Manduka Mat - best mat for yoga? Find out in this review
Manduka Mat - best mat for yoga? Find out in this review
Manduka Mat - best mat for yoga? Find out in this review.
Manduka mats are the most popular, highly acclaimed and widely used mats on the market. Is the manduka product worth its price? Is it a good idea to haul this chunky piece of natural rubber that weighs like a small tire to class?YogaMatReviews performed a detailed analysis of the BlackMat Pro (the top of the line Manduka product) to assist people who are hesitant to part with almost $90 for a yoga mat.
Product features (from the manufacturer).
It's been over a decade and the BlackMat Pro is still the most popular mat on the market. There is a reason the Black Mat PRO inspires such passion in its users. The density and thickness of this mat, its luxurious non-slip fabric surface and simple design will make your practice an unforgettable experience. Another notable feature of is the lifetime guarantee . If you are serious about your practice and care about the planet, choose what the world' best yoga teachers call their first choice in yoga mats - a Manduka Mat..
Each mat features:
Zero-waste, sustainable material
Extremely long lasting
Safely cushions your hips, knees, spine and elbows on hard floors
Slip resistant, yet non-sticky, even when wet
Hold floors and surfaces firmly
Oeko-Tex certification, no emissions during manufacture
Available in long 71" and extra-long 85" version
Backed by a Lifetime Guarantee
How this product was reviewed
Our review was based on studying the mat's behavior during hot yoga, advanced ashtanga and all-level classes. Our reviewers are mostly yoga practitioners with years of experience. We asked some absolute beginners to try practicing on the manduka mat and studied their feedback.
Our review was conducted over a long period of time to keep it objective. Our review took place in a studio where the owner invested into manduka mats and let her students practice on them free of charge. We were able to collect feedback from the owner and the students/.
Our opinion
We found that this mat's price is highly justified and it will be perfect for many students, but not for everyone.
Detailed review
The mat's grip
Manduka Mats stick like glue to most surfaces due to the composition of natural rubber and fabric. Most mats are double-sided - this means they can't be too sticky, otherwise they would stick to your skin and make your practice really uncomfortable. The uniqueness of Manduka mat's design in its distinct sides - one that stick to floor, the other for practice. The super sticky back side glues the mat to the floor while the other side creates a perfectly balanced grip for safe and comfortable practice. This mat's stability was proven by our team being unable to curl or bunchup the mat under any conditions.
Weight
The density and thickness of material used in the 71" Manduka mat were awesome for durability, stability and cushioning but not for convenience. Carrying this 7-pound chunk of rubber to class may be troublesome for lighter yogis..
This is not the most mobile mat we've seen, it's quite heavy and bulky and we would say it's perfect to be kept at home or stored in a studio at all times..
Manduka people listened to this complain and created lighter travel versions, which are less expensive and definitely less durable.
Thickness
The 1/4" of material is a very nice thickness that will suit most people. Most mats are slightly thinner, and hence lighter than the Manduka Mat. Some people demanded even more thickness. We suggest putting the Manduka Mat on top of a regular mat for the ultimate beginners experience, also suggested for pilates. 1/4" of material seemed like more than enough cushioning for our team.
Surface traction
Once a regular mat is wet, there is very little surface traction left and one should be careful. The actuality of this problem is very apparent in hot and steamy yoga classes where a lot sweat is poured down on the mats. In order to reduce surface moisture practitioners are advised to use special yoga towels, but this method requires and additional investment.. Thanks to the porous material and the natural fabric surface, Manduka Mats are more than capable of dealing with this issue. The sponge-like material and the fabric surface were only absorb so much moisture during a hot yoga class. A saturation point was reached eventually, and the mat became slippery. We are currently unaware of any yoga mats that are not prone to this problem. The Manduka products do a pretty good job, but they are also not 100% absorbent. We also found a small problem with the mat' material - it absorbs moisture, and if not cleaned regularly, it will eventually start harboring bacteria in it's pores. Our advice is to clean this mat on a monthly basis to be safe.
Appearance and more
The Black Mat Pro is nothing but black. The classic and elegant look may not appeal to all customers, for them the company made a limited edition cherry version. We think the Black Mat definitely stands out, it's difficult to mistake it for anything else.. We definitely liked the black color.
Most of our reviews also found the smell of the brand-new Manduka Mats quite strong and unpleasant. To us this mat just smelled like rubber, nothing else.. The manual suggests a washing procedure to reduce the intial smell, but we didn't find the procedure to be very effective. We can safely say, however, that almost all natural rubber mats we tested had this smell initally. The smell quickly fades in just a few weeks.. You can rest assured the smell will go away and will never return.
Conclusion, other thoughts
This heavy, long, and thick mat is indeed the heavyweight champion of all mats. If you are serious about your practice, you will need something like this mat, it is a worthy investment that will last years. The mat's grip, slip resistance and cushioning are almost perfect. We were only concerned with the weight and size of this Manduka Mat. While traveling with this mat may be difficult it is perfect for home and studio use.
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