The top layer boasts the innovative GripForMe ™ coating that prevents slipping of your hands and feet. It's extremely durable and doesn't wear out over time.
It's relatively heavy.
This is a one-of-a-kind mat that boasts the unique AlignForMe™ system and is probably the grippiest product you can find on the market. It works as a perfect navigational tool for learning the most popular yoga asanas.
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Rubber with specially engineered eco-polyurethane
185 x 68 cm
4.2 mm
GripForMe™ coating, Non-slip base
Flexible, AlignForMe™ system of practical alignment markers, Storage bag with shoulder strap
Hand wash with soap and water
~2.5 kg
Made of eco-friendly materials, the TOPLUS mat is a safe option for people with sensitive skin. The antiskid bottom prevents it from sliding under you.
The mat is prone to creasing.
The Toplus mat offers the optimal thickness for exercises of all forms, including yoga, pilates, aerobics and exercises with fitness equipment. In addition to the mat, you also get a sweat cloth as a gift.
1 year
TPE
183 x 61 cm
6 mm
Sweat-proof and water-proof coating, Non-slip surface, Antiskid bottom
Flexible, Carrying strap, Mini towel included
Hand wash with soap and water
1.05 kg
Being 10-mm thick, it’s dense enough to cushion you from the ground but soft enough to be comfortable. It can be rolled up and carried thanks to the included strap holder.
The surface is not that sweatproof.
The Proworks Z028 is a basic, affordable mat ideal for both indoor and outdoor training. It's designed to provide optimal comfort and support for yoga, light gymnastics, stretching and pilates.
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NBR foam
183 x 60 cm
10 mm
Sweat-proof and water-proof coating, Non-slip base
Flexible, Carrying strap included
Easy wipe-cleaning
~1 kg
This mat combines lightness with great thickness, making it ideal for ballet schools and yoga classes.
Some of the colours shown in the picture may look different.
For those in search of a super portable mat, the kG Physio will be the best choice. Thanks to a handy strap that rolls up inside, the mat is very easy to transport from class to class and store after workout sessions.
1 year
NBR foam
183 x 60 cm
10 mm
Sweat-proof and water-proof coating, Non-slip base
Flexible, Carrying strap included
Hand wash with soap and water
0.93 kg
With its incredible 15mm thick cushioning, this mat is particularly suitable for outdoor activities. The added cold insulation protects your back from the cold.
It has a chemical smell at first but it goes away quickly.
If you are looking for a multipurpose yoga mat that can be used for a variety of activities both indoors and outdoors, the Xn8 is your best finding. With its grippy surface and excellent cushioning, it's all you need for gym training, stretching, pilates, etc.
100% satisfaction guarantee
NBR foam
183 x 61 cm
15 mm
Sweat-proof and water-proof coating, Non-slip base
Flexible, Shock absorption, Outstanding grip, Cold insulating, Carrying strap included
Hand wash with soap and water
1.18 kg
Superior Grip
If you're looking for a "wow" effect, the Liforme Yoga Mat is what you need. This mat offers you the best of both worlds, featuring a texture that is neither too stretchy nor too thick. Sure, with its comes a high price, too, but if you want to get a long-term investment, the Liforme Yoga Mat has you covered.
To begin with, this mat is lauded for its grippy surface. It's made with a revolutionary "GripForMe" material that stays securely in place even when you're sweaty wet, making it ideal for practising hot yoga. The superior grip also gives you much more confidence, allowing you to hold such tricky poses as a warrior, mountain, down dog, and the like without worrying about slipping. On the flip side of the coin, due to such stickiness, this mat also tends to pick up dirt from floors quite quickly, so you may need to wipe it clean after each use.
However, the standout feature of this mat is the patented AlignForMe System. As the name implies, the mat features intelligent alignment marks on the surface that work as a navigational tool for yoga practice, giving you comprehensive guidance on how to align your body correctly.
In all, if you're serious about yoga and want the grippiest and the smartest mat for your classes, you can't go wrong with the Liforme rug. Admittedly, it's pretty expensive, but there's nothing comparable to it in terms of quality and support.
Happy Mean
For anyone who doesn't like the smell of rubber or is prone to allergic reactions, the Toplus Yoga Mat will be the best bet. This mat is made of an eco-friendly TPE material, utilising the latest technological improvement to give you a healthy option suitable for everyone.
On the note of compatibility, this mat is gen, too. Even though it isn't as thick as some other mats reviewed here and has a less squishy structure, most users find it incredibly comfy and supportive, actively using it for yoga and most other general workouts, including aerobics, Pilates, gymnastics, bodybuilding and gymnastics.
Another standout of this mat is its compactness. Utilising the advanced embossing technique, it folds incredibly small, making it a perfect travel companion for when you need to transport it from place to place. It also has a strap, so you can keep the mat rolled and carry it with you by slinging it over your shoulder.
Before wrapping up, it's worth adding that this mat is incredibly sticky. Featuring a gripped bottom half, it doesn't slip on tiles, hard and wood floors, making it perfectly stable for such tricky exercises as deep stretches, arm balances and inversions.
However, keep note that because this mat has a thinner structure, it tends to crease if stored unproperly.
To conclude, the Toplus Yoga Mat is one of those mats that hits the sweet spot when it comes to stickiness, thickness and compatibility. It offers plenty of comfort for your joints, knees and arms, while also being not too thick to make it difficult to maintain standing yoga postures. Besides, it's eco-friendly, so if you're looking for a healthy option at a reasonable price, this mat fits the mould.
Last updated price | £19.99 |
Stock | In stock |
ASIN | B07T58NK5W |
Basic Option
If you're in the market for a basic, affordable mat to practice yoga, gymnastics, stretching, pilates, and ABS exercising, the Proworks Yoga Mat is your sound choice. Made from high-quality NBR foam, it's designed to deliver optimal comfort and support for light gymnastics. The material is also latex-free and phthalate-free, meaning it's skin-friendly and emits no chemical smell.
Yet, the best part is that it's very bouncy and soft, making it ideally suited for activities that may be hard on your knees. Furthermore, it can also double as a travel mat, thanks to its 10 mm thickness, providing you with great cushioning during ground exercises while staying soft on your skin.
For outdoor training, the mat is easy to set up and roll. It has a convenient strap holder that keeps it tightly wrapped up and allows you to сarry it over your shoulder. Once unrolled, the mat stays flat on the ground with no curling of the edges.
On the downside, the mat has tiny pore-like pouches that can occasionally trap some sweat, making its sweatproof properties not that remarkable. That said, since cleaning it is very easy, we do not consider it a deal-breaker.
Long story short, the Proworks yoga mat is a good option for indoor and outdoor yoga or pilates. It has a thick, dense structure that provides optimal body support and cushions you from the ground.
For Gym Training and Many More
If you're looking for a great mat for pilates or gym training, look no further than the KG Physio Yoga Mat. This model has everything you need.
At 10mm of thickness, the KG Physio offers plenty of squishinesses to let you maintain various postures without hurting your back or knees. The cushioning feels comfy and perfectly absorbs impacts. In the meantime, the non-slip surface keeps it securely in place, so even if you do some high-impact exercises, this mat won't move around.
The sweat-proof properties of the mat are pretty impressive, too. In fact, it virtually sucks in moisture, making it ideally suited for heated gyms.
With regard to the size, the KG Physio mat measures 183 x 60 cm. It is just a fracture smaller than our best pick, though it is still the right size to accommodate different body types. Whereas the mat's weight of only 920 grammes and the included strap make it extremely portable, allowing you just to sling it over your shoulder to move from class to class.
To bring it to an end, the KG Physio Yoga Mat is your safe bet if you are looking for an affordable mat for gym training. With its thickness, grippy surface and impressive sweat-proof properties, it can be used in gyms, outdoors, at home and anywhere else your sports trip takes you.
Spongy Yet Supportive
This mat is made of NBR foam material with 15mm cushioning, which offers some indisputable advantages. Firstly, it contains no latex or other materials that may cause allergies. And secondly, it offers excellent support for your joints and knees while also protecting your back from the cold from the hard floor.
Adding to the benefits of the Xn8 is its non-slip surface. Not only does it absorb moisture very well, but it also provides excellent traction, preventing it from sliding under you.
Another highlight of the Xn8 is its water-resistant features. This way, once it gets dirty, you can quickly rinse it under a tap, which can be a significant advantage for those who often practise yoga, stretching or pilates outdoors.
Despite its ample cushioning, this mat is also highly portable. Weighing slightly more than one kilogramme, it comes with a strap and folds to a compact shape, making it easy to move it with you where you need.
Regarding size, the Xn8 is available in a single size option, measuring 183 cm in length and 61 cm in width. This, however, doesn't detract from its good points, as this size suits most people. What detracts from them, though, is its smell. According to customer feedback, the mat has a smell when you first take it out of the packaging, but it is not very strong and goes away pretty quickly. So, it should not be a deal-breaker, either.
Summing up, the Xn8 is an excellent yoga mat suitable for multiple purposes. First, it has more cushioning than our other picks, making it more supportive and apt for outdoor use. In addition to that, it offers excellent traction so it can be used for all forms of yoga and other floor exercises.
What Is a Yoga Mat?
For those practising yoga, getting a yoga mat might be a good solution. Why? Let's check out what advantages it offers. First things first, exercising on a yoga mat feels more comfortable, allowing you to hold your posture for a longer time. Another advantage is that these yoga mats provide protection for your joints while also giving you a non-slip surface for training. Also, yoga mats can help improve your balance and posture during workouts. And lastly, for those practising yoga in groups, these mats can outline the private space along with its borders so that you all can train with greater comfort. So, as you can see, there are quite a number of advantages to having such a seemingly simple thing as a yoga mat. For this review, we've selected five yoga mat models from different brands so you can choose the one that best fits your needs (and taste, of course).
Besides yoga, this type of mat can be used for other exercises including those that involve resistance bands, fitness balls, kettlebells, and dumbbells, for example. Look through these selections too and add a few more tools to your home fitness equipment.
What Features to Compare
Size and Thickness
Choosing the best yoga mat, you should, first of all, pay attention to its size and thickness. These two features are crucial. The mat size should be 10 cm longer than your height. Some yoga practices require even a longer mat. For example, if you practice asana yoga, you'd better buy a mat at least 220 cm long. At the same time, the thickness of the mat has a direct impact on how soft it is. It will be easier to lean an elbow or knee on a thicker yoga mat without discomfort. Also, a thick mat will not conduct the cold from the floor, which is important if you practise savasana and long-lasting meditation. The optimal thickness of a yoga mat is 3-20mm.
Efficiency
To buy a yoga mat that will be convenient to use, pay attention to the structure and material it's been made of. Most yoga mats from popular brands are made of either natural materials, thermoplastic elastomer or synthetic. Let's take a closer look at each option:
- Synthetic mats are made of PVC (elastic, durable synthetic polymer). Such mats are not very good for yoga because they are too slippery. Their lifespan is two years at best. However, you may try yoga mats made of dense PVC: they are rough, non-slip, and quite durable. A PVC mat will be suitable for a novice who is still not sure about his/her near-term yoga perspectives.
- Thermoplastic elastomer mats are suitable for fitness and yoga practice. They are softer, lighter, and more flexible than PVC mats. Also, such yoga mats are pleasant to touch and they keep their shape very well. Such mats do not fade in the sun and they are resistant to cold temperatures. Also, due to their non-slip surface, softness, and capability of absorbing sweat, they are particularly great for yoga. As usual, such yoga mats can serve you as long as 4-5 years.
- Natural yoga mats are made of natural rubber with inclusions of jute. The rubber is not so lightweight, but absolutely frizz-free. Moreover, rubber yoga mats don't slip or emit any unpleasant smell. They are thicker than synthetic mats, so you won't hurt your elbows or knees if you need to lean on the mat. Rubber does not conduct the cold from the floor, it is very sticky so you can easily do the "downward-facing dog pose" and other asanas that require leaning on your arms.
Maintenance and Usability
PVC yoga mats are durable enough to be washed in a washing machine. Other mats are better to clean with a wet wipe or tea tree oil. Please note: do not wash them with soap and water. Any detergent is absorbed into a yoga mat and it is really hard to rinse it later. During intensive training, the soap soaks into the carpet and mixes with body moisture, and then rolls on the mat like an ice cube. At the same time, if you are going to practice yoga not at home but somewhere else, take a look at such parameters as weight and mobility. You should be able to fold the yoga mat quickly and comfortably.
Sources:
1. Yoga mat, Wikipedia. January 18, 2017.
2. How to choose a yoga mat, wikiHow.
3. How to Start a Yoga Practice, YogaBasics.
4. Yoga Poses, Yoga Journal.
5. Esther Ekhart 8 tips on how to do yoga at home - Practice and all is coming, EkhartYoga. March 13, 2013.