Yoga mats are a necessary item for anyone who practices yoga. They serve as the foundation of your practice and they can also be used in other forms of exercise, such as Pilates or dance. In this article, we will examine the best yoga mats available on the market today, including their design, material composition, and pricing.
The best yoga mat 2020 is a type of mat that can be used for a variety of exercises. It is made from the highest quality materials and has a non-slip design.
CNN —
Yoga mats aren’t all made equal. Grip, thickness, material, and size are all important considerations when looking for a mat, as is your favorite exercise. For example, if you’re an experienced yogi who likes to feel anchored to the floor, you’ll want a thinner mat. Are you recovering from a previous knee injury? Choose a mat with additional padding to protect your pressure points; a thickness of at least 5 millimeters is recommended.
We chose nine mats from a pool of top-rated and editor-favorite mats after doing extensive study and testing with numerous at-home yoga sessions. Apart from the fact that we’ve never felt so limber in our lives, the good news is that we discovered a few obvious standouts across key areas that we believe will meet the majority of people’s needs:
Overall, the best yoga mat
The fact that the mat is dual-sided, with a smooth and sticky polyurethane-coated top side and a textured natural rubber bottom side that offers plenty of grip, is by far our favorite feature. Apart from that, we liked how the mat is somewhat large and, despite its 5-millimeter thickness, offers enough of comfort.
Non-slip yoga mats are the best.
The Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat is our favorite zero-slip option, with great grip and complete floor stability. While the ultra-slim, extremely foldable nature of the Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat is appealing in and of itself (especially for frequent travelers), it’s also our favorite zero-slip option, with great grip and complete floor stability. As if that weren’t enough, the mat is also constructed from biodegradable natural tree rubber, making it completely eco-friendly.
Thickest yoga mat
The Gaiam’s Premium Yoga Mat was the best thick yoga mat, since the PVC (polyvinyl chloride, a synthetic rubber) mat has 6 millimeters of cushion and a deep pattern that guarantees a non-slip surface. It also got extra points for being the best inexpensive yoga mat since it was one of the cheapest mats we evaluated.
The best yoga mat for hot yoga
The 6MM Manduka Pro Yoga Mat can certainly handle the quantity of perspiration generated in a single scorching class for regular hot yoga practitioners. The PVC mat’s weight helps to cement it into your flooring, while the ultra-tacky top side has a cutting-edge texture that ensures a no-slip hold — even when you’re drenched in perspiration.
For beginners, the best yoga mat
Beginners will benefit from the Original Liforme Yoga Mat’s 12 alignment markings, which show users precisely where their hands and feet should be placed throughout their practice. The markers, which serve as a navigational aid, are particularly useful for novices practicing at home without the benefit of a live teacher to improve their technique.
CNN/Courtney Thompson
5MM Reversible Mat by Lululemon
The Reversible Mat from Lululemon topped our list for a variety of reasons, the most important of which is that it has two sides, making it the most flexible choice we evaluated. After all, who doesn’t like a good deal? Users may select between a smooth or textured mat (for the same price! ), and we discovered that the mat offers better stability regardless of which side you choose — its hand and foot gripping is unrivaled, and it never slid whether put on hardwood or carpeted floors.
The top layer of the mat is covered with polyurethane, which is good at absorbing perspiration and feels silky smooth beneath your hands and feet, with a sticky sensation that’s ideal for sweatier exercises. Although the textured natural rubber base layer is designed for low-sweat exercises, it nevertheless offers excellent grip when in use.
The 5 millimeters of padding on the Reversible Mat were adequate to give support to sensitive regions (weak wrists, hips, etc.) while concealing the hard floor underneath. It’s also a little bigger than the average yoga mat (which is usually 68 inches by 24 inches), being 3 inches longer and 2 inches wider than most. This gives you a little extra covering without being overly big. However, if you really want something enormous (84 inches by 28 inches), this mat is available in a much larger size.
While the company cautions of an odor coming out of the box, we only noticed a faint stench that disappeared after a few minutes. In terms of cleaning, the smooth side washes down with a single fast pass with a soapy cloth, while the textured side, given its matte nature, took a little longer. The mat doesn’t come with a bag or strap, and considering its size and 5.24-pound weight, it’s a little cumbersome to carry about on its own. Starting at $16, Lululemon offers a range of accessories (such as carrying straps).
With its tie dye-esque pattern, the dreamlike design has the hypnotic effect of a lava lamp and is presently available in red/pink and black/white colors, epitomizing the union of form and function. The point is, whether you’re rolling into a (socially distant) class or doing home exercises, you’ll appear like a complete expert with this mat. Last but not least, Lululemon has your back with their “Quality Promise” policy, which guarantees that if the mat doesn’t live up to your expectations, the company will accept it back for the rest of its life.
CNN/Courtney Thompson
eKO Superlite Travel Yoga Mat by Manduka
What we like most about the Manduka eKO Superlite Yoga and Pilates Travel Mat is that it’s a superb nonslip mat even without its portable selling features (more on them below!). This is why: While it’s small enough to carry about, the mat has enough weight to cling to the floor and remain there, whether on hard surfaces or carpet – which is unusual for such a thin, light mat. The mat’s most valuable feature, however, is the exceptional grip given by its densely woven surface. The mat offered enough of grip and stability throughout even our sweatiest exercises, thanks to its slightly dimpled look and sticky feel.
While traveling isn’t on our current agendas, it’s something we all want to do in the near future, and if you’re someone who enjoys doing yoga on the go — or who lives in a tiny area and needs a yoga mat that can be quickly packed away — look no further than this mat. The 1.5-millimeter-thick mat can be folded into a 10-inch-by-12-inch rectangle that can be neatly packed into your bag, backpack, or luggage and weighs just 2.2 pounds (most regular mats weigh about 5-plus pounds).
There isn’t much padding here, which is to be anticipated from a super-portable mat (and why it didn’t earn our overall award). This is not the choice for you if you want a spongy mat with plenty of cushioning. Many experienced yogis, however, prefer a thinner mat because it provides more stability, particularly while doing more energetic or concentrated postures.
Customers who are concerned about the environment will appreciate how environmentally friendly this mat is. It’s produced from sustainably sourced, non-Amazon tree rubber in a zero-waste production plant, and it’s devoid of hazardous chemicals, colors, and latex. Did we mention it’s also 100 percent biodegradable? Yes, it’s true.
The moral of the tale is that if you’re searching for a zero-slip yoga mat that’s also very portable and has a bunch of feel-good, eco-friendly features, this is it. More good news: it’s only $50 and comes with a lifetime warranty from Manduka.
CNN/Courtney Thompson
Premium Yoga Mat by Gaiam
The rubber-free Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat is chock-full of springy, PVC padding, making it ideal for anybody seeking for a little more support for their elbows and knees during their weekly Cat Cow postures. The mat is twice as thick as others on the market, measuring 6 millimeters thick and offering plenty of joint protection. More on that thickness: Despite being 6 millimeters thick, the mat feels solid rather than spongelike, so we had no trouble finding stability, even with the additional cushion underfoot.
While it doesn’t have the same solid grip as the Lululemon Reversible Mat, it’s still one of the most durable we tested, and the best of the budget-friendly choices. The mat has a sticky feel to it, with small textured grooves that provide plenty of springy grip, especially during sweatier workouts. The Lululemon Reversible, on the other hand, is a great option if you want to be fully immersed in your mat.
Another significant selling point? That cost. Not everyone, including us, wants to spend a small sum on a yoga mat. This is the greatest value at this price range if you want to get the most bang for your money.
However, one of our favorite features of the Gaiam mat is that it just weighs 3.4 pounds, making it very light for such a thick mat. It doesn’t come with a strap or a bag, but since it’s lighter than others, it’s a little simpler to carry. However, because to its small size, we found that the mat required a few days to fully uncurl at the ends after first usage.
The mat, which is free of latex and phthalates, comes in 30 colors (more than any other mat on our list! ), ranging from jewel-toned tribal patterns to somber darker designs, and each comes with one free yoga session that can be downloaded via the Gaiam app.
Amazon
Manduka Pro Yoga Mat 6MM
The Manduka Pro Yoga Mat is one of the finest overall mats we tested, and it’s designed for professionals! Specifically, professionals who thrive on a sweatier-than-thou exercise. Even if you’re not a sweaty person, hot-yoga sessions are conducted in temps ranging from 90 degrees to 108 degrees Fahrenheit, with plenty of humidity. The point is that you’ll be dripping, and you’ll need a non-slip mat that can handle the moisture. Manduka Pro Yoga Mat, to be precise.
The 6-millimeter-thick mat is a beast in its own right, adored by experienced yogis and teachers alike for its density and top and bottom gripping, both of which were reasons we thought it performed better than any other mat we tested during hot yoga. The sheer weight of the PVC mat, which weighs 7.5 pounds, attaches it to the floor and provides a solid exercise. The Pro’s top-side texture consists of vertical and horizontal grooves that provided some of the greatest grip we’ve ever felt throughout testing, even when we were sweating profusely. The bottom features a tough dot design on the underside that we found remained put on both carpeted and hardwood surfaces.
We broke in the mat by dusting it with salt and having it lie in the sun for 24 hours before washing it off with a wet towel – a procedure that is a bit laborious when you just want to get started with your exercise. Another drawback is that the mat’s mobility is limited due to its heavier-than-most weight, and it doesn’t come with a strap or bag.
Overall, we found the Manduka Pro to be a great mat for both hot-yoga and normal yoga practitioners, deserving of its hefty price tag. The mat is not only guaranteed by Manduka’s lifetime warranty, but it is also Oeko-Tex certified and latex-free.
Amazon
Liforme Original Yoga Mat
We adore the smooth, almost velvety top side and substantial, 4.2-millimeter-thick natural rubber cushion on the Liforme Original Yoga Mat – it’s a terrific mat on its own, let alone fancy. Sure, it’s an expense, but the alignment markings are a real standout that you won’t find on most other mats. The delicate pattern of the mat acts as a cheat sheet for novices, making hand and foot placement much more steady (and simpler!) throughout your yoga sessions, particularly for those of us who are doing our namaste at home without the assistance of a live teacher.
From top to bottom, the mat has more than a dozen indicators (etched in a slightly darker shade of the mat’s color), including end-to-end lines that keep your hands and feet parallel lengthways, reverse points that keep your hands and feet even when lying down, central lines that keep you centered widthways, and 45-degree lines that keep you centered widthways. We felt more secure as we glided through the movements after using these markers in our own exercises, knowing that each of our poses was not only correct but also safe, avoiding any undesired injuries that might arise if we were left to our own (perhaps ignorant) devices. Certain lines also assisted us in achieving optimum outcomes by teaching us where we should be on the mat and how our bodies should feel in those positions.
We like the grip of the mat, which came with it, in addition to the built-in lesson. The Liforme mat has an eco-polyurethane layer on the top side that provides a no-slip grip and allows for a highly steady, secure flow. Then there’s the mat’s environmental friendliness. Liforme, which bills itself as the “most planet-friendly yoga mat,” is made of organically produced sustainable rubber, is PVC-free, has no harmful chemicals, and biodegrades in one to five years if it ends up in a landfill.
Unfortunately, sustainability isn’t cheap, particularly when it comes to a high-quality yoga mat. The good news is that this is the only mat we tried that came with a stylish travel bag, which helps to justify the $140 price tag in our opinion.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: there are a plethora of yoga mats available. We searched the market for bestsellers, top-rated mats, editor favorites, and highly acclaimed choices to create our test pool. Following that, we put nine yoga mats through their paces with at least three yoga sessions each, ranging from Vinyasa Flow and Hatha-style courses to sweat-inducing Power Yoga, and we did it on carpet and hardwood floors to evaluate each mat’s stability on various surfaces. We examined the following factors throughout our testing procedure, which lasted more than a month and included many, many yoga sessions.
Function
- Thickness/support: This was a crucial factor, since we considered not just the precise thickness of each mat, but also how supporting and stable it was. Long-time yogis prefer thinner mats because they want the most stability while still feeling connected to the ground; thicker mats are much gentler on the joints (especially the knees and wrists), are beneficial to anyone recovering from an injury, and can range from dense and stable to spongy and unpredictable depending on their constitution.
- Grasp: We looked examined how effectively the hands and feet could grip the mat’s material while they were dry and when they were wet from perspiration pouring from your brow, for example.
- Is it possible to roll the mat flat straight out of the box? If not, how long did it lay totally flat, in hours or days?
- Is there a strap or a bag included with the mat? What is the weight and bulk of the mat? Is it manageable to transport to and from a class?
- Size: A typical yoga mat is 68 inches by 24 inches, and we measured each mat in our pool to see whether it met or exceeded that requirement.
Material
- Feel beneath the skin: We evaluated the textures and top coats of our test pool and how they felt under our hands and feet as we slid through our yoga routines for this category.
- Attributes that are environmentally beneficial and long-lasting: We looked at how environmentally friendly both the mat and its manufacturer are. Is the mat constructed of natural rubber? Is the PVC mat free of phthalates and other harmful chemicals? Is it made in a zero-waste environment? Is the mat made of biodegradable materials? Is it Oeko-Tex certified (indicating that it is devoid of hazardous substances)? What is the brand’s level of commitment to environmentally friendly practices?
- We gave each mat a thorough sniff test since some mats are known to have an initial, unpleasant odor.
- Cleaning ease: Most manufacturers suggest washing down your mat with a warm, soapy cloth after each usage, however due to the texture and content of each mat, this is not always easy. We took note of how simple (or difficult!) the cleaning procedure was.
Options
- If the mat is available in various lengths or widths, we made a note of it.
- Color/pattern options: We counted how many different colors and/or designs the mat comes in.
We checked at each product’s warranty to see whether it had one and how long it covered.
Amazon.com: Jade Yoga Harmony Mat (beginning at $79.95)
The Jade Yoga Harmony Mat is an excellent option for a more environmentally friendly yoga practice. The 4.5-millimeter thick natural rubber mat’s textured top provides a sticky resilience ideal for low-impact and high-octane workouts alike, while the bottom stays put on hard surfaces and carpets, plus it’s PVC-free and manufactured in the USA. The mat comes in a variety of beautiful hues, ranging from fire engine red to a lovely slate blue, and is available in two lengths (68 and 74 inches). One disadvantage was that the mat’s flat texture attracted a lot of dust and dirt from our floors, making cleaning it more difficult. Bonus: For every mat sold, Jade Yoga plants a tree, and the mat’s label is printed on recycled paper with soy ink. Regrettably, the brand only provides a one-year warranty.
Gaiam Performance Dry Grip Yoga Mat 5MM (beginning at $50; amazon.com) Gaiam Performance Dry Grip Yoga Mat 5MM (starting at $50; amazon.com)
Listen up, hot yoga devotees: We can confirm that the Gaiam Performance Dry Grip Yoga Mat 5MM lives up to its claim of wicking away moisture (and maintaining grip) even when practice temperatures rise. The mat remained dry the whole time during one especially sweaty yoga practice (even when we didn’t!). The smooth surface of the PVC mat appealed to us, as did the soft support provided by its 5-millimeter density. This is an excellent choice for people seeking for a thick, rubber-free mat that is reasonably lightweight (it weighs 4.25 pounds) and free of latex and phthalates.
1/4-Inch Thick High Density Yoga Mat ($25.99; amazon.com) by Yoga Accessories
Tall yogis everywhere, take note: this is the budget-friendly mat for you! The Yoga Accessories 1/4-Inch Thick High Density Yoga Mat is 74 inches long, which is 6 inches longer than regular mats, making it perfect for our tallest friends. Rhis latex- and phthalates-free PVC mat is also the thickest we tested, at 6.25 millimeters, making it an excellent option for anybody who needs more joint support. The mat has a spongier feel to it, which some may find lacking in stability, but it has a good grip and weighs just 3.6 pounds, making it simple to transport to and from classes. The mat is another Amazon favorite, with over 3,000 favorable ratings and a 4.5-star rating. It comes in 17 beautiful colors ranging from sunset yellow to bubblegum pink.
Jade Yoga Voyager Mat (Amazon.com; $39.95)
The Voyager Mat is the most portable of Jade Yoga’s eco-friendly yoga mats, measuring only 1.5 millimeters in thickness and constructed of natural rubber (read: no PVC!). The lightweight mat, weighing just 1.5 pounds, is ideal for travel and mobility; it folds into a 9-by-9-by-2-inch rectangle and can simply be put away in your house when not in use. However, its thinness may be a disadvantage. We had several issues with it sliding on the floor (when tested on carpet and hardwood), which hampered our exercise steadiness and taxed our patience. We do, however, like Jade Yoga’s commitment to environmental stewardship, which includes planting a tree for every mat sold.
More from CNN Underscored’s field research:
The manduka yoga mats are the best yoga mats of 2021. They have a perfect balance between quality and price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most comfortable yoga mat?
The most comfortable yoga mat is the Jade Harmony Yoga Mat. It has a nice grip and is soft on your feet.
Which company yoga mat is best?
If you are looking for a yoga mat, I recommend the Jade Yoga Mat.
What is the best thickness for a yoga mat?
The thickness of a yoga mat is determined by the weight and size of the user. If you are not sure what thickness to get, I recommend getting a mat that is one inch thick, or between two-and-a-half to three inches in thickness.
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