These puppies are made of durable material, not lightweight plastic but dense molded rubber. Correct, strong and able to hold back some flesh, and by the way in the photo they are upside down. For those who complain about the smell, it's normal for the rubber to smell. Mixing gum is similar to baking a cake, each mix has a strictly followed recipe and many chemicals are added to the raw gum (or cake as it is known). These substances impart lubricity to the rubber so that it can be mixed on a calender, or impart strength to the end product (like carbon black), or last but not least help to protect against oxidation; a hardener that accelerates and supports the vulcanization process that leads to the final product. In short, this process creates a chemical odor in the molded part that generally disappears over time. But it's definitely not that bad. It actually smells like money to me since I'm in the rubber business. Love these pads, they are heavy, a few pounds each, better than the others I've bought.