Zebra Mats Q&A
- Thread starter zebramats
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The answer to this is, Correct!
I love this question.
It is very true, just like anything in life - you get what you pay for. The construction/ type of multi density foam we use incurs a great deal of cost. We are the last remaining mat manufacturer that still makes their mats in Germany. All other competitors have succumbed to purchasing from China to level out the costs and make more money. Zebra refuses to sacrifice quality in our mats to make an extra buck. We have developed a sound reputation for quality and performance and refuse to tarnish it. Most if not all customers find our mats a joy to roll on. There are many instances where customers of our competitors (chinese mats) will contact us only a few yrs after their initial purchase with them, asking us to redo their matted area as they are already running into issues. There is a reason why we advertise a 10 yr warranty on our mats. We hold very skinny margins on matting but we make up for it with many happy customers which turns into larger volume.
The truth of the matter is that not all mats are created equal:
1). The China mats are made with a solvent based adhesive that bonds the vinyl to the foam. We have found that this type of adhesive does not offer even close to the same foam tearing bond as the heat activated/powder based adhesive that we use. This means that the vinyl on the China made mat will bubble after a short period of time making it an unsafe mat due to loose vinyl. Having the vinyl properly bonded to the foam core is one of the great safety features of the Zebra Mats. The solvent based adhesive also gives off a chemical odor. We send out samples of our mats as well as our competitors mats to many of our customers so they can hold them both and decide for them selves. We cut both mats so it is plain to see the differences. The Chinese mats also have sawdust mixed in in the foam. The adhesive on the Chinese mats really does not hold the vinyl to the foam very well, it peels off like a banana peel.
2). The China Mat is made with a veneer board sandwiched in the middle of the foam core. This not only affects the shock absorption of the mat, it allows them to reduce the density of the foam making the mat less safe and considerably shortening the life of the foam core. The solid foam core is another safety feature of the Zebra Mats.
3). The foam core in the China made mats has very low tensile strength, meaning it tears very easy. This is due to a couple of reasons.
They grind the foam up into very small pieces and they do not use enough of the rebond binding material to properly hold the foam pieces together. This again will quickly shorten the life of the foam core.
The story here is ROI (return on investment), Zebra Mats can be pricey - but when starting a club or training studio you need to be sure about a few things; you want to make sure your mats are going to last so that you are not replacing them every few years. In general our mats usually last 15-25 years before clubs replace them. And in the long run it is a much lower cost of ownership this way. Secondly, you want to make sure you are protected against injury as much as possible with good quality mats - you can be the nicest guy in the world - but you can still be sued if somebody's child gets injured on your mats.
Some things to consider when shopping for a mat. I ended up going with a seamless canvas over foam rolls from Norbert's. This was not only the least expensive route but the seamless cover doesn't allow cleaning solution and sweat to collect in cracks. If you ever look in the crack of a puzzle mat it is a collection of debris, hair, dead skin, etc. I am happy with my seamless mats although it takes a lot more time to install. Not the best route if you plan on moving the mat around or moving to another location. My mats are 3 years-old and are holding up well. I am sure I can easily get another 3 years out of these if not more.
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Do you ever have any sales? I'm looking to buy about 6' by 10' worth of mats to create an awesome play area for my daughter.
If you are looking to outfit a play area for your daughter, than the mats we offer may be overkill. You can find some EVA foam 1/2 inch thick multi-colour mats at Toys R Us. They are sold in packs of 4x 2'x2' tiles for around $37-$40.
We did explore this option, one of the issues we find here is that alot of times our customers end up growing their business and exapanding on their matted sections or moving locations. Our grappling mats or MMA mats can easily be added on to or moved in these cases. On average our mats have a life-span of 15 - 20 years. That is a large part of what you pay for - agreed the above option is more cost effective in the beginning.
how are you finding rolling on canvas? Wouldn't that be too rough and hurt?
The gym I train at is outfitted with canvas covered foam matting, the canvas is not that rough and gets smoothed out very quickly into a smooth surface which is not rough or coarse to roll on.
I have found very little mat burn with canvas, it is a good alternative IMO.
I have found very little mat burn with canvas, it is a good alternative IMO.
A
ASEGSEA
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Wow, I'm pretty much sold on a set of your mats.
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Are Swain mats made in China?
yes, swain grappling mats, striking mats and mma mats are all made in china..
Do you know what type of foam they use under the canvas and how thick? Is this a commercial mat or a custom made solution?
Where did you get this mat?
Are you mats recommended for Judo(throws etc) or only for grappling?
yes, they can be used for any type of martial art, we recommend our pro series (2") MMA mats for any martial art that is more predominantly throwing techniques. The 2" Multi-density rebond foam in our mats eliminate the need for a slam-floor saving the club owner thousands in material/ install costs.
fightscience19
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I love rolling on Zebra mats, except for the Tatami. They suck on the knees. That roughness is on purpose I gather.
They are extremely heavy, 16lb bonded foam in there is no joke.
The non slip grid on the back doesn't work that well unless the floor underneath is immaculately clean. I recommend a border. Awesome mats.
As for the SEAMLESS FLOOR:
Much less expensive alternative to plank style mats.
I prefer this option over anything, as long as you don't plan on moving the mats around alot.
The foam used is crosslinked polyethylene, in sheets or rolls. 1.5" or 2" thickness depending on your preference. They are taped together at the seams after layed down.
The cover can be either 18oz vinyl, or heavy duck canvas. The vinyl option is super resilient, and easy to clean. The canvas option gives slightly better traction, but takes a little longer to dry after mopping.
You must use a border with this option. The vinyl or canvas cover is stretched over the foam, and stapled to the border all the way around.
This is what my gym uses. We bought ours from Core Mat Company for an awesome price. 1.5" thick with an 18oz vinyl cover for $2.90 a square foot.
They are extremely heavy, 16lb bonded foam in there is no joke.
The non slip grid on the back doesn't work that well unless the floor underneath is immaculately clean. I recommend a border. Awesome mats.
As for the SEAMLESS FLOOR:
Much less expensive alternative to plank style mats.
I prefer this option over anything, as long as you don't plan on moving the mats around alot.
The foam used is crosslinked polyethylene, in sheets or rolls. 1.5" or 2" thickness depending on your preference. They are taped together at the seams after layed down.
The cover can be either 18oz vinyl, or heavy duck canvas. The vinyl option is super resilient, and easy to clean. The canvas option gives slightly better traction, but takes a little longer to dry after mopping.
You must use a border with this option. The vinyl or canvas cover is stretched over the foam, and stapled to the border all the way around.
This is what my gym uses. We bought ours from Core Mat Company for an awesome price. 1.5" thick with an 18oz vinyl cover for $2.90 a square foot.
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