Aren all the “tatami” mats available pretty much the same?
FAQ’s No Way! First of all, many of the mats available today, regardless of what they are called by the company selling them, are not really tatami omote. Check here for some helpful definitions. Quite a few vendors are now selling 4 foot by 6 foot mats that are made from materials that will produce a much softer and lower density target which is very easy to cut. Some used tatami omote may also be a problem because the mats can run the range from very high quality to almost completely worn through and generally useless. The problem being that you cannot always be sure what you will get and your targets will not be consistent. Since you usually have to pay higher prices for the Used tatami you should at least get consistent targets.
