Over the last year I’ve purchased 3 yoga mats for travel, yoga studio and home practice. All have their positives and negative….in the end, I only love one of the mats. Here’s my review below…..
- Thickness: 3/16″, Length: 68″, Weight: ~ 4 lbs.
- Price: $69.95
- Open cell 100% natural rubber, 99% latex free
- It was love at first asana! Other mats take a while to wear in, this one was non slip from day one. Plus I like the amount of cushion and support it provides. At first I shied away because of the price, but after using my friend’s mat during a yttp meeting I felt it was definitely worth it. The “compression set resistance and cushioning” makes for a noticeable difference. Now, when it comes time to buy another mat, it’ll be a Jade Yoga mat.
- One slight negative – It doesn’t roll up well for a few months. I can’t roll it tight enough to fit my yoga mat bags.
Best yoga for those on a budget (3.75/5 stars)
Gaiam, Tree Of Life Print Yoga Mat- Thickness: 3 mm (about 7/64″), Length: 68″
- Price: $21.98
- Latex free, rubber and polyester/nylon blend
- This mat is great for it’s price range, good cushioning and ok grip. Bonus points for being my prettiest mat. However my feet slip if I hold poses like downward dog for too long (and I don’t sweat much).
- Thickness: 1/16″, Length: 68″, Weight: 2 lbs.
- Price: $40
- Closed cell non-Amazon harvested natural tree rubber, 99% latex free
- Last year I was traveling every single month (weddings, husband’s residency interviews, work) but wanted to keep up my practice. Manduka’s was the lightest mat I found that had good reviews and was foldable. In terms of portability it’s great – in my picture below you’ll notice that folded up it’s about the same size as my mac and thinner than my book. However months later I am still slipping around on the mat. Given the $40 price tag, I don’t think it’s worth it. I’d be interested in hearing others experiences with other travel options like yoga paws etc. ***updated March 2015 -> after dozens of uses and cleanings the mat now has some grip***
Hi There,
My friend bought a Manduka travel mat and was very disappointed. It warped on her due to constant use which is a bummer because I was considering it for my commuter travel mat. She tried to return it but the company wouldn’t give her a refund:-( I’m really looking for something to throw in my bag as my beloved Jade is just way too heavy. Did you ever find a good travel mat?
Brandie
Brandieflow.com
No, I never found a good travel mat. I’ve just settled with the mediocre manduka one. Another friend recommended trying the yoga gloves and socks and practicing without a mat while traveling – but haven’t tried it yet
I’m using the Manduka Pro as my main mat at home and when I go to the studio. (My commute is by car, so the extra weight doesn’t matter much.) This mat also felt very slick at first but then I did a few salt scrubs and left it in the sun to dry and slippage hasn’t been a problem since. The sun REALLY helps, oddly enough. Maybe that will work on the Manduka travel mat as well?