Product Review: Beetle Percussion Carlos Botello signature Marching pad

I'd been wanting to try out one of these pads but the price made it impossible.
Then I acquired one in a box of pads and other ephemera and the price was right.
So here we are.

Beetle Percussion is known for their commitment to using recycled and/or sustainably-sourced materials whenever possible, which is no small thing in an industry known for excessive waste.

The Carlos Botello signature Marching pad is designed to meet the needs of modern marching drummers. Designed in collaboration with drummer and instructor Carlos Botello, it's definitely an investment at $90 MSRP.  However, the construction is beefy enough to satisfy those looking for a durable pad they can put through the paces.

The primary playing surface is 1/4" recycled car tire rubber covered with a laminate for clear articulation and a response similar to a modern marching snare drum. The edge of the playing surface is wrapped with a layer of 1/4" rubber material that functions as a rim; because it's rubber you can actually tell the difference between a rim shot and a tick (missed shot), without destroying your sticks in the process.

I found it comfortable to play even with my smaller 2B sticks (which I use most of the time now due to arthritis), but the response with marching sticks is excellent. In fact, I think the laminate may actually improve response just slightly over that of non-laminated recycled rubber. Time will tell.

The other side is 1/2" of foam that is very similar to what is found on the Reflexx chop pads; it's there to give your hands and wrists a legitimate workout, with almost no bounce.  This is a great surface for drum meditation at slow speeds and I like using it for that purpose as well.

Both surfaces are glued down securely to a base made of Valchromat, which is a compressed wood resin sourced from sustainable woods and impregnated with color for a nice permanent finish.

I like this pad more than I'd thought I would. That said, it's still definitely a modern, marching-specific pad, and since that doesn't meet my needs as a drummer, I will re-home it with someone who can really use it.

The Carlos Botello signature pad is available exclusively from Beetle Percussion. It's made in small batches so may not be in stock all the time.

Happy chopping!