High School Outdoor Cheer Mats

[stuntaholic]

Alright with the new NFHS rules our team is looking to get outdoor cheer mats for our track. Does anyone know any good places to get some?

 

[MissBee]

You'll void the warranty. The surface of the track will wear away/ tear up the foam on the underside of carpet foam.

 

[stuntaholic]

Are there not such a thing as outdoor mats? Am i just making that up? and if there isnt someone should come up with some.

 

[nhgurlnh]

Many schools use normal blue foam mats outside on the track. It's just tougher foam, and only use 1 section of mat so they only need the school buys 1 section per year, unless they are replacing the whole set.

 

[stuntaholic]

Okay would you maybe have a link to a website where these would be easy to buy?

 

[AScheer]

I was looking at mats yesterday actually. This time of year a lot of companies are getting rid of demos and have great deals. EZ Flex Mats has the best deals currently, also Tiffin.

As for outdoor use I've never seen it where I live, however I have heard of people buying the smaller portable version of mats and taking them to games. I don't think the foam would last too long on a track. You also have the issues of what if it suddenly rains, which happens at least once every football season where we live. You could try the vinyl fold up panel mats. Not great padding but they could be wiped clean and probably last longer.

 

[stuntaholic]

I was looking at mats yesterday actually. This time of year a lot of companies are getting rid of demos and have great deals. EZ Flex Mats has the best deals currently, also Tiffin.

As for outdoor use I've never seen it where I live, however I have heard of people buying the smaller portable version of mats and taking them to games. I don't think the foam would last too long on a track. You also have the issues of what if it suddenly rains, which happens at least once every football season where we live. You could try the vinyl fold up panel mats. Not great padding but they could be wiped clean and probably last longer.

Thanks for the help. The reason we are looking for outdoor mats is because of the new NFHS rules that don't allow twisting on track. And we need to be twisting at the point to be prepared for competition season.

 

[tntdynomite]

After you get the mats you can put something down to serve as a barrier in between the mats and the track to help with wear and tear. Maybe a tarp or some kind of thick cloth.

 

[stuntaholic]

Would something like plywood work?

 

[AScheer]

Would something like plywood work?

I would think so.

 

[MissBee]

After you get the mats you can put something down to serve as a barrier in between the mats and the track to help with wear and tear. Maybe a tarp or some kind of thick cloth.

A tarp would cause the mat to slip and move, creating more hazard than not using a mat at all!

 

[tntdynomite]

A tarp would cause the mat to slip and move, creating more hazard than not using a mat at all!

If they are getting a big roll I don't think the tarp would cause it to slip. That's what I had in mind. If they are getting a little folding mat or something like that then your right, they should try to find something else to put under it.

 

[MissBee]

If they are getting a big roll I don't think the tarp would cause it to slip. That's what I had in mind. If they are getting a little folding mat or something like that then your right, they should try to find something else to put under it.

I used to do Marketing and Sales for one of the major cheer floor suppliers. Trust me, even putting one roll on a tarp, it will slide. I understand the NFHS wanting to limit twisting skills to only being performed on mats (not tracks), but I think the best solution for now is to just not do any twisting skills. Let the manufacturers figure out a safe way for the mats to be used on a gravel or all weather track surface. They need to find a way to protect the mat from unnecessary wear and also from slippage.

 

[cheererinIL]

I agree. I think eliminating twisting skills on the track would be the best idea. I think practicing for competition season & maintaining twisting skills through practice would be enough. It seems like such a waste of money to be paying for mats to be destroyed (weather, the track, etc.). I remember in high school we were told to treat our mats like gold, lol so the idea of destroying them makes me shudder!

 

[stuntaholic]

We think we have come up with a solution. We are most likely going to purchase a used flexi roll wrestling mat.