The right yoga mat will become your own space to exercise your body and mind in a class, or to simply practice poses at home.
The mat should have enough traction to stop you slipping and sliding when you shavasana, whether through a textured or sticky surface.
You also need to consider how much cushioning, support and stability you want, and whether the mat will mostly be used for sweaty vinyasa sessions or restorative routines.
We found that the best yoga mat for most people – and the best value – is the Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat, which has good grip and comes in more than 20 stylish designs.
All the Best Gear
Top Gear: Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat
Next Best Buy: Lululemon Reversible 5mm Yoga Mat
BUY NOW: Lululemon AU | Lululemon UK | Lululemon US
Best Eco-Friendly Mat: Jade Harmony Yoga Mat
BUY NOW: Amazon | empind.com.au
Best for Travel: Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat
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Best for Hot Yoga: Aurorae Synergy 2-in-1 Yoga Mat
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Best Budget Buy: BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose Yoga Mat
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Best for Alignment: Liforme Yoga Mat
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Reviews and Recommendations
Top Gear: Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat
The best yoga mat
The Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat is the best yoga mat for most people, with a combination of stylish design, impressive performance and great value.
With a relatively low price and light weight this Gaiam yoga mat should be appealing to beginners, travellers and regular yogis looking for better balance.
The mat is thicker than most, with extra padding and comfort helping to protect knees and joints during your more prolonged poses or intense fitness routines.
A grippy, textured surface will stop most people slipping during home practice or studio classes, but you might need something with more traction for the sweatiest vinyasa sessions.
The water-resistant, durable and non-toxic PVC foam material can easily be cleaned with a damp cloth and mild detergent, even if you prefer bikram or Iyengar classes. Regular cleaning should also keep the mat suitably sticky.
You have the choice of more than 20 designs, including solid colours and eye-catching prints like Rocky Peak, Niagara and Bronze Medallion. Each mat is reversible, with a different colour or pattern on each side, so you can decide which style will calm your mind or deepen your practice that day.
The Gaiam Premium Yoga Mat is also available in a larger size, at 1980 x 660mm or 78 x 26in.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | GAIAM US
Pros
+ Great value
+ Textured, non-slip surface
+ Bold colours and designs
+ Reversible
+ Lightweight
Cons
– PVC not degradable
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 6mm | 1/4in
Dimensions: 1730 x 610mm | 68 x 24in
Weight: 1.4kg | 3lbs 1oz
Material: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
More Guides to Best Buys
Next Best Buy: Lululemon Reversible 5mm Yoga Mat
Grippy or sticky
The Lululemon Reversible Mat 5mm is a comfortable, versatile and durable yoga mat that will help you hold stable poses for several years.
One side of the reversible mat has a spongy natural rubber base and a textured, grippy surface for when you need more traction during yin yoga classes or restorative routines.
The other side of the mat has a smooth, non-slip surface best suited to hot yoga sessions. Covered with sticky polyurethane, this side also wicks sweat and absorbs moisture to stop your palms and feet slipping.
The 5mm mat is designed to give extra cushioning for your knees, elbows and hips during floor poses, which feels more noticeable on the textured side.
If you tend to sweat it out, an antimicrobial additive helps reduce odours and prevents mould and mildew growing on the mat.
To clean the mat after practice you’ll simply need to wipe it with warm, soapy water and hang it to dry. Just make sure you let the mat fully dry before rolling it up and storing it away.
There are 9 bold colours to choose from, with the reversible mats having a suitably vivid name for each side, like Jubilee / Vintage Plum, and Misty Rose / Spanish Rose.
The Lululemon Reversible Mat is also available with 3mm thickness, which is ideal for carrying to yoga classes or if having a light mat – 1.76kg or 3lbs 9oz – is more important to you than added padding.
While the standard Reversible Mat – at 1800 x 660mm or 71 x 26in – will be big enough for most yogis, there is also a Reversible (Big) Mat that stretches out to a huge 2130 x 740mm or 84 x 29in.
CHECK PRICE ON LULULEMON AU | LULULEMON UK | LULULEMON US
Pros
+ Non-slip surface
+ Easy to clean
+ Lightweight and portable
+ Carry strap included
Cons
– PVC not degradable
– Material may flake
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 12.7mm | 1/2in
Dimensions: 1800 x 610mm | 71 x 24in
Weight: 0.8kg | 1lb 8oz
Material: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
Best Eco-Friendly Mat: Jade Harmony Yoga Mat
Sticky, natural surface
The Jade Harmony Yoga Mat is the best mat for eco-conscious yogis, made from natural materials – in this case a sustainable, dried rubber tree material – rather than PVC, plastic or other synthetic materials. Jade even plants a tree for every mat sold.
At 4.8mm or 3/16in thick, the mat isn’t too bulky and is light enough to carry to studio sessions, but it still gives enough padding to support your knees, elbows and hands on a hard floor or carpet during home practice.
The natural rubber and textured surface provide great traction and stability for wet or dry palms and feet.
The open-cell design of the rubber absorbs sweat, making this one of the grippiest mats for hot yoga classes. If anything, the super stickiness might make it tricky to transition from one pose to the next.
Jade recommends using 1 part apple cider vinegar and 9 parts water to clean the mat, rubbing the mixture onto the mat with a cloth and then rinsing it with water. Always hang up the mat – out of direct sunlight – until it is fully dry before rolling it up and storing it away.
The Jade Harmony Yoga Mat comes in 20 colours to choose from, with 11 of the colours available in the regular size of 1730 x 600mm or 68 x 24in.
Longer versions of the mat are also available, stretching to 1800 or 1880mm (71 or 74in), as well as an XL mat that is 2030 x 710mm or 80 x 28in.
Pros
+ Natural material
+ Non-slip surface
+ Absorbs moisture
+ Lightweight and portable
Cons
– Strong smell when new
– Long drying time
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 4.8mm | 3/16in
Dimensions: 1730 x 600mm | 68 x 24in
Weight: 2kg | 4lbs 5oz
Material: Natural rubber
Best for Travel: Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat
Perfect for packing
The Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat is the mat to pack if you want to yoga-on-the-go or practice poses in a hotel room.
This lightweight and foldable mat is only 1kg or 2lbs 2oz, and 1.5mm or 1/16in thick.
The natural tree rubber material gives a sticky surface in dry and warm conditions, as well as being a biodegradable, eco-friendly choice that means you can support both your practice and the planet.
This thin mat feels more dense and comfortable than you might expect, and has different layers for a choice of spongy or firm support. You can always add a yoga towel for extra protection.
A slight annoyance we had was that this slim and light mat sometimes bunches up when you transition between poses.
A closed-cell design repels moisture and reduces the number of odours that linger, and makes the mat easier to clean and dry – and therefore last longer – than most other rubber mats.
Manduka, perhaps predictably, recommends cleaning any of its mats by wiping it down with their own-branded Natural Rubber Mat Wash.
With 17 colours on offer for the Manduka Eko Superlite Travel Yoga Mat, you’re sure to find a shade that allows nomadic yogis to asana in style.
There are also heavier and thicker mats in the Manduka Eko series, which are much the same as the Superlite version but have 3, 4 or 5mm of padding. These mats with more cushioning won’t fold well, if at all, which we consider an essential feature for a travel yoga mat.
CHECK PRICE ON AMAZON | MANDUKA UK / EU | MANDUKA US / CA
Pros
+ Lightweight and foldable
+ Natural material
+ Non-slip surface
+ Sweat-resistant
+ Durable
Cons
– Slight smell when new
– May bunch between poses
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 1.5mm | 1/16in
Dimensions: 1730 x 610mm | 68 x 24in
Weight: 1kg | 2lbs 2oz
Material: Natural rubber, polyester and cotton
Best for Hot Yoga: Aurorae Synergy 2-in-1 Yoga Mat
Unique towel and mat design
The Aurorae Synergy 2-in-1 Yoga Mat is especially designed for hot yoga like vinyasa, bikram, ashtanga and Iyengar classes.
With a non-slip, ultra-absorbent microfibre towel attached to one side as a top layer, this mat is made for the hottest and most humid practice.
This sticky side actually gets grippier as you sweat on it, so the harder you work the more you can focus on your flow rather than worry about your hands or feet sliding. Aurorae even recommend lightly spraying this side with water before you start to shavasana, if you want extra traction.
The towel is easy to care for, as you can remove it from the mat to clean it in a washing machine after each sweaty session.
It is simple to reattach the microfibre towel and it won’t bunch up or slide around, like having a separate towel on a mat can, even when you move from a balancing stick to a triangle pose.
Flip over the mat to find a more traditional surface for cooler and relaxed routines. This side is made from polymer environmental resin (PER), a synthetic but biodegradable material.
The Aurorae Synergy 2-in-1 Yoga Mat isn’t a budget buy but it is well made and durable, so when you also consider that you get both a towel and a mat it is great value.
There are 6 soothing colours and patterns to choose from, including amethyst, emerald, and sapphire.
Pros
+ Sticky when you sweat
+ Easy to clean
+ Towel won’t bunch up
Cons
– Less cushioning than similar mats
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 5mm | 1/5in
Dimensions: 1830 x 610mm | 72 x 24in
Weight: 1.6kg | 3lbs 10oz
Material: Polymer environmental resin (PER), microfibre towel
Best Budget Buy: BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose Yoga Mat
Affordable and comfortable
The lightweight BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose Yoga Mat will suit yogis starting to shavasana and anyone looking for an affordable, all-purpose exercise mat.
The double-sided mat has a non-slip surface on both sides, to help you keep your balance when you practice poses and the trickiest twists.
Thick, high-density foam padding comes in 6 colours and gives plenty of cushion and comfort, to stop knees, elbows, hips or back aching on hard floors during home workout routines or kundalini in a class. There is also a thinner option that is 6mm or 1/4in thick.
You won’t have to worry about working up a sweat, because the moisture-resistant material can be easily wiped clean after each session, or washed more thoroughly with mild soap and water.
BalanceFrom says the PVC material is ‘anti-tear’, but the mat may start to flake in time or after frequent use – thankfully the low price means you could replace the mat several times and still be ahead on buying other brands.
The BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose Yoga Mat comes with a free carry strap that can be adjusted for length, so you don’t have to roll it up too tight before heading to a class or simply want to store it away.
Pros
+ Non-slip surface
+ Easy to clean
+ Lightweight and portable
+ Carry strap included
Cons
– PVC not degradable
– Material may flake
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 12.7mm | 1/2in
Dimensions: 1800 x 610mm | 71 x 24in
Weight: 0.8kg | 1lb 8oz
Material: PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
More Guides to Best Buys
Best for Alignment: Liforme Yoga Mat
Useful lines at luxury price
The Liforme Yoga Mat is a comfortable, grippy mat that has asana alignment lines etched into the surface, to give you as much, or as little, guidance as you need.
These ‘AlignForMe’ markings act as a navigational tool to properly position your heels and hands, and are especially useful for beginners learning poses and transitions.
A natural rubber base with a smooth, polyurethane top layer prevents slips in hot or dry sessions, and makes the mat feel stickier as the sweating starts.
The eco-friendly, biodegradable yoga mat has felt between the 2 main layers, which helps it have more cushioning and support for bony joints than the 4.2mm of padding might suggest.
The closed-cell top layer stops the mat absorbing too much sweat, and makes it quick and easy to wipe clean.
A bit longer and wider than most mats, at 1850 x 680mm or 73 x 27in, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out and hold long lunges.
The 5 subtle shades to choose from are pink, grey, green, blue and purple.
The Liforme Yoga Mat is pricey but it comes with a stylish yoga mat bag included, so you’re ready to carry it to a class as new or neatly store it away once it’s dry.
Pros
+ Alignment markings
+ Non-slip surface
+ Easy to clean
+ Eco-friendly material
+ Carry bag included
Cons
– Expensive
Tech and Specs
Thickness: 4.2mm | 3/16in
Dimensions: 1850 x 680mm | 73 x 27in
Weight: 2.5kg | 5lbs 5oz
Material: Natural rubber, polyurethane
First published: 25 February 2020