Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsFirst impression out of the box review - not yet used. Not impressed.
Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2020
Just delivered and haven't yet used, but wanted to give a first impression in case you are like me and searching for a reasonably priced mat of decent quality.
The first thing I noticed was flecks of hardened glue which coats some areas of the strings which hold the mat together. The ends of the mat are not tied off as is usual for these mats, but rather the end strings are cut flush to the last piece of bamboo and glued in place. This is enough to make me want to return it, but I will ask my daughter-in-law, for whom this was purchased, her impression. In addition, many of the small pieces of bamboo are 'splintered', meaning they aren't smooth and there are places where they appear to have been whittled down. I am surprised at the number of higher star ratings as my first impression is this mat does not warrant higher than three stars. The mat is made in China. I am still searching for mats made in Japan.
