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So, you’re taking your cardio routine to the next level by introducing one of the best treadmills on the market into your home. We love that for you. But whether your floor is hardwood, tile, carpet, or concrete, protecting it from these machines is a must. Some might say that they’ve used their treadmill at home without a...
The post The 6 Best Home Treadmill Mats of 2024 appeared first on BarBend.
So, you’re taking your cardio routine to the next level by introducing one of the best treadmills on the market into your home. We love that for you. But whether your floor is hardwood, tile, carpet, or concrete, protecting it from these machines is a must. Some might say that they’ve used their treadmill at home without a mat for ages and never experienced any problems, but isn’t it better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the foundation of your home? It’s all fun and games until there’s a divot the size of a quarter pounder on your floor.
Treadmills are heavy pieces of fitness equipment, with many models weighing between 250 to 350 pounds. And the faster you run, the more ground force you’re creating, with the total amount of force a runner’s putting down coming out to roughly three to four times their body weight. (1)(2) Just for clarity, that’s an additional 450 to 600 pounds for a 150-pound runner. We love an easy solution here at BarBend, and the treadmill mats we’ve selected will provide the floor protection you’re after. We tested 20 of the top options on the market, and here are our picks for the 6 best home treadmill mats.
The 6 Best Tried and Tested Home Treadmill Mats
About Our Expert
This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, a certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 coach. She reviewed the research we cite to help ensure we’re providing advice that’s safe and sound. However, before you start a new fitness routine, it’s best to consult your doctor.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Home Treadmill Mats
“Treadmills are often the first things that come to mind when someone starts to consider exercising at home,” says certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto. And figuring out how to spend more time on your treadmill without denting your floors is where fitness equipment mats take center stage. It’s tough navigating what’s available out there, so we’re here to show you the pros and cons of each mat we thought worthy of this list.
The BarBend team is filled with certified personal trainers, marathon racers, and lifelong fitness fans who have tested hundreds of pieces of home gym equipment, from running on the best incline treadmills to cycling on the most popular exercise bikes. We tried and tested 20 of the most popular treadmill mats on the market to bring you our top picks, taking notes on footprint, budget-friendly options, what surface worked best for each mat, noise reduction capabilities, and how sturdy each mat proved to be.
Here are a few of the points of consideration we focused on while choosing our top picks.
Durability
A great treadmill mat that deprecates after a few uses isn’t all that great, is it? So, what makes a durable mat? Material was our primary focus when looking at durability. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and vinyl (often used as shorthand for PVC) are the most commonly-used materials for treadmill mats and tend to be fairly reliable. However, ProFoam is the most durable material we’ve tested, and EVA Foam is the least.
Cost
We made sure to highlight how much each mat costs, plus the value of that purchase in light of the product’s durability. With options ranging from $25.99 up to $139.95, we wanted to provide a solution that could fit any budget. Take into consideration what you want a treadmill mat for, whether it’s to dampen noise, keep sweat off your carpet, give your joints some added cushioning, or protect your floor from injury, and you’ll be able to figure out an appropriate price range.
Footprint
Treadmills are large pieces of workout equipment, with an average footprint of between 30 to 36 inches wide and 70 to 80 inches long. We wanted to give you options that would fit a majority of treadmills, from smaller more compact options to those with larger dimensions, while also mentioning what treadmills would work with specific mats.
Best Treadmill Mat Overall: SuperMats TreadMat
SuperMats
SuperMats
This durable 38 inch by 90 inch mat helps protect your floor from the damage that heavy equipment can cause.
Shop Amazon
Specs
Pros
Cons
Whether your treadmill is compact or long, SuperMats Made in the USA Mat may be the ticket to protect your floors and your equipment. Made from durable vinyl and measuring 90 inches long and 36 inches wide, this is one of the longest floor mats we’ve tested by about 10 inches. Its extra-long design makes it a solid pairing for the average treadmill, which ranges between 70 to 80 inches long and 30 to 36 inches wide, as well as larger machines like the 82-inch Sole F63.
[Related: Sole F63 Treadmill Review.]
For as long as it is, though, its 36-inch width is about 4 inches smaller than the average mat we’ve tested, so be sure to check the footprint of your treadmill, elliptical, or spin bike to make sure you’ve got enough mat to fit beneath your equipment. This mat is also advertised as being one-inch thick, but multiple customer reviews have mentioned it being closer to ?th to ¼th of an inch thick. It doesn’t seem to be too much of a sticking point, however, as it has a 4.6 out of 5 rating from over 6,000 customer reviews on Amazon.
Our tester, a certified Crossfit Level 1 coach, noted how they often have to level out a new floor mat, since it often comes rolled up with kinks and bumps in it. “Sometimes I have to use something heavy to help flatten out a brand new floor mat, but the SuperMat laid out nicely right after I took it out of the box,” they said.
Our tester did have one concern. “Right out of the box there was this chalk-like black residue that got on my fingers,” they said. Before use, we recommend wiping this mat down with some warm water and a paper towel, an easy enough thing to do since this vinyl mat is waterproof.
Best Treadmill Mat for Most People: ProForm Large Equipment Mat
ProForm Large Equipment Mat
ProForm Large Equipment Mat
Protect your home floor from heavy exercise equipment with this 80-inch by 40-inch exercise mat.
Shop ProForm
Specs
Pros
Cons
We’re big fans of ProForm equipment because they make some of the best treadmills with iFIT interactive programming. The ProForm Large Equipment Mat has a vinyl surface that, with a 40-inch by 80-inch footprint, can accommodate the average treadmill, which tends to measure between 30 to 36 inches wide and 70 to 80 inches. For example, this mat would work well with the 77-inch ProForm Pro 9000, one of the best treadmills for running. Also, the $40 price is on the lower side of the $26 to $140 price range we’ve tested.
We also love the portability of this mat. At 10 pounds, it’s easy to roll up and move from space to space, allowing it to double as both a treadmill mat or a workout mat for bodyweight exercises. Its non-slip surface should keep you and your equipment from sliding around on wooden floors, and customer reviews have mentioned this mat being great for use on carpets as well.
“[It] will protect the carpeting in the workout room. Regardless of the type of flooring you have, I highly recommend this mat to go under your equipment,” reads one customer review. Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, agrees. “Every home gym owner can benefit from good gym flooring,” she says. “Without it, the risk of damaging your home’s flooring and/or foundation is much higher.”
Our main gripe is the thickness of this mat. At 4 millimeters, it’s on the thinner side of mats we’ve tested, most of which range between 3 and 12.7 millimeters. On average, mats tend to measure about 6 millimeters, which is a solid amount of cushion between the floor and your machine, leading to increased impact absorption.
Due to the smaller thickness, we wonder about this particular mat’s durability, especially after reading some customer reviews that note it breaking down over time and leaving behind small flecks of vinyl. However, at the affordable price of 40 dollars, longevity isn’t to be expected.
Best Durable Treadmill Mat: Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
This large 6 foot by 4 foot exercise mat will help protect your floors from whatever exercise equipment or workout you keep ontop of it.
Shop Amazon
Specs
Pros
Cons
The Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat is 6 millimeters thick — 2 millimeters thicker than many mats we tested — and made from high-density ProFoam, giving it a solid, durable surface for the best cardio machines in your home gym. I use this mat in my own gym, and based on my experience with it after three years and countless workouts, I rate its durability a 5 out of 5.
Our BarBend product tester working out while standing on a Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat.
Before purchasing this mat, my goal had been to find a durable product that could protect my floor by holding an exercise bike and free weights, while also allowing me the space to use my Tonal for deadlifts, squats, and floor work. I needed something durable to protect my floors, but dense, so I had stability in my heavier lifts. At 72 inches in length, this mat is shorter than some others by 8 to 18 inches, but it makes up for it with its 48-inch width, which is 12 inches wider than the average mat. I give it a 5 out of 5 for workout experience.
[Related: Tonal Review]
As I mentioned, I’ve owned this mat for three years and use it around five times a week. I keep an exercise bike on it, and the indentations never leave lasting marks when I move, due in no small part to the ProFoam construction. I’ve accidentally dropped 35-pound weights on the mat (this, I don’t recommend) and after having a panic attack and wondering how my landlord would react, I looked under the mat to see unharmed hardwood floors. Hence, my 5 out of 5 rating for durability.
Portability scored a 3 out of 5. I wouldn’t want to roll this mat up and move it around often because, as mentioned, it’s wider and thicker than many other options on the market. However, your purchase does include a travel bag and some velcro straps for transport.
This high-density mat is great for carpet, hardwood, tile, and concrete floors, and comes with a textured surface to prevent sliding. It’s a pricey purchase at $139.99 — that’s about triple the cost of the average treadmill mat — but, if our experience is any indication, you won’t be buying another one for a long time.
Best Treadmill Mat for Carpet: Sunny Health & Fitness Home Gym Floor Protector Mat
Home Gym Foam Floor Protector Mat
Home Gym Foam Floor Protector Mat
These floor mats come in multiple sizes, so you can help protect your floor from scuffs and scratches no matter how large or small your exercise equipment is.
Shop Amazon
Specs
Pros
Cons
Whether you’ve got high-end cardio equipment or one of the best treadmills under $1,000, you’ve got to protect your carpet from wear, tear, and sweat. The Sunny Health & Fitness Home Gym Floor Mat is created with a waterproof PVC foam that’ll keep any spills or perspiration from staining your carpet fibers.
Our tester, a CrossFit level 1 coach, tried this mat out. “I had my treadmill set up on this mat over the carpet, and I didn’t notice any shake or wobble while I worked out,” they said. “There’s a good amount of sizes to choose from — the medium-sized mat fits my Sunny Health and Fitness Under Desk Treadmill well.” This mat comes in extra small, small, medium, and large, so you can pick the...
Click here to view the article.
The post The 6 Best Home Treadmill Mats of 2024 appeared first on BarBend.
So, you’re taking your cardio routine to the next level by introducing one of the best treadmills on the market into your home. We love that for you. But whether your floor is hardwood, tile, carpet, or concrete, protecting it from these machines is a must. Some might say that they’ve used their treadmill at home without a mat for ages and never experienced any problems, but isn’t it better to be safe than sorry when it comes to the foundation of your home? It’s all fun and games until there’s a divot the size of a quarter pounder on your floor.
Treadmills are heavy pieces of fitness equipment, with many models weighing between 250 to 350 pounds. And the faster you run, the more ground force you’re creating, with the total amount of force a runner’s putting down coming out to roughly three to four times their body weight. (1)(2) Just for clarity, that’s an additional 450 to 600 pounds for a 150-pound runner. We love an easy solution here at BarBend, and the treadmill mats we’ve selected will provide the floor protection you’re after. We tested 20 of the top options on the market, and here are our picks for the 6 best home treadmill mats.
The 6 Best Tried and Tested Home Treadmill Mats
- Best Treadmill Mat Overall: SuperMats TreadMat
- Best Treadmill Mat for Most People: ProForm Large Equipment Mat
- Best Durable Treadmill Mat: Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
- Best Treadmill Mat for Carpet: Sunny Health & Fitness Home Gym Floor Protector Mat
- Best Budget Treadmill Mat: BalanceFrom High Density Treadmill Equipment Mat
- Best Treadmill Mat for Garage Gyms: ProsourceFit Puzzle Exercise Mat
About Our Expert
This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, a certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level 1 coach. She reviewed the research we cite to help ensure we’re providing advice that’s safe and sound. However, before you start a new fitness routine, it’s best to consult your doctor.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Home Treadmill Mats
“Treadmills are often the first things that come to mind when someone starts to consider exercising at home,” says certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto. And figuring out how to spend more time on your treadmill without denting your floors is where fitness equipment mats take center stage. It’s tough navigating what’s available out there, so we’re here to show you the pros and cons of each mat we thought worthy of this list.
The BarBend team is filled with certified personal trainers, marathon racers, and lifelong fitness fans who have tested hundreds of pieces of home gym equipment, from running on the best incline treadmills to cycling on the most popular exercise bikes. We tried and tested 20 of the most popular treadmill mats on the market to bring you our top picks, taking notes on footprint, budget-friendly options, what surface worked best for each mat, noise reduction capabilities, and how sturdy each mat proved to be.
Here are a few of the points of consideration we focused on while choosing our top picks.
Durability
A great treadmill mat that deprecates after a few uses isn’t all that great, is it? So, what makes a durable mat? Material was our primary focus when looking at durability. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and vinyl (often used as shorthand for PVC) are the most commonly-used materials for treadmill mats and tend to be fairly reliable. However, ProFoam is the most durable material we’ve tested, and EVA Foam is the least.
Cost
We made sure to highlight how much each mat costs, plus the value of that purchase in light of the product’s durability. With options ranging from $25.99 up to $139.95, we wanted to provide a solution that could fit any budget. Take into consideration what you want a treadmill mat for, whether it’s to dampen noise, keep sweat off your carpet, give your joints some added cushioning, or protect your floor from injury, and you’ll be able to figure out an appropriate price range.
Footprint
Treadmills are large pieces of workout equipment, with an average footprint of between 30 to 36 inches wide and 70 to 80 inches long. We wanted to give you options that would fit a majority of treadmills, from smaller more compact options to those with larger dimensions, while also mentioning what treadmills would work with specific mats.
Best Treadmill Mat Overall: SuperMats TreadMat
SuperMats
SuperMats
This durable 38 inch by 90 inch mat helps protect your floor from the damage that heavy equipment can cause.
Shop Amazon
Specs
- Price: $51.84
- Material: Vinyl
- Weight: 23lbs
- Dimensions: 90” L x 36” W
- Thickness: 3mm
Pros
- At 90 inches, this mat is 10 inches longer than the average, making it suitable for large machines.
- Vinyl is considered one of the most waterproof flooring materials, making it easy to wipe away sweat and water.
- This mat comes out flat, with no need to flatten out curled-up edges.
Cons
- A black powdery residue can rub off of the mat after unboxing.
- Some customer reviews say the mat isn’t one-inch thick, as advertised, but closer to ?th to ¼th of an inch.
Whether your treadmill is compact or long, SuperMats Made in the USA Mat may be the ticket to protect your floors and your equipment. Made from durable vinyl and measuring 90 inches long and 36 inches wide, this is one of the longest floor mats we’ve tested by about 10 inches. Its extra-long design makes it a solid pairing for the average treadmill, which ranges between 70 to 80 inches long and 30 to 36 inches wide, as well as larger machines like the 82-inch Sole F63.
[Related: Sole F63 Treadmill Review.]
For as long as it is, though, its 36-inch width is about 4 inches smaller than the average mat we’ve tested, so be sure to check the footprint of your treadmill, elliptical, or spin bike to make sure you’ve got enough mat to fit beneath your equipment. This mat is also advertised as being one-inch thick, but multiple customer reviews have mentioned it being closer to ?th to ¼th of an inch thick. It doesn’t seem to be too much of a sticking point, however, as it has a 4.6 out of 5 rating from over 6,000 customer reviews on Amazon.
Our tester, a certified Crossfit Level 1 coach, noted how they often have to level out a new floor mat, since it often comes rolled up with kinks and bumps in it. “Sometimes I have to use something heavy to help flatten out a brand new floor mat, but the SuperMat laid out nicely right after I took it out of the box,” they said.
Our tester did have one concern. “Right out of the box there was this chalk-like black residue that got on my fingers,” they said. Before use, we recommend wiping this mat down with some warm water and a paper towel, an easy enough thing to do since this vinyl mat is waterproof.
Best Treadmill Mat for Most People: ProForm Large Equipment Mat
ProForm Large Equipment Mat
ProForm Large Equipment Mat
Protect your home floor from heavy exercise equipment with this 80-inch by 40-inch exercise mat.
Shop ProForm
Specs
- Price: $40
- Material: Vinyl
- Weight: 10lbs
- Dimensions: 80” L x 40” W
- Thickness: 4mm+
Pros
- The 80 inch by 40 inch treadmill mat should accommodate most treadmills.
- The nonslip mat won’t slide around on hard floors or carpeting.
- It’s easy to roll this mat up if you need to move things around.
Cons
- This is one of the thinner options on our list at 4mm — most mats have a thickness of 6mm or more.
- Customer reviews have mentioned this mat wearing down over time and leaving behind little flecks of vinyl.
We’re big fans of ProForm equipment because they make some of the best treadmills with iFIT interactive programming. The ProForm Large Equipment Mat has a vinyl surface that, with a 40-inch by 80-inch footprint, can accommodate the average treadmill, which tends to measure between 30 to 36 inches wide and 70 to 80 inches. For example, this mat would work well with the 77-inch ProForm Pro 9000, one of the best treadmills for running. Also, the $40 price is on the lower side of the $26 to $140 price range we’ve tested.
We also love the portability of this mat. At 10 pounds, it’s easy to roll up and move from space to space, allowing it to double as both a treadmill mat or a workout mat for bodyweight exercises. Its non-slip surface should keep you and your equipment from sliding around on wooden floors, and customer reviews have mentioned this mat being great for use on carpets as well.
“[It] will protect the carpeting in the workout room. Regardless of the type of flooring you have, I highly recommend this mat to go under your equipment,” reads one customer review. Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, agrees. “Every home gym owner can benefit from good gym flooring,” she says. “Without it, the risk of damaging your home’s flooring and/or foundation is much higher.”
Our main gripe is the thickness of this mat. At 4 millimeters, it’s on the thinner side of mats we’ve tested, most of which range between 3 and 12.7 millimeters. On average, mats tend to measure about 6 millimeters, which is a solid amount of cushion between the floor and your machine, leading to increased impact absorption.
Due to the smaller thickness, we wonder about this particular mat’s durability, especially after reading some customer reviews that note it breaking down over time and leaving behind small flecks of vinyl. However, at the affordable price of 40 dollars, longevity isn’t to be expected.
Best Durable Treadmill Mat: Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat
This large 6 foot by 4 foot exercise mat will help protect your floors from whatever exercise equipment or workout you keep ontop of it.
Shop Amazon
Specs
- Price: $139.95
- Material: ProFoam
- Weight: 14lbs
- Dimensions: 72” L x 48” W
- Thickness: 6mm
Pros
- At 6 millimeters, this mat is thicker by 2 millimeters than many mats we tested.
- The use of ProFoam in this mat’s build can help with durability and longevity of use.
- This mat is 12 inches wider than average, making space for dumbbells and other gear.
Cons
- At $139.95, it’s nearly triple the cost of the $40 to $50 average of other mats we tested.
- This isn’t a mat you’ll want to move around often since it’s roughly 12 inches wider than most mats we tested.
The Gorilla Mats Premium Large Exercise Mat is 6 millimeters thick — 2 millimeters thicker than many mats we tested — and made from high-density ProFoam, giving it a solid, durable surface for the best cardio machines in your home gym. I use this mat in my own gym, and based on my experience with it after three years and countless workouts, I rate its durability a 5 out of 5.
Before purchasing this mat, my goal had been to find a durable product that could protect my floor by holding an exercise bike and free weights, while also allowing me the space to use my Tonal for deadlifts, squats, and floor work. I needed something durable to protect my floors, but dense, so I had stability in my heavier lifts. At 72 inches in length, this mat is shorter than some others by 8 to 18 inches, but it makes up for it with its 48-inch width, which is 12 inches wider than the average mat. I give it a 5 out of 5 for workout experience.
[Related: Tonal Review]
As I mentioned, I’ve owned this mat for three years and use it around five times a week. I keep an exercise bike on it, and the indentations never leave lasting marks when I move, due in no small part to the ProFoam construction. I’ve accidentally dropped 35-pound weights on the mat (this, I don’t recommend) and after having a panic attack and wondering how my landlord would react, I looked under the mat to see unharmed hardwood floors. Hence, my 5 out of 5 rating for durability.
Portability scored a 3 out of 5. I wouldn’t want to roll this mat up and move it around often because, as mentioned, it’s wider and thicker than many other options on the market. However, your purchase does include a travel bag and some velcro straps for transport.
This high-density mat is great for carpet, hardwood, tile, and concrete floors, and comes with a textured surface to prevent sliding. It’s a pricey purchase at $139.99 — that’s about triple the cost of the average treadmill mat — but, if our experience is any indication, you won’t be buying another one for a long time.
Best Treadmill Mat for Carpet: Sunny Health & Fitness Home Gym Floor Protector Mat
Home Gym Foam Floor Protector Mat
Home Gym Foam Floor Protector Mat
These floor mats come in multiple sizes, so you can help protect your floor from scuffs and scratches no matter how large or small your exercise equipment is.
Shop Amazon
Specs
- Price: Starting at $24.99
- Material: PVC foam
- Weight: 5.1lbs
- Dimensions: 30” L x 20” W; 51”L x 23.5”W; 79” L x 35.5” W; 90.5” L x 39.5” W
- Thickness: 4mm
Pros
- The PVC foam is water resistant, useful in protecting your carpet from sweat.
- It’s available in four different sizes to accommodate treadmills of varying lengths and widths.
- This is a lightweight mat, from 1 pound for the extra small to 5 pounds for the large, so moving it around is easy.
Cons
- This mat can rip if the equipment is dragged rather than lifted on and off of it.
- Our tester had an issue with the edges not laying flat.
Whether you’ve got high-end cardio equipment or one of the best treadmills under $1,000, you’ve got to protect your carpet from wear, tear, and sweat. The Sunny Health & Fitness Home Gym Floor Mat is created with a waterproof PVC foam that’ll keep any spills or perspiration from staining your carpet fibers.
Our tester, a CrossFit level 1 coach, tried this mat out. “I had my treadmill set up on this mat over the carpet, and I didn’t notice any shake or wobble while I worked out,” they said. “There’s a good amount of sizes to choose from — the medium-sized mat fits my Sunny Health and Fitness Under Desk Treadmill well.” This mat comes in extra small, small, medium, and large, so you can pick the...
Click here to view the article.
