Anyone try the Vapor Fitness seat pad? Yet another seat pad search thread

[kchunks]

Like the title suggests, has anyone here tried the Vapor Fitness seat pad? What do you think about it? I have read the comments/reviews on Amazon but figured I would ask here. They seem very proud of their product.

Back story: I bought a rower for me about five years ago. The rest of my family wanted a treadmill and they got that. Now my family is using the rower. My 12 year old complained about the seat. He doesn't use it much but I like that he uses it at all and would like to encourage continued use. My wife started using it and didn't complain about the seat stock seat. I got the concept2 foam pad a few months ago and put it on there. I like it better than no pad and my son loves it. My wife hates it because of the V cutout at the back hits her wrong.

So, I am looking for something to take the edge off and make everyone happy. Personally, I am fine rowing up to about an hour on the stock seat. I have done a few half marathons and I end up with a sore backside on the stock seat. When I row for an hour I can feel it, but the discomfort quickly subsides. The foam pad has certainly helped some of that. I have looked at a few options and some look way to thick but are easy to remove. The Vapor Fitness covers the entire seat and doesn't seem too thick but, from the comments, I wonder if it is thick enough to do much.

[Cyclist2]

I'd pass on that seat cover. The real trick to rowing comfort is taking the pressure off of the sit bones and tailbone. It seems none of you need a real thick pad, so find an old yoga mat or foam sleeping pad (Goodwill if you don't some old ones handy) and cut individual pads to fit the individual butt. Google photos of rowing shell seats to see the general shape. The C2 pad is a good start, maybe just a little trimming for her tailbone.

You can find the spacing of your sit bones by getting a new piece of corrugated cardboard, set it on a hard surface, then sit on it in the catch position so that your sit bones make indentations. Then copy that over to the foam and cut holes in it to match. For the tailbone, just keep increasing the cutout until your tailbone doesn't hit it in the finish position.

There, saved you $50, and you'll each have your own custom pad.

[strupotter]

It is more comfortable than the seat with no cover/pad, but like Cyclist2 said it doesn't take pressure off the sit bones and tailbone. The C2 seat pad design creates space for the sit bones and tailbone to move without friction against the seat surface.

My suggestion would be for your wife to use the rower without the seat pad. Her anatomy might not be negatively affected by the stock seat without the pad.

[Rick]

The wife and I both use our C2 Model D, with a 50+ weight difference between us. Knowing absolutely nothing about seat pads, I checked around and got a recommendation for Hornet Watersports. I purchased three different thicknesses, from very thin to thick. Neither of us chose the thinnest pad, although both of us thought it helped a touch.

She settled on (pun intended) the middle one, and I the thick one. Both have a tailbone notch to match the C2 seat. I can row on the seat with no pad at all, but it’s a much more pleasant experience with the pad. She says the same. And, with the seat and three pads, we have 4 options if anyone visiting wants to give it a spin. I really can’t speak to the other options out there, as these are only ones I’ve tried. But the memory foam feels good and they appear well made. I’d buy there again. I hope this is helpful.

[mict450]

This is a topic that resurfaces periodically on the forum. If you are pursuing a seat pad solution, I would suggest starting at the cheapest & progressing up the food chain to the more expensive options.

[kchunks]

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Yes, I know this is a topic that resurfaces from time to time and when I searched the forum I couldn't find anything about the Vapor Fitness pad. I have read the make your own pad threads. After troubleshooting the cheapest option, the concept2 pad, the Vapor appears it might be OK.

My biggest take away from this is that appears from the comments about everyone having their own foam yoga mat pad that I don't need to work about any kind of pad retention on the seat. I wasn't sure if things might ever slip without something grippy or retention straps of any kind. If I can just throw down something that works for me and not worry about affixing it then we can all get whatever we want and not use anything when that's the preference.