I agree a too soft pad can increase felt recoil..

If you don't mind the looks, you'd be hard pressed to beat the F990 for felt recoil reduction. In my experience it doesn't allow the buttstock to take a run at your shoulder, and takes a good portion of the bite out of recoil.

I have shot 3 different 470 Mbogo's, a 500 A2 and a 416 Taylor with the F990. Stock design has a lot to do with felt recoil, but none of those boomers ever hurt my shoulder. I did get a little shooter's headache after a dozen shots with the 500 A2 (unbreaked of course) though!

FWIW,
Canuck

The Answer system pad has coil springs inside that progressively decelerate the rifle as the pad compresses.

The F990 has a soft inner core and (if I recall) 4 ventilated rows.

Putting a leather cover on the pad will reduce its effectiveness.

I'm of the opinion the limbsaver is hard to beat, I prefer them to 990's. But there might be something better.

Pachmyr F990 or Answer Systems pad.

Both are unsightly.

cr500,
The Geltek is a trade name used by Beretta. I think they only offer them on their shotguns, specifically competition shotguns.
One of my friends heard about them when they first were advertised and hassled Beretta for one. They look like nothing special to me. They apparently have a soft core with an outer coating that is harder plastic. They are also rather thin and I don't believe they offer various thicknesses (I'm 6'4" and use a longer recoil pad to try to get the correct length of pull on factory stocks).
The recoil reduction didn't seem to come close to Kick-Eez, LimbSaver, TrapDude, Decelerator, etc.
He switched back to a Kick-Eez.

Kyler

Jeeze I dunno Ray. I would much rather shoot my light 300 Weatherby with its good soft factory pad over my old heavy 303 with a metal butt plate. Even my 458 with its soft limbsaver is not too bad. My usual hunting partner (who recommended the Geltek pad)would rather shoot his light 300WSM with its soft recoil pad than his target 6.5x284 with a solid pad. I think maybe my shoulder needs a few more years of recoil to toughen it up a bit. Maybe I,m going all soft and new age or something?

My Limbsaver tends to hang/drag on clothing quite a bit which is no big problem for my turkey shotgun but for snap shooting, wingshooting, DG, etc. I'd think you may want to spray it with something to prevent this if they are all that way. My Pachmayrs (de-celerators) all shoulder well and cushion the thumps. FWIW.

That Limbsaver sure did help tame my 835 Ulti-mag shot gun, though, and is well worth the money.

Dungbeetle

I vote for the Limbsaver over any others I've tried. But, there might be a better one out there. Someone is always trying something different and that is why things get better.
Ghost

I will end up getting it leather covered any way so it looks arent too important. Why are F990 or Answer so good?

the 990 is a big pad with lots of absorbtion qualities...
It also is sold with a nipple sold to install on when stored in an upright gun case, so pad will not be ruined...

Mike

I have a Limbsaver recoil pad on my 458 and 458 Lott which is nice and soft ,but is their any BEST recoil pad out their? I have heard of Geltek recoil pads ,what are they like?

Recoil protection the shooter wears is the most effectice, as it eliminates the edges of the pad on the rifle butt.

I don't know what is the best but I can tell you that my 416 Rigby has more felt recoil with a Kick-eez on it than it did with the factory, basic pad. The rifle is a CZ550 Magnum and factory pad wasn't as soft. I can tell you that this rifle nowpacks a big wallop !

I need to replace it with something. Funny thing, when I first starting shooting it, I realized the recoil wasn't as bad as I had thought it might be. About 50 rounds later, I replaced the pad and immediately realized that the recoil was much worse. During the next 50+ rounds I have come to really miss that old cheap factory pad.

RobertD