The best yoga mats are non slip, travel friendly, and thick enough to support the joints, but which is right for you?
Given its transformative benefits for mind and body, the barrier for entry to yoga is low. You need very little specialised clothing or equipment – in fact, all you need is a mat and maybe a pair of gym leggings. Exercise Mat
The best yoga mat will provide you with a stable, grippy surface on which to practice. There is nothing less zen than finding your hands are slipping forward in downward facing dog, or that your peaceful warrior pose isn’t feeling all that peaceful because your mat won’t stay in place. To maintain a consistent yoga practice, a decent mat is key. We’ve reviewed the best yoga mats in depth below, but here’s a quick summary:
Unlike other fitness equipment such as rowing machines and treadmills, a yoga mat won’t clean out your bank account – some mats are as little as £20. But not just any old mat will do – Emma Henry, an expert yoga teacher at Triyoga, says that investing in a decent model will pay dividends further down the line.
“There’s nothing more frustrating in a fast-paced Vinyasa flow than slipping, so enough grip is key,” says Henry, who recommends the Liforme mat (see below). “There are cheaper ones available that are decent, but they might not last as long.”
I did a session with YouTube sensation Yoga with Adriene on each mat, plus a quick HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout. I’ve stretched, shimmied and shavasana-ed my way through testing a broad selection of yoga mats during both high and low intensity exercise to compile this list of the best.
We like: the double-sided design
We don’t like: it doesn’t come with a carry strap or bag
Top marks for this double-sided mat from lululemon, which offers unparalleled grip, a stable surface and plenty of support. It’s unnoticeable in the best way; I felt grounded and supported, and my hands and feet didn’t budge.
Lululemon offers several thicknesses of mat, but I would opt for the 5mm for joint support. This mat is reversible and comes in a wide range of colours and designs. One side is smooth and the other is slightly textured, but both are made from natural rubber.
It’s the perfect size – a touch longer and wider than most standard yoga mats, at 180cm x 66cm. This means it offers plenty of space to stretch out. Thanks to its slightly thicker construction, I found it also makes the perfect partner to HIIT and strength workouts.
Despite being thicker than most others, it’s not unduly heavy, at 2.4kg. That’s the upper end of what I’d consider to be an easy weight to carry, but it means that this mat excels both at home and in class.
The only downside is that it doesn’t come with a carry strap or bag – but that really is nitpicking. Put simply, it’s a brilliant all-rounder that is more than worth the investment.
We like: it’s super durable
We don’t like: slippy to start with
The Manduka PROlite is wonderfully durable. It’s favoured by The Telegraph’s Boudicca Fox-Leonard, a part-time yoga instructor. Here’s what she has to say:
“For the yogi looking to find a mat that will be able to follow them on their practice journey without flaking, Manduka mats are hard to beat on quality and simplicity. They also have the ethical credentials: they’re non-toxic and 100pc latex free, with an emissions-free manufacturing process.
“While Manduka’s range is overwhelming, opt for the Manduka PROlite. You’ll get a mat light enough to carry (it weighs 1.8kg) without compromising on cushioning. It might prove slippy for those first few practices, but then you and your mat will be stuck to each other for life.”
Manduka promises its mats are made for life, and they come with lifetime guarantees. The most durable option you can find.
We like: the useful alignment guide design
We don’t like: the price tag
Yoga teacher Emma Henry’s favoured mat is the Liforme original. There’s no getting round the fact that it’s expensive, but this is a mat that will last for years and years.
It has a uniquely smooth surface whilst still offering unparalleled grip. It is also one of only a handful to be printed with a handy alignment guide. At 185 x 68cm and 4mm thick, it’s slightly larger than average, so perfect for practicing at home – however, given it weighs 2.5kg, it’s not the easiest to lug to a yoga class. If you’re looking for a mat to use on the move, Henry also recommends the Liforme travel mat (£94.95, Amazon).
Liforme also has impressive eco credentials; their mats are made from natural rubber and eco-friendly polyurethane and are biodegradable.
Best yoga mat for allergies, 9/10
We like: it’s incredibly grippy
We don’t like: PVC isn’t the most sustainable material
If you have a latex or rubber allergy, this Gaiam Dry-Grip Yoga Mat is for you - it’s made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a type of plastic. PVC isn’t as sustainable as the natural rubber used by other mats on this list but it has a low carbon footprint and is highly durable, so you won’t need to replace your mat at in a hurry.
The 5mm thick mat had a good amount of cushioning and I found it soft on my joints both for yoga and HIIT workouts. The smooth top layer wicked away sweat from my palms and feet. More impressively the grippy underside stuck to the shiny fake hardwood floor in my flat which is usually slippery, without budging.
At 2.1kg it’s completely manageable to carry if you tend to take your yoga mat to the gym though you’ll have to buy a separate bag or straps. I also love the design - the mandala in the middle of the mat is an excellent point of focus for trickier yoga positions.
We like: the transparency around the sustainability
We don’t like: it’s reasonably heavy
I loved testing this mat – it has a smooth yet grippy surface not dissimilar to the Liforme model above, but it’s not quite as expensive. It also has alignment guides to keep you on track.
It measures 180cm x 66cm, so it’s a touch narrower than the Liforme mat, but I found it to be more than spacious enough. The only slight downside is that it weighs 2.5kg, so is perhaps better suited to stretching out at home than practicing on the move. But, for me, that’s no dealbreaker – I thought it had a great surface feeling, and it more than delivers on its promise of “extreme grip”. The laser-cut surface design is also a nice touch.
If you’re looking for an environmentally friendly mat, this is another one to consider. Yogi Bare has committed itself to full transparency on its sustainability efforts and uses natural rubber, plant-base dyes and recycled packaging. The mats themselves are biodegradable and recyclable.
We like: the innovative 3D textured surface helps you stay centred without looking down
We don’t like: the textured surface makes it harder to roll up
This is Lululemon’s most advanced mat to date. It has an innovative 3D-moulded surface as an alignment guide to help you feel your way around the mat and I can confirm, having tested this with an audio-only yoga class, that it does indeed make it easier to focus on your flow without getting looking down or having to stop and make adjustments. It measures 180 cm x 66cm, so offers plenty of space, and is slightly lighter than the reversible mat above, too.
It’s slightly thicker than most yoga mats, at 5mm, and you can really feel the difference. It’s cushioned and supportive, and would make a good choice for a beginner yoga or someone recovering from injury. The only downside is that the textured design means it’s a little cumbersome to roll up and store.
We like: the mat didn’t budge during workouts
We don’t like: it’s slightly too narrow
Super grip, indeed. I couldn’t fault the grip on this mat, which has a textured, latex surface that feels softer (but no more slippy) than the others on the list. For obvious reasons, it’s not suitable for anyone with a latex allergy. It’s 183cm x 61cm and, even though there are only a couple of centimetres in it, you do notice the difference between the widths – I felt this mat was slightly too narrow.
It’s 4mm thick, which is fairly standard, but perhaps due to the softer surface material I thought it felt marginally thinner than the other mats I tested. That’s no bad thing, but if you need a little extra joint support this probably isn’t the one for you.
We like: the affordable price
We don’t like: the sticky surface leaves a residue
This budget-friendly mat is available in all the colours of the rainbow, and you can’t fault the grip – it’s as sticky as its name suggests. I like the distinctive textured design and how light it is to carry (it weighs just 1.2kg). However, I found it slightly too sticky – it feels as if it leaves a slight residue on your hands. It also doesn’t come with a strap, but given the texture it’s more than sticky enough to simply roll up and store.
This would be an excellent mat for taking to a class or using on the move, but for home practices I would choose something with a smoother surface and a bigger footprint.
You want a good grip, a thick base and high quality material like natural rubber for support, and a light enough weight that it can be carried to and from a gym. Visual alignment markers, to help with the placing of hands and feet are also useful. Of course, the final thing is a fun colour that will help you to enjoy your yoga sessions.
There are other factors to consider, too: texture and size. “I like a big, heavy mat for home practice, but when you’re travelling you need it to be lighter,” says Emma Henry, yoga teacher at Triyoga, who uses a Liforme travel mat or Lululemon ‘(Un)mat’ when she’s on the move. She also considers the ethics of a company: “what they’re doing to support yoga teachers and what they’re doing environmentally.”
Consider too the style of yoga you practice – hot yoga, in which you’re likely to sweat a lot, will require a mat that offers plenty of grip and is easy to clean, whereas a slower restorative or yin yoga class might require a mat that’s thicker and more supportive.
To stay on top of keeping your yoga mat clean, you should try to disinfect it before and after each session with equal parts water and white vinegar, and a dash of tea tree oil. For bigger cleans, every couple of weeks, or more or less depending on your usage, put your yoga mat in a bath or shower and give it a good scrub with water and dish soap, leave it to dry, then roll it up. Most yoga mats cannot be put in the washing machine, but check the individual instructions.
Exercise Mat As a general rule of thumb, stick to yoga mats between 4mm and 6mm. Bear in mind a thinner mat will be more portable, while a thicker mat will be easier on the joints. If you’re doing more floorwork yoga, you might choose a thicker mat as well for the extra cushioning. That said, too much thickness can affect the flow of movement so it’s all about finding the balance.