Which yoga mat is the best? Well, it depends on your priorities. Do you need a light mat for travel? Are you most concerned about having a biodegradable mat? Do you want a mat that will last a good, long time? Is cost your biggest issue? Here is a chart. It lays out the most important features of five popular yoga mats. Use it to easily decide which one is right for you. In addition, you can use the links below to find more in-depth reviews of several of these mats.
The Contenders
- Gaiam Yoga Essentials Mat: This mat provides our baseline. It is probably the most commonly used mat for beginners. It is readily available in supermarkets and it is very economically priced.
- Liforme Yoga Mat: A soft mat with excellent traction and a unique alignment graphic.
- Jade Harmony Mat: This very popular mat is made of rubber. Completely natural and pretty durable. Jade Harmony Review
- Lululemon The Mat: This mat ingeniously layers two materials, giving you a choice of practice surfaces.
- Manduka Black Mat PRO: Extremely durable, heavyweight mat favored by yoga enthusiasts. Manduka Black Mat PRO Review
| Gaiam | Liforme | Jade Harmony | Lululemon The Mat | Manduka PRO | |
| material | PVC | polyurethane, rubber | rubber | polyurethane, rubber, latex | PVC |
| thickness | 1/8″ | 3/8″ | 3/16″ | 3/16″ | 1/4″ |
| weight | light (2.2 lbs) | mid (5.5 lbs) | mid (4 lbs) | mid (5.8 lbs) | heavy (7 pounds) |
| length | 68″ | 73″ | 68″ or 74″ | 71″ | 71″ or 85″ |
| biodegradable | no | yes | yes | no | no |
| odor | no | slight (rubber) | yes (rubber) | slight (rubber) | no |
| soft | yes | yes | no | yes | no |
| traction | fair | great | good | great | good |
| durability | poor | good | good | good | great |
| price | $22 | $140 | $69.95 | $68 | $100 |
More resources:
- Nude Yoga: What You Need to Know Before Trying Naked Yoga
- Naked Fitness: Pros, Cons, and Where to Try It
- Jade Harmony Yoga Mat Review
- Manduka Black Mat PRO Review
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