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The first thing we noticed about the yoga mat is how heavy it is, weighing almost 8 pounds. That makes it a bit strenuous to roll and unroll and even harder to travel to class with. The mat has good grip, but in our experience, it becomes slippery when it begins to absorb more moisture. Another mat, made of polymer environmental resin, had divided results. It has cushiony padding, good stickiness, and includes a rosin bag, which helps a bit with grip when hands get sweaty—up to a point.

We tried a 6-millimeter-thick version of a rubber mat. It is lightweight and easy to roll, and it did well in preventing indentations and scratches. The mat was very grippy when dry, but became slippery when wet and then took a long time to dry. The mat also stretched slightly when in positions like downward dog. We tried two 5-millimeter mats: one that “looks luxurious and good, but is not forgiving—I don’t feel particularly cushioned.” It also curled at the ends more than other mats when rolled flat, and it attracted a lot of dirt. The other one warded off dirt better with its more grainy texture and is wider and longer than most mats, measuring 78 by 26 inches.

Examining the Diversity of Yoga Mats

Another mat has a TPE base, and our testers mostly liked using it. But some found themselves slipping more on this mat than on another cork mat, especially when dry. This mat also showed creases within a week. Two more mats are similar: Both are 6 millimeters thick and more squishy and soft than supportive. Each has a textured, softly nubby surface that lets fingers and toes grip easily. The stickiness is there, though at times it feels like literal stickiness—as if a faint coating of something were on the mat (though it’s most likely just the PVC material).

Another mat comes with a carrying strap but was prone to huge sweat stains, and when we tried some exercises with kettlebells on it, the imprint of the kettlebell company logo became smushed into the mat. “It feels oily and synthetic,” one tester observed. Others pointed out a bad smell, comparing it to the scent of gasoline. Another mat had fans among readers who commented on a previous version of this guide. Our testers were only mildly impressed by it, finding the mat difficult to unroll and the surface just okay for practice.

Addressing the Challenges of Hot Yoga

We tested a large mat measuring 78 by 28 inches. Though our yogis enjoyed practicing on the extremely grippy, luxuriously thick mat, some testers were big fans of the lightweight yet densely cushioned material, particularly in restorative yoga practice during long-held floor poses. But in hot yoga, it was slippery, and the material stretched a bit underfoot. Its thickness makes this mat a bit unwieldy to carry when rolled up. Another mat has a dual-layered polyurethane and rubber makeup, helpful alignment markings, and a high price—almost 50% more than our top pick. We really liked the mat for its stickiness in both hatha and hot yoga.

Another mat has great grippiness, doesn’t stretch, and at 5 millimeters thick, is easy to store. It’s double-sided and stood up well in hot yoga, but had a strong smell—our yoga instructor suggested not using it right out of the package and letting it air out first. One of our testers said the mat became squeaky when they pivoted and sometimes found it difficult to switch positions. Other testers also noted their skin getting stuck to the mat when sweaty.