Gymnastics Mats for Home: Air Track vs Foam Mat vs Tumble Track
Quick answer: for most homes, an inflatable air track is the best gymnastics mat. It has adjustable bounce, sits on the floor, works indoors and outdoors, and rolls up for storage. Foam mats suit stretching, strength work and first cartwheels. Spring tumble tracks are very bouncy, but they're heavy and stay set up, so they suit gyms and clubs more than homes.
Looking for an air track? Shop air track mats. Every Powertrain air track is 20cm thick, from 1m air spots to 8m tumbling tracks.
There are three main types of gymnastics and tumbling mats for home use:
- Foam mats (segmented or folding)
- Spring tumble tracks
- Inflatable air tracks
Foam gymnastics mats (segmented or folding)
Foam mats are the original gymnastics mat: panels of foam covered in PVC that fold up for storage. They're quick to set up and put away, easy to clean, and can be used indoors or outdoors.
They have very little bounce, so they're best for stretching, strength exercises, floor work and early skills such as forward rolls and cartwheels. Folded, they still take up a fair amount of storage space, and larger sizes can be expensive.
Spring tumble tracks
A spring tumble track works like a long, narrow trampoline: a mat on a steel frame with springs. They give a lot of rebound height, which makes them popular for cheer, parkour and power tumbling in clubs.
The downsides for home use are size and weight. They take time to assemble, need a large permanent space, and sit around 60cm off the ground, which adds a fall risk. The trampoline-like bounce also doesn't feel like a competition floor, so skills feel slower and more stretched. They're mostly used indoors, in gyms, gymnastics clubs and training centres.
Inflatable air tracks
An inflatable air track is a tumbling mat filled with air. It's made from PVC with a drop-stitch core, so it inflates to a flat, even surface, and it deflates and rolls up for storage and transport.
The main advantage is adjustable pressure. Let some air out and it's soft enough for learning new or scary skills; pump it up and it's firm and bouncy like a sprung floor. Because it sits directly on the ground, there's less fall risk than with a raised spring track, and the extra cushioning puts less stress on joints than a foam mat.
Air tracks are used for gymnastics, cheer, martial arts, parkour and general tumbling. An electric pump inflates a 5m track in about 2 to 3 minutes, and they can be used indoors or outdoors on grass. Powertrain air tracks start from $319 for a 3m x 1m track, or $165 for a 1m air spot with pump.
Is an air track like a trampoline?
No. An air track has some bounce, but much less than a trampoline or spring tumble track. It's closer to a sprung competition floor, and you control the bounce with the air pressure. It also sits on the floor rather than on a frame.
Air track vs foam mat vs tumble track: comparison
| Foam mat | Spring tumble track | Inflatable air track | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bounce | Very little | Very high, like a trampoline | Adjustable, from soft to sprung-floor firm |
| Height off the ground | Floor level | Around 60cm | 20cm (Powertrain) |
| Set-up | Unfold in seconds | Slow to assemble, usually left set up | 2 to 3 minutes with an electric pump |
| Storage | Folds, but stays bulky | Needs a permanent space | Rolls up |
| Indoor or outdoor | Both | Indoor | Both (on grass or a flat, smooth surface) |
| Best for | Stretching, strength, first cartwheels | Clubs and gyms with dedicated space | Home gymnastics and cheer, from beginner to advanced |
Which gymnastics mat should you buy for home?
- For a young child starting out: a 3m x 1m air track or a 1m air spot gives a safe, cushioned surface for rolls, cartwheels and handstands, with room to grow.
- For a gymnast or cheerleader practising at home: a 4m to 8m air track, depending on your space and how many skills you want to link together.
- For two users, twists or floor routines: a 2m wide air track (4m x 2m or 6m x 2m).
- For stretching, conditioning and floor exercises only: a folding foam mat is enough.
Not sure which size air track you need? See how to choose an air track for a size guide by skill level and the floor space each size needs.
Add-ons: air spots and gymnastics barrels
A 1m round air spot works as a launch pad at the end of a track or on its own for jumps and rolls. A gymnastics barrel (air roller) is an inflatable cylinder used for back walkover and flip drills, balance and core work. Powertrain air barrels are 120cm x 75cm and cost $119.
Ready to choose? Browse the full range of Powertrain air tracks, all 20cm thick, in 1m and 2m widths, and shipped from Australian stock.