Recommendations for Purchasing A Yoga Mat
March 19, 2019 6:32 AM Subscribe
Like it says on the tin, I need help finding and purchasing a yoga mat. Can you provide me advice on what to look for and/or recommend a particular yoga mat to me? My budget is $100.
In the past several months, I've purchased two yoga mats which haven't satisfied my needs. I'm looking for a yoga mat that is non-slip (sticky is fine), versatile (i.e., can be used for regular or hot yoga), and has good cushioning/support. The last criteria is critical: when I do a pose on one of the two mats I've purchased, it creates a huge indent on the mat, which makes it more difficult to hold the pose/stay balanced. (Btw, I have seen this Ask.Me post and will be taking its advice to heart.)
If possible, the mat should be available in bright colors/patterns, durable, eco-friendly, lightweight, and easy-to-roll-up. I prefer to purchase from Amazon or another online retailer.
Thanks for your help, Meta!
In the past several months, I've purchased two yoga mats which haven't satisfied my needs. I'm looking for a yoga mat that is non-slip (sticky is fine), versatile (i.e., can be used for regular or hot yoga), and has good cushioning/support. The last criteria is critical: when I do a pose on one of the two mats I've purchased, it creates a huge indent on the mat, which makes it more difficult to hold the pose/stay balanced. (Btw, I have seen this Ask.Me post and will be taking its advice to heart.)
If possible, the mat should be available in bright colors/patterns, durable, eco-friendly, lightweight, and easy-to-roll-up. I prefer to purchase from Amazon or another online retailer.
Thanks for your help, Meta!
I have a B Mat Strong and would recommend it.
It's a 100% rubber mat, so it's got a good grip even when you get sweaty. I've used it for regular and hot yoga (both Bikram and heated flow) classes. During Bikram classes, because it's the culture and the studios I've attended require it, I've put a towel on the class although I didn't personally think it was necessary. The mat has good durability and the company advertises that they produce the mat using eco-friendly and sustainable practices, although I haven't done my own research. I will say the mat isn't particularly light weight--it is around 5 pounds. It was stiff at first, but now I find it very easy to roll up and secure with a cheap carrying strap. They do have some fun colors and, although I wasn't sure about the mat at first, I've been using it about a year and it's noticeably better than the old ones I've tried and I'm going to keep using it until it wears out. It was definitely worth it.
FWIW I used Amazon links, as I can't link directly to the B mat webpage from my work computer. I also think I paid around $65 for the B Mat Strong when I bought it directly from a yoga studio, if that is helpful.
posted by lucy.jakobs at 7:00 AM on March 19, 2019
It's a 100% rubber mat, so it's got a good grip even when you get sweaty. I've used it for regular and hot yoga (both Bikram and heated flow) classes. During Bikram classes, because it's the culture and the studios I've attended require it, I've put a towel on the class although I didn't personally think it was necessary. The mat has good durability and the company advertises that they produce the mat using eco-friendly and sustainable practices, although I haven't done my own research. I will say the mat isn't particularly light weight--it is around 5 pounds. It was stiff at first, but now I find it very easy to roll up and secure with a cheap carrying strap. They do have some fun colors and, although I wasn't sure about the mat at first, I've been using it about a year and it's noticeably better than the old ones I've tried and I'm going to keep using it until it wears out. It was definitely worth it.
FWIW I used Amazon links, as I can't link directly to the B mat webpage from my work computer. I also think I paid around $65 for the B Mat Strong when I bought it directly from a yoga studio, if that is helpful.
posted by lucy.jakobs at 7:00 AM on March 19, 2019
I used the Wirecutter's review and bought the Lululemon 5mm reversible mat. It's great, and I wouldn't have gone for the label otherwise. It's not too heavy to carry to class, the polyurethane side is grippy (I use it for all flow classes because I have sweaty hands...) and the soft side is good for yin yoga. I still use a folded microfibre towel under my knee if I'm putting a lot of weight onto it because no mat is going to cushion it enough, but the cushioning is good without losing the ability to balance.
posted by carbide at 7:13 AM on March 19, 2019
posted by carbide at 7:13 AM on March 19, 2019
Manduka ProLite is my recommendation.
As rabidsegue states the Pro is heavy. It might be cumbersome to bring to studios. I think it would be great for home practice.
I have had my ProLite since 2016. You can save money if you don't care about colors. Some colors are less expensive than others on Amazon and the Manduka website. I have a blue one from Amazon and a dark pink one from the Manduka website. I bought the pink for my teenager since he practices with me sometimes and it was less expensive than other color options. This mat doesn't stay creased or dented. It heals quickly. The lesser thickness Mandukas are too thin in my opinion. One drawback is that this mat is slippery upon purchase. You must scrub it with kosher salt and practice on it to get the slippery layer off. Once the slippery layer is off, this mat is amazing. If you want to practice it right away once you receive it from Amazon, it won't be possible because you will be slipping. You have to take a few days to prep. I was naive and was slipping. Then my yoga teacher told me about the scrub process.
I scrubbed my mats with kosher salt and a little water for three days and practiced on it to get layer off. I even set it in the sun with the salt-water mixture on the mat and this may or may have not made a difference. If I had to do it again I would take Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush to it. I have read that people do this with success. It won't harm your mat. I practice hot yoga. I wipe it daily. To get it really clean I put it in the bathtub once a week and scrub with dish soap and water and it doesn't harm it.
Namaste.
posted by loveandhappiness at 7:51 AM on March 19, 2019
As rabidsegue states the Pro is heavy. It might be cumbersome to bring to studios. I think it would be great for home practice.
I have had my ProLite since 2016. You can save money if you don't care about colors. Some colors are less expensive than others on Amazon and the Manduka website. I have a blue one from Amazon and a dark pink one from the Manduka website. I bought the pink for my teenager since he practices with me sometimes and it was less expensive than other color options. This mat doesn't stay creased or dented. It heals quickly. The lesser thickness Mandukas are too thin in my opinion. One drawback is that this mat is slippery upon purchase. You must scrub it with kosher salt and practice on it to get the slippery layer off. Once the slippery layer is off, this mat is amazing. If you want to practice it right away once you receive it from Amazon, it won't be possible because you will be slipping. You have to take a few days to prep. I was naive and was slipping. Then my yoga teacher told me about the scrub process.
I scrubbed my mats with kosher salt and a little water for three days and practiced on it to get layer off. I even set it in the sun with the salt-water mixture on the mat and this may or may have not made a difference. If I had to do it again I would take Dawn dish soap and a scrub brush to it. I have read that people do this with success. It won't harm your mat. I practice hot yoga. I wipe it daily. To get it really clean I put it in the bathtub once a week and scrub with dish soap and water and it doesn't harm it.
Namaste.
posted by loveandhappiness at 7:51 AM on March 19, 2019
Yes on Manduka. They have different thicknesses so you can find what works best for you. Check REI.com for the Mandukas. They often have them on sale.
posted by vivzan at 8:21 AM on March 19, 2019
posted by vivzan at 8:21 AM on March 19, 2019
I got a Manduka ProLite about a month ago - the "long" version was on sale. It seems much higher quality than my previous cheapo mat, but as has already been mentioned, I was taken aback by the slick coating. I haven't done the salt scrub or anything - maybe when the weather gets nice and I can do it outside. However, just using it for about 20 minutes a day is starting to break it in, so maybe I won't need to scrub it by that time.
All the same, I probably won't be recommending it personally until my own mat is completely un-slicked, and I'm glad to see others saying that will happen.
posted by Kriesa at 11:58 AM on March 19, 2019
All the same, I probably won't be recommending it personally until my own mat is completely un-slicked, and I'm glad to see others saying that will happen.
posted by Kriesa at 11:58 AM on March 19, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
They have lighter-weight mats that would be easier to travel with if you take studio classes. The salt scrub process worked to make my mat nonslip (along with using a towel for hot yoga). I would suggest you research the different mat thicknesses to see which is the best balance for you of cushioning and weight. I think all your other requests are addressed on the website as well--weight, sustainability, durability, colors/patterns.
One final suggestion, if you have a TJ Maxx nearby, they sometimes have the lighter-weight Mandukas for sale, but I believe most Mandukas (-pro) are <$100. (One bonus suggestion, do a search at the r/yoga subreddit, where this question has been asked in the past.)
posted by rabidsegue at 6:51 AM on March 19, 2019 [1 favorite]