RO Ignition 2.0 durability issues?

[banal_o_rama]

Sorry to post this again, but when I put it in the official soft pad discussion area, nobody replied, and I would like some opinions if I can get them ^^.

Anyway, I'm posting because I'm worried about how much jumping/etc. that a Redoctane Ignition 2.0 can stand. I started playing DDR in April of this year as a means to lose weight, which has so far been going along swimmingly; I'm a solid 6-7 footer now (OK, 5-6 foot in the arcade ~_~), and I think I've dropped about 20 lbs. without dieting. I bought a Redoctane Ignition back in June to replace my crappy Toys R Us pad, and it sadly conked out on me (sticky arrows, phantom arrows, and general lesser responsiveness) in less than a month and a half. They were nice enough to send me a new replacement, which I just received, but I'm leery of getting onto it without a few reassurances.

1. I've heard that RO's are very durable, but to the people that have had them for a long time, how long or how often do you play? I weigh between 200 and 250 (I don't know exactly how much--I refuse to get on a scale until I'm sure I'll like what it says), and I play 1000 calorie workouts on average 4 times a week. At my level of skill that's 50 songs, so about 2 hours of play time. Does anyone else play that much that often? If so, did your pad hold up OK? If it's just that I had a bad pad, then I'll feel a lot better about it, but if the RO can't really take the kind of abuse that I give it, I'll be sort of upset. I really like the pad, I'm just worried about its longevity. I didn't think that I was hardcore enough to break a pad so quickly XD.
2. Is a cover a good investment? I haven't seen too many mods for Ignition-type pads that could help prolong their lives, so it seems like a cover might be the best and only way to go. Of course, if anyone can give me pointers on how to shore it up myself, I'm all ears.

In general I'm very very pleased with the RO pad, just disappointed that this one gave out so early, and worried that it might happen again. It was an expensive proposition even on sale ;;.

Thanks!

[mintsauce]

I'm 6'4" and about 210lbs. I got my Ignition 2.0 in January, and it saw heavy use for several months. It's only just starting to hint at having a problem now, sometimes an arrow might stick or fail to register, but this is rare, and basically it's still ok.

[rmz]

My Ignition 2 didn't last very long (a month or two, tops) before it started ghosting and missing steps (not registering). Really pissed me off, too. I don't step too heavily or anything, either.
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[Insolent1]

I weighed about 175 when I first got my redoctane xmas of last year, I weigh 165 now, and just a few weeks ago one of my two pads' right buttons started to stick. I had taken a virtual break for a few weeks at a time during this period, and when I did play it wasn't extremely heavily. Mostly 8s/9s, but not for hours on end. I lent one of my pads to a good friend, because I didn't do all that much double with em, and he put quite a bit of use into it, and even with the pad covers, now both of em are having issues.

I'd say that with REALLY HEAVY use from someone around or above 200 pounds, it'll have a life of only a few months at most. But then again, consider this.. You say, 50 songs a sitting (or dancing as it were), which at the best prices around here that's 10 games at 75 cents each, arcade. Do this for even a month and you are getting a better deal IMO.. plus I can get all the songs I want to play without needing to go to the arcade, although I go to the arcade for fun sometimes just for a change.

From what I've gotten out of my pads.. 2 pads, 2 covers, the game, all for almost 9 months for 200 bucks, I'm very pleased. Although, someone who might play more often and is a bit heavier than myself might not get quite their money's worth.

ANYWAY, their pads in my opinion, are excellent. All pads of course have to die someday, and these survive quite a beating. However, you could always look up similar pads, maybe even identical except brand (might be same manufacturer for all I know) from places such as www.levelsix.com