It's important to protect your floors and be considerate of neighbors (especially if you live in apartment or condo). The best thing about these floor mats are how big they are: very easy to setup.
THE PRODUCT
Four pieces of 1 meter x 1 meter x 25 mm rubber mat for a total of ₱3,520. Comes to a roughly 2m x 2m area for my home gym. I chose the black but it also comes in blue, green, yellow, red. Each mat is around 3.5kg, so they are quite heavy.
Thickness is key for mats.
BUYING GUIDE
You'll generally find 2 types- Rubber mats: these are comfortable to walk on and are more springy: these are what martial arts use. These are somewhat prone to depressions. Among rubber mats, there are high and low density, so adjust to your purposes.
- Super High density mats: these are heavier, harder and rougher to the touch (at 1/4 the size .5 meters x .5 meters, these mats are 4.5 kg). These are usually made of recycled rubber (usually black with some speckled design), but are a bit denser. They are not as springy, but are less likely to have depressions. Most commercial gyms will use this type. Some will not have interlocking edge cuts (a connector goes under instead), and will often require adhesive to the current flooring.
ANG OKAY
These rubber mats are comfortable to walk on barefoot. The big size makes it easier to assemble, in other words there is less to piece together. You also have less interfaces that can catch dirt or can get bent. These are thick mats so these muffle the sound of dropped weights really well. The weight also makes sure that these mats do not slip, though this was never really going to be a problem for my purposes due to the heaviness of my gym equipment. I did not need to place an adhesive between the mat and the floor.
ANG HINDI OKAY
Since it's a bit softer, you can feel the mat as it gets depressed. At some point these may become permanent, but for the 2 months I've had it, the mats have sprung back, and there are as of yet, no permanent depressions. Also, as with most rubber, the mats do have a smell, which is stronger when you first get it.
VERDICT
■■■□ Pwede na
I found the thick mats to be a bit pricey. You will find a lot of cheaper and thinner alternatives, and most are available online and easy to search for. I made the choice to spend a bit since I live above another unit. These mats are a compromise: one of the thicker rubber mats, but not yet the commercial gym-grade rubber matting. This choice considers the equipment I have: for the most part, I will use a heavy olympic bar and plates, but I don't have a power cage and instead just the lighter squat rack.
In terms of how it looks and feels:, while it's comfortable to walk on, it's soft so these mats might get depressions in time and due to longer use.
Lazada Link: https://s.lazada.com.ph/s.3e1JY