in its idea, this kick drum practice pedal pad looks like a masterpiece of an alien industry. Though the round shape of the 10-inch pad itself is very logical when seen next to other drum pads, it’s shockingly unlike all the analogs we’ve reviewed before. Resting on a heavy-duty steel base, it’s hard to move. It’s worth noticing that this metal base causes no rattle.

When it comes to use, it’s perfectly compatible with double pedals, as well as with single ones. The sound it provides is rather low and soft, easily heard by the drummer, and not annoying for the rest of the world.

What’s included:

• Bass Pedal Pad For Natural Rebound Feel

6. Evans RealFeel Folding Bass Drum Padding: Great for Traveling

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The foldable practice pad by RealFeel (in fact, by Evans, and in reality – by the famous string maker D’Addario) is the one that you will gladly take on whatever trip you plan. Training is a process that should never stop for lack of equipment. This pad is easy to fold and pack due to its well-thought-of construction.

When unfolded, it’s quite a regular kick drum pad. It may seem too fragile, but no, the construction stands firmly on the floor or on the carpet. You will only have to tighten the arm that supports the pad itself. If you attach a pedal with a good grip, you will experience no problem with its moving at all. As for its sonic abilities, the response is neither too loud nor too quiet. The pad itself is large enough to work with double pedals.

What’s included:

• RealFeel by Evans Folding Bass Pedal Practice Pad

7. Gibraltar Gbdp Bass Drum Pad: Cheap and Cheerful

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When you look at this 10” kick drum practice pad, you may feel it’s a DIY item by some enthusiast who was not satisfied with any previous one. Its round shape may remind of a disassembled speaker, and the arm looks sort of bare and non-adjustable but sturdy. Only the logo on the rubber reveals that, in fact, it’s manufactured by a well-known manufacturer of affordable accessories. Therefore, the look is quite deceiving.

But if it’s the sound and the feel that you’re really interested in, it’s okay. The surface provides a realistic rebound, similar to the real drum but a bit softer (due to air channel design), and the 10” diameter allows for using double pedals.

The item itself is rather lightweight at 6.8 pounds, so it can move while training (though this occurs very rarely). Two screws for fixing are provided. Or you may choose a bulky pedal to attach it to. By the way, the design inspires some users to further DIY explorations: some even turn it into a trigger to make their kick drums electronic.

What’s included:

• Gibraltar Gbdp Bass Drum Pad

Buyers’ Guide on Kick Drum Training Pads

After reading any bass drum practice pad review, you might feel like: is this what I need? Maybe I should choose another one that is not that pricier? Or, on the contrary, why pay more? Do I need one at all? Maybe, real rehearsals, plus gigs, plus a bit of gym will do the work?

How to buy the best bass drum practice pad?

Here are some aspects you should pay attention to in order to get the kick drum practice pad that will provide you with the possibility to benefit from the practice. This means more than just its training virtues but also some others.

Portability

You often need a bass drum pad when you have no access to your real drum kit but do not want to lose your shape. It may be when you need to leave your town for a reason that’s not gigs. A vacation, a business trip, a visit to your family, and so on. A pedal pad, given its small size and weight, is easy to take with you, along with the pedal itself. But they differ by this parameter. Some are still larger and heavier than others. Some are foldable, while others are not. Decide for yourself whether you’ll need the pad at home or away. In the latter case, you’ll need a more portable one.

Quiet performance

Though these pads are never as loud as the real kick, their volume still varies. In addition to the kick sound itself, muted as it is, you should also mind the rattle if there is any. Alas, some otherwise great models may rattle when used in your circumstances and behave perfectly at your friend’s.

Adjustments

If you have to practice kick drum playing without the actual kick drum, you may be surprised when trying your manner on a real drum after a break. First of all, you will need an adjustable height. If you play with a double pedal, you need to make sure that the pad is also compatible with doubles.

How to check your bass drum pad?

Well, it should be checked under the same conditions that you intend to use it under. In the perfect world, you should take it to where you will use it, take the pedals you plan to play it with, check the sound, check the stability, check the comfort, and check whether you will have to adjust your pedal for it and readjust it for the real kick drum.

FAQ About Best Bass Drum Pedal Pads

As clear as it is about using this type of accessory, there are still many aspects to shed a light on. If you are in the very beginning of your drummer career, there are some things to make clear right here.

What is a bass drum practice pad?

As I’ve said, it’s the piece of effective resistant material you operate with the pedal. It imitates the physical feel of a bass drum but makes little to no sound. This pad is a good training machine when accompanied by a metronome and a set of other practice pads (like, say, a snare practice pad). With these and some stands, you can assemble a good practice setup.

Do I need a bass drum practice pad?

If you want to maintain your shape as a drummer, and you have no access to your drum kit for a long time, you definitely need it. With a drum training pad, you will keep your legs and feet fit.

How do I choose a bass drum practice pad?

First of all, it should fit your manner. Single or double pedal? How high is the beater from the floor? What’s your posture while playing? Choose the one that fits all the mentioned criteria the best. If you choose between multiple options, choose the most adjustable, so later you’ll be able to personalize your training experience if necessary.

What do I need along with a bass drum training pad?

The list includes:

• The pedal. It would be perfect to use the same pedal that you use with the real kick drum. Otherwise, try to get a similar one.
• Other training drum pads. Of course, they will, in their turn, require the same sticks that you will use while playing a real gig.
• A metronome. It’s an absolute must when you’re practicing alone. You can also use your favorite tracks, but in fact, they will mostly do the metronome’s work.

The Bottom Line: Kick Some Bass!

As you see, a pedal pad is a must if you want to practice playing drums. Recreating the sound and the rebound of a kick drum is what makes your training setup complete, along with other pads and low-volume cymbals. As for choosing the best one for you, you have my recommendations along with more reviews. If you don’t like the bass drum training pad by Meinl for some reason, you have lots of others to choose from.

So, if you have something to bring to the table to share your experience or ask a question, feel free to do it in the comments. Despite all that drum mayhem, you will be heard. Or take the article to your Facebook or Twitter to discuss it with your friends. Maybe one day, we’ll all talk about it on Clubhouse (what a name for a social media where drummers may meet) and discuss it there with mics and records.