The most affordable mat on test, the Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat is also one of the plushest and most comfortable.

When it comes to finding the best exercise mats for your workout needs, comfort is usually high up on the priority list. And with the Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat, you’re looking at unrivaled plushness at a super-affordable price. Here’s how it performed on test.

Men’s Fitness verdict

Offering thick and plush support and a super-affordable price, this exercise mat is ideal for a range of home workouts – unless you need to balance, as the softness-factor can affect your stability.
Pros
  • Thick and plush
  • Portable
Cons
  • Takes a while to unfurl after being rolled up
  • Softness can feel unstable

How we tested the best exercise mats

Our testers put these exercise mats through their paces in a range of workouts, from HIIT sessions to yoga, to bring you the best of the best. In particular, testers were looking to see how grippy the mats were, how comfortable they were to exercise on and how easy they were to transport on the go. Bonus points were also awarded for durability, design options and value for money.

Materials:Nitrile butadiene rubber
Dimensions:71.7 x 24in (182 x 61cm)
Features:10mm cushion, double-sided, carry strap
Colour:Black
It’s made from nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), which has a luxurious, comfortable and foam-like feel.

Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat performance

The Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat is the most affordable mat we tested but punches well above its weight. It may be a no-frills option (if any exercise mats have frills), but it’s a generous 10mm thick and feels super cushioned. It’s made from nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), which has a luxurious, comfortable and foam-like feel in our experience. 

It’s suitable for low-impact or resistance workouts and thanks to its light-weight material and elasticated carry strap it’s easily transportable. Just try not to roll it up too much – we found it took a while for the edges to un-curl, which can be something of a trip hazard. 

Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat design

We found the non-slip textured surface effectively provided good grip and it was easy to wipe down and clean too. The other side is smoother, shinier and slightly slippier. And despite its low price our test mat shows no signs of wear and tear, even after extensive use and a few dropped weights. 

That 10mm cushion feels plush under bare feet and eliminates all traces of hard floors if lying down to perform stretching exercises. It absorbs landings when doing plyometrics and offers plenty of protection to joints.

The foam-like squishiness does, however, make the surface feel unstable for balancing moves such as one-legged squats or tree poses, but there will always be a trade-off between stability and comfort with exercise mats and the Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat is definitely focused on the latter.

With online prices as low as less than $10, you’d expect the Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat to be flimsy and cheaply made but that’s just not the case. It’s comfortable, robust and light enough to take anywhere. We also like that it has a carry strap and is double-sided too, making it even more versatile. In fact, it remains competitive in the company of exercise mats over five times its retail price.

Related content: