Top 5 Best Recoil Pad Reviews in 2024 [New Update]
Why do people have hobbies? The answer is obvious –for pleasure. However, your quest for pleasure can cause you physical pain, especially those who have taken shooting as their hobby. If it’s your case, you enjoy firing your rifle taking the risk of hurting your shoulder. But hey, using the best recoil pad can save your arm and shoulder from bruises and stiffness.
(Editor’s Best Choice)
When you fire your long gun, the recoil puts immense pressure on your shoulder. And I’m sure you don’t want to return home with big bruises or stiffness on your arm every time you go out for firing.
You’ll find tons of products on the market, but choosing the best shoulder recoil pad for your rifle or shotgun can be a tricky job. Before making the decision or buying one shooting shoulder pad you should go through some shooting shoulder pad reviews.
In this article, you’ll find reviews of five of the best shotgun recoil pad in the market and some simple instructions on how to choose the best one.
Quick Navigation
- 1 Top 5 Best Recoil Pads in the Market [New Update]
- 2 1. ShockEater® Recoil Pad
- 3 2. LimbSaver Snap-On for 6-Position Adjustable Stocks
- 4 3. LimbSaverAirTech Slip-On Recoil Pad
- 5 4. LimbSaver Slip-On Shotgun Recoil Pad
- 6 5. Tourbon Genuine Leather Gun Buttstock Extension Slip-on
- 7 Things to Consider Before Buying Your Best Trap Recoil Pad
- 8 Shooting type
- 9 Type of rifle
- 10 Length of pull
- 11 The thickness of the recoil pad
- 12 Last but not least
- 13 Frequently Asked Questions – F.A.Q
- 14 How do I install a shoulder recoil pad?
- 15 How to take care of it?
- 16 Will it affect my length of pull?
- 17 Final Words & Recommendation
Top 5 Best Recoil Pads in the Market [New Update]
1. ShockEater® Recoil Pad
Highlighted Features
- Nano-Poly™ technology for maximum recoil absorption
- Flexible design conforms to the shoulder improving pitch, toe angles
The ShockEater one of the latest products in the arena that efficiently absorbs energy and disperses recoil. It is designed for a long period of shooting and higher accuracy. Besides, you’ll feel more comfortable with your long guns alongside consistency.
TheNano-Poly™ technology of this gun pad will reduce the recoil pressure without affecting your length of pull. You won’t even need to alter the appearance. Besides, this amazing pad is only 8 mm thick and weighs just 1.4 ounces – definitely lighter and thinner than any foam or gel-filled pad.
You can easily slip in the ShockEater® in your shooting vests as it is compatible with many of the branded shooting garments available in the market. As a result, both first-timers and seasoned veterans will find it to be an ideal accessory for shooting.
This is the best slip on recoil pad for a shotgun as it is conformal to the shoulder area. It will support proper gun fit to improve your toe and pitch angles. This is a unique combination of fit and absorption features that will grant you the highest level of ease and absorbed felt recoil, meaning a potential increase in your consistency.
It is also very easy to use – you will be ready to “Eat the Kick” by simply slipping in the ShockEater® into the shoulder pocket of your shooting garment with the flat side facing out. Don’t forget to remove the best trap recoil pad from the garment before cleaning your shooting garment.
Pros
- Ultra-thin and Lightweight
- Compatible with branded shooting garments like Wild Hare, Browning, MizMac, NICA
Cons
- If I really have to find out cons for this product, the price is the only thing.
2. LimbSaver Snap-On for 6-Position Adjustable Stocks
Highlighted Features
- Fitsin most 6-position adjustable gun stocks
- Reduces muzzle jump to allow faster re-acquisition of targets
- Helps keep rifle firmly positioned against shoulder
- NAVCOM technology
- Built for outdoor use in harsh environment
LimbSaver is the name you can trust whether you’re a professional or hobbyist in the arena of using long guns – rifles and shotguns. They have been leading the industry in vibration absorbing technology since long. And, now they’ve brought it to the best rifle recoil pad market.
The most important feature of the LimbSaver Snap-On is that it securely fits into most 6-position adjustable butts of long guns. The advanced NAVCOM technology (Noise and Vibration Control Material) effectively disperses vibration, energy and muzzle jump. As a result, your follow-up shot accuracy will increase a lot.
On top of that, a non-slip surface is featured on the pad that will enable you to use your rifle without any trouble even when it is raining. Besides its quick and hassle-free installation, this Snap-On Pad is designed for outdoor use to endure all harsh environmental impacts.
You’ll be amazed to learn that this AR-15/M4 Snap-On pad is very popular among military personnel and law enforcement agencies worldwide. This is the best slip-on recoil pad made of rubber material that not only dampens recoil and muzzle jump but also adds a positive purchase for the but stock on slick nylon gear like body armor.
Pros
- It is soft and easy to install
- Makes extended periods of shooting much easier
Cons
- The product is a bit pricey but worth it.
3. LimbSaverAirTech Slip-On Recoil Pad
Highlighted Features
- NAVCOM technology (Noise and Vibration Control Material)
- Easy installation
- Anti-muzzle jump technology
- Advanced atmospheric chambers
The LimbSaverAirTechis one of the advanced gun pads that are available in the market as a slip-on option for most long guns like rifles, shotguns, etc. It is perfectly designed to easily fit over existing long gun stocks without needing any modifications.
This slip-on effectively dissipates energy and vibration, thanks to NAVCOM technology. Besides, advanced atmospheric chambers are featured in this product to ensure consistent energy dissipation, resulting in a significant increase in performance.
Besides, you’ll also be able to re-acquire your target faster, thanks to anti-muzzle jump technology. As a result, the follow-up shot accuracy will increase and you’ll be able to enjoy maximum stability with increased control. In addition, the gun shoulder pad has a non-slip surface that will keep your long gun in place even if you’re shooting in rain.
To achieve maximum performance, it is recommended that you remove the factory recoil pad of your long gun before installing the AirTech gun pad. However, if you want to increase your length of pull by one inch, you can install the best recoil pad directly over it.
There are four sizes of the product available in the market: small fits stocks, small/medium fits stocks, medium fits stocks, large fits stocks. Make sure to buy the one that will fit your firearm.
Pros
- Compatible with most shotguns and rifles
- Conveniently slips over original fire stocks without needing any modifications
- Durable and quite easy to use
Cons
- Can sometimes slip around but what more can you expect from a product of this price.
4. LimbSaver Slip-On Shotgun Recoil Pad
Highlighted Features
- Ideal for hard-to-fit stocks
- NAVCOM technology (Noise and Vibration Control Material)
The Slip-On is yet another amazing product by LimbSaver. You can easily insert this pad over the existing butt of most shotguns, rifles, and muzzleloaders. Designed for hard-to-fit stocks, this pad will ensure increased control while firing and maximum stability. As a result, your follow-up shot accuracy will eventually increase a lot.
It is engineered to fit in the stocks of existing firearms without needing you to do any modification. If you want to increase your length of pull, install the pad over the existing factory gun shoulder pad. Otherwise, remove the factory recoil pad before installing the LimbSaver Slip-On.
Like other LimbSaver products, the NAVCOM technology (Noise and Vibration Control Material) is used in this product as well. That means the pad is capable of effectively absorbs energy and vibration. However, this product doesn’t reduce recoil felt as much as the LimbSaver Snap-On Recoil Pad does.
The Slip-On is available in four sizes in the market: a small size that will increase the length of pull by 1-inch; the small/medium size that will increase the length of pull by 1/2-inch; medium size for 1-inch increase in the length of pull; large size for 1-inch increase in the length of pull.
Pros
- Compatible with different models of long guns
- Increases stability and accuracy
Cons
- It sometimes fails to withstand extreme conditions, but what more can you expect from a product of this price.
5. Tourbon Genuine Leather Gun Buttstock Extension Slip-on
Highlighted Features
- High-quality genuine leather
- Built-in quality thick silicone pad
- Designed with velcro strap for closure
Tourborn is a proven name as the best safari partner. Rigorous quality of their products will allow you to enjoy a great hunting experience. They are pretty affordable as well. The TourbornSlip on is manufactured with genuine leather and you’ll find it to be smarter than it looks in the images posted on Amazon.
This leather made slip-on recoil pad comes with built-in thick Neoprene and two extra removable paddings. With such quality, this pad is well capable of preventing any fatigue or bruises on your shoulder while you enjoy your shooting.
Let me tell you a secret benefit of this product. If you have the best shooting shoulder protection made of NAVCOM material and forget to remove the pad from the stock of your long gun for around a month, it will dull the stock finish of your love, I mean the gun. For this reason, Sims suggests removing their pads when the gun is not in use. However, leather products like Tourborndon’t have such restriction and it won’t harm your gun even if you don’t remove the slip-on leather pad for several months.
If you are looking for a stylish shotgun recoil pad, this product is highly recommended. It easily fits on the hardest hitting rifles.
Pros
- Easy to slip on and remove
- Thick Neoprene
- Offers two extra removable adding
Cons
- Might not fit properly if the product you’ve bought is not exactly of the same size of your gun’s stock.
Things to Consider Before Buying Your Best Trap Recoil Pad
Now you know some details about the features of the past recoil protection in the market. And, you might be even more confused now thinking which one will suit you the best. Just be patient for few more minutes for the shotgun recoil pad review.
You need to clearly understand why you need the best shotgun recoil pad in the first place. The major advantage of using a gun pad is that it protects your shoulder, collar bones and arms from severe injuries, stiffness, and bruises as a consequence of the recoil impact. When I say severe injuries, I mean the recoil of your beloved gun has the power to break your collarbone with a single hit and that too in the blink of an eye.
As all the products in the industry will offer you the same benefit, you need to consider several factors before buying a gun shoulder pad to enjoy hassle-free shooting. I’ve listed some of the most important ones below for you:
-
Shooting type
You need to understand the type of shooting you’ll be doing. Because, some of the wearable recoil pad lend themselves to low-gun mounts, while others to fixed pre-mounts.
-
Type of rifle
This is one of the crucial factors that you will have to consider before buying a recoil pad. The size of the rifle and its stock will tell the size of the gun shoulder pad it needs. It is important because the same brand but different models can have stocks of different sizes. For example, you’ll notice that the stocks of Marlin 1895 and Marlin 336 rifle considerably differ in thickness.
Similar is the case for the models of notable rifle brands like Nosler, Winchester, etc. So, first find out the size of your gun’s stock, before choosing the shooting shoulder protection that would be suitable for you.
-
Length of pull
The length of pull is yet another determining factor. If you’re unsure what the length of pull is, it is the length between the endpoint of the stock and the trigger of your long gun.It is important because it’ll influence your grip and eventually your aim. Based on the accurate magnitude you prefer, you should buy the pad of right size to ensure firm grip while shooting.
Besides, you must also consider the length of the long gun you’ve before purchasing the best rifle recoil pad to protect your shoulder from bruises and critical injuries.
-
The thickness of the recoil pad
Your shotgun pad might not be that useful you thought it to be before purchasing if you’ve ignored the thickness of the magnitude of the pad. The higher the thickness of your recoil pad, the maximum the support you’ll get regarding reducing the felt recoil.
Probably by now you clearly understand how much the impact of recoil pressure can affect your shooting. And I’m sure you don’t want to miss the advantage that a recoil pad of higher magnitude of thickness provides.
-
Last but not least
You must decide beforehand whether you need a pre-fit or grind-to-fit recoil pad. The difference between these two types is that grind-to-fit pads offer versatile style and thickness while pre-fit pads offer only one style and one measure of thickness. Moreover, in one hand, pre-fit pads are very easy to install, but on the other hand, finding a perfect fit for your long gun’s stock can a difficult job.
Although these are just glimpses of analysis of the points that must be carefully considered, I hope, this short discussion on how to choose the top-rated recoil pad will definitely direct you to the right path when you buy one for you. Set the priorities of the factors mentioned above based on your requirements and then analyze the available shotgun pad in the market to find out the suitable one for you.
Watch This shotgun recoil pad review and Some Buying Tips to Buy a Shoulder Recoil Pad
Frequently Asked Questions – F.A.Q
How do I install a shoulder recoil pad?
Two categories of products are described in this article –slip over the gun’s stock and slip in shooting garment.
Now, if you choose the first category, you’ve two ways to install your pad. Either you can remove the factory recoil pad of your long gun before installing the pad so that your length of pull is not affected much, or you can simply slip the pad over the best trap recoil pad in order to increase your length of pull.
And if you choose the second category, you’ll need shooting garment to use this type of rifle recoil pad. If you already have a shooting garment, look for a pocket near the shoulder and simply slide the pad into the pocket. In case you don’t find any such pocket or you don’t have any shooting garment, you’ll have to buy one that has such a pocket.
Just one important reminder, insert the pad in a way so that the flat side faces away from your body.
For people who have purchased grind-to-fit recoil pads, I would highly recommend visiting an expert to install the pad on their firearms.
How to take care of it?
Just follow two steps – (a) remove the pad when the gun is not used, and (b) keep your pad dry and clean.
Will it affect my length of pull?
Depending on the thickness of your rifle recoil pad, your length of pull will increase. You can also try removing the factory recoil pad before installing the new shotgun pad to adjust your length of pull.
Final Words & Recommendation
I hope you’ve got some basic concepts about the different features of wearable recoil pad and their importance. And after reading about five of the best recoil pads in the market and how to choose the suitable one, you should also be able to make your own choice now.
Yet, you might be expecting an honest opinion from my side – which one among the mentioned five is the best one?
Without knowing your priorities and requirements it’s actually blind game to declare the best among these five. For example, the LimbSaver Snap-On Recoil Pad for 6-Position Adjustable Stocks would be an ideal choice for professional shooters considering its durability. It is engineered to sustain in harsh environmental conditions.
Although it is one of the costliest products among these five, its performance will hopefully bring a big smile on your face, thanks to its extraordinary shock absorption rate of 70%. In my opinion, it is the best shoulder recoil pad within its price range. This item could be a wise choice for hobbyists and seasonal skilled shooters as well. This is all on my side. Happy Shooting!
