The only answer is that it fits the INDIVIDUAL shooter's shoulder best!

 

Fit and personal preference.

 

fit to your shoulder

 

Like others said personal preference however as a general guideline, a Rocker pad should fit shooters of all build. The curved pad however I feel would better suit medium to small built shooters. I personally prefer a Rocker pad or a straight pad as opposed to an inward curved pad. While they may feel ok shouldering the gun, they are a bit aggressive when you add some recoil in my experience.

 

To add to the comments regarding fit, a rocker pad reduces or eliminates the pressure of the pad toe (lower part) on your pectoral muscles and shifts the center of shoulder-pad contact closer to the pad heel (top part). This upward shift reduces the moment arm between recoil force (bore centerline) an shoulder support which, in turn, reduces the force needed to resist the vertical rotation of the gun during recoil; i.e., it reduces face slap in the upward direction. Between this geometric effect and the soft material of some of the pads (Gooey pads for example), the sensed recoil seems to be lower. The downside of a rocker pad is that your gun mount becomes more critical because the locating surface between the rocker pad and your shoulder is not as well defined as with a hooked or flat pad - it is easier for the mounting position to drift up and down.

I have used rocker and the Kick-eez modified trap contour pads in the past with good results, but am currently using a flat pad to help with my inability to mount a shotgun consistently over a full day of shooting. As noted above, the sensed recoil is greater with the flat pad. But, gun mounts seem to be more stable, particularly between shots in doubles.

Try both types and pick what works best for you,
Pat

 

With the rocker pad it is hard to consistently mount it on your shoulder. Without the curve you can’t feel where it is at. Compared to a regular trap pad. That is my opinion.

 

I tried various pad shapes and found that the Kickeeze Modified Trap seems to reduce felt recoil and muzzle jump.

 

CAST made. Let me know how that bait works in these waters.

 

cpatterson's reply pretty much covered my experience as well.

 

A rocker pad doesn't work for shooter who lean forward with their chest at an angle to the gun. It doesn't allow the pad to make full contact with the shoulder.

 

Rocker pads work well for barrel chested shooters, where concave (Trap pad) is better for average or slim builds.

 

HEY, just who the hell you callin' barrel chested? Both my Ljutics have rocker pads and I shoot them quite well.

 

 

I've tried those plus a flat pad on my doubles gun and each will slow down recoil to my shoulder but none help my face from getting beat up. Just my own personal experience.

 

I use a trap ( concave ) on my trapgun and the other guns have what ever they came with

 

Its All about comfort with me.
The Rocker style suits me best and I get a consistent mount.

Its All Good
West

 

I personally don’t care for the rocker pads. I’m not recoil sensitive but those rockers seem to sting me a bit.

 

I just can`t get those damn cats out of my mind......Thanks a lot Buck3200.

 

It’s always the damn cats

 

I use the curved trap pad on my singles/handicap gun and a rocker on my doubles gun. Tried the curved pad for doubles, but the rocker works better for me.

 

I've tried the rocker and the concave pads and the flat ones feel best to me.

 

As I’ve been chasing cheek slap and recoil problems for about 3 years, I can tell you that shape of actual pocket has everything to do with design of pad. I’m about 5’7” and 135 pounds and tried everything to fix it. Tried shimming pad with plus and minus pitch, had several custom stocks made by leading stock makers, etc. I’ve stayed away from rocker pads as most say for deep chested, female, and on and on. Well I can tell you putting on a rocker kick eez pad has fixed 90% of my problem. Unbelievable the difference it made.