Pad du Jour: GK Music, Poland

Very occasionally, a pad will come my way from overseas.
I don't pick up many of these because the design and construction are often too similar (or identical) to that of US pads. But every so often,  something will grab my attention and/or be priced affordably enough that I'll buy it That was the case with this little pad from a Polish company called GK Music.

The pad is small (7" diameter) and judging by feel I'd guess that it weighs little more than a pound or so. It's essentially a thin wood platform with a different playing surface on each side.

The "bottom" of the pad is completely covered with a hard black surface with a raised diamond pattern on it. The material is a very hard rubber or rubber-plastic blend that provide a fair amount of bounce without too much strain.                                 
The "top" of the pad is a red, closed-cell rubber with a different, less bouncy surface that requires the player to put some work into achieving a decent, balanced rebound. Some wood has been left open to allow for a logo to be added.

Both surfaces appear to be glued securely to the wood, and the whole thing is wrapped in what appears to be little more than black electrical tape, carefully and even applied. It will be interesting to see how the tape binding holds up under regular use, especially if the pad is carried around a lot.

The light weight of this pad (relative to its size) gives me some pause, especially if the pad is to be used for heavier, rudimental/marching practuce. The only way I could keep it from bouncing around on a tabletop was to put a larger rubber pad underneath it (that's a full-size Real Feel pad shown for scale in the photos).
If I had to recommend the pad I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. There are better pads out there for new players. But as a little pad I can toss into my carry-on and play at a bus station or something, it's okay.
I bought the pad on eBay for $17 plus another $12 for shipping. It was an experimental purchase, and one I wouldn't make again. The pad has about as much natural rebound as the vintage Cappella/Beato pad I reviewed several weeks ago, and that pad cost considerably less even as a "vintage" item. Still, it's cool to have something from overseas in my collection.
You can find out more about GK Music here: http://www.gkmusic.pl/en/practice-pads/