GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat Review

We purchased the GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat so our reviewer could put it to the test. Keep reading for our full product review.

Few things are more of a pain—literally and figuratively—than standing for a prolonged period of time. Little aches, long forgotten in the hustle and bustle of daily life, suddenly return in full force. With 10-hour workdays becoming the new norm, anti-fatigue mats have emerged as office and kitchen necessities. 

The rubber mats work to suspend and distribute your weight, effectively relieving common pressure points in feet—and the benefits travel upward from there. A quality anti-fatigue mat should also squash ankle, knee, back, and even neck strain. But we didn’t just take the Internet’s word for it—we put it to the test. Read on for our review of the GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat and see how it holds up to competitors.  

Design: Tons of options

The GelPro Bio-Foam Mat is available in three different colors and five different sizes, allowing you a great deal of customization. We ordered the mat in the 24 x 36-inch size, which worked well in our home office. If that’s not quite the size you need, though, the mat is also available in 20 x 32, 20 x 48, 20 x 72, and 36 x 60 inches. 

In terms of colors, you have a choice between Midnight, Stone, and Earth (or black, grey, and brown, respectively). We went with the classic black iteration. One note here, which we’ll address later as well—this mat is particularly sticky, meaning it can attract more dirt and dust than some of its competitors. If you’re worried about the mat showing wear, you may want to opt for the brown or gray option as both are more effective in camouflaging dirt and dust. 

Firmness: Firm and thick

This mat is certainly firmer than others we’ve tested, but it offers uncompromising support with nearly an inch of thickness. We tested the mat both barefoot and with shoes and found that it was incredibly comfortable either way. Your feet stay suspended and don’t sink to the floor, even after hours of use. 

Material: Extremely grippy

The GelPro NewLife Bio-Foam Comfort Mat is made from 100 percent polyurethane foam and features a non-slip underside. Some less expensive anti-fatigue mats have one fatal flaw: a tendency to slip and slide right under your feet. This mat is guaranteed to stay in place, though, and we had no issues with it migrating as we worked. 

There is, however, one downside to the sticky material. We found that stray dust and hair easily clung to the mat’s exterior, forcing us to wipe the mat down frequently. 

Ease of Cleaning: Not its finest trait

Cleaning this mat isn’t hard by any means, but it does require frequent wipe-downs. The mat’s sticky material catches (and shows) dust easily, but a damp cloth should be enough to get it looking good as new.

Price: The luxury option

The GelPro is priced between $71.99 and $229.99 depending on the size you go with. (For reference, our 24 x 36-inch mat goes for $99.99.) It’s certainly costly compared to others on the market, but it’s a reasonable price given the quality of the product. The firm cushion provides immeasurable support and instant comfort—so your knees and feet will thank you. 

We explored cheaper options, and while some were comparable, others had fatal flaws. If you do opt for a less-expensive anti-fatigue mat, beware that its lifespan will likely be much shorter. In fact, the GelPro Mat is the only one we tested that comes with a warranty (and 10 years—at that). So if you spend a great deal of time standing, we suggest investing in this mat.

Competition: A cut above the rest

Among the GelPro’s competitors is Sky Solutions’ Anti-Fatigue Sky Mat (view on Amazon) and AmazonBasics’ Premium Anti-Fatigue Standing Comfort Mat (view on Amazon). The first is also outfitted with a non-slip bottom and offers an extremely supportive cushion, though it’s much softer than the GelPro. If you’re on a budget, you’ll want to check out the latter which is also firm but retails for just $30. Some reviewers noted issues with durability, but we didn’t experience that during testing.