PowerBase PLAY50

PLAY50 is a 50mm shock pad specifically designed for artificial turf playgrounds, delivering superior impact absorption, fast drainage, and long-term safety.

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What is PowerBase PLAY50?

PowerBase PLAY 50 shock pad full panel top view.
PowerBase PLAY 50 shock pad full panel bottom view.

Before they become athletes, they are kids, and Brock is dedicated to protecting them every step of the way.

PowerBase PLAY50 is part of the Brock Playground System, the only complete base solution specifically designed and engineered for artificial turf playgrounds and the children who play on them. Each patented feature of the PLAY50 panel is meticulously engineered to optimize safety, drainage, turf stability, and precision, most importantly delivering unparalleled impact protection that lasts from day one through year eight and beyond.

Why PLAY50?

Brock running man safety logo.
Recycle logo.
Wrench.

Safety that lasts. Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is the ASTM standard measure of safety that parents and decision-makers should prioritize for playgrounds. PowerBase PLAY50 is engineered to significantly reduce HIC values compared to non-shock pad surfaces. The 10-year HIC and Gmax guarantee means that protection doesn’t degrade over time.

Built clean. PowerBase PLAY50 is produced from 100% pure high-grade expanded polypropylene, non-toxic, resistant to bacteria, fungi, and chemicals, and 100% recyclable. No intentionally added PFAS. No microplastics. Cradle to Cradle Certified, making it one of the most environmentally responsible playground surfaces available.

Fast to install. The overlapping sawtooth edge detail and patented interlocking system eliminate the need for glues or tapes. A typical playground installation is completed in less than a day, and PLAY50 integrates seamlessly with Brock Transition Wedges (TW1200) for smooth height transitions between pad types on the same site.

Key Features

Top view features:

PowerBase PLAY 50 shock pad connection.

Overlapping design ensures a uniform surface under the turf

PowerBase PLAY 50 top view of drainage holes.

Uniform surface eliminates inconsistencies underfoot

PowerBase PLAY 50 edge connection.

Mechanical indexing molded into each panel for fast, accurate installation

PowerBase PLAY 50 top view close up of porous drainage holes.

Millions of drain holes for rapid water evacuation

Bottom view features:

PowerBase PLAY 50 side view hexagons.

Millions of cushioning hexagons absorb impact energy

PowerBase PLAY 50 bottom view hexagon close up.

Deep drain channels for fast water evacuation

PowerBase PLAY 50 shock pad bottom view connection.

Panel indexing makes installation straightforward

PowerBase PLAY 50 bottom view graded hexagons.

Graded hexagons keep the surface stiff for play while improving Critical Fall Height

The Playground System Shock Pads

Brock PowerBase Play50 shock pad for playgrounds

For up to 12-foot critical fall heights with lateral drainage, the 80mm PowerBase PLAY80 delivers exceptional impact absorption for taller playground equipment. Its single-layer design eliminates the need to stack multiple pads while providing high-volume drainage and easy installation. Made from molded expanded polypropylene, PLAY80 offers durable, consistent performance for playgrounds requiring maximum fall protection.

For up to 9-foot critical fall heights with lateral drainage, the 50mm PowerBase PLAY50 is engineered for superior impact absorption and long-term playground safety. PLAY50 delivers consistent performance, easy installation, and seamless integration with various turf systems. Like all Brock pads, it’s made from food-grade polypropylene with no intentionally added PFAS, providing a durable, high-performance solution for safer playgrounds.

For up to 5-foot critical fall heights and applications requiring lateral drainage, PowerBase YSR shock pads enhance playground safety and artificial turf performance. Their 25mm design provides superior impact absorption, excellent drainage, and turf stability—helping reduce fall-related injury risk while keeping surfaces consistent and playable. Durable, resilient construction ensures long-lasting performance for safer, more reliable playgrounds.

For up to 4-foot critical fall heights over a vertically draining base, the 20mm SP Series shock pad delivers an optimal balance of safety and impact performance while closely replicating the feel of quality natural turf. SERIES 20 provides efficient vertical drainage to help keep playground surfaces dry and safe. As a cost-effective alternative to PowerBase, SP Series delivers lasting durability and reliable performance for safer, enjoyable playground environments.

Head Impact Test

Head Injury Criterion (HIC)

The HIC test correlates with the likelihood and severity of a head injury. It has been used for decades in the auto industry and for playground surfaces, and was adopted by ASTM for athletic fields in 2018. The HIC impact test drops a 10.1 lb. hemisphere projectile (curved like a human head) multiple times from increasing heights and determines the surface’s Critical Fall Height. The higher the Critical Fall Height, the safer the surface. A good natural grass field will produce a minimum critical fall height of about 6 feet or higher.

Learn More

Legacy Elementary School | Uvalde, TX

Three years after a tragedy that claimed the lives of 19 students and 2 teachers at Robb Elementary, the Uvalde community opened Legacy Elementary School a new campus built around safety, healing, and the future. Brock USA, together with SynLawn and Preferred Sands, donated materials to help create the school’s outdoor recreation spaces, including two playgrounds and accessible courtyards. Legacy Elementary chose PowerBase PLAY50 as its playground surface system.

Frequently Asked Questions

PowerBase PLAY50 is a 50mm (2″) pad molded from 100% expanded polypropylene in individually molded panels of 24 square feet. It is rated for critical fall heights up to 9 feet, with vertical and lateral drainage exceeding 1,500 inches per hour. An overlapping sawtooth edge allows panels to interlock without glues or tapes, and expansion crush ribs absorb thermal expansion and contraction.

Most playground pads are sports pads adapted for a different use. PLAY50 was designed from the start for artificial turf playgrounds and the children who play on them — graded hexagons on the underside keep the surface stiff enough for running while improving critical fall height. A typical installation is completed in under a day, and the system meets ADA compliance criteria.

Head Injury Criterion (HIC) is the ASTM standard measure that matters most for playgrounds, and PLAY50 is engineered to significantly reduce HIC values compared to surfaces without a shock pad. The pad is Cradle to Cradle Certified and patented, with the certification independently verifying material health including PFAS and restricted substance compliance.

PLAY50 is produced from 100% pure high-grade expanded polypropylene — non-toxic, resistant to bacteria, fungi, and chemicals, and 100% recyclable. It contains no intentionally added PFAS and no microplastics. Because it sits beneath the turf it is never exposed to UV, so the material does not degrade the way surface-level products do.

PLAY50 carries a 10-year warranty along with an HIC and Gmax guarantee. That performance guarantee matters more on a playground than almost anywhere else — a surface that met fall height requirements on installation day should still meet them when a child falls eight years later.

Transition Wedge

Playground and landscape installations often combine surfaces at different base heights and pad thicknesses, and the Brock Transition Wedge handles that change cleanly without complex onsite modification. Each triangular wedge is 48 inches wide with a 1:13.7 slope — gentler than the 1:12 maximum ADA requires for ramps — and moves between any of Brock’s playground pads, whether that’s stepping a PLAY50 installation down to PowerBase YSR at the perimeter or up to PLAY80 where taller equipment requires a higher fall height rating. Because the wedges eliminate cutting and shimming on site, crews save time during installation, and a pallet bundles directly with your pad order so there’s no separate freight charge.

PowerBase PLAY50: Frequently Asked Questions

Brock PowerBase PLAY50 is a 50 mm-thick shock pad engineered for artificial turf playgrounds. Installed beneath the turf, its molded panels provide impact absorption, drainage, and support for a consistent playing surface. PLAY50 is part of the Brock Playground System.

PowerBase PLAY50 can support critical fall heights up to 9 feet when installed with a compatible, tested artificial turf system. The rating applies to the complete surfacing assembly. Select the turf, infill, pad, and base configuration to meet the playground equipment’s required fall height.

PowerBase PLAY50 uses cushioning structures beneath each panel to absorb impact energy when a child lands on the surface. Its design balances impact absorption with firmness for everyday play. Playground impact testing evaluates the complete system’s response; no surface can eliminate every injury.

Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and Gmax are measurements used to evaluate playground surface impact attenuation. HIC considers the magnitude and duration of acceleration during a test impact, while Gmax measures peak acceleration. Both help assess whether a complete playground surfacing system meets applicable impact-performance requirements.

PowerBase PLAY50 combines perforations through the panels with deep drainage channels underneath. Water passes through the pad and moves laterally toward the collection system. Effective drainage also requires a properly designed base, slope, and drainage outlet.

PowerBase PLAY50 is molded from 100% pure, high-grade expanded polypropylene (EPP). It is made without intentionally added PFAS and is designed to resist bacteria, fungi, and chemicals. PLAY50 uses virgin material rather than recycled feedstock and is recyclable through appropriate polypropylene recycling channels.

PowerBase PLAY50 panels are placed over a prepared base and connected using molded indexing features and overlapping edges. The panel connections do not require glues or tapes. Installation time depends on playground size, site access, base preparation, and the project’s layout.

Yes. Brock Transition Wedges help create gradual height changes between PLAY50 and other Brock playground pads, including PowerBase YSR and PLAY80. This allows designers to use different pad thicknesses across a site while maintaining smooth transitions beneath the turf. The complete installation must still meet applicable accessibility requirements.

PowerBase PLAY50 is 50 mm thick and supports tested turf systems with critical fall heights up to 9 feet. PowerBase PLAY80 is 80 mm thick and supports compatible systems with critical fall heights up to 12 feet. Selection depends on equipment fall height, the tested surfacing assembly, drainage, and site requirements.

PowerBase PLAY50 includes a 10-year HIC and Gmax performance guarantee, subject to Brock’s applicable warranty terms. Request the current warranty to review covered performance levels, approved system configurations, installation requirements, maintenance responsibilities, and any exclusions.

Planning a playground project?

Talk to a specialist about critical fall height requirements and system selection.

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