Licloud Standing Desk Mat Review

[Editors’ Note – This product model seems to be no longer available from the manufacturer. We will keep this review up for future reference and comparison.]

Review

The calculated terrain mat category has seen a surge of low-quality products populating Amazon lately, but the market seems to be improving, as manufacturers try to conquer the popular new niche with fresh design ideas. The Licloud Standing Desk Mat is only a half measure, as it combines Topo’s familiar calculated terrain features with Varidesk’s Groove Mat’s special massage balls, putting it in both categories: topographic and active mats.

We received the mat in a simple cardboard box. It came with a velvet pouch that contained two rubber balls (of the same density), which we immediately put to the test. Although slightly squishy, the balls can give your soles some relief. Unlike the mat’s non-reinforced polyurethane ridges and an obligatory teardrop mound in the middle.

100% polyurethane construction doesn’t always ensure good support, as many variables go into manufacturing such as material density and surface texturing. This mat has too much give, which means it bottoms out instead of supporting your weight (you’ll be able to see your footprint if you shift your weight to one leg). The mat’s compression factor renders the teardrop mound and massage stars completely useless, as they sag and squeeze under slight pressure.

Travel control (the mat’s tendency to slip on the floor) is as poor as you’ll find in ErgoComfy and ErgoHead mats, but safety is always a trade-off when it comes to non-flat anti-fatigue mats. You must be mindful of removing the balls and the mat out of the way when they’re not in use. The slippery underside does have an advantage when it comes to repositioning the mat. You don’t have to bend over to move it. You can either push or pull it out from under your desk with just one foot, hooking onto one of the ridges.

The mat’s indicated maximum thickness is 3 inches, but the flat area is in the range of ⅝ and ¾, (it varies due to the mat’s impotent ‘anti-slip’ grooves). You can use the thicker borders to give your feet additional cushioning and change stances, but you’ll have to be taller than about 5’3” to reach the side ridges in a wide stance comfortably. Which brings us to the topic of the size. At the 27” mark, the mat has enough real estate for most users. Average height deskers will mostly be using either one side or one corner of the mat or will stand in the middle of the flat area.

Is It a Good Office Mat?

There aren’t many user reviews to speak of and most of the existing ones don’t appear genuine. From our own experience, Licloud Standing Desk Mat isn’t the best in the topographic category but works just fine as an active mat. The balls encourage constant movement that isn’t particularly distracting unless you find a sore spot that requires your attention. And as long as you keep moving, you won’t be able to feel the mat bottoming out. How long can you sustain the movement depends on how fidgety you are.

You can also reposition the mat depending on which part of your foot you’d like to massage with the ball. If you position the ball in the front, you can massage the arches and balls of your feet. Position it to the back, and you’ll be able to focus on your heels.

Not Much Relief from Plantar Fasciitis

Unless the soles of your shoes are very thin and flexible, you probably won’t feel much benefit from any of these features before taking your shoes off. Which means that if you suffer from plantar fasciitis, you’ll have to stand barefoot without orthotics to use this product, which of course is contraindicated, a practice no medical professional would recommend.

The Takeaway

So how does the Licloud Standing Desk Mat stack up against the competition? At roughly the same price as all other calculated terrain and active mats, you can get a 2 in 1 mat (that isn’t the best at what it does) but can work if you’d rather have variety over quality. It is way too soft to support your weight without having to rely on the topographic features, and its slippery underside only exacerbates the safety risks associated with calculated terrain mats. While it could be a good deal for some, you can get a better mat like TerraMat or TopoMat and simply use a pair of lacrosse balls to massage your feet.

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Specs

Warranty

7-year warranty

Shipping

Two-Day Shipping with Amazon Prime

Gallery

Want To Learn More About Standing Mats?

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