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Buying
a wrestling mat is one of the most important investments you can
make for your school or club. Wrestling mats are not cheap and
it can cost a small fortune to equip your wrestling room. Choosing
the right mat and manufacturer can make all the difference in
the life and value of the mat.
Mat
Type
The first thing you'll need to do is choose the type of mat you
want. In North America, there are basically two types of mats. The
first, manufactured by Dollamur (Speith Anderson) is the lightest
wrestling mat on the market and is made with a trocellen closed
cell polyethylene foam. The top side contains a protective vinyl
covering while the bottom side is covered with needle punch carpet
to provide durability and non-slip traction. Mats are available
in 5/8, 1.25, and 2 inch thickness.
The
second and more common type of mat is made of a polyvinylchloride
(PVC) foam. These mats range in thickness from 1 to 1.25 inches.
The two main manufacturers of these mats are Pinnacle Athletics
and Resilite. Unlike the lighter polyethylene foam, PVC foam is
heavier and tends to have a higher density per square inch providing
greater shock absorption. In addition, the PVC foam is covered
on both sides and edges increasing the life of the mat. Unlike
the polyethylene mats, the PVC mats can also be repaired or reconditioned
to add extra life to your mat.
For
portability, the polyethylene foam is probably the best choice,
although you will need additional storage space since these tend
to take up more space when rolled. If space is at a premium ,the
PVC foam is a better option as it tends to roll much tighter and
will therefore fit into smaller spaces.
With
the proper care and maintenance you should get at least 10-15
good years from your mat. With a PVC foam mat, you should be able
to double the life by repairing gouges or marks or reconditioning
when necessary. For schools that will be sharing the mat with
other sports/classes it's best to go with a PVC foam mat since
it tends to hold up better from student abuse. Unlike the polyethylene
foam which has opened edges, the covered sides and edges of the
PVC foam make it more difficult for the students to pick and gouge
the foam.
Mat
Size
After choosing the type you'll need to decide what size of mat you
need. Most mats are made individually and can therefore be customized
to meet your unique size requirements. In the case of high school
and college, specific sizes are needed for competition. The NCAA
requires a 42' x 42' mat with a minimum wrestling circle of 32'
while US High school rules require a 38' x 38' mat with a minimum
wrestling circle of 28'.
For home use, there are two standard
sizes; 10' x 10' and 12' x 12'. Home mats are great for younger
wrestlers who want to get a bit more practice on their own time
outside of regular practice hours or in the off season. Dollamur,
Pinnacle and Resilite all produce home mats.
- 10'
x 10' (small home)
- 12'
x 12' (average home)
- 20'
x 20' (small school)
- 30'
x 30' (small school)
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- 32'
x 32' (regular school)
- 38'
x 38' (regular school)
- 40'
x 40' (regular school)
- 42'
x 42' (large school)
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For
customized mats you'll need to account for shrinkage as most mats
shrink during the manufacturing process (Dollamur mats tend to
shrink less than PVC mats from Pinnacle and Resilite). Generally,
you'll need to account for between 2-6% shrinkage, especially
if you are trying to lay the mat from wall to wall. Check with
the manufacturer for the exact amount when placing your order.
Mat
Colors
You can choose almost any color or combination of colors for your
new mats. The standard colors include:
- black
- burnt
orange
- cardinal
red
- columbia
blue
- chocolate
brown
- dark
green
- dark
maroon
- light
maroon
- gray
- light
gray
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- kelly
green
- light
gold
- medium
green
- navy
blue
- old
gold
- penn
state blue
- orange
- purple
- teal
- white
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Depending
on the layout of the mat you can also choose to have multiple
colors on your mat. For example, on a standard layout, you may
choose Columbia blue as the main color and white for the lines,
lettering and insignia.
Mat
Layout
Most mats come in a variety of layouts including the standard
freestyle and international layouts. In addition, you can also
choose to have a two tone, a three tone layout or smaller practice
cirlces.
Mat
Costs
While Dollamur mats tend to be slightly more expensive than those
from Resilite and Pinnacle, you can expect to pay around $3.50 -
$4.50 US per square foot for a new mat. Therefore, a new 40' x 40'
mat will cost between $5600 - $7200 US. If your budget is tight
you can have your old may reconditioned (PVC mats only) for around
$1.50-$1.75 per square foot. Depending on your location and the
distance from the manufacturer, the shipping costs can also add
a substantial cost to the final cost. Most
manufacturers offer a one to three year guarantee so if there
any problems caused from the manufacturing process it should be
fixed.
Extras
The last step is choose letter and school insignias. Most manufactures
will print your school name and or logo on one or both sides for
an extra cost.
Return to the list of How-To
Guides.
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