This is a great balance board for standing at your desk. It is sturdy and high quality. It is not like a traditional balance board — for me they require so much concentration that it would be difficult to work while standing on one. This balance board is easy to balance on. The main thing it is good for is that you can move while standing on it. I could easily rock forward-and-backward or side-to-side while working. The only reason that I gave it only 3 stars under pain relief is that my feet hurt more after standing on this than usual. This is probably because it is not cushioned. As described, the surface is non-slip. But there is no cushioning so it is not like an anti-fatigue mat. One other thing to note: this makes you taller so check the height of your standing desk to make sure you can raise it high enough.

Love this balance board. I use it in mornings while preparing (brushing teeth, etc) for my day — then adding a few squats just for fun. In just a couple weeks, I saw improvement in my balance and ability to put on socks & shoes without having to sit down or lean against something to keep from falling. The comfortable design and quality definitely make this an excellent choice.

Today is my first day using my Gaiam Evolve balance board, so far I like it. I've tried three other boards and this one seems to offer more than just lateral moves. I like the forward and backward movements giving my calves a stretch as well. However, when I opened my box and inspected my board, I couldn't help but suspect that I was sent a used/refurbished board. It's obvious to see one of the bottom pads was glued back in place. There are fingerprints left behind from the glue! In addition, one of the larger top pads is already coming unglued as well. I paid for a new product, the description did not state used or refurbished. My review will be updated if/when the manufacturer corrects this. See the photos
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Update: 8/24/17
Received a replacement Balance board and I'm very happy, Thank You Customer Service. The new board is a big difference over the first one, its noticeably higher and has the GAIAM logo on it. Clearly that first board should have never been sent out. Many Thanks!

I am very happy with the price point, quality and performance of this board. I am using it daily at my standing desk, and it is kinda fun to be in motion rather than just stand. I get a great calf stretch from it. It feels durable, I can get off and on easily, the color blends well in an office environment and it makes no noise whatsoever. That is important in an open work environment. I returned one made of wood because the thing squeaked constantly and annoyed my co-workers. I saw a review stating the paddiing degrades on the top of this board, but I have not experienced that nor does it appear from the quality that it would be likely to happen under normal use with flat shoes. It's lighter than other boards made from wood and I like that aspect for moving it about/carrying it. I like this board so much that I am going to order another one for home to keep near my couch to encourage me to stand and move once in a while instead of just sitting while watching TV in the evening.

I use a standing desk all day long in my home office. I rarely sit. I used to just use a thick pad but found that my calves, ankles, and hamstrings were very tight after standing all day. This balance board is useful and I’ve noticed a difference in how I feel after using it. It is easy to use, but you might have to raise your standing desk a little higher to use it comfortably. It takes a day or two to get used to balancing but the exercise benefits are worth it.