We Sell Mats 4 Inch Thick Bi-Folding Gymnastics Crash Landing Mat Pad, Safety for Tumbling, Back Handspring Training and Cheerleading

This is an EXCELLENT mat. Truly, we have three We Sell Mats products now and have been happy with all of them. We got the 4x8 size, 4" thick for under a standard size kip bar. The size couldn't be more perfect. At least the 4" thick one is halfway between a crash pad and a regular mat; it's not as squishy or thick as a full-on crash pad but it is less stiff/dense than a typical tumbling mat. It offers plenty of cushion to make this anxious mama feel comfortable about her practicing her back hip circles, but it's still just sturdy enough that she can land. It looks like it will hold up well, and is easy to wipe clean if need be. Gymnastics equipment is SO expensive and I looked at every possible option (including second-hand) and this hands-down was the best value. We also have two 4x6 tumbling mats (2" thick) from We Sell Mats, and they're great too! Just not as much cushioning as I'd have liked for under a bar.

Shipping delays caused a great deal of stress! Caution with CEVA shipping. We Sell Mats is fantastic. Great quality mats, and when we called them directly they were helpful. Next time, I will order direct from We Sell Mats.

I use this for my aerial silks practice. It’s a bit soft though which is good if you’re falling but not as good to stand on. I only use it when I’m practicing a new trick because of this. My rig 12feet. Generally I keep it folded so I have an 8 inch thick mat which is maybe not quite big enough always but I feel safe enough. I’m able to carry it on my back or roll it to where I need it to be with not much trouble. It fits in the back of my Subaru Outback but takes up most of the trunk. All in all id say good for the price.

Arrived today. Packaging is not hard cardboard but a thin-tarp-like plastic covering. Mine had a 5-inch long tear that went right through the outer covering and the plastic bag around the mat, but does not seem to have penetrated the mat itself (thank goodness, because this beast is big and unwieldy, as expected, and I really didn't want the hassle of returning it). I am an older person, approx 190 pounds, who got this mat to use with a suspended aerial yoga swing (I wanted to be have some protection for knees, elbows, etc., in case I fell out of the swing, and also something soft to lean my head on while inverting). I was hesitant to buy the mat because as an older (and heavier) person, I know I'm not the target demographic for any mat manufacturer in spite of really needing some level of protection. My fear was that a thinner mat (like a typical yoga mat) would provide insufficient cushioning in the event of a fall, but that a thicker mat like this one would be thick only until some serious weight (my own) was applied, and would then go squishy and nearly flat. The latter is much closer to being the case with this mat. If I step on the mat near its edge, I can both feel and see (along the external surface) that the mat squishes down very nearly to the floor underneath. (I don't believe this is due to any defect in the mat per se -- I am just disappointed, given the price of these things, if they were rated for user weight in a way that made it easier to choose intelligently for a particular application and body profile!) For a heavier person like myself, this mat doesn't therefore supply a particularly stable/flat surface for standing or working on (the closest analogy I can think of is walking on soft sand at the beach, where you sink a little and have to recover balance and forward motion for each new step). However, if I allow myself to fall forward onto my knees, the mat definitely cushions the fall entirely adequately (at least from a standing height). So what can I say? It appears to serve its basic intended function as a "crash" mat, which was my main priority ... but I still wish I knew what to buy that would give me both a fairly stable (i.e., not squishy/semi-sunken) surface to work from AND serious cushioning in the event of a fall. I'm not sure how little a person would need to weight *NOT* to experience significant squishing/sinking just standing or tumbling on this mat, or if a crash mat is at all appropriate for such purposes at any age or weight ... but I assume this would be better in that regard for a young and light gymnast in training (which, no doubt, is whom it's designed for). If your application is more similar to mine, just be aware that the mat has a fair amount of "give" (as it must, to serve its stated function as a "crash mat"), and that you should try to figure out in advance whether you're willing to accept that trade-off in exchange, perhaps, for feeling a bit safer/less fearful of falling. I'll update this review if my impressions change over the next few weeks. And if anyone has good suggestions for creating a surface that provides both working stability AND good crash protection for an older/heavier user, please add them in the comments! :-)

I understand this is a crash pad, but I was expecting a little firmness. I took a picture of me stepping on it, so others can avoid the mistake I made if they are looking for something a little more firm.