Yoga Mat Reviews

Finding the right yoga mat is like finding the right pair of jeans: it’s all about the fit! There are so many yoga mats out there that it will take some trial phases to go through and find the right one for you. So long as you are prepared to test some out until you find the right one then you should be fine. Try not to get situated on one right away until you have tried out a good amount.

Because of the amount of products out there, we decided to put together a comprehensive guide to yoga mats. On this page we will review all the different style such as sticky yoga mats, eco yoga mats, thick yoga mats, travel yoga mats, and much more. We even found a company who offers custom yoga mats! And, of course we also cover yoga mat bags, yoga mat towels, and how to clean a yoga mat.

Make sure to bookmark this page as we continually update it with the latest reviews and information.

Best Yoga Mat

One of the first things people as us is, “Which is the best yoga mat?” And of course there is no right answer to this question since so many peoples needs vary. For some of us we want an extra thick mat; others will want something that is close to the ground. So what we decided to do is outline yoga mats by the “general consensus” of our opinions along with other yogis in the community:

• Most Durable Yoga Mat: Manduka
• Best Extra Thick Yoga Mat: Hugger Mugger
• Best Eco Yoga Mat: Tie – Jade & Kulae
• Best New Yoga Mat Company: Kulae

Jade Yoga Mat

Jade Yoga Mats are very well respected in the community and are used by such teachers as Shiva Rea, Sean Corne, Dharma Mittra, Baron Baptise, Michael Franti, and many others. They were one of the first companies to offer eco yoga mats and every time you purchase one they plant a tree in your name. Born out of the need to help students “stop slipping” on their yoga mat, Jade set out to make the perfect mat to accomplish this goal. Their designs are very simple and staright forward so don’t expect anything sexy or inspirational. Their goal is to help you not slip while doing yoga!

To learn more visit Jade Yoga

Manduka Yoga Mat

Manduka yoga mats have a great reputation in the community for being a very reliable mat. Used by veteran teacher John Friend (founder of Anusara Yoga,) Their Black Mat Pro are infamous for being the best yoga mat when it comes to their usability and life span. Their selection is pretty simple and staright forward so they do not offer a robust selection like Gaiam or Jade. But rest assured when you test out their mats you will see why they really don’t need to try and create a large selection.

To learn more visit Manduka

Gaiam Yoga Mat

Gaiam yoga mats were one of the first on the market. They are one of the largest yoga media companies here in the US and boast quite a collection of mats and products. The great thing about Gaiam is that they are constantly testing and improving their products and because they have big money behind them, they have the resurces to constantly test what works and what does not. They have everything from sticky yoga mats, eco yoga mats, thick yoga mats, and yoga mats where you can plug in your iPod! Another great thing about their mats is that they offer many styles and designs so you will have a lot to choose from.

To learn more visit Gaiam

Hugger Mugger Yoga Mat

Hugger Mugger is one of the original yoga mat and accessory companies in the yoga community. So they know what they are doing. Their extra thick mats are pretty famous and are perfect for those boney or clumsy students. Their selection of yoga mats runns the gammit of eco yoga mats, thick yoga mats, sticky yoga mats, and much more. Besides Gaiam they boast one of the largest and versatile selections.

To learn more visit Hugger Mugger

Barefoot CO Yoga Mat

Barefoot Yoga Co yoga mats were born out of veteran teacher and student Kelly LeFebvre need for the perfect eco mat. She was traveling throughout India studying yoga and living the yogic lifestyle where she realized the need for a versatile yoga mat that was also eco-friendly. So the Barefoot Yoga Mat was born where they only use natural rubber and jute fiber. It has received great reviews from the NY Times, Natural Health Magazing, and Body + Soul. The other cool thing about their store is that they also offer Jade and Manduka yoga mats.

To learn more please visit Barefoot Yoga CO

Lululemon Yoga Mat

As the Lululemon empire grows, then of course it would make sense that they would expand to yoga mats as well. Their mats are newer to the market since they are not a company that started out making these products. So we don’t have much to say right now other then they are pretty sexy. Whether they help you with your yoga class is another story.

You can check out their mats at Lululemon Yoga Mats

Prana Yoga Mat

The Prana yoga mat selection is pretty straight forward: they have one eco yoga mat. Yup, that’s it. Is that bad? Not at all since when you produce quality products you don’t have to make so many trying to figure out which are good and which are not. Prana are known for developing top quality products not only for the yoga community, but for the activewear community as well. Most of their customers are extremely adventurous so they know how to test things properly.

To learn more visit Prana Yoga Mat

Kulae Yoga Mat

Compared to some of the other companies, Kulae is a bit newer to the scene but definitely has made a strong impression. Their eco yoga mats are truly top notch when it comes to style and technology. Their products are 100% biodegradable (fantastic!), 100% recyclable, and do not have any PVC, latex, cadmium, rubber, or lead. Their mats are perfect for those sensitive folks with allergies but sexy enough where you won’t look out of style at all. They have a pretty limited selection since they are a newer company but are definitely worth checking out.

To learn more visit Kulae

Custom Yoga Mat by Yogamatic

Can’t find the right style that fits you best? No problem because now you can get your own custom yoga mat! That’s right just come up with your own deisgn and Yogamatic will print it on the mat of your choice. It’s a pretty sweet deal for those yogis who would really like to see their mat reflect their personality a bit more. While some of us are fine with just a plain mat, others would like a more personal touch. As for the price, you might pay a bit more then some of the standard mats ($89) but it is something you will enjoy for the years to come.

To learn more visit Yogamatic

Hot Yoga & Bikram Yoga Mat by Breathe

For those of you who practice with some serious heat in the room, you might be interested in a Hot yoga mat or Bikram yoga mat. For the most part, you can just buy any sticky yoga mat and you should be fine. However a company by the name of Breathe has developed a custom mat just for those hot yoga students who need to keep the sweat off. Their hot yoga mat is really just an extra thick towel that basically combines the two together: a yoga mat towel!

To learn more visit Breathe Mat

Yoga Mat Bag

Of course now a days we also gotta have a yga mat bag so that we can traverse the city in comfort and style. No one likes to have to shlep their yoga mat all over town without having a yoga mat bag to put it in. Most of the companies outlined here all design their own bags. However there is one company that has set out to only focus on creating bags by the name of Yogo Bags. They have some great designs and have developed them to fit all the styles of mats out there.

To learn more visit Yogo Bags

Cheap Yoga Mat

Some of our readers have asked us to suggest some “cheap yoga mats” and we just have one thing to say to that: you are worth so much more! Just buy the mat you like. It might cost you an extra $30 but it will be well worth it. Your yoga mat is like your car so don’t settle for a cheap yoga mat!

Travel Yoga Mat

Of course finding a good travel yoga mat is definitely worth it. However, most of them are really just glorified towels and do not give you the same experience. In fact, from most that we tried we would rather just practice on the floor. That being said, there is one alternative and that is Yoga Paws. Basically its extra grip for your hands and feet and is really the best bet when it comes to travel yoga mats. Of course if you can just take yours with you then by all means this is the best way to go. If you can’t, then we recommend you check out Yoga Paws. The other travel yoga mats really don’t do the job right.

To learn more visit Yoga Paws

How To Clean A Yoga Mat

If you want to learn how to properly (and naturally) clean your yoga mat, then go here.

 

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