Judo Mats were originally made in Japan from rice straw compressed into hard biscuits known as Tatami and covered with various jute materials.   The judoka (Judo player) liked these mats because they gave him the necessary resilience between his well practiced break fall and the sprung floor.  Although they were suitable for the permanent dojo, they were very heavy and not suitable for lifting and moving because the straw broke up easily.

With the general increase in the interest in the sport of Judo there was a requirement for mats that could be stored away when not in use and could be laid quickly and effectively.  In 1971 the GEEMAT was developed and is now accepted as the standard for local authorities in the UK.  Since 1972 GEEMAT has been selected as the principal mat for area for many National and International Competitions in the UK.  GEEMAT's are used at the National Indoor Arena, Birmingham.

Ordinary Mat	The GEEMAT
These diagrammatic sections through an ordinary Judo mat and a 'Standard' GEEMAT, the most significant feature is the size of the granules which are compressed to constitute the body of the mat.  In the ordinary mat, the larger granules mean that with a much greater capacity for compression the chances of the mat "bottoming" under severe stress or pressure are increased.  The granule size produces the surface molding of the cover which with the larger granule gives an un-even surface.	Because the "GEEMAT" is made from smaller granules which are more closely compressed a much smoother surface is obtained reducing the chances of "mat burns" and making the mat "faster" in use.  The firmer body of the mat does not compress so easily thus absorbing impact much more readily.  The backing can also be seen to be cellular which gives a really firm grip and prevents mat movement.  A few of the reasons why for the experts the "GEEMAT" is usually "The First Choice"

GEEMAT has refined its products over the years and now produces three different mats, tailored for different uses.  Our Neil Adams Original GEEMAT is a competition standard mat, with a foam density of 250 Kg/m³.   Our Club Popular is slightly softer (230 Kg/m³) and more suitable for general club use where classes of different ability levels are common.

Ippon USA will also distribute the Junior GEEMAT.  This lightweight mat is designed to make transportation and laying easy, and is ideal for schools and junior clubs.  With a foam density of only 180 Kg/m3 and a 3cm thickness, each mat weighs only 5.5 Kgs.  However, because of its limited thickness, we recommend a maximum player weight of 65 Kgs for Judo on this mat. Produced in blue to make is distinguishable from our senior mats it comes in a standard 1m x 1m size complete with heat sealed edges and an anti-slip base.

MAT	GREEN 2m x 1m 4cm thick	RED 2m x 1m 4cm thick	GREEN 1m x 1m 4cm thick	RED 1m x 1m 4cm Thick	BLUE 1m x 1m 3 cm Thick
The Neil Adams, Original GEEMAT.  Top competition quality mat, foam density of 250 Kg/m3					N/A
Club Popular GEEMAT.  Foam density of 230 Kg/m3					N/A
Junior GEEMAT.  New low density mat only 180 Kg/m3. For players up to 65Kg.	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A