Harbinger Ribbed Durafoam Exercise Mat 5/8-Inch, Blue

I love this mat.I got 2, one for me and one for my bf. I used to have one before but I lent it to a relative about a year ago who loved it so much that I never saw it again so I decided to just get myself a new one. I love that they're lightweight and have the perfect amount of cushion which is great for many exercises that require laying on your side on your hip bone, and putting pressure on your spine. I disagree with reviewers who say it's hard to balance on them. Our mats are used against a flat linoleum surface but even if in my strong opinion even if I used it on top of a carpet...I wouldn't say it's the mat's fault more than your own coordinative fitness level that contributes to your balance problems...seriously, it's not an air mattress.It does curl up a bit from the inside end of the mat but its not a deal breaker and doesnt hinder the flow of my palates, yoga, and ground workouts. It stays put against my floor but can be a bit slippery when sweated on so I recommend laying a small towel down for safety, as well as for hygienic, and clean up reasons. Initially, there was a hot-off-the-press rubber-chemical smell when I unfurled them the first few times but it's gone away by now. I didn't find the smell unbearable either.O and If you have pets, especially a cat, make sure to roll up and put away your mat when not in use to avoid the claw and scratch marks that they'll knead into them. That's what happened to my old mat a few times.I;m very happy with this product and would HIGHLY recommend to others. Shipping was GREAT too! I ordered these 2 mats one night and they arrived to my house in NY the NEXT afternoon!

I gave this mat 5 stars because the mat far exceeded my expectations. For $29 with free shipping from Amazon, this is the best mat I have tried (even from local stores like Sports Authority, target and Wal-Mart). The 5/8" thick Durafoam is very comfortable and provides a very good layer even on top of my tile and wood floor areas of my home.As for earlier reviews that described the manufacturer's short-sided gluing of the cardboard to the foam, I think the manufacturer (or amazon) listened. The mat I received on April 2008 did NOT have ANY glue. It came rolled and the manufacturer's packing cardboard was wrapped around the mat and taped shut to itself ... No glue or tape was ever in contact to the mat.There is nothing negative to say about this mat. However, I do have recommendations for the manufacturer:(1) I am 6'2" and 224lbs ... I would like them to make a wider and longer mat of the same material and quality. I believe there is a market for such a mat.(2) They should offer different colors. It's no big deal but I would really prefer options ... Something manly like black, navy blue, camouflage, guns of the world print, Scarface print or even a big Home Depot logo ... well, maybe the former ideas are a stretch, but you get the point. Guys do yoga and core exercises, too!

Love the yoga/exercise mat. It's thick so that I know I'm not disturbing the downstairs neighbors.

I have very bony knees and have never been able to kneel directly on the floor, it causes me extreme pain. When working out (pilates for example) I needed to pile several mats or use a towel folded several times, and it only provided relief lasting a few minutes... the same applies to the bony elbows.This mat is very thick and absolutely "cozy" for my knees and elbows, I can now be on my knees or on by elbows as long as I want to when doing pilates... When I received it I indeed noticed that it had a plastic smell but it was not as strong as some reviewers have mentioned nor it transferred to my clothes, it was more like a "new" smell and faded away within a couple of days. It is veeery long (or long enough for tall people, I am just petite) however, it may not be as wide as a very tall or big person would like to, although I believe that it has the standard width. The end of the mat that is first rolled in tends to stay folded but it is just a few inches at the end, it is not like the whole mat stays curved or rolls in. I believe it was a bit expensive but it is worth it.

I was initially concerned at how long it would take this to flatten out, since the inner end when unwound was so tightly curled, almost looked like it was pressed into a right angle. But I laid it out upside down and it went flat surprisingly quickly, and stayed that way.This is a nice, thick mat compared to most I've seen or used, and it took a little getting used to just from the different feel, but it is very, very comfortable.Any position, back, front, sides, knees, feet, hands, elbows, everything feels SO much better during exercising with this than on the older one I was replacing, not to mention the floor.I use it on carpet so for me sliding wasn't something I experienced, it held itself to the floor just where I put it.All in all, a purchase I'm VERY pleased with.