KICK-EEZ Recoil Pads – Recoil for Rifles Case Study
Client: Entrepreneur Willard M. Latimer, a World War II Veteran and avid sportsman.
William M. Latimer contacted Sorbothane, Inc. with an idea. Willard, now in his 90s, began his shooting and hunting career as a young boy learning from his Grandfather, Samuel M. Latimer. Willard has passed on his love of the sport to his family. He is now sharing his passion with the third generation of the Latimer family.
Willard was golfing one day in 1985 at his local golf course in Chehalis, Washington, when a friend pulled a piece of Sorbothane out of his pocket and asked what he thought it could be used for. Without hesitation, Willard answered, “It sure would make a good gun pad!” KICK-EEZ® was created the very next year.
The Challenge: Find a Shock Absorbing Material to Reduce Recoil in All Weather Conditions
Sore and bruised shoulders are common in the shooting sports. Recoil can cause discomfort, pain and make second shots less accurate. Sport shooters and hunters can easily fire 100 rounds in a day – during practice or competition. A good recoil pad needs to be effective in all weather conditions. This new Sorbothane KICK-EEZ Pad would be required to have a stiff mounting plate and be easily ground for a custom fit on nearly all rifle and shotgun models. When manufacturing this product, they wanted to make sure that it was made in the USA.
Partnering with Sorbothane for a Custom Shock Absorbing Solution
To produce the recoil reducing pads Latimer envisioned – Sorbothane, Inc. perfected a multiple-layer production molding system that allowed for a rigid mounting plate to be integrated with a solid Sorbothane recoil pad. Sorbothane was the ideal material because of its ability to absorb impact and still fully recover between rounds. Sorbothane, unlike foam products, can absorb shock efficiently for millions of cycles and has an operating temperature range of: -20° F (-29° C) to +160° F (72° C).
Real World Testing KICK-EEZ®
As avid hunters and sport shooters, Willard and his family were more than willing to put the KICK-EEZ Sorbothane Recoil Pads to the test. They affixed the Sorbothane Recoil Pad to rifles and shotguns. The Sorbothane Pads performed even better than expected. Recoil was dramatically reduced – virtually eliminating soreness and bruising. Second shots were more accurate as the Sorbothane Pad recovered quickly from the first shot. A custom fit could be accomplished as the solid Sorbothane Pad proved it could be ground-to-fit if desired.
Sorbothane’s Custom Solution
The KICK-EEZ Recoil Pad is the only pad made of Sorbothane, a viscoelastic polymer that has been medically and scientifically proven to be the finest cushioning material available. KICK-EEZ Pads reduce recoil by dispersing energy in all directions away from the point of impact – unlike other recoil pads that only disperse energy in two directions. KICK-EEZ Sorbothane Recoil Pads will not distort or lose their effectiveness after being compressed thousands of times and they won’t bottom out like many other pads. KICK-EEZ Recoil Pads can be ground-to-fit, as they don’t contain a steel plate and are made of solid Sorbothane.
Independent testing confirms that KICK-EEZ Sorbothane Recoil Pads reduce twice as much recoil than all other recoil pads on the market!
Continued KICK-EEZ Product Refinement
KICK-EEZ Products now offer a wide selection of shooting supplies and recoil pads made of Sorbothane. Sorbothane provides shock absorption and reduces recoil effectively and quickly. Less recoil reduces flinching – easing sore shoulders and cheeks. KICK-EEZ Sorbothane pads reduce recoil in all shooting and hunting conditions. No matter your shooting discipline – KICK-EEZ has a Sorbothane Recoil Pad designed for you.
All KICK-EEZ Pads are made of solid Sorbothane, which allows them to be custom ground for a perfect fit. KICK-EEZ Sorbothane Recoil Pads are available in Pre-Fit, Grind To Fit, Slip Over, Multi-Layer, and even patriotic red, white and blue.
All KICK-EEZ Sorbothane Pads are made in the USA.
Learn more about KICK-EEZ:
KICK-EEZ Products 1819 Schurman Way, Suite #106 Woodland, WA 98674 kickeezproducts.com
Phone: (Toll Free) 877-KICKEEZ (542-5339) (360) 225-9701 Fax: (360) 225-9702 Email: [email protected]