I’ve had several of our new students ask about which yoga mat they should invest in, so I thought I would write a short blog post to help you navigate through the multitude of mats available on the market today! I’ll preface this post by saying that these are my own opinions on the most popular mats out there.
Choosing a mat for hot yoga will be different that choosing a mat for unseated yoga. In my home practice I use and LOVE the MANDUKA PRO. It is thick, supportive on the joints and comes with a lifetime warranty. I’ve had mine for 7 years and it’s like new. However, whilst I have no issues with grip in a non-heated yoga practice, I do find that in the heat I slip and need a towel.
Many people love the LIFORME mats with the alignment markings on them. I have one myself and it’s an excellent but overpriced mat (in my opinion). The grip is fantastic in the heat but if you are drawn to the mat because of its alignment markings, please consider that these are generalized alignment guidelines and I personally don’t think they take into consideration an individuals unique skeletal structure and alignment is a very individualized practice anyway, but that’s a whole other conversation for another post!
The LULULEMON is another popular mat, especially for hot yoga. If you like the grip of the Liforme but can do without the alignment guidelines, this may be a mat to consider as it’s about half the price. I haven’t purchased from this company in several years however, but I know grey remain popular.
I use and highly recommend the JADE yoga mats. The Harmony mat is amazing – it’s thin, grippy and most importantly eco-friendly. It is made from natural rubber from rubber trees which is a renewable resource. Jade is a lovely company and they plant a tree for every mat sold. This is my mat of choice.
Choosing a mat is a personal experience and yes, there is a HUGE difference between the cheap mats you can buy at big box stores and a quality mat which will last much longer. A good mat will enhance your practice, provide greater grip and stability in your asanas. I hope this helps. I’ve only spoken about a few of the mats out there, I realize there are many others available- please feel free to comment on your favorite!