The 7 Best Yoga Mats for Finding Your Flow - Hangzhou Yoga Mat Group Co.,Ltd

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By Ashley Mateo

A good-quality yoga mat is essential to any practice, but the one that's best for you will vary. People who love to break a sweat chaturanga-ing through a hot yoga class need a moisture-absorbent mat, while yogis who seek relaxation in restorative classes may want one with more cushioning to support those deep stretches. And any practitioner will benefit from a mat that doesn't bunch up or shift beneath their hands and feet.

To help you find your just-right mat, we talked to yoga instructors across the country to identify the key criteria. Then we scoured the market for the highest-quality options hitting those marks, and put 17 of those mats through two weeks of testing to narrow down even more. Here are our top picks for beginners, hot-yoga practitioners and more.

$98 at LuluLemon

Yogis of all levels will appreciate The Mat's versatility (it's reversible), plus varied size options and color choices.

Lululemon's 5.24-pound reversible yoga mat is the one that was recommended most by the instructors we interviewed, in large part for its versatility and cushiony feel. It comes in two sizes, a 71-by-26-inch and an 84-by-28-inch version. Both are 5 millimeters thick, the standard width generally recommended by instructors for most practices, though we found this one feels notably softer yet firm under foot (and hand), likely due to the combination of materials. This mat also features two different sides: a natural rubber base we found comfortable for restorative stretching and a smooth-yet-sticky polyurethane top that absorbed moisture during sweaty flows (active vinyasas with inversions, for example). "You stick on it like a gecko," raves Sabrina Washington, a yoga instructor in Sacramento, Calif., who says she tells all her students to use this one because "it's a game-changer."

$85 at Rei

$85 at Amazon

An oversize version of Jade Yoga's popular cushioned mat, this one offers room to spread out and good traction but is somewhat heavier than others.

You’ll find Jade Yoga mats in many studios because of their proven durability. "We’ve been using them in classes for more than a year and they still look as fresh as they did when we took them out of the box," says Jess Fadale, owner at Portland Yoga Collective in Portland, Maine. It's comparable to Lululemon's in terms of quality, but what we discovered in our testing is that this roomy mat—nearly 10 inches longer than standard ones—hits the sweet spot when it comes to cushioning. It's 8 millimeters thick, which is a few inches plusher than others on our list but not so thick that it sacrifices stability for poses (as we found with the 13- and 25-millimeter Retrospec mats we tested).

The XW Fusion mat doesn't include extras like reversibility or a varied color choice, but in our testing, it excelled during hot yoga sessions. It's made of open-cell natural rubber, which has a soft yet sandpaper-y (think: cat's tongue) texture. Traction actually improved the more we sweat. The downsides of this material are that the mat feels heavier and harder to tote around than others, and it has a rubbery smell. But eco-conscious types, in particular, will appreciate that Jade not only uses all-natural materials—no PVC or other synthetic rubbers—in the construction of its mats but also plants a tree for every mat sold.

$130 at Manduka

Made of natural rubber with a leather-like surface, this mat absorbs sweat to offer better traction and prevent slipping.

Any type of yoga can make you perspire, but in hot yoga, where you may be practicing in a room heated to over 100 degrees, the sweat can be practically pouring off of you, so you need a mat that soaks it up so your hands and feet won't be slipping out from under you. This mat has a leather-like surface designed to absorb moisture, which gives it more traction; others, including GRP's PRO Mat, are made of a closed-cell material that repels moisture, which can result in sweat pooling on the mat. GRP's Hot Yoga Mat also has a charcoal-infused core that absorbs sweat to eliminate odor, and after several hours of testing, we didn't notice any unappealing B.O. emanating from the mat.

Despite its 6 millimeters of padding, this mat did at first feel a little stiffer than expected during seated and prone poses; that may be because Manduka mats, due to the properties of the materials the company uses, generally require a break-in period of up to three months.

$100 at Alo Yoga

This mat's grippy surface and helpful alignment grid (to guide your positioning) make it a smart choice for anyone new to yoga.

A price tag of $120 for a beginner yoga mat sounds steep, but we found Alo's Chakra Warrior Mat significantly stickier and more durable than the wallet-friendly Gaiam Alignment Yoga Mat and more helpful—a te›xtured grid printed on its surface guides your alignment to ensure you’re properly executing each pose. It's also generally about $20 cheaper than the similarly printed Liforme Yoga Mat.

The 5-millimeter thick mat is made of ethically sourced, all-natural rubber with a polyurethane leather surface—a combination that Meera Watts, founder and CEO of Siddhi Yoga, finds ideal. "Alo yoga mats are the most comfortable, sturdiest ones I’ve ever used, and I’ve been using them for the past five years," she says. Beyond the smooth, non-slip texture and black-on-black alignment cues, we also like the 74-inch width; it's slightly roomier than standard mats and, in our testing, the extra space to maneuver in and out of poses was noticeable.

$22 at Gaiam

$16 at Amazon

$20 Save $4

Offering good bang for your buck, this double-sided mat is adequately cushioned and comes with a carrying strap

Yoga mats at lower price points can be a disappointing purchase because they’re generally made of cheaper materials that tend to be more slippery, less sweat-absorbent and prone to falling apart easily. But we liked the Essentials Premium Yoga Mat from Gaiam, a company that has produced well-regarded yoga mats for decades. At $20, this one hits all the basic must-haves: It's 6 millimeters thick, which felt comfortable even on a concrete deck; a standard size (72-by-24 inches); and a mid-range weight of 3.5 pounds. It even comes with a carrying strap. It's made of non-toxic 6P-free PVC, which is not known for its longevity, but at this price that didn't bother us. (Gaiam also makes other budget-friendly yoga mats with additional features like cork, moisture-wicking topcoats and extra cushioning, but the Essentials Premium Yoga Mat is our pick because it's the most affordable and comfortable for a variety of practices.)

This mat is textured on both sides—we liked how grippy it felt in our hands, and during classes the mat stayed in place on both concrete and indoor wood floors initially. It did feel slippery during Downward Dog and Warrior poses, so it's more suitable for standard classes than hot yoga or Bikram practices, and historically we have seen Gaiam mats flake over time.

$68 at Amazon

This eco-friendly mat folds down to the size of a newspaper and fits in your tote.

We tried out the travel versions from top brands— Lululemon, Jade and Manduka—but Yogo's Ultralight Folding Yoga Mat won out in our rounds of testing. Made of natural tree rubber and cotton, this eco-friendly mat packs down to the size of a newspaper and comes with a handy strap sewn right onto the edge. Not only can this fit in a carry-on, it can be easily tossed into a larger purse or tote bag.

That ease of portability is what sold us when we compared this mat to the very similar, slightly cheaper Jade Yoga Voyager Yoga Mat. Both are 1.5 millimeters thick and exceptionally grippy thanks to the open-cell natural rubber. We also preferred this to the Lululemon Carry Onwards Travel Yoga Mat‘s almost silky top, which does generate more friction with moisture, and the Gaiam Folding Yoga Mat‘s "sticky" texture, which didn't feel very sticky in practice. The other travel mats were thicker by only a half millimeter so we couldn't feel a difference, even in lengthy Child's Poses, and they did not fold down to be quite as compact.

$139 at Amazon

This cork yoga mat that combines naturally grippy cork with a plant-based bottom for easier recycling.

Cork is one of the most sustainable materials from which you can make a yoga mat—it's biodegradable and renewable, and can be upcycled and recycled, which makes the Yoloha Original Cork Yoga Mat an appealing option for those who prioritize sustainability. The mat isn't made entirely of cork because, if it were, it would be very hard on your body and a lot more expensive. Instead, Yoloha layers it over a cushy, plant-based bottom that's more than 55% sugarcane foam; the rest is made of non-toxic EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) foam, which contains zero PVC or phthalates. This makes it a more eco-friendly option than another top cork contender, the Gaiam's Performance Cork Yoga Mat, which has a 100% TPE bottom layer.

When we tested the Yoloha, the cork's naturally gritty texture provided non-slip traction during yoga classes. The material releases a waxy substance when it encounters moisture, nixing any sliding even in the sweatiest conditions (like a 97-degree afternoon rooftop yoga session). The 6 millimeter width provided ample cushioning for flows and inversions, and we also liked that the 26-inch-wide mat is available in two lengths: 72 or 80 inches.

Another big benefit is that cork's closed-cell construction seals out odor and bacteria. Even better, the material also has naturally antibacterial properties. This makes it especially easy to care for (as in, you don't have to! It's self-cleaning!).

For anyone with a latex allergy, Manduka's 6-millimeter PRO Yoga Mat was a close runner-up to our top pick—Lululemon The Mat 5mm—when we spoke with experts. It's made of closed-cell PVC but is also more than two pounds heavier and more expensive (by about $30).

In more than a decade of reviewing fitness gear and writing about health and fitness trends for magazines such as Self, Health, Refinery29 and Women's Health, I’ve taken hundreds of yoga classes, both in studios and at home.

Years of personal experience in the fitness world has taught me that the best piece of equipment is the one you’re actually going to use. When it comes to yoga mats, that will depend on where you practice and the style of yoga. In general, you want to make sure you can comfortably press both of your hands and feet into the mat without slipping back or forward, and that your wrists and knees feel supported.

In addition to personally testing 17 mats over two weeks and getting in-depth guidance on evaluating yoga mats from three industry experts, I conducted research and polled more than 50 yoga instructors and studio owners to see what specific mats they prefer and why.

We looked at three main factors for choosing a high-quality yoga mat:

Yoga mats are generally made of a variety of synthetic and natural materials, says New York City–based sustainability expert L. Christina Cobb, founder of the sustainable living consulting company UrbisEco, and each has characteristics worth considering when choosing a mat. PVC—or Polyvinyl Chloride, a synthetic polymer of plastic—is an extremely common choice, and mats made of this material are often more affordable. (But not always: Manduka mats are generally three times the cost of Gaiam's.) PVC mats are not biodegradable or recyclable, and they tend to not last very long. In addition, some use chemicals called phthalates to add flexibility and durability, and there has been concern that those chemicals can be harmful. For this reason, we ruled out PVC mats that are not marked "6P Free" to indicate that they don't contain the phthalates most clearly connected to negative health impacts.

TPE, or thermoplastic elastomer, is a blend of rubber and plastic that's also used frequently in yoga mats. This material is recyclable, flexible and relatively durable; a yoga mat made of TPE will typically last about two to three years. A TPE mat can be a more affordable eco-friendly option than those made of natural materials, though, as Cobb points out, "PVC and TPE are petroleum-based materials, which may turn some people off" because of oil's impact on the environment and climate.

Yoga mats made of natural rubber, cork, cotton, hemp, or jute are the most eco-friendly options, according to Cobb—and, given their longer lifespan, the best for your wallet as well. Natural rubber comes directly from rubber trees and provides serious traction and solid cushioning, but it can feel heavy and have an intense smell. Cork also comes from trees and is naturally antimicrobial, making it great for sweaty practices; on its own, though, it will slip on the floor, so it's often paired with a base made of natural rubber or another material with more traction. We included mats made of these materials for people who prioritize sustainability and eco-friendly practices.

Yoga classes have you moving from your hands and knees to your feet and even your head. No matter what position you’re in, it's important to feel grounded and protected, and a well-cushioned mat can help. A standard yoga mat is 5 to 6 millimeters thick, notes Jose Portillo, a yoga instructor at Life Time GreenStreet in Houston, and mats a few inches thicker than this can be particularly useful for restorative practices that included poses and stretches held for several minutes at a time. However, a super cushy mat like the Retrospec's Solana Yoga Mat (13 mm thick) or Amazon Basics’ Extra Thick Exercise Yoga Mat (12 mm thick) may impede your stability.

Another key component is the construction. Closed-cell yoga mats do not absorb moisture, which makes them firmer and less cushioned, and better suited for practices that don't generate a ton of sweat. (It also makes them easier to clean; all you need to do is wipe them down with water and soap free of harsh chemicals.) Open-cell yoga mats like Jade Yoga's Harmony Yoga Mat do absorb water and sweat, which makes them softer and more cushioned. (These also break down more easily, and should be fully submerged in soapy water once a month for cleaning.) How a mat is constructed will also affect its texture.

A mat's texture can have a major impact on your practice because it affects the amount of traction you have as you move through your poses. PVC and TPE mats can be slippery, so mat manufacturers often add texture via raised dots, ridges or even patterns to generate friction and help you maintain a better grip. Natural materials like cork and jute already have a more tactile feel and can keep you from sliding around.

But just because a natural rubber mat, like Lululemon's The Mat, looks slippery doesn't mean it will be. "Mats that feel almost leathery or gummy are the ones that are going to stick to your body a little bit better," says Potillo; you might even be able to see an impact of your hand or foot when you press into it, Lyons adds. Natural rubber is occasionally covered with sweat-absorbent polyurethane leather (see: Alo Yoga's Warrior Mat) for better traction.

We tested each individual mat in two 60- and 30-minute separate classes, and hosted a group class where yoga practitioners rated the mats they used in terms of material, cushioning (or how comfortable the mat felt during poses), and texture (or how well the mat stay put on the ground in addition to how solid footing felt on the mat). In narrowing down these final selections, we considered affordability, versatility, and any additional features, like size and color options.