Jump Mat vs Force Plate
"Is a jump mat accurate enough?"
It's the first question every coach asks before buying. The honest answer: a force plate is the gold standard for force data — but for the numbers most programs actually test (jump height, contact time, RSI), a validated contact mat tracks within ~1 cm at a fraction of the cost. Here's the data, the trade-offs, and how to choose.
The validation
How close is a mat to a force plate?
Plyomat was tested head-to-head against an AccuPower force plate at Springfield College on 48 Division III athletes.
r ≈ 0.97
Correlation with the force plate for jump height
ICC 0.85
Agreement (intraclass correlation)
≈ 1 cm
Mean difference — a negligible effect size
In plain terms: for vertical jump height, the mat and the force plate tell you the same story. That's the agreement you need to trust a number, track an athlete over a season, and make programming decisions.
Honest caveat: contact mats can underestimate flight time for truly elite jumpers (>0.70 m), and a mat reports outcomes rather than the underlying force curve. So treat a mat as a consistent, repeatable tracking tool — not a claim of lab-perfect absolute accuracy. For most field testing, consistency is what actually drives good decisions.
What each one measures
Force curve vs jump outcomes
The real difference isn't accuracy on jump height — it's what kind of signal you get. A force plate measures force directly; a mat measures the result.
| Capability | Force plate | Jump mat (Plyomat) |
|---|
| Vertical jump height | Yes | Yes (r≈0.97) |
| Ground contact time & RSI | Yes | Yes (direct, 0.001 s) |
| Force-time curve / RFD / peak force | Yes | No |
| True bilateral force asymmetry | Yes | Jump/contact asymmetry only |
| Jump-strategy / phase analysis | Yes | No |
| RSQ & Power Score | Add-on/software | Built in |
| Portable / team-fast | Rarely | Yes |
The cost reality
Lab data, field price
| | Force plates | Plyomat jump mat |
|---|
| Typical price | $5,000–$15,000 (Hawkin dual ≈ $6,500) | $950 system · mats from $200 |
| Ongoing cost | Often subscription/lease (VALD ≈ $2,900/yr, 3-yr) | None — own it once |
| Setup | More involved / often fixed | Drop it down, plug in, test |
| Multi-athlete throughput | Slower | Fast |
| Built in | — | USA |
Which fits you
How to choose
Choose a force plate if…
- You need the force-time curve — RFD, peak/relative force, phase analysis
- You require true bilateral force asymmetry for research or detailed RTP
- You're running a lab and have the budget (and accept the subscription/lease)
Choose a jump mat if…
- You test vertical jump, contact time, and RSI across a full team
- You want force-plate-validated numbers without the $6k+ price
- You need portability, fast throughput, and no subscription
- You value RSQ, Power Score, and a signal you can trust season to season
Questions
Jump mat vs force plate FAQ
Is a jump mat as accurate as a force plate?
For jump height, contact time, and RSI, a validated mat tracks closely — Plyomat agreed with an AccuPower force plate at r≈0.97 (ICC 0.85), ~1 cm mean difference, on 48 D-III athletes. A force plate still adds force-time-curve detail. Caveat: mats can underestimate flight time for elite jumpers (>0.70 m), so value the consistency, not lab-perfect absolutes.
How much do force plates cost?
Typically $5,000–$15,000 (a Hawkin dual setup is ~$6,500), and several add recurring software costs (VALD ForceDecks ≈ $2,900/yr on a multi-year lease). A
Plyomat system is $950 to own, with a free app and no subscription.
What can a force plate measure that a jump mat can't?
The full force-time curve: rate of force development (RFD), peak/relative force, eccentric/concentric phases, true bilateral force asymmetry, and jump-strategy variables. A
contact mat reports the outcomes (height, contact time, RSI) rather than the force curve.
Can a jump mat measure RSI and contact time?
Yes — directly. Plyomat measures ground contact time through force on the mat (0.001 s) and computes
RSI, RSQ, Power Score, and asymmetry. For drop jumps and reactive testing it's purpose-built for exactly these numbers.
Do I need a force plate to test vertical jump?
No. For vertical jump, contact time, and RSI across a team, a force-plate-validated jump mat gives accurate, repeatable numbers at a fraction of the cost and weight — no subscription. Use a force plate when you specifically need force-curve data.
Lab data. Field price.
Force-plate-validated vertical jump, contact time, and RSI for the whole team — $950, built to last, no subscription.
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