5 Best Bass Drum Patches

Best Bass Drum Patches

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Having a bass drum patch is so important when it comes to preserving the lifespan of your bass drum skin. 

Bass drum patches provide an extra layer of material that the beater strikes against when you hit the head, thus protecting it from damage and helping to keep it sounding great for longer.

Bass drum heads are the most expensive drumheads on your kit, so protecting them will save you money in the long run. Here are some of the best bass drum beater pads to help you do just that.

What are the Best Drum Patches?

Image Recommended ProductsProduct Features Price
BEST
Evans PB2 Double Bass Drum Patch
  • Nylon patch
  • Made for double pedals
  • Strong click sound
BUDGET
Aquarian Drumheads Super Thin Kick Pad
  • Small patch for single pedal
  • Thin material
  • Doesn’t change the bass drum sound
PREMIUM
Evans Aramid Fiber Bass Drum Patch
  • Made from Kevlar and polyester lamination
  • Adds attack to the bass drum
  • Thick patch
Remo Falam Slam Impact Patch
  • Greatly enhances clicking sound
  • Made of Kevlar
  • Strong adhesive backing
Aquarian Drumheads kickPATCH
  • 12” pad
  • Meant to be a backup solution
  • Strong adhesive backing

How I Tested and Selected the Best Bass Drum Patches

I’ve played through dozens of bass drum heads over my two decades of drumming, and I’ve often purchased different bass drum patches to see how they perform. 

While I have my favorites, I’ve been able to compare all the options featured in this review. 

When testing each patch, I wanted to see what type of sound it produced, how durable it was, and how the overall design compared to others. 

Durability and protection were key to my assessment. I ensured each patch was able to absorb the impact of the beater after rigorous playing, so that it could extend the life of the drumhead and prevent damage.

Tonal impact of each patch was also a consideration. Depending on the size and material, patches can slightly alter the beater impact sound by providing a more focused or softer attack.

In-Depth Drum Patch Reviews

BEST

Evans PB2 Double Bass Drum Patch

Overall the best bass drum patch for double bass pedal users. It's highly durable, quick to install, and excellent value for money. The pack includes two patches at a very affordable price.
Durability
4.5
Sound
4.0
Value
5.0

    Evans PB2 Double Bass Drum Patch Review

    The Evans PB2 double bass drum patch is the perfect option for anyone using a double bass drum pedal. It has a large surface area that can comfortably fit two beaters on it.

    It’s made of nylon, increasing the click of the beaters by a significant amount. Drummers who use double pedals typically need more attack from the bass drum, so these are great for adding a bit of extra aggression to the sound.

    This patch is ideal for drummers like myself who use a double pedal. It’s extremely durable, very affordable, and adds a slightly warmer tone to the kick beater impact too.

    Since the patch is made of nylon, it’s the most affordable patch on this list. You could even use it for a single pedal if you wanted to. You’d always have the extra space to add a second beater if you wanted to.

    One last thing to mention about this pad is that it evenly distributes the sound from your two bass drum beaters.

    Pros

    • Great for drummers who use double pedals
    • Evenly distributes beater sounds
    • Very affordable and durable

    Cons

    • Not ideal if you want a very natural kick drum sound
    BUDGET

    Aquarian Drumheads Super Thin Kick Pad

    A quality bass drum patch made from a thin material for a single pedal beater. It is easy to install and provides just enough protection for your bass drum head without deadening the sound.
    Durability
    4.0
    Sound
    5.0
    Value
    4.0

      Aquarian Drumheads Super Thin Kick Pad Review

      The Aquarian Super Thin kick pad is one of the best kick patches to get if you’re not looking to alter the sound of your bass drum. It’s made of incredibly thin material, so you don’t get any tonal change after sticking it on.

      I have a friend who is a working jazz drummer, and he swears by this patch due to how it keeps his head safe while maintaining the tone of his kick drum. 

      Even though the material is thin, the patch is durable and will last longer than you may initially think. It also works perfectly well with all the different types of beaters that you can use.

      Lastly, it’s also affordable compared to some of the other bass drum beater pads on the market. It’s not expensive to get a few of these to use whenever you need them.

      Pros

      • Very durable
      • No tonal change when applied to the bass drum
      • Affordable

      Cons

      • Not as durable as some of the thicker pads available
      PREMIUM

      Evans Aramid Fiber Bass Drum Patch

      A little more heavy-duty, this patch is made from a kevlar and polyester lamination material and will offer more protection to the bass drum head while offering a natural beater response.
      Durability
      5.0
      Sound
      4.0
      Value
      3.5

        Evans Aramid Fiber Bass Drum Patch Review

        If you’re looking for something a little more heavy-duty, the Evans AF drum patch is a great fit. The patch is made from a Kevlar and polyester lamination, making it incredibly durable and solid.

        It adds a bit of impact to your bass drum, giving you more attack when the beater hits the patch. 

        This is another patch that I personally used for quite a while. It was thick, but it always felt very natural to strike with the beater. 

        One great thing about this patch is that it doesn’t damage felt beaters. While Kevlar patches typically do that, the added polyester stops it from happening. Overall, it’s a great bass drum impact pad.

        Pros

        • Doesn’t damage felt beaters
        • Enhances the beater click slightly
        • Adds punch to the bass drum

        Cons

        • Felt beaters sometimes produce a squeaking sound

        Remo Falam Slam Impact Patch

        Another kevlar kick patch that is designed to offer a pronounced beater click drum sound while providing superb protection. It is a particularly great choice for rock and metal drummers.
        Durability
        5.0
        Sound
        3.5
        Value
        3.0

          Remo Falam Slam Impact Patch Review

          The Remo Falam Slam Impact patch has the sole intention of making your bass drum sound a lot more aggressive. It does this by providing a strong clicking sound when it’s struck, making it a great bass drum click pad.

          It’s made of Kevlar and is known to stick on your bass drum head for incredibly long periods of time. This patch gives you durability as well as stability.

          It’s a great patch to have if you play styles of music where the bass drum needs to come strongly through the mix. This could be in rock settings or it could be in disco or pop settings.

          I did a recording session once where the studio engineer had this on the bass drum. He loved how it gave the kick drum more natural attack without him having to tamper too much with the mix. 

          Since it’s made of pure Kevlar, this patch tends to damage felt beaters. So, be cautious of that. It’s also much more expensive than the other patches.

          Pros

          • Adds a strong aggressive tone to your bass drum
          • Extremely stable and durable
          • Good for music styles that need a strong kick sound

          Cons

          • Not great for felt beaters
          • Expensive

          Aquarian Drumheads kickPATCH

          A large 12” kick patch that you can use to quickly repair a hole in the bass drum head. It's a good emergency fix for live shows if you are to ever break a kick drum skin mid-performance.
          Durability
          5.0
          Sound
          3.0
          Value
          3.5

            Aquarian Drumheads kickPATCH Review

            The Aquarian kickPATCH is intended to be a backup option for a rainy day rather than a dedicated bass drum patch. It’s a large 12” patch that you can use to cover up a hole in the bass drum head.

            While you most probably could use it permanently, I wouldn’t suggest that you do. Instead, it’s best used as a quick solution at the gig that can stay on your bass drum until you replace the head eventually.

            I was recommended this patch for a short tour once. While I never had to use it, I had way more surety on stage knowing that I wouldn’t be stuck without a bass drumhead!

            It’s a much cheaper option than replacing a drumhead entirely. It’s also quicker to put it on the bass drum than it is to swap the heads out. That’s why it’s such a valuable thing to have with you at every gig. You never know when you might need it.

            Pros

            • Great accessory for gigging drummers
            • Doesn’t take away the tone of the bass drum
            • Fits very easily on any bass drum head

            Cons

            • Not a permanent solution

            Bass Drum Patches Buyer’s Guide

            If you’ve ever kicked your beater through a bass drum head, you’d know how important a bass drum patch is. If you’ve never done that before, count yourself lucky, and make sure you have a kick patch to prevent it from eventually happening.

            These five bass drum patches featured in this guide are all great choices and offer excellent durability and protection for your bass drum heads.

            Choosing the right one for you will mainly depend on your budget, the sound you are looking for, as well as whether you play a double bass drum pedal or a single pedal.

            Top Bass Drum Patch Brands

            Remo, Evans, and Aquarian are the top three drumhead brands in the drumming world. If you get any product from one of them, it will be high-quality.

            All the drumhead brands sell patches that are quite similar. Whichever brand a drummer chooses will typically be according to the preferences that they have. There is no top brand out of those three.

            What Sound Are You Looking For?

            Different bass drum patches produce different sounds. You may not like the sound of certain patches, so make sure to see what effect it has on your bass drum tone.

            Patches like the Remo Falam Slam Impact Patch and Evans PB2 Double Bass Drum Patch add an aggressive click while others such as the Aquarian Drumheads Super Thin Kick Pad barely change the tone.

            If you love the natural sound of your bass drum, then a lighter patch would be better. If you want the added aggression, a heavier patch with an added click is what you should go for.

            Final Thoughts

            Every drummer should have a few bass drum patches lying around. While bass drum heads are designed to be durable, it only takes one heavy player to sit on your kit and kick through the skin. That player might just be you at an intense gig.

            Having a patch like Aquarian Drumheads kickPATCH and Evans Aramid Fiber Bass Drum Patch on your bass drum is a surefire way of keeping the skin as durable as possible. It’s also the best thing to do if you want a very tight and controlled kick drum sound.

            The only drummers that typically don’t use bass drum patches are jazz drummers. They’ll play with thin single-ply heads and felt beaters. However, jazz drummers still have the potential to break through their bass drum heads. You’ll find that many of them have bass drum patches lying around just in case they need them.

            Luckily, bass drum patches aren’t expensive. You can easily get a few of them and keep them stored away.

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