What’s better than spending a lazy weekend by the pool in the bright, beautiful sun? Spending a weekend by water on a floating water mat. If you haven’t heard of them, you’ve probably seen them around, and you might’ve wanted to get one. Now is your chance to get your hands on some of the best water mats for the lake to have fun on.
What Are Lake Mats Made Of?
Most of the water mats for lakes (except the inflatable ones) feature a closed-cell foam or polyethylene. The material makes the floating water mat super lightweight, thus ideal for carrying it to lakes. Closed-cell foam is also incredibly robust when it comes to wear and tear and hence another reason why you should prefer polyethylene or closed-cell foam, especially if you’re with kids.
They plan to use the water mat rather rigorously. Finally, the closed-cell foam is waterproof, which is kind of funny if you think about the water mat used in the first place. But the closed-cell structure of the polyethylene foam won’t allow the water to seep into the foam and thus makes it extra durable compared to some other materials.
What Is The Thickest Water Mat?
Water mats vary in thickness, from one to eight inches. The water mats that we have mentioned here will have a maximum of 4-inch thickness, which is not bad for an adult to stand tall on it without worrying too much about the mat going down the lake.
MISSION Boat Gear Reef Mat | Best Overall
With a 4-inch thick super grid and an extra durable design featuring 1000D nylon, this mat will last all day with you jumping around on it. Double-reinforced seams reinforce the durable construction, and it allows the mat to remain intact and afloat even after a whole day of playing around on it.
The mat is inflatable, which is another reason why we think this is the overall best water mat for lakes. Carrying it around is simple and fights right into most boat lockers. The included storage bag helps protect the water mat from unnecessary wear and tear, and the high-flow dual-action pump (also included) helps you inflate your mat rather easily. The pump is big and fast and fits nicely in the included bag.
The mat overall is very firm and steady. You can play around on it, or even do yoga, for what it’s worth. And although it might seem big and pricey, it’s a good size on water, and it is worth every penny.
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O’BRIEN RUNWAY INFLATABLE MAT | Best For Versatility
If you’ve got a family that likes to handstand on water mats, jump around, and perhaps even do a cartwheel, then this is the mat you should go for.
This mat is super rigid, and its dimensions (18’x6’) are just perfect for almost anything; sleeping, partying, and playing. Its rigid structure with the premium O’Brien 4” drop stitching technology with double reinforced seams makes sure it keeps you afloat the whole day. The heavy gauge construction is all you need to ensure durability, safety, and stability, and thankfully, this mat has got it.
The runaway inflatable mat comes with an included storage bag and a dual-action pump as well. The pump fits nicely in the storage bag and works almost fast enough for you to not get an electric pump as its alternative. Finally, the mat features 24 quick link D-rings, and it makes this mat the most versatile of them all to be linked in any direction whatsoever.
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HO PAC-MAT INFLATABLE MAT | Best For Playing Around
If you’ve got to practice your cannonballs, this mat is right where you should start. The 5’ center hole is enough for a grown man to take a plunge through. Plus, having a hole this big on a water mat means one thing only; it is time to play!
Thankfully, the mat is rigid enough to bear the weight of a couple of grown-ups jumping around on it and plunging through its center hole. Its 4-inch thick welded drop-stitch construction makes sure of it. While it is inflatable, it does not, like the previous mats, feature a storage bag which is a bummer. But it is okay, though, since it comes with 8 dual-layer neoprene handles and makes it rather easy to carry around without a storage bag. The included dual-action hand pump and the PSI pressure gauge are not easy to carry around. However, the pump is super powerful and, with its dual-action, returns double what you put into it, making it very efficient and easy to work with.
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HO FIJI ILAND INFLATABLE MAT | Best Inflation
You want a water mat for the lake, but you don’t want it included with a hand pump because a lazy day means a lazy day, even if it’s only just for using some muscle power for pumping air into a water mat? You’re in luck because the Fiji island water mat comes with an electric pump, making inflation the easiest task in the world. Not only that, but the mat also comes with alligator clips that allow you to plug in the pump with your car batteries in case you forgot the pump’s batteries.
Pumps aside, this mat is one of the most stable mats we’ve come across as of now. The stability is thanks to the two-layered ballast bags. These bags are located under the two opposite corners of the mat and fill up with water once the mat comes into contact with water. The ballast bags keep the mat from shifting side to side when playing or sliding on it.
Finally, this water mat features a dual-layer drop-stitch construction, which when combined with the ballast bags, makes it one hell of a mat to get your hands on as soon as possible.
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HO LANAI ILAND INFLATABLE MAT | Best In Rigidity
The Lanai Inflatable mat is notorious for its rigidity. In fact, the construction is so rigid you won’t even know the difference if it’s inflated or not unless you see it being inflated. The same goes for after it’s inflated. The rigidity allows it to maintain shape and structure even after a whole day out on the water under the sun.
Made with PVC material and offering a maximum of 3 riders, the Lanai water mat features durable drop-stitch construction. It is just the perfect combo of material and construction for just the right number of people with the right size to fit almost everywhere, inflated or not.
Speaking of inflation, the mat also comes with an included dual-action hand pump that specifically fits the high-pressure valve of the mat on one of its corners. You could try using an electric pump to make things easier for you but be sure to check if the electric pump fits the high-pressure valve of the mat or not.
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Conclusion
The best water mat for a lake is the one you enjoy spending time on. You would enjoy spending time on it as long as it is made of quality materials, has just the right amount of rigidity, and is easy to inflate and carry around. You know it’s the best water mat for you if you don’t have a single bad memory of using the mat from the day you went to the lake.
