Varidesk The Mat Standing Mat Review

Review

When doing a review, we like to test products ourselves before casting a definitive vote, but in this case, Varidesk’s initial offer to send us an evaluation unit was retracted with no reason given. All we can say is caveat emptor—“let the buyer beware.” Usually when manufacturers pull out of submitting an evaluation unit, it’s because they fear being compared in an actual shootout against competing products. Which brings us to the Varidesk The Mat.

Standing on the Varidesk Mat

Varidesk’s standing mat comes in a no-nonsense matte black, matching their popular desktop risers. This add-on product is marketed as “The Mat”—an accurate yet somewhat uninspired name. High-density, 5/8”-thick foam plants this Varidesk mat squarely in the middle of the thickness pack. Very low budget options, like the Genuine Joe Air Step Anti-Fatigue Mat, generally run around 3/8″, while high end mats like the iMovR EcoLast Premium Standing Mat give you 3/4″ of cushion. With more minimalist mats, some users find themselves sinking straight through the foam. Varidesk The Mat shouldn’t fall prey to this problem, but this is entirely a matter of what’s inside. For more details about how materials and construction affect anti-fatigue mat quality, take a look at The Real Differences Between the Best Anti-Fatigue Mats and the Worst.

Beveled edges are also a good design choice. They give the mat a low profile, and ostensibly make it less of a tripping hazard than mats that omit this feature. Finally, an option for a relatively small footprint of 20″ x 34″ makes this Varidesk mat easy to position under a desk (or on top of a treadmill when you want to stand on something more forgiving than a hard phenolic deck). Varidesk The Mat also has a larger 24″ x 36″ version, still offered only in basic black.

Should you get one? Our biggest gripe with The Mat is that, like Varidesk’s desktop riser, it’s not as good as the competition. Take the iMovR EcoLast Economy Standing Mat, which has a similar price tag but wins big in terms of reliability (the Economy has a five-year full-performance warranty and lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects; this Varidesk mat has a 30-day guarantee and no warranty) and durability (the Economy is made of 100% polyurethane unibody construction, which is wear and tear resistant). Additionally, verified-buyer reviews on Amazon routinely mention a slick residue on the surface that causes Varidesk The Mat to slip around too easily, creating a safety hazard.

Takeaway

The bottom line is that it’s possible to snag a much better product for the same price, in a wide variety of colors to match your decor, and we’d recommend doing so to just about any standing desk worker. And if having your mat easily slip away is a safety concern for you, stay away from Varidesk The Mat and check out the iMovR EcoLast Dual Gripper Standing Mat instead.

Compare

Check out our Anti-Fatigue Mat Comparison Review to see how this Varidesk mat compares to the competition. Anti-fatigue mats are the perfect pairing with an ergonomic balance board for a standing desk to compliment your static standing time with dynamic standing movement.

And if you’re interested in the latest non-flat standing mats, see our Calculated Terrain Standing Mat Reviews.

Want To Learn More About Standing Mats?

• Standing Mat Ergonomics

• Standing Mats For Foot Pain

• How To Choose The Right Standing Mat

Frequently Bought Together With
Anti-Fatigue Standing Mats