Seth Berkman is a fitness writer who has incorporated testing into his daily routine, such as showering with goggles and jumping rope while doing laundry.
A yoga mat should be comfortable and supportive, provide enough traction to prevent slipping, and be easy to clean and carry.
We always recommend the JadeYoga Harmony Natural Rubber Yoga Mat because it is durable, comfortable, has good traction, and is easy to carry. It is now our top pick. Like most all-rubber yoga mats, it is a bit more expensive than what you can find at most big box and discount stores. But years of extensive testing have shown that it is worth the money.
This natural rubber mat has excellent absorption and effectively prevents fingers and toes from slipping, especially suitable for hot yoga. However, it has a strong smell that does not disappear immediately.
This mat is thicker, has lots of padding, is grippy on one side and smoother on the other. It’s heavier than our favorite and can be harder to carry.
Made entirely from PVC, this soft mat is great value for money because it’s built to last. And it’s 4 inches longer than the average cheap mat.
Most yoga mats are made of rubber, PVC, or TPE. Some are made of cork or other materials. All yoga mats vary in thickness and surface texture.
Yoga mats are difficult to recycle. It is environmentally friendly to choose a yoga mat that can be used for several years.
This natural rubber mat has excellent absorption and effectively prevents fingers and toes from slipping, especially suitable for hot yoga. However, it has a strong smell that does not disappear immediately.
The JadeYoga Harmony Yoga Mat is made entirely of natural rubber, which is highly absorbent and maintains grip even when sweating. It’s relatively thick at 4.75mm (0.187″) — 3mm to 3.25mm is generally considered thick for a first yoga mat — and has a spongy feel under the arms and feet, which our testers liked, though it may not be to every yogi’s taste. We found the mat’s grip to be useful during non-yoga exercises, too. The Harmony yoga mat rolls up tighter and faster than most, but it has a strong rubber smell and contains latex. If you’re allergic to latex, you might want to consider our budget option, the Yoga Accessories Extra Thick Deluxe 1/4″ Yoga Mat, or another non-rubber mat we like, the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip Yoga Mat, which we review below.
This mat is thicker, has lots of padding, is grippy on one side and smoother on the other. It’s heavier than our favorite and can be harder to carry.
The Mat 5mm by Lululemon is a slightly thicker, heavier, double-sided non-slip mat made from natural and synthetic rubber with added polyurethane, polyester, and nylon to provide ample support for your hands, knees, and feet. One side is smooth but non-greasy, which provides better grip. One downside to this surface is that it can be difficult to remove from exposed skin if you sweat, much like removing a bandage. The other side is more porous and has a similar composition to the one we recommend; it provides a solid grip without feeling sticky.
Made entirely from PVC, this soft mat is great value for money because it’s built to last. And it’s 4 inches longer than the average cheap mat.
In a world where foam mats are commonplace, Yoga Accessories offers an affordable alternative. Not only is the Yoga Accessories Extra Thick Deluxe 1/4-Inch Yoga Mat from Yoga Accessories a third less than our other recommendations, it’s also a whopping 6.2mm (0.25 inches) thick. Best of all, many of our testers have used this mat daily for years, and it provides good support for most exercises.
I’m a fitness columnist for Wirecutter. I’ve been using yoga mats for a variety of workouts for over a decade, and I’m also the author of Wirecutter’s guide to running shoes and insoles.
A yoga mat is more than just a downward dog or butterfly pose. It’s also great for aerobics or fitness classes, as it provides cushioning and anti-slip properties during these exercises. “We all have bony protrusions all over our bodies,” says Alicia Montalvo, a certified athletic trainer, injury epidemiologist, and professor at Arizona State University. “You need some kind of barrier that can act as a buffer.” A quality yoga mat should also reduce the risk of slipping, making it safer to practice your favorite yoga or other exercise routine.
To narrow down the yoga mat options on the market, we spent hours reading customer reviews, browsing online forums, and interviewing several yoga instructors. We also looked for yoga mats of varying prices, sizes, and materials. With so many yoga mats on the market ranging in price from $15 to $150, it can be difficult to know which yoga mat is a good one.
Along with Sri Rain Stewart, a senior writer for Update and an experienced yoga teacher, I assembled 11 members of Wirecutter’s paid testing committee, including four regular yoga practitioners. They tried different poses on each yoga mat, rated the overall experience, and weighed the following points:
Size: We evaluated each mat for portability and weight, especially in terms of ease of carrying to and from classes. We also looked at the thickness and softness of the mat, as well as how easy it was to unroll and keep it flat.
Stickiness and texture: Taking into account both dry and wet (sweaty hands and feet) conditions, we recorded how well the body adhered to the surface and, in extreme cases, whether it was painful to peel exposed skin off the mat. We also checked whether the surface texture was too smooth or thin.
Durability: Some of our floor mats, including our most popular ones, have been favorites of Wirecutter testers for years. We also test how quickly new mat odors dissipate, whether the mats attract unusual amounts of dirt or dust, and how the mats handle general wear and tear.
After eliminating several mats, our professional yoga instructor Jane Sato and I, along with Sri, trained on the eight finalist mats to evaluate how each performed. We also tested the mats in hot yoga conditions to see how they performed in humid conditions. We then compared our own test results with those of Sato’s paid testers.
While some people use yoga mats during Pilates, we haven’t tested mats designed specifically for Pilates, as they tend to be larger and thicker than most yoga mats. “When you do Pilates, you’re usually lying on your back or stomach, so people need more cushioning underneath the mat,” says yoga instructor Leslie Hutchins.
How you clean and store your yoga mat can affect its lifespan. All yoga mats come with care instructions specific to the material they are made from, but in general, you should wipe your yoga mat with a damp cloth and a household diluted vinegar solution or mild mat cleaner after every few uses and allow it to dry completely before storing.
This natural rubber mat has excellent absorption and effectively prevents fingers and toes from slipping, especially suitable for hot yoga. However, it has a strong smell that does not disappear immediately.
The JadeYoga Harmony natural rubber mat has proven itself over the years to be effective in a variety of ways. While the $90-plus price tag seems steep, several regular testers have used it for five years or more, proving it’s a great value for the money (yoga instructor Meave Purcell says the mat should last about three years with regular use). Like most all-rubber mats, the Harmony has a strong rubber smell at first and attracts dust, lint, and hair more easily than mats with a smoother texture.
This is the grippiest mat we’ve ever tested. Purcell, a yoga instructor in New York City since 2017, says it’s important to have a mat that’s not too wobbly (and that won’t slip) if you’re new to yoga. “A grippy surface keeps your body from doing unwanted things as you move through yoga poses,” she adds. Thanks to its spongy texture, the Harmony Mat is more likely than most to help you stay stable as you learn the basics and progress to more advanced poses. At 4.75mm thick, it’s a little thinner than Lululemon’s The Mat 5mm, but it still feels softer than most mats, which range from 3mm to 3.25mm. “My favorite thing about this mat is how sturdy it is, but it’s also thin,” said one tester. “It allows you to be aware of your base and doesn’t restrict your movement.”
This mat is incredibly durable and doesn’t fade. One tester and his partner have been using the Harmony mats for almost a decade. “The bounce has mostly disappeared over that time, but the grip and durability are still just as good,” said one tester, adding, “It’s like finding an old Edison bulb still burning in the basement of an old house — it’s shocking to suddenly find something so durable in this age of disposables.” Our yoga instructor, Jane Sato, who conducted the test, noticed that the mat didn’t show any fingernail marks, and she tried to scrape the debris off but was unable to do so. While the mat isn’t advertised as reversible, the Sato makes it easy to practice on either side.
Ideal for hot yoga and other sweaty activities. During hot yoga classes, when people tend to sweat more, the mat still maintains good traction. Sato gave the Harmony Mat a 10 out of 10 for hot yoga, noting that it doesn’t slip when you sweat. Some of our testers did other sweaty workouts on the mat (various types of calisthenics and high-intensity interval training) and didn’t experience any discomfort from their skin “peeling” off the mat.
It’s easy to carry and store, and when rolled up, it zips up almost automatically. The Harmony mat is available in two lengths: 68 inches and 74 inches. We tested the 68-inch version and found it to be very easy and quick to roll up for easy storage. The mat weighs less than 5 pounds and folds up very compactly, so even those with less fitness levels can easily carry it to and from classes.
Cleaning this yoga mat is relatively easy. JadeYoga recommends simply wiping the mat with water or a damp cloth, or using a yoga mat cleaner sold separately. A company representative said, “Other cleaning methods may damage the natural rubber” and void the one-year warranty. It also adds that yoga mats should not be left out to dry. The basic design of this yoga mat is a solid color.
It may smell bad at first. The rubbery smell of the Harmony mat was hard to ignore at first. A company representative recommends drying the mat in a well-ventilated area, but never outdoors or in direct sunlight.
If you prefer a smoother mat, it may take some time to get used to its comfort. One tester noticed that his yoga pants stuck to the mat a little.
Do not use the Harmony Mat or other rubber mats if you have a latex allergy. If you are looking for a latex-free mat, consider mats made of PVC or other non-rubber materials. Our recommended economical mats are made entirely of PVC.
This mat is thicker, has lots of padding, is grippy on one side and smoother on the other. It’s heavier than our favorite and can be harder to carry.
Lululemon’s 5mm Yoga Mat is a versatile yoga mat that provides plenty of support for both regular and hot yoga classes. It’s a little thicker than our favorite and has a less pungent smell, but it’s harder to store and transport. We found that sweaty body parts often stuck to the surface of the mat, it collected dirt, and it showed more wear and tear than our top pick. It’s also the heaviest of our recommendations (the larger size, The Big Mat 5mm, is also heavier).
It’s very versatile and has two different textured surfaces. The Lululemon yoga mat has two sides: one is smoother and grippier, while the other side, made of natural and synthetic rubber, has a little more grip. We found it to be a little less grippy, but still didn’t cause too many slips. The rubber surface feels similar to the JadeYoga Harmony yoga mat, although the material is less sticky and less soft. One tester commented, “It’s not grippy, but it’s not slippery either.”
We found that the smooth side was ideal for gentle workouts, while the grippier side was better for more intense workouts. During hot yoga, sweat didn’t accumulate on the mat, which improved our stability. The rubber smell wasn’t as bad as the Harmony mat, but it could still linger for at least a week after first using it.
Provides excellent knee support. The Lululemon mat is slightly thicker (5mm) and heavier (over 5 pounds) than the Harmony mat, and is also 3 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the standard 68-inch mat; we felt the extra cushioning, especially in the knee area.
It’s durable and can withstand a variety of harsh conditions. This mat will last for years. “I’ve driven it across the country, thrown it in the trunk of my car for days in 100-degree Austin heat, and dragged it down Brooklyn sidewalks in the snow to class,” one tester said. “It feels like it’s almost a decade old and still in great shape.”
More susceptible to stains. This mat collects dust more easily than our top pick and is more susceptible to stains (some colors have a dark marble pattern on one side to hide these imperfections). One tester who used the mat for five years noticed discoloration. Lululemon recommends wiping the mat with a damp cloth and then letting it air dry.
It’s quite sticky when wet and doesn’t roll out as easily as our favorite. NOTE: Wet skin will stick to this mat. This mat doesn’t have much memory once it’s unrolled, and the ends curl up quite a bit. A company representative told us that you should never roll the mat when it’s wet — it could cause the layers to peel or separate.
Made entirely from PVC, this soft mat is great value for money because it’s built to last. And it’s 4 inches longer than the average cheap mat.
Cheap yoga mats are everywhere, but the Yoga Accessories Extra Thick Deluxe 1/4-Inch Yoga Mat is something special. It’s more compressible and a little less grippy than a high-density yoga mat, but at only 6.2mm thick, it’s thick enough to provide the traction and cushioning you need for most exercises. It’s made entirely of PVC and is odorless. The mat measures 74 inches long, which is 6 inches longer than most standard yoga mats, making it ideal for taller people. Plus, it comes in extra long and wide (84 x 36 inches), extra long (84 x 24 inches), and extra wide (72 x 36 inches).
This is a lightweight, easy-to-carry mat. Despite its long length, this mat weighs only 3.6 pounds, which is relatively light. It won’t roll up as tightly as our top pick, but it shouldn’t loosen up too much during transport. (Carrying the tool with a belt or other cushion will help keep the roll securely in place.)
Best used in a dry environment. The mat is slightly sticky and feels best when your hands and feet are dry; it can be a little slippery when wet.
It’s durable. Our testers didn’t notice any wear or fall out of the pads with daily use. One tester used the Yoga Accessories yoga mat for two and a half years for yoga, high-intensity interval training, and other workouts. It’s easy to clean with soap and water. (Yoga Accessories sells a yoga mat cleaner called Vermont Soap on its website.)
It’s unlikely that this option will last as long as our other recommendations. And because this type of mat is made of PVC, it can be more difficult to handle. Gregory A. Keolean, co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan, said flexible PVC not only contains plasticizers, but “the heat that may be used during the recycling process can produce hydrochloric acid,” both factors that make it difficult to recycle. “PVC is the most harmful plastic to the communities that make and dispose of it,” added Erica Schroeder, scientific director at Toxic-Free Futures. While our testers didn’t encounter any dangerous slipping situations, some customers did note that the mat was slippery.