As my practice improves, I’m getting better at bringing energy up from my hands and feet to my core — but I tire more quickly. Legs start to shake, my poses lose their integrity.

Using the right mat can help, but I haven’t yet found the perfect solution. These days I’m experimenting with two different combinations, for different class styles.

For more in-depth discussions of yoga mats, based on personal trials, see: the quest for the perfect yoga mat, the quest (take 2), and still waiting for the perfect yoga mat.

The Yoga Mats Teachers Recommend

Observant teachers who see me slipping will recommend switching to a different yoga mat. Although teachers have different preferences, they tend to recommend either Jade or Manduka brand yoga mats.

As a result, I now own and use two different mats for class. Before heading off for class, I’ll choose the one best suited to today’s teacher — her yoga discipline and what she tends to emphasize in the way of asanas:

• Jade Harmony Professional Mat — for use in moderately sweaty classes (vinyasa flow, when poses will be held only briefly)
• Manduka Black Mat Pro — for use in Anusara classes that focus on core building and strong poses held for long periods (where stability counts)

Neither mat fully solves the problem, but for different reasons.

The Jade Harmony mat has a longer “mean time before slippage”; however, it deforms as it warms. So the Jade mat tends to be less suited for Anusara-style asanas with its focus on solid foundations and opposing actions. The Manduka never deforms, is always rock solid, but my hands and feet slip much earlier in class unless I’ve taken precautions.

Mat Covers Can Help

Because neither mat is sticky enough on its own, I’ve tested different mat covers, with varying degrees of success. Here’s my current “class formula”:

• Vinyasa flow: Jade Harmony mat plus Manduka eQua hand towel
• Anusara: Manduka Black Mat Pro plus Yogitoes Premium Skidless Mat-size Yoga Towel

For Vinyasa Flow

During classes with lots of sun salutations or other flowing sequences, I’ve found that Manduka’s micro-fiber hand towel does a good job keeping hands or feet stable. I’ve used a single towel, but am about to try placing two towels on the mat, one for hands and one for feet.

Manduka’s longer mat cover is less effective during vinyasa flow sequences — it wrinkles too easily. (This may not be an issue for skilled yoginis who jump and float easily from one pose to another, without graceless foot dragging.)

When possible, I prefer to bring the Jade Harmony mat to class because it weighs a pound or two less than the Manduka mat, rolls up nicely, and is easy to secure with a velcro strap. (That said, it took a couple of months before the rubber smell dissipated enough for me to ignore the Jade mat during class.)

For Anusara

My preferred solution for Anusara classes is the Manduka Black Mat Pro with Yogitoes skidless mat towel, which almost fully covers my yoga mat.

Even after two years of use and multiple washings, the Yogitoes towel remains reasonably absorbent, and the rubber feet keep it firmly in place — most of the time. It can wrinkle during fast-paced sun or moon salutations, so it sometimes needs adjusting during class.

What I don’t like is the somewhat bumpy feel of the rubber protrusions on the reverse side of the Yogitoes mat towel. This sort of spoils the zen-like beauty of the Manduka mat.

The wrinkly mat towel is the reason my vinyasa teacher tells me to bring the Jade Harmony mat to her classes.

I keep hoping that someday I’ll find a yoga mat that doesn’t compromise on stability while retaining its stickiness for the duration of the class. Perhaps this is just a fantasy…

Revolution: The Perfect Dimensions

Designed in collaboration with Anusara founder John Friend, the Prana Revolution mat offers the perfect dimensions for yoga practice — 78 inches long and 30 inches wide — 4 inches wider and 7 inches longer than Manduka’s standard mat.

I own the Revolution as well as Manduka’s larger mat, which is 85 inches long and 26 inches wide. What I’ve learned is that Manduka’s mat is longer than I need (and those extra inches add to its heavy weight). But Manduka’s standard length of 71 inches is too short. This is why I find Revolution’s dimensions to be just right: 78 x 30.

If you’re tall, the Revolution’s larger dimensions make it easier to achieve proper alignment in poses like Downward Facing Dog or plank pose. And if you take classes in crowded urban studios, those added inches give you just enough breathing space from your fellow yoginis.

Like the Manduka black mat, the Revolution has a very dense and stable foundation: it won’t stretch or slip even when you’re jumping from one pose to another. (This stability is in striking contrast to some of Prana’s less expensive mats.)

The design-sensitive side of me also prefers the Revolution’s grass green color to the sober black of the Manduka. I also like the whimsy of the cute yellow-green Anusara logo placed in an unconventional spot on the mat.

I don’t like the white bloom that appears on the surface after a few moments of practice. It disappears right after cleaning, but reappears as soon as you resume practicing. (You can see the bloom in this photo.)

Both Mats Are Too Heavy

At almost 9 pounds each, both of my mats are quite heavy — and seem even more so while walking multiple city blocks from my parking spot to the yoga studio. If you carry this weight over your shoulder multiple times a week, it can really give you a sore neck or shoulder.

My perfect mat would weigh closer to 4 pounds — much like the weight of a well-balanced laptop computer.

Having said that, if your sticky mat is used only for home practice, this weight isn’t really a factor.

Note that Manduka’s smaller (standard size) mat weighs less, 7 pounds instead of almost 9.

How Well Do They Grip? Manduka Is Better

Neither mat is very sticky when brand new. If you don’t set your foundation just right, you’re vulnerable to slipping even in warrior poses. It took months of use before I stopped slipping on the Revolution. And even so, I bring a skidless towel to class to put on top of the mat.

I think the break-in time for a new Manduka black mat is somewhat shorter than for the Revolution, but the Manduka is also too slippery during its first month or two of use (even longer if you don’t practice on a daily basis).

The yoga teacher who sold me the Manduka mat advised cleaning it daily with a rough towel and mat-friendly cleanser, and “scrubbing the heck out of it” — her secret for breaking down the manufacturing residues that prevent a new Manduka from gripping as well as it’s designed to do.

After each mat has been broken in for a year, the Manduka’s surface affords a surer grip for sweaty hands and feet than does the Revolution. But on hot summer days or in warm studios, even a well-used Manduka is too slippery midway through practice if you suffer from sweaty hands and feet.

Neither One Is Perfect

In my home studio where I have the luxury of space, I go back and forth between the Manduka and the Revolution during daily practice. I’ve learned to prefer one mat over the other for certain poses — a clear sign that neither one is ideal.

Maybe someday I’ll be able to buy a mat with the wonderful dimensions of the Revolution and the superior grip of the Manduka — and a shoulder-friendly weight of 4-5 pounds.

That would be a happy day.

prAna Revolution Yoga Mat

There’s a lot to like about the Revolution sticky mat, particularly its generous proportions and rock-solid stability (shown here). It’s great for people with broad shoulders and long arms, like me.

I appreciate the fact that prAna worked with John Friend, the founder of the Anusara branch of yoga, to get deep insights into the right balance of features and performance. Its aesthetics are nice too, although the logo placement is a bit odd. In my experience the prAna Revolution mat excels at balance poses that require stability, such as Tree Pose, Crow or the warrior poses.

Now that autumn has arrived in Seattle, I’m less satisfied when it comes to practicing asanas on the Revolution mat: the natural rubber surface often feels cold and clammy under my bare feet. For barefoot practice in a chilly room, I definitely prefer the Manduka Black Mat Pro.

Unfortunately, my hands and feet tend to get sweaty after 30 minutes of practice or so (or even sooner with vigorous vinyasa series), and I don’t find the anti-slip qualities of the Revolution to be effective enough. To manage the problem of slippery hands and feet, I’m forced to use a yoga towel.

I’m also disappointed with the Revolution mat’s cushioning and resilience. It’s less “giving” than I had been led to believe from the online reviews and product descriptions. When doing poses that put weight on finger tips or bony knees, I strongly prefer my Manduka mat. For an hour of asanas, the Manduka offers a better balance of cushioning and stability trade-offs. I also find the Manduka to be less susceptible to slipping when my hands and feet get sweaty – or maybe this is just the consequence of two years’ of usage… The Revolution has had fewer hours of “break-in” time.

For Yoga Classes Away from Home

Both the Revolution and Manduka mats are really heavy to carry to and from class (somewhere in the 7-8 lb. range). I’ve tried both several times. Although they are way better for asanas than the typical mats stocked by yoga studios, they’ll make you work during the transport phase.

If you own the longer mats (the ones sized for tall people), normal mat sacks are too small. As a result you either have to roll and then secure them with straps, or buy an extra-large carrier. (Or look into sewing your own carrying bag, as I plan to do – once I find a suitable fabric.)

I use the 85-inch Manduka sticky mat at home, but find it way too big and heavy to carry back and forth. So I’ve recently purchased the standard 71-inch Manduka mat for use in class and keep it rolled up in my carrier bag. It seems a shame to own more than one yoga mat, but this approach is a workable compromise given the lack of a perfect mat that suits all my requirements.

Net net: the Manduka Black Mat Pro still gets my vote as the best mat for a tall yogini.

For some time I’ve been looking for the perfect yoga mat, but have not yet found it. Over time and with daily usage the mat becomes a kind of sacred place so it’s important that you find one that really fits your needs and values. Here’s what I’ve learned over the past couple of years.

My ideal mat would fit all 3 of my usage situations:

• daily in-home practice,
• weekly use in my yoga class (drive to class plus a 5-minute walk each way to the parked car), and
• monthly travel by plane to remote locations for usage in a hotel room.

My ideal mat would also be “green”: zero-waste in manufacture and easily bio-degradable when eventually disposed of via landfill.

In hopes that this will help other yoga practitioners choose wisely, here are some things to think about.

Shopping Is Difficult

Shopping for yoga mats is challenging because you rarely have the opportunity for side-by-side, hands-on comparisons in either studio or retail environments. This is a paradox, because a mat should be experienced before purchase. Most studios stock a single brand and type of mat; most recreational stores offer limited selections, and the same is true for yoga specialty stores. At least where I shop, it’s rare to see more than a single brand per store.

So that leaves you with the online shopping option, relying upon abstractions: comparing vendors’ claims, customer testimonials, and the consumer reviews you read on blogs, Amazon, etc. This is a real issue because, in an ideal world, you’d do the equivalent of “test drives” before committing to a particular mat. And even worse, if you buy and later discard a mat that doesn’t suit your needs, you may be adding to landfill waste unless you buy your next mat from a company that offers recycling.

Vendors make shopping difficult because there’s no standardization of terminology used to describe product features, especially when it comes to mat thickness or density. The very same vendor that uses inches to describe the mat’s width and length may use millimeters to characterize its thickness. And there’s no way to describe the mat’s density, resilience (spring, bounce, firmness, etc.) or cushioning qualities. That’s why you really want to experience the mat first before buying it.

The online product images are quite limited, so you’re left relying upon your imagination. As a result of this, I’ve now bought several mats (more on that later) in my quest for the perfect mat.

Thinking Through Your Needs

There is no single ideal mat that will fit everyone’s requirements, at any price.

Some of us are tall, others short; some weigh more than others; and some of us perspire a lot through our hands and feet. This means that the definition of “the perfect mat” is specific to the person, and his or her usage occasions – how, where and how often the mat will be used. So think about what you need and why, and don’t take other consumer comments on blind faith without thinking about how well they apply to your unique situation.

Here are some key functional considerations, before you get into the values-based choices of how eco-friendly the mat is, or how much you like its color:

• Size
• Weight
• Density and resilience, cushioning
• Anti-slip characteristics: stickiness, texture, performance when wet with sweat, etc.
• Portability
• Flexibility (i.e., how well it rolls up or folds for carrying or storage purposes)
• Durability
• Smell

The challenge for people shopping for mats online is that most of these attributes are best explored by experiencing them hands-on, rather than reading product reviews or vendor descriptions.

Size

Size matters. If you’re tall, you’ll want a longer mat. If you have long arms, you’ll probably want a wider mat. Classic mats are 24 inches wide  — a bit narrow for people with long arms and legs. If like me you’re 5’8” or taller, the typical 68-inch mat will be too cramped. The widest mat I know of (but haven’t tried) is 30 inches.

A bigger mat is going to be less flexible, and may “fight back” as you try to stuff it into your carrying sack. A denser mat will also be less flexible – better suited for in-home use or situations when it doesn’t have to be packed up, rolled or folded, and stowed very often.

Weight

Comfortable mats, in general, weigh more than those optimized for portability or travel.

Bigger mats (longer or extra-wide) will outweigh the classic 24-by-68-inch models. At present the mats that are considered to be the top-of-the-line models are also the heaviest, tipping the scales somewhere in the 8-to-10 pound range. You’re not too likely to find yoginis lugging these big mats to and from class every day.

Because there’s no ideal mat that’s both comfortable for daily use and easy to carry, yoga mat manufacturers tend to market a “pro” style mat as well as one optimized for travel (often called “lite”). So this suggests there’s a real trade-off between weight and comfort.

The mat I use everyday at home weighs 8 pounds; the one I carry to and from class weighs between 4 and 5 pounds. My class mat is too big to fit into a suitcase without fold marks that last a while. To put this in perspective, my 15-inch MacBook Pro weighs less than the mat I bring each week to class.

Because comfort and a larger size matter to me, the mats I use most often aren’t suitable for airplane travel or being carried in a suitcase.

Comfort

Comfort matters, especially if you have bony knees or issues with wrists, shoulders or ankles. (Boomers, beware!)

Characteristics related to the thickness of the mat, its density, or stiffness versus resilience are important trade-offs for poses in which sensitive joints or knees must bear your weight. (The Mexican wool folded blanket is the traditional solution for needed cushioning in these weight-bearing poses.)

Some people prefer softer cushioning, while traditionalists tend not to like mats that have a lot of “give” to them. And if you weigh more than a ballet dancer or a woman who wears size 6 clothes, a thin mat may not provide enough cushioning. Your fingers may push all the way through to the hard surface beneath.

I don’t advise putting a mat on a carpeted floor unless you have no other alternative (such as a hotel room). There’s too much instability when a carpet is involved, and it will make your balance poses more challenging.

My everyday mat is quite dense and 1/4-inch thick, with minimal cushioning for someone like me with a non-dancer’s frame. I’m almost satisfied with its comfort, but even so, I layer a cheapie mat beneath it for extra cushioning. Because I’m working in a room with a hardwood floor, the stability is fine.

Anti-slip/Traction

If you sweat a lot during asanas, you will want a mat with good anti-slip qualities. You may even want to layer an anti-skid towel on top of your mat (my solution for in-studio practice), or a highly absorbent towel that you use periodically to dry your hands and feet. Some people prefer the anti-skid towel for hygienic reasons, especially if they use mats owned by the studio and shared among multiple students.

The problem with the towel-on-the-mat approach is that vigorous or vinyasa-style asanas will cause the the towel to wrinkle, and that can interfere with comfort or concentration. The better solution is a mat with enough traction-control qualities to avoid the need of a towel layer.

Portability

Another big factor to consider is the need for portability: how often will you carry your mat between home and studio, or to remote destinations? How will you travel, on foot or by bike, car, train or plane?  Must it fit in a backpack or messenger bag because you ride to class by bike?

The portability issue is less challenging if you drive to class and simply need to carry your mat between home and studio. It’s trickier for people who have to travel by plane for business or vacation situations.

This is the usage factor where I’m least satisfied. As a consultant, I’m on the road at least once a month, and my current travel mat is very disappointing. It’s too small, it’s not comfortable, it doesn’t lie flat, and it smells. It’s only virtue is that it folds easily into a suitcase and protects me from the grungy carpeted floors you find in most hotel rooms.

Unfortunately, current airline baggage policies make it too expensive to carry a mat anywhere other than folded up inside your suitcase. I’ve tried several mats while traveling but am far from satisfied with the options that work within airline baggage constraints. Given today’s extra baggage fees, you could buy a new mat with the price you’d have to pay to check one as extra luggage on a roundtrip flight. ($25 times 2.)

Durability

The rule of thumb seems to be that eco-friendly mats will be less durable than synthetic mats. That’s because eco-friendly mats are often made of natural rubber or hemp; because they’re designed to be bio-degradeable, they have shorter useful lives. A rubber mat will be sensitive to sunlight, so you won’t want to leave it out in a room that gets a lot of sunshine. Sunshine will discolor it, and then shorten its life.

A factor that’s probably related to durability and cushioning is how well the mat performs during jump poses or or poses where you’re pushing in opposite directions, like warrior poses. Some mats will deform and then spring back, as I discovered with a Prana E.C.O. Sticky mat I bought recently from EMS. It’s very comfortable and nicely cushioned, but it deforms during vigorous poses. Definitely not a mat I’d want to use everyday.

My Manduka PRO is probably one of the most durable mats on the market (backed by a lifetime guarantee). I’ve been using it for almost 2 years, and it’s not uncommon to read consumer reviews from people who’ve owned and used one happily for a decade.

My Experience

In my quest to find the perfect mat, here’s what I’ve tried and what I’ve experienced:

• Manduka Black PRO Mat – my everyday in-home mat, and my favorite for situations that don’t require travel
• Manduka PROLite – my class mat, transported to the studio each week in a carrying sack and stored flat (half the weight of its big brother)
• Manduka eKO – purchased in hopes that it would work well for class and travel situations (more on this later)
• Lululemon rubber travel mat – packs up easily, but not comfortable and wrinkles easily on hotel carpets; the texture is uncomfortable when shifting foot positions; smelly; degrading from frequent folding; owned less than a year
• Prana E.C.O. Sticky Mat – used in a vacation setting; OK for periodic use, nicely cushioned, good anti-slip qualities, but deforms too easily during vigorous asanas; better suited for petite yoginis
• Wai Lana Yogi Mat – my starter mat; very slippery, deformation issues; works poorly on a carpet; now used as an under layer on a hardwood floor
• Yogitoes Skidless Premium Mat Towel – used in class every week on top of my Manduka PROLite (to absorb sweat from vigorous practice sessions in a warm, but not hot, room). This is essential because my studio mat is way too slippery without it.

Manduka Experience

What I’ve learned is that the mat that satisfies me for daily home practice (the Manduka Black PRO Mat) is completely unsuited for travel by plane, and impractical for weekly studio use. Because I have to walk several blocks from the parked car to and from the studio, it’s too large and heavy to carry between home and studio. It does not roll up into a small package. Hence my multi-mat approach.

The Black PRO Mat has developed great karma and now feels sacred. I look forward to reconnecting with it every day.

The Manduka eKO has proven to be disappointing. Even after several months airing in a good-size room, the rubber smell is still quite strong. Compared to the more neutral Black PRO Mat, its surface temperature ranges from cool to cold, even on warm days. (I’d prefer not to notice the temperature of the mat.) The cushioning is nice, but not sufficient; I’m too aware of my fingers sinking through the cushion to the hardwood floor beneath. Despite the manufacturer’s claims about its anti-slip qualities, when my hands are sweaty, I slip. This has been disconcerting on some handstand prep poses… As a result I don’t use it as often as it probably deserves.

And yes, as others have written, I do notice a “white bloom” that develops on the Black PRO Mat whenever I use it, a residue of dead skin cells, I guess. I clean it several times a week with Vermont Organic Soap, and that keeps the bloom at bay. What I’ve found more surprising is that the textured surface is wearing away in the heavy-use spots: the places where my hands and feet are positioned for downward facing dog or mountain pose… So far, except on super hot days or during a very vigorous practice, I haven’t had too much trouble with slippage. On hot days I keep a towel nearby to wipe off the sweat.

Other Brands

I use the Yogitoes Skidless towel on my mat in class because I have to – too much sweat-induced slippage otherwise – but I prefer to do without it while practicing at home. I don’t like the way it wrinkles, and it doesn’t have quite enough traction until my hands and feet warm up and start to sweat. But I do appreciate the fact that I can throw it in the washing machine after class and wash the sweat away…

I’m definitely not satisfied with my travel-by-plane experience so far. Nothing positive to say.

Disclaimer

It feels awkward writing this blog post, given the essential conflict between yoga principles and consumerism. But the mat is important. Used daily, it becomes sacred space so it’s an important decision for the serious practitioner.

Shopping for a yoga mat is challenging and there are many trade-offs involved, so I hope that sharing my experience and perspectives will help other yoga practitioners avoid my mistakes.

Disclosure: I have no relationship with any yoga products developer or manufacturer, and have never even spoken with anyone from such a company.

Namaste.