Questions are frequently asked when the time comes to purchase and choose a gym mat. When the time comes, we hop on the internet and search for “gym mats” and a million results come up!

That's why we asked ourselves the question: How to help you make your choice of gym mats by having all the information in hand.

Don't have time to read? Consult us immediately to identify your needs and make the right choice of gymnastic mats.

Here are the 1001 most important questions to ask yourself when making your choice.

What are the important options for buying a gym mat, what should I think about?

What is a gym mat with firmer foam? Why choose a firmer foam?

Solution : It all depends on your usage. The firmness makes it possible to better protect athletes from a bad fall, violent impacts and provides better support when standing. Urethane foams are softer and provide more comfort for floor exercises. They have an absorption effect for shocks and less violent falls. It is necessary to ensure a good thickness to avoid injuries, a 2 inch is ideal. In the case of gymnasts and martial artists, most will prefer a firmer ethylene foam. In this case, a thickness of 1.5 inch or 1 3/8 inch is more than enough.

Types of foam and its strength
firm foam	Soft foam

Video demonstrating the strength of firm foam

Why have a gym mat with carrying strap?

Solution : In general, the question to ask is: Are you going to take your gym mat outside for your training sessions, will you hang it on the wall or will it stay in the gym? In the first two cases, we recommend the strap for ease of transport but there may be additional costs depending on the supplier.

Is a gym mat with eyelets useful?

Solution : For the majority, you don't need eyelets. Grommets are used to hang mats for overhead storage or to protect areas. Especially useful for fence cushions. It's up to you to see if it's a need. Again, a supplement may be requested depending on the supplier.

What are folding or non-folding gym mats used for?

Solution : Storage, Storage, Storage! The folded gym mat takes only 2 feet by 4, 5 or 6 feet depending on the size and between 6 and 12 inches high. It is therefore much easier to store. It can also be useful to protect an area with a landing. Each folding panel is 2 feet in length.

What dimensions are gym mats?

Solution : Several dimensions are possible. Here is an example below. According to the supplier, here are the most common and standard dimensions (feet) of gym mats offered by gym mattress manufacturers.

Carpet sizes
2x6 4x4 3x6 4x6 4x8 5x10 6x12

Different types of rugs in detail

Who are the different kinds of gym mats to choose from? For people who are not familiar with the different kinds, it is not easy to navigate. Here's a little guide to get you there.

What is a firm-to-the-floor gym mat?

Solution : It's a much stronger mat for ground impact. It is made to receive your knees, walk on it and absorb noise better. It may also be best to have a firm gym mat for physical exercise such as when doing sit-ups!

What is a Folding Gym Mat?

Solution : It is a carpet that allows easy storage in a small place and therefore, made for the home in particular. In open mode, it allows amateur gymnasts to practice easily at home or to cover areas under a gymnastics bar for example. When folded, it only covers a mere 2ft x 4ft area. Each collapsible panel is 2 feet long.

Open gym mat	Closed gym mat

What is a large area gym mat?

Solution : You can thanks to the velcros, usually all around a gym mat, hang several mats together. With two 4x8 size mats you could cover an 8x8 room, same calculation for the 5x10, you could cover a 10x10 room or even the 6x12 will cover a total of 12x12.

Enough to do plenty of rolls, jumps, pirouettes and of course have fun with friends. Much larger made-to-measure mats are also possible. If this is your case, check with our customer service first.

What is an Acrobatic Gymnastics Tumble Mat?

Solution : The acrobatic gymnastics falling mat allows them to be placed on flat surfaces and dampens high jumps. Several colors and sizes can be manufactured with a choice of thickness that can vary between 8 and 36 inches! It is ideal for cushioning fall jumps when practicing gymnastic jumping or acrobatic gymnastics. It is often called by different names (gymnastic pit, landing mat, landing mat) but they are all gymnastic mats that are intended to cushion a jump.

What is an inflatable gym mat?

Solution : They can also be called “Inflatable track”, it is extremely practical mats for the chearleading because it allows a race, tricks in heights and shock absorption. It can be used anywhere at home indoors or outdoors. The large valve requires a special pump to inflate it and when the time comes to put it away, you simply deflate it!

What is a gym rubber mat?

Solution : These are mats made of 100% recycled rubber material, ultra resistant for concrete floors, wood or other flat surfaces. It is sometimes even used for swimming pools and home garages. This gym floor mat absorbs the weight of dumbbells, shoes and exercise equipment. It may sometimes have an odor caused by rubber.

What is a nap gym mat?

Solution : Napping gymnastic mats are often used by primary schools, CPEs or daycares. It is generally very small, of non-toxic material for babies, children and thinner than a regular gym mat. Several colors are available to please our little ones!

Where to get your gym mat?

How to get a brand new gym mat for sale in Canada?

Solution : Several stores like Amazon, Decathlon, Ikea, Walmart will offer them. However, check the quality of the vinyl, the thickness of the foam and the shock absorption for the safety of your children.

Obviously, Sportdirect.ca offers all ranges of gymnastic mats from the cheapest basic to the best qualities for professionals .

Consult us for more information on the choices of gymnastic mats available.

Are there second-hand and inexpensive gymnastic mats?

Solution : Of course you can find mats elsewhere on Kijiji or even eBay. It all depends on what you are going to use the gym mat for. However, ask yourself the right questions before proceeding.

It's up to you to decide if it's right for you. Sportdirect.ca offers new gymnastic mats in all price ranges.

Consult us on the live chat, our contact page or go directly to our collection to make the right selection of gym mats.

What are the common problems with carpet vinyl that one can face if one does not have a quality vinyl?

What if my gym mat with scratch, discoloration or stains?

Solution : Get a gym mat with vinyl of at least 18oz. It will keep you out of trouble.

What should I do if my gym mat is unstitched, punctured or cut?

Solution : You can replace the gym mat vinyl or simply patch the puncture site. That being said, this will be a temporary fix and a full replacement is definitely best.

Does my gym mat have germs?

Solution : For daycares, schools and sports centers in the city, it is definitely advisable to use a cleaning product after use. This prevents the spread of germs between users, especially in winter.

How and with what to clean gym mats?

Solution : There are several cleaning products for home gyms or in city and school sports centers. Our best advice is to simply clean with mild soap and water. If you are looking for a more specialized product, make sure it does not include triclosan or benzalkonium chloride. To find out more about the reason for the exclusion, Professor Hartmann in the United States did a very interesting study about cleaning products in gyms which would be one of the causes linked to the resistance of microbes to antibiotics .

DIY / Homemade gym mat

How to make a gym mat (DIY)?

Several possibilities are available to you to make your own gymnastic mat.

Prerequisites before starting your project

• be accompanied by an adult
• have sewing experience
• choose a good vinyl (18oz)
• choose the right protective foam (EVA)
• own a plus size sewing machine
• have a diagram of the gym mat including the dimensions

Here are the 7 steps of manufacturing the gym mat (for informational purposes)

1. Cut enough fabric (nylon or batt material) for the size of the rug.
   
   
2. For a 3 foot x 6 foot size tumbling mattress, cut a 39 inch by 76 inch swatch, allowing for extra that can be cut later.
   
   
3. Cut your foam to the size of the carpet, in this case cut to 3 feet by six feet.
   
   
4. Attach a small bead of glue to the nylon. Use only an adhesive that will not burn or deteriorate the foam or nylon.
   
   
5. Apply the mousse to the nylon and smooth it with your hand until it is perfectly flat on the nylon.
   
   
6. Cut another piece of nylon the same size as the previous one and place it on the foam. Make sure the nylon stretches across the entire rug and can touch the nylon fabric underneath on all sides.
   
   
7. Sew the two nylon fabrics along the ends using a heavy-duty sewing machine. If you don't have a sewing machine that can handle this job, run a bead of glue around the edges of the bottom nylon section and glue the top section to it.

Are there cleaner and greener options?

Some manufacturers offer the possibility of using cleaner foam and vinyl for the environment but it is not yet very advanced at this level. We will keep you up to date with new technologies as they come to market.

Share your comments and ask questions

Do you have an experience to share, a comment or other relevant questions that have not been answered? It will be our great pleasure to answer your questions and/or comments below.

Other interesting references to consult for the choice of your gym mat Madeleinejeux-shop