Odyssey Bench Mat vs AbMat Bench Grip Cover vs BenchBlokz BenchSkinz: Which Bench Grip Is Right for You?

If your upper back slides on the bench press, there are now three kinds of product built to stop it: a lay-flat grip mat, which is what Odyssey makes, and two strap-on covers, the AbMat Bench Grip Cover and the BenchBlokz BenchSkinz. They solve the same problem differently. Here is how they compare, using each brand's own published specs from October 2026 and what we know about ours.

The problem all three solve

Gym bench pads are smooth vinyl. When you drive your legs on the bench press, part of that force slides your body toward the head of the bench instead of going into the bar, and the shoulder position you set comes undone. Lifters have fixed this for decades with chalk on the pad, towels and resistance bands. These products are the purpose-built versions. The mechanics are in why you slide on the bench press.

Odyssey Bench Mat (lay-flat)

• How it attaches: it does not. You lay it on the pad under your upper back; the Advanced Grip Polymer surface grips the pad on one side and your shirt on the other, and your body weight does the rest.
• Fit: any flat or incline bench, any pad width or thickness, because nothing has to wrap around the pad. Also works for dumbbell press.
• Setup time: drop it, lie down. Pick it up when you leave. Nothing to strap, which matters on a shared bench.
• Travel: thin and flat, it goes in a gym bag like a notebook.
• Proof: tested by 700 lb+ benchers, rated 4.98 out of 5 by 208 reviewers, 90-day money-back guarantee.
• Limits: it is a training tool. It is not permitted on the platform at IPF-affiliated meets, and it needs wiping down now and then to keep the grip clean.

AbMat Bench Grip Cover (strapped)

• How it attaches: wraps the pad and is held by elastic and Velcro straps, per AbMat.
• Material and size: grabber vinyl on both sides, 17 by 10.5 inches, about 0.6 lb.
• Fit: AbMat says it fits most bench pads on the market. Unusually wide or thick pads are the ones to check, since the straps have to reach around.
• Setup time: a few seconds to strap on and off. Fine for your own bench; slightly more fuss when you are sharing one and rotating sets.
• Travel: light and foldable.
• Competition: AbMat's own page does not address meet legality. Same rule applies: not on an IPF platform.

BenchBlokz BenchSkinz (cover)

• How it attaches: a removable, patent-pending non-slip cover that goes over the pad.
• Extras: BenchBlokz pitches it as protecting the pad from sweat and wear as well as stopping slide. Made in the USA. Rolls up for transport.
• Fit: depends on pad size; it is a cover, so pad dimensions matter more than with a lay-flat mat.
• Setup time: comparable to the AbMat: a moment on, a moment off.

Side by side

	Odyssey Bench Mat	AbMat Bench Grip Cover	BenchSkinz
Type	Lay-flat mat	Strapped cover	Removable cover
Attachment	None, grips the pad	Elastic + Velcro	Slips over the pad
Fits any pad	Yes	Most, per AbMat	Pad-size dependent
Surface	Advanced Grip Polymer	Grabber vinyl, both sides	Non-slip cover (material not specified)
Setup between sets	Drop and lift	Strap on / off	Slip on / off
Protects the pad	Incidentally	Yes	Marketed for it
Published reviews	4.98 / 5 from 208	On retailer sites	On retailer sites
Guarantee	90 days	Retailer policy	Retailer policy

Which one for which lifter

• Commercial gym, shared benches, different bench every session: the lay-flat mat. No straps to fiddle with when someone is waiting, and no fit question.
• Your own bench at home, and you want the pad protected from sweat: a cover makes sense. BenchSkinz and AbMat both market this; the Odyssey mat works at home too, it just does not stay attached when you are not on it.
• Arched benchers: any of the three, with the mat having the edge because it moves with you to exactly where your upper back lands rather than being fixed to one spot on the pad.

What lifters say about the lay-flat approach

From someone who goes to a commercial gym and used bands and yoga mats for years. The odyssey bench mat is a complete and utter game changer. Bands don't even compare, the bench mat is insanely grippy. No amount of leg drive can make it slip.

I like that the bench mat doesn't slide off and stays on the bench throughout the whole session. It allows me to have the correct setup & not slip during my set.

Odyssey is a Canadian company in Ottawa run by lifters. The mat ships from our US warehouse to the US, Canada and worldwide. See the Odyssey Bench Mat, the full bench mats collection, or read our comparison with the UPR Bench Bro.