(Part 2) Best protective flooring according to redditors

Due to the Index using Display Port, I had to come up with a way to play it outside my office without running a long cable. The solution i came up with was to drill a hole through the wall and make that room a VR room. I absolutely love it!

Another view

Headset & Controllers

EDIT:

For those who are interested, here are links to some of the things I used for the room:

Foam padding (Blue)

Foam padding (Black)

Velcro (used to hang the foam on the walls)

Utility Wall Hooks (To hang headset and controllers)

Cable clamps (for managing base station wire) Screws for cable clamps

Cable pass through wall port

First thing anyone should buy is Deluxe Audio Strap. Can't stress that enough.

Vive-N-Chill is also really useful. It may seem silly, but it actually works really well. When I use any other headset for active gaming I really miss it.

Hyperskin covers for the controllers are awesome, comfortable, add grip and help with the occasional wall scrape. Though personally I ditched the headset one as I feel like it may trap in heat. Does look cool though. But the controller ones are a must have.

One of my absolute favorite VR accessories: 1" MMA floor tiles. Worth every penny. Way better than any thinner solutions and you can really kneel/roll around on the ground comfortably and stand for hours on it. Can be disassembled for transport and does not slide on carpet. They seem to be holding up to heavy duty long term use so well they should last for years through multiple generations of headsets.

My favorite face cushion for personal use is the stock foam one. Comfortable, breathes, and absorbs moisture and wicks it away. Nice to break out the fancy faux-leather ones for guests and stuff, but the original stock ones are the best for serious game sessions, at least in my opinion. Just hand wash it on occasion.

These guitar hangers are cheap and awesome for hanging controllers from when paired with some 10 foot usb micro cables for charging. Maybe not as cool looking as the special charging stand, but a whole bunch of pairs are great for different VR controllers if you have more than just a pair to deal with.

And, if/when you ever tire of the Base Stations' function to remotely power up/down automatically being fussy, slow or intermittent, then remote power outlets will make you happy. They make the base stations spring to life and sync in a few seconds compared to the slow blue tooth routine and power off when you want them off.

Whether you need mats depends on the type of blocking you're doing - mats are only needed for when you pin things out. So I use my mats for shawls and seamed sweater patterns, but not for hats or seamless sweaters.

There's no need to buy knitting specific foam mats. Kids mats work if you have those around, but the most cost effective ones I found were large foam mats intended for the floor of a home gym. Like these - AmazonBasics Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719BBFP2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3FYVCb5CPAY7K

Hey pal! Others have already nailed it by saying "ride as you like".

I'd add that I'm not even on a bike - I hooked a rowing machine up to Zwift via AppleTV + TV screen. (I'm the insanely slow dude pulling 2W/kg at 18RPM)

I stream Spotify via AirPlay from an iPod Touch which still lets me hear Zwift's environmental sounds. Rowing (and I'm sure cycling too) is way more entertaining with something interactive going on.

Noise-wise, I'm also in an apartment and I've asked my neighbours if they can hear me row. Answer: nope, and my rower is likely noisier than a bike on a new-fangled "silent" smart-trainer. (disclosure: carpet floors)

If you're concerned, put interlocking foam tile under your trainer to absorb any vibration that might transmit through a hard-surface floor.

We have hard floors too, so while he was containable we used those foam floor tiles under the rug where he played.. this sort of thing . They do get more stable and fall less, and forwards more than backwards as they get older.

It’s best to try and minimise the back of the head hits as they’re more likely to cause a concussion. Not that it’s at all likely when your baby is falling from sitting to on their back, but for the future!

This is a long shot, but do you use any foam padding underneath the bike?

I had an issue where i was using a foam floor tiles like this one underneath my bike. When I am not sitting on the bike, the tire clears the foam pad without any issue. However, when I am on the bike and pedaling, the tires would catch the foam pad and scrape.

I was just thinking about posting something about this. Would love to see setups and get tips for the best experience.

I have a pic on my Instagram - @peloton_clarkie. I’ll take some more and upload when I get home.

We turned our second bedroom into a spin studio of sorts. We have two bikes separated by a yoga mat for post ride stretching.

Mats are a huge win. You can either get the Peloton mat, an off brand mat from Amazon, or go to a carpet/flooring store and get a remnant of some garage flooring or otherwise. At most you’ll spend $60, but sweat clean up and saving the floor is absolutely worth it.

I am going to hang some hooks by the door for headbands, towels, hr monitors, etc. Right now we hang our gear on the handlebars, which isn’t ideal since you have to move a bunch of stuff before a spin. I also want to find a place to put a bench that we can store shoes / get ready. Name of the game is less barriers to working out...

Fan is a major bonus as well. I have the plus of being next to a window so we put a box fan there when spinning. Another upgrade would be to get fans that are mounted on the wall. I’ve seen those on amazon for $60 or so.

I had a major issue with Bluetooth headphones and getting them synced with the video, which ultimately pushed me to buy a better audio system. I have both bikes running into a Sony receiver, which powers two bookshelf speakers and Bluetooth 4.1 to my headphones. I highly recommend upgrading the speakers on the bike if you can. It’s made the experience infinitely better to have in sync, exceptional sound.

I'll run you down the materials, as it was thrown together really quick. Best part is I used no paint, heh. the white pieces are just that floppy EVA craft foam you get from a craft store with fake white leather from Amazon spray glued on. The gold pieces are the same craft foam with a layer of poster board spray glued on to offer more rigidity and a super flat surface, and the gold is gold spandex from Amazon cut into 2 inch strips places 1.75 inches apart, so they overlap using the same spray glue. I used the same fake white leather and foam backer rod from home depot to make the trim. I secured the trim with staples and then hot glued everything else together. The chest and back plates of the top pieces had to be thicker and more rigid, so I used those EVA foam floor mats you get online or at home depot with some Velcro to make it removable for transport (everything folds well and flat packs). I used hot glue and Velcro to secure the bottom gold pieces as well as make them removable. I also hot glued and duct taped some magnets behind the front and back plates of the shoulder part as well as the back of the best pieces on both sides. This makes the shoulder part snap in securely and hold position. The materials cost is very cheap. Getting magnets, velcro, and hot glue is easy, so I'll post the other materials links here for ya. I highly recommend you get a rotary cutter, cutting pad, and one of those big square rulers from Walmart to save you a ton of time.

Gold Spandex

Foam Mats

Spray Glue

Fake White Leather

Craft Foam

http://www.amazon.com/IncStores-Interlocking-lightweight-gymnastics-plyometric/dp/B007I5Z8GG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453653109&sr=8-1&keywords=mma+mats


Just finished my garage mats. I got these, 10 foot by 10 foot, 100square feet. It's 1"thick they were 169 when I ordered them.

http://imgur.com/3qJsg5X, Here's a pic when we put them together

http://imgur.com/NQ8G0iI, Final product, we used floor tape to bind it together

I've been using something like this for the past year and have no problems.

No prob! If you want a quick and easy enclosure, take a look at EVA foam mats. A pack of 6 makes a fully insulated/sound deadening 2ftx2ftx2ft cube for 20 bucks. Eva foam mats


One more thing, you need to get rid of the belt tensioner springs. They don't work with 3d printers because of the mass of the components and will introduce excessive ringing and slop into your prints. Try these instead https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:19892 they will take up the slack without acting like a spring. The belts need to be tight and sound almost like plucking a guitar string.

I can only speak for fellow US of A'sians but here you go:


so you can get EVA in 2 forms-- treated and untreated. treated comes usually in smaller packs, but it's more commercially readily available. treated is when it's already been formed into a shape, like puzzle pieces for floors or something, and so it has a texture on one side and needs more effort to get rid of said texture. (picture here if you're confused)

you can get the treated ones (often sold as anti-fatigue mats and they'll come in rolls or in those foam floor puzzle pieces) at harbor freight or menard's.

and then the untreated version is sold as L200 (or L300 etc as they get harder but L200 is the closest hardness to EVA). L200 is slightly softer, but is easier to find in different thicknesses and most importantly, is smooth on both sides.
L200 is available mostly online and there's a few websites that sell it. I'd shop around a bit because some are cheaper

Some beginning store links (I wouldn't necessarily buy from these but it's a good starting point to help you search more):

L200


EVA (Amazon)


EVA (Harbor Freight)

Wrestling mats are going to be pretty expensive, as are the premium judo mats. If you're just working out of your garage, you should just get some foam puzzle mats for whatever space you're covering. That's going to be probably good enough for bjj, although you may want to put down extra padding for throws and takedowns.

https://www.amazon.com/IncStores-Interlocking-lightweight-Insanity-gymnastics/dp/B007I5Z8GG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510345977&sr=8-3&keywords=bjj%2Bmats&th=1&psc=1

I have 10 of these tiles for my living room, its not huge but they are easy to clean and store

You are doing a great job!

I would make sure your litter truly is "99.9% dust free" - so watch carefully when you pour it to see how much dust it produces. Also, scoop it every day (or twice a day) to reduce the ammonia, which could irritate his airways.

You could talk to a vet about bronchodilator therapy. It's not used by itself, and most cats do not need it, but it can be used symptomatically based on clinical signs (wheezing, noisy breathing, etc).

Air purifiers are probably only helpful if they are effective for the size of the room where he spends most of its time. Ideally you would have one for each room he spends time in, so that you can be sure it is actually circulating there.


You could try covering the carpet in the room he spends most of the time in? I use these for my foster kitten room. These ones have a bit of a chemical odor to them, so if you go this route make sure to let them air out (preferably outside) for a little while. You can get more fashionable ones like this, too. Alternatively, lots of low pile rugs might help - they are much easier to vacuum thoroughly.

Overall, asthma is not curable. Medication helps, but clinical signs may still be present. In humans that develop asthma as kids, spontaneous resolution is common - but we do not know if this is true for cats with asthma.

I've posted this before, but it's worth doing again!

Hutches & cages are, IMO, more difficult to clean. To make clean up super snappy and the habitat more inexpensive, try this!

Get a waterproof cover for your floor as layer 1. I used this on my wood floor: Whelping Mat These also, coincidentally, make great picnic / tailgating blankets! They wash up great in the washer.

Then for layer 2 I got these: Foam Floor These wipe up great, and, we liked them so much we got 24 more of them to do our spare room so we can do yoga & kettlebells / weight training. The tiles include the "frame" pieces so the edges are square.

Then, we use this for a "gate" Ex Pen We got the 48" H one because Pepper our girl is 8 lbs and can jump really high. The one downside of this is that it's not very heavy and we have to put kettlebell weights around it so she can't push the whole thing. We only have this gate up when we're not home, though. The up side of it being light is that it's easy to carry. If you go to a pet store and "try before you buy" take down the name and it's probably on Amazon for less money.

For a litter box, we don't use the ones for cats marketed as "litter box" since none are large enough for our buns. I just get those generic "rubbermaid" storage tubs w/o the lid for about $5 at Target - the one that's 6"H x 24" x 18" or so. If you have a "High Shooter" you can get the taller kind - but our little guy is 11 and needs the shorter sides for easy in and out. The larger the box you can get, the less likely accidents will happen and they are less expensive by far.

Don't forget some carpet areas and a hidey box or tube!

Cleanup is so much easier than a cage - no stooping! just take away the gate and sweep with a broom. I can can "deep clean" the whole area including litterbox and mopping up in less than 10 minutes.

Edit: wrong link for Ex Pen. :)

I just purchased myself a starter home gym for around 1500 after lurking here for a while. I stayed away from Titan because of all of the shipping issues and shitty welds posted here recently. Here’s what I got:

• Rep Fitness PR 1000 Power Rack with Dip Attachment and Pull-Up Bars and an AB-3000 Adjustable Bench ($649.99)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016AUC9KC/
  
  
• Rep Fitness 260 lb Bumper Plate Set with 20kg Sabre Barbell ($689.00)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C475RMJ/
  
  
• Rep Fitness 5 lb and 2.5 lb Iron Plate Pairs ($19.99 and $12.99)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H9GCHM/
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076HCQZW8/
  
  
• Clout Fitness 2” Quick Release Clamps ($8.98)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014JJGCDQ/
  
  
• CAP Barbell 2” Plate Rack ($40.89)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013SZC8S/
  
  
• CAP Barbell Floor Mats ($29.99x3)
  
  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CHS8ZCN/
  
  For a total of $1512.80 before tax.
  
  All of this was free shipping.

They sell oversized XL yoga mats. But I like the jigsaw style mats. Amazon Basics puzzle mats... https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Exercise-Foam-Interlocking-Tiles/dp/B073D155YH

Close - the bottom is EVA foam with a rubber top layer (I purchased something similar from Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Sivan-MAT-LOCKR-BLK-Density-Rubber-Interlocking/dp/B017J8ZC3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1510010115&sr=8-1&keywords=sivan+fitness+rubber+flooring) previously and for cheaper...

Agreed that it works well for stretch and other exercises, but not for heavy weights.

NP. I have the Ohio Power Bar and it's badass. I love it. The Ohio Bar is similar with spinnier collars and different knurling markings. Honestly, a deadlift bar would be awesome, and won't necessarily be whippy enough to bother you on squats and bench unless your numbers are pretty high (350-400+), and I've seen those in the boneyard too.

https://www.amazon.com/Interlocking-Exercise-High-Density-Protective-Equipment/dp/B077NXZKPP/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1520957377&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=puzzle+flooring&psc=1 This is what I bought. I do burpees, box jumps, and all sorts of shit on this flooring and haven't had a single instance where it's come apart. Just have one set and looking to get two more to cover the whole open-floor area in my garage.

Get a jump rope mat.
Like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/EliteSRS-Jump-Rope-Mat-Fitness/dp/B077TB8QDC

https://www.elitesrsfitness.com/collections/accessories/products/jump-rope-mat

Yoga mats are not designed to handle the impact from jump rope. It won’t offer much protection from the concrete.

If you are lucky enough to be near a public playground, they sometimes have a vinyl flooring outside. That surface is very good for jumping rope. The other surface that is good is the hardwood floor use for indoor basketball courts.

Sunny Health & Fitness Foam Fitness Equipment Floor Mat - NO. 083 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786PLYTR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.7KNDbTJ9YJ6K

I use the cheapest puzzle mats I could find on amazon... They aren’t the sturdiest, but I only spent about $130 and they should last for the two years I’ll be in Germany

Amazon Mats

Just search for 3/4 Inch Eva foam. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01IDRWPCM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474091737&sr=8-3&pi=SX200_QL40&keywords=100+square+feet+eva+foam&dpPl=1&dpID=51drAhFhUpL&ref=plSrch

Edit: this is 1/2 inch you want a least 3/4 inch eva

I’m thinking about setting up a home gym in my (unfinished) basement and am looking at the following for flooring:

Equine Stall Mat, Bed Mat, Barn Flooring, Kennel Floors - Heavy Duty Rubber Mat 4' x 6' x 1/2" (Qty of 6) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N01YIJB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_V5QDDbSE45K3X

BalanceFrom Puzzle Exercise Mat with EVA Foam Interlocking Tiles, Blue, 144 sq. ft.(Pack of 36) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IDRWPCM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_h6QDDbHKADPYJ

The thinking is I’d put the rack and such on the stall mats and then surround the stall mats with the foam tiles. Anyone have something similar or have an opinion on this?

Both are 1/2” but I’m wondering if the two will truly be level with on another. Not looking to trip over a slightly raised edge.

Also, would stall mats adequately protect the concrete floor from dropped weights. I’m not one to throw weights around but sometimes you need to bail.

Any and all thoughts welcome!

I bought it on Amazon! Here it is. Used a really sharp utility knife to score and cut it to fit the space. Pretty straightforward!

Amazon. It was these Incstores 1" MMA mats. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TEC1M20/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_d0AFxbNYYXSMK
They're the same my work uses in their mocap studio.

I have this rubber-backed rug. It’s pretty good, the rug sort of got “fuzzy” and hay sticks to it, but it’s still useful for keeping wet (spilled water, etc) off my carpet. Easily vacuumed but I will probably replace it in a few months because it’s, well, hairy now. But no complaints because it’s dirt cheap. Honestly put the signe rugs around the litter/hay box to contain the mess and I have zero complaints!

Also, anything like these mats can be cut down to fit your room size while still providing traction.

I bought them on Amazon with a defunct account, but they were red-blue mats similar to these.

24"x24"x1"

10 tiles

40 square feet

$90 (I think I paid around $120).

Cheapest option
buy a cheap ~$15ea usb soft pad from amazon like these
then tape them to a piece of plywood ~$35ea at most hardware stores
total for 2 ~$100

Most of the cheap pads are considered cheap because the buttons sensors get warped overtime; specially when played on carpet. So taping a cheap pad to a board usually makes it a "good" pad. The board also gives it weight and makes it harder to slide around on carpet. I've played on several boarded pads and they always work better than non boarded.

Why usb and not old ps2 pad? Almost none of the adapters support 2 arrows being pressed at the same time. Some that work do exist but they are hard to find. There is a work around for the 2 button issue here but unless you already have an adapter I'd just buy a usb ready pad. Idk about xbox pads/adapters.

Want foam? - This is something you can easily add later.
Put some puzzle exercise mats together or cut up a yoga mat and just set your boarded pad on top. You can cut to size and tape to the board so it wont slide. Again tape pad on board then tape on foam. This will give the buttons a nice hard surface to click on but still give the entire pad some cushion. I suggest 1/2in thick. Thicker is more expensive and thinner is a waste of time/money.

Hands on option
build your own ~$150 depending on materials used and how elaborate you want to get

Expensive option
best pads on the market right now http://www.precisiondancepads.com/
9 arrow pad $375-$390ea with everything connector.
These should still be taped to a board so they don't warp.
These things are an investment but totally worth it. In my opinion they are better than the arcades.

I also got something similar on amazon but the shipping wasn't free. I like the 2' square pieces a bit more than the 1' square pieces as you can fit larger projects on one section with fewer fiddly joints. This company makes a few different colors too.

Mat for under bike: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00113M6UC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Sweat bands (get at least 2): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07J1MKFFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tall Standing fan (amazon basic one is great): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BNK6T5Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cotton Hand towels work great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C41SYJ7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Cell phone holder (optional, but I have to keep up with work at all times): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015PS3ME2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1