Product Review: Offworld Percussion's Orbit -- a sustainable, American-made pad.

Offworld Percussion, known for innovative and durable practice pads made right here in the Pacific NW, have something new that I've fallen in love with.

The Orbit pads are part of Offworld's Aurora series, highly portable, and come with your choice of the following features:

-- your choice of black "Darkmatter", red rubber or yellow rubber playing surfaces;

-- your choice of to include snare puck (which attaches magnetically underneath), or not to include one for a plain pad without snare sounds.

The playing surface measures 8" across and comes firmly atached to a wood base with handles on either side. The materials for the pad come from the byproduct of making Offworld's popular Mothership Tenor pad, minimizing waste and warming my little environmentalist heart.

I got the red rubber Orbit-S (Sans snare puck). In place of a cutout for the snare puck, the underside of this pad has nonskid foam rubber that doubles as an occasional warmup surface.
Stacked on top of another pad or set on a tabletop, the pad stays in place pretty darned well.
I think it's more ideal as a travel pad than as a full-service marching practice pad. The rubber surface makes it versatile enough for marching, concert and kit drummers alike, and works well with anything from a 5B, to a 2B, to a smaller marching stick (like the Vater MV-20, my go-to rudimental stick at home). It can be used with a full-size marching stick but you won't get quite the same response or feel as on a full-size marching pad.

Next time I have to go somewhere, my Orbit-S pad will fit easily in the front pocket of my bookbag. And the sustainability factor puts it super-high on my like list.

I ordered mine through Flam7 Percussion. You can also buy it directly from Offworld. 

Just bear in mind that because it's made from manufacturing byproduct you may have to wait as much as two weeks or longer for your Orbit pad. Based on the time I've spent hanging out with it so far, I'm confident you'll find it worth the wait.

**NOTE: This is an unsolicited review. Offworld and Flam7 did not send me a free pad.
I paid the same price anyone else would.
That said, if you are connected to a drum pad manufacturer and would like me to test and review your product, I am happy to do so. Please reach out to me on Facebook Messenger and let's talk.