The Value of Adding a ShockPad to Your Synthetic Turf System

The synthetic turf industry continues to grow year after year because natural grass systems cannot withstand the intensity and demand of the many sports — and numbers of teams that play those sports — while maintaining consistent and safe playability. The goal of a synthetic turf system should be to replicate perfectly-conditioned natural grass, with an excellent shock-attenuation level. That’s where the ShockPad comes in! While A-Turf builds infilled synthetic grass fields both with and without a ShockPad, a significant percentage — roughly 30% — of A-Turf fields installed across the country include the added protection.

So, what is the ShockPad and why is it so important? It is a prefabricated, recycled rubber pad engineered for installation underneath artificial turf systems. This shock-absorbing underlayment extends the life of your turf system and adds value to your investment. In this blog, we review the various benefits of the optional ShockPad as part of your new turf system.

Extends Life Expectancy

The ShockPad is easier on the carpet backing than stone and increases the life expectancy of the turf. The ShockPad will last at least 2 turf lifecycles — an average of 25+ years. Turf systems without a pad are harder and will compact over time, requiring a replacement sooner.

Best Performance

While the ShockPad reduces friction and wear on the turf system, it also gives athletes the best protection and the greatest ability to perform game after game and season after season. The ShockPad reduces the risk of injury to the athlete, and plays like perfectly conditioned natural grass, providing the confidence needed for peak performance.

Ideal G-Max Rating

In the athletic field industry, impact testing measures the shock-attenuation performance of the playing surface. Test results are indicated as G-Max ratings. The higher the G-Max, the poorer the shock-attenuation performance of the surface and the greater the likelihood the fall will result in injury — especially concussions.

The ShockPad is specifically engineered to provide ideal G-Max ratings over the life of an athletic field. When a ShockPad is installed under turf, the G-Max rating is in the 95-110 range — identical to that of well-conditioned natural grass.

Environmentally Friendly

The durability of this 93% post-consumer recycled product allows it to be reused when the turf system is replaced. So, not only is it using recycled material, it is also creating less waste.

Although the use of a ShockPad is optional, we highly recommend adding it to your A-Turf system due to the many benefits provided. For more information on the important features of the ShockPad, click here. If you are ready to discuss your athletic field project and have additional questions, feel free to contact us — we would love to talk to you!