Note that none of the yoga mat recommendations below are affiliate links. Which means I’m not making a dime off of whether you buy one or not. These are my true feelings on the mats that are currently littered around my house. 🤣
For some context, I practice 3 main modalities of yoga: Iyengar, hot yoga or Bikram, and vinyasa. Each of these has slightly different needs and things I look for during my practice. My yoga mat recommendations are framed around these modalities along with any other high/low lights. Like what’s ideal for different body types, what’s the best yoga mat on asphalt, and so on.
Best Yoga Mat by Maker
Manduka
I was beyond excited when I bought my first Manduka mat. It was kind of a status symbol at the studio where I started my practice, and I was so pumped to have one of my own.
Unfortunately, this mat has issues.
My 5mm is heavy, making it not much fun to carry around. It’s also incredibly slippery, which for me necessitates using yogitoes with it (especially for hot yoga). I don’t like it for vinyasa since my feet tend to bunch up the yogitoes in flows. I don’t mind it for Iyengar, especially with the thick cushioned feeling of it. The thickness might make it conducive to a good outdoor mat, especially as a yoga mat on asphalt or concrete. But–and this just might be me–I’m not particularly looking to put my $100+ mat outside on concrete, you know? I would also recommend this mat for folks with mobility issues, particularly if you knee pain, plantar fasciitis, wrist pain or carpal tunnel issues, etc.
But overall: the slipperiness and the weight turned this Manduka purchase into a huge disappointment.
B Mat
I loved this mat until it inexplicably tore about 5 months into using it. It’s fairly sticky and light, but not enough cushion for my Iyengar or hot practice.
It was a great commuter mat for vinyasa and outdoor gentle flow classes. But it’s just not durable enough for my practice or as a longterm investment.
Popflex
I bought this mat to check out the vegan suede. I was surprised by how much I liked it! The designs are cute and eye catching (probably not for everyone), and over the last year, the design hasn’t faded after use and frequent cleaning.
My major issue with the mat is that it’s a bit slippery for me… Unless it’s wet, which sounds weird. But it does a great job in hot classes, and I like it for an at home practice. My daughter loves this mat for the funky design!
Lululemon
This is far and away my favorite all around mat. I know the company itself is problematic and their prices are hardly incisive. But, all things considered, this is a decent price point for a mat that is durable, easy to clean, nonstick, smells ok, and is very accessible. It’s not the lightest mat, but much more manageable than my Manduka Pro.
I use this mat without issues (and without yogi toes) for Iyengar, vinyasa and hot classes.
What’s Your Favorite Yoga Mat?
Choosing the right yoga mat is like Goldilocks finding the just the right size in the house of the three bears. It all varies based on where you’re planning on practicing and what you’re up to.
Minnesconsin Yoga 