Suga (From $79) The Feel-Good Mat The Suga yoga mat-made from recycled, nonbiodegradable neoprene wetsuits-has a pleasingly dense and tacky feel. It’s the foamiest mat we got our hands-and feet-on, which makes seated postures and corpse pose a dream, but it got a bit slippery when wet. mat gives bigger yogis room to spread out. For that, Prana’s double-sided 30-inch-wide E.C.O. This tester’s only complaint: while well-cushioned, the surface could be grippier and the mat a little wider. Seriously.) It’s made from polymer environmental resin that will eventually disintegrate, though hopefully not while you’re practicing. Broga’s manly rubber mat, imprinted with a full-bleed photo of a quiver of arrows straight out of Dances with Wolves, screams “I’m not a sissy.” (Just to be sure, my man kept his chainsaw charging on the floor beside him. I know because my husband’s been practicing on the playroom floor after we put our daughters to bed. ($60) The Man Mat Broga’s manly rubber mat screams "I'm not a sissy." Small enough to stow in your carry-on as the perfect antidote to business travel.īroga Quiver of Arrows Mat ($58) and Prana Large E.C.O. Bonus: The multicolor pattern resembles a kilim rug and hides dirt just as smartly. At 2.6 pounds, it rolls to 2.5 inches in diameter or folds to 9×12 inches, making it easy to lash onto your back for outdoor vinyasanas and providing just enough cushion between you and the ground. Prana’s featherweight reversible 1.5mm mat is the super-stowable solution. In exchange for fresh air and expansive views, I tolerated pebbles under my palms during upward dog. I tend to get claustrophobic in yoga classes, so I started doing backcountry yoga a few years ago, stashing a mat in my running pack and finding a flat spot on a mountaintop to practice. Prana Belize Printed Xtra Lite ($65) The Stow-and-Go Mat At 2.6 pounds, the Prana Belize Printed Xtra Lite rolls tight and small, making it easy to lash onto your back. Also available in extra-long (85 inches). Is it worth $108? Absolutely, though if you’re brand new to yoga or plan to dabble in it just once a week, it’s probably overkill. The beefy weight translates to impressive durability-this is the only mat we tested that comes with a lifetime guarantee-but it might be impractical if you walk or take the subway or bus to the studio. For such a cushioned mat, it still offers stellar stability, enabling one tester to focus fully on his spine rotation during revolved side-angle, rather than worrying about his feet sliding around. Made from eco-certified-safe PVC, the Pro is sticky from the get-go, even without the rock-salt scrub the company recommends prior to using. But you don’t have to be a yoga pro to appreciate its virtues. (Manduka)Īt 6mm thick and weighing 7.5 pounds, the Manduka Black Mat Pro (available in other colors since 2010) is the heaviest and cushiest of the mats we tested. Manduka Pro ($108) The Go-for-Broke Mat The Manduka Pro has stellar stability and is absolutely worth the price. The smooth side offers the best ground feel of the bunch while still being firm enough that you can engage all your toes in warrior II. Flip it over, and the thin layer of smooth polyurethane absorbs moisture and wicks sweat during steamy flow sessions. Why try to cram three mats in your closet when Lululemon’s 5mm reversible handles all poses with aplomb? The textured-rubber side is ideal for low-intensity yin yoga or hatha classes. That trait may have fallen out of favor with kids, who face constant pressure to focus early on a single passion, but when it comes to yoga mats, it’s the bomb. (Lululemon)īack in the day, the ultimate compliment you could get was being “well-rounded,” meaning you had a lot of different skills that you could do pretty well. Lululemon Reversible 5mm ($68) The All-Around MVP The Lululemon Reversible 5mm was the most well-rounded yoga mat we reviewed. Fortunately, there are stellar new options to satisfy yogis of all stripes. Though I bust out a few DIY poses now and then to keep my legs limber, it had been a few years since going to a real studio class-and my tired old yoga mat showed it. I recently got back into yoga as a way to rehab a stubborn trail-running injury.
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