Customer Reviews

Harbinger 340902 Exercise Mat

5 star:		(106)
4 star:		(51)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

This mat provides excellent padding and traction for the exercises I do which include situps and kneeing on my basement concrete floor. It is also easy to clean and stow away. At 5/8", it is one of the thickest mats not for gymnastics or martial arts that I could find. Highly recommended.

I am a 55 year young woman who was encouraged by my personal trainer to take Pilates to strengthen my core and improve my balance. The mats provided at the gym were meant for Yoga, and while they kept me from slipping on the floor, doing any sort of exercise where we were required to lie on our sides just killed my hip joints. This thicker mat was a lifesaver. It was thick enough to cushion my hip joints as well as enable me to exercise barefooted, something I had great difficult doing due to massive amounts of foot surgery (don't you just love high heels?). I had read a review that the mat could only be rolled one direction because of the built in straps, thus creating a permanent curl. This was easily remedied by flipping the mat over when using it, and I had no problem with the mat slipping when being used on the opposite side. For me, it accomplished exactly what I wanted it to do - protected my bones while I got the exercise I needed.

I've used this mat for about 6 months. The thickness is great for pilates & floor exercises, especially on the knees. However, in various yoga poses, such as downward dog & plank, the soft, pliant, foamy material stretches WAY out (a lot like a rubber band) while I'm in the pose, so that my hands & feet keep getting further & further apart & I have to keep moving them in to keep the pose. The stretchy problem has gotten worse over time. It's also too thick (at my level) for the balance exercises, so I do the standing ones on the hard floor.

I wanted to get a super thick mat for my pilates class. My instructor always recommend the mat that has 5/8 thickness for pilates. Usually you pay around $60 for a 5/8 thick mat, but I found a true bargain here! It's thick which provides nice protection for my back, it's colorful, and it even comes with the straps! I am very happy with it. It's simply perfect!!

I use the mat for yoga 2-3 times a week and for some of my P90x exercises. It is well worth the investment. To keep clean just wipe occassionally w/ water or disinfectant of your choice. For those that need the extra cushioning on their knees and joints this mat works. I read several reviews about the mat stretching during downward dog or other yoga poses. The reason why it stretches is because the durafoam material is not as "sticky" as a thin yoga mat. I discovered placing a thinner 1/8" mat between the floor and this mat eliminates the stretching COMPLETELY(and you get a little more cushioning). The downside is that it it is more challenging but not difficult to hold balance poses(this is to be expected obviously because a softer surface is less stable than a stiffer surface). For the P90x I do the floor exercises on this mat as long as my feet are off the mat because I feel over time my shoes would destroy it. For example, for push-ups I put my hands on the mat while my shoes are directly on the floor. And for crunches, I make sure my feet don't touch the mat. For the cardio and kenpo, I don't use the mat at all. Since the mat is extra thick, it will not completely lay flat on one end when you first unroll it. To minimize this "curling" affect, just remember NOT to roll it tight when you are done using it. Rolling it loosely helps it lay flatter when it's time to unroll it. BTW the black velcro straps are long enough to allow you to roll loosely and still be able to fasten. Lastly, my mat did NOT have a funny smell when I got it. Perhaps I was one of the lucky ones.

I bought this mat for both Yoga and Pilates. I wanted the extra thickness/cushion for floor exercises. I have used the mat for 30-days, and can say I am very pleased with the quality construction and performance of the mat for both types of activities. The closed-cell anti-microbial Durafoam feature is worth the money. The removeble strap is included, making this a good value. There is a slight odor to the mat, but only noticeable when lying face down on the mat. One suggestion for the manufacturer to consider is to use a slightly higher quality fabric for the strap. The strap leaves dents in the mat and, over time, may cause the mat to "chip". Other than that, I would buy again.

This mat provides perfect cushioning, but unfortunately, the smell is so terrible that it can't be used. I tried letting it air out for a week, and it still smells terrible. I tried to use it anyways, and the smell transferred to my clothes. If it is a simple matter of airing it out, Harbinger should have the sense to do so before shipping these out. Or perhaps a little quality control, Harbinger.

Over a month later, still has a toxic smell that's crippling to the senses. It'd be a fine product if one could use it, but if I bring it into a room I could practically incapacitate someone with the noxious fumes. This is totally unacceptable. Do not buy this product.

The mat serves the purpose and is OK...however, it had a dreadful chemical smell. I couldn't use it until I had soaked it in the bathtub in detergent and left it outside in the fresh air for 4 days. It still has a faint smell, but no where near as bad. I have experienced this with other products made in China, but can't recall reading similar complaints.

This mat is everything I expected it to be when I bought it.....except the material it is made out of makes it smell strongly like a tire store, or something like it...not very nice when you are trying to do yoga. I suppose it will air out eventually though. Also, when you roll it up, it's a little thicker than I expected...and a little more inconvenient to slip under your arm like a regular yoga mat. However, it is very soft and it's almost like you could sleep on it and be semi comfortable if you didn't have a bed ;)