One of the plushest mats on the market, the Pliability Mat is a good option for muscle and joint support – though it’s bulky and pricey…

For a full roundup, check out the best exercise mats for functional fitness

The Pliability Mat  

BUY IT NOW: 

$139 / £115,  shop.pliability.com 

Grip: 4/5
Comfort: 3/5
Portability: 2/5
OVERALL: 3/5 

PROS: 

  • Thick and supportive
  • Large surface area  

CONS:  

  • Expensive  
  • Hard to transport 

With some mats like the Kimjaly measuring just 5mm thick, at 24mm the double-layered Pliability Mat feels chunky and luxurious. It’s made from high-performance athletic foam for maximum shock absorption, topped with a grippy and durable anti-microbial vinyl layer.

The Pliability Mat has two layers of multi-density closed-cell, cross-linked foam, which sounds complicated but essentially means it won’t break down from repeated usage – making this a real mat for life.   

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The natural rubber base sticks to the ground and provides a generous space to work with – at 180 x 89cm this is one of the widest mats on test. However, combine that with its thickness and you won’t be surprised to learn it doesn’t roll up tightly for easy storage and certainly won’t fit in a bag.

The Pliability Mat design

It rolls up section by section, thanks to pleats in the padding that run every 5cm or so, which make it pretty awkward to pack up. That makes the Pliability Mat much better suited to staying put in a home gym. 

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When using the mat for full-length exercises such as stretches and abs work, it feels surprisingly rigid. When used for jumping and HIIT workouts, however, your joints will feel cushioned and supported by all that plushness.

The Pliability Mat also features helpful alignment markers to help you stay focused on your body positioning. 

Aside from its bulkiness, our main gripe is with the price. At £115 it’s more than twice the price of most other mats and apart from that high-tech foam construction there’s no real extravagance to it.

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The vinyl cover can feel slippery when you start to sweat, and isn’t as flexible as we’d like. In fact it feels more like a padded floor than a mat.

With the Pliability Mat, you’re paying for plushness and durability. If you’re looking for a good-sized mat that’ll last and that gives you extra joint support, the Pliability Mat won’t disappoint. But we think there are better all-rounders out there for half the price.