For over 10 years, the Black Mat Pro has been the world's most popular yoga mat. Such dedication is justified. The density and thickness of this mat, its luxurious non-slip fabric surface and simple design will make your practice an unforgettable experience. Note that the mat now comes with a lifetime warranty. 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.
Product features.
- Sustainable material with no waste produced
- Extreme longevity
- Comfortable cushioning for spine, hips, knees, and elbows on hard floors
- No sticking and no slipping under any conditions
- Hold floors and surfaces firmly
- Emission-Free manufacturing process
- Longer 71" and extra-longer 85" than most mats
- Lifetime Guarantee
The way the review was setup.
Our review was based on studying the mat's behavior during hot yoga, advanced ashtanga and all-level classes. The review was conducted by a team of yoga practitioners of all levels of experience. We asked some absolute beginners to try practicing on the manduka mat and studied their feedback.
The review and testing were conducted over a relatively long period of time. We've interviewed a studio owner who invested into manduka mats for her stock, a lot of feedback was collected from the studio's regulars and the owner.
Results of the review.
While this mat may not meet every student's demands, it is worth every penny.
The longer version is as follows-
How the mat grips.
Manduka mats are of superior quality, made from natural biodegradeable rubber that attaches itself firmly to any surface. Most double-sided mats lack stickiness to prevent them from creating discomfort during contact with your body. While this feature aims at a more pleasing experience it is responsible for the mat's sliding on the floor. Manduka mats have a distinct back surface especially designed to stick to the floor, it should not be practiced on. The floor side of the mat is very sticky while the other side has a more relaxed grip more suitable for practice. We weren't able to get this mat to bunch up under any circumstances, making it the most stable mat we've ever tried.
The weight factor.
The mat's heavy weight is an important factor in durability and stability, but a great burden when it comes to carrying this mat in and out of class.
We wouldn't want to carry this mat around for a long time, it may be most suitable to be stored where you practice.
There are thinner versions of the same mat available for those who want to travel with their Manduka Mat.
The thickness factor.
The 1/4" of thickness is perfect for almost everyone. Most mats are slightly thinner, and hence lighter than the Manduka Mat. There were some people who wanted even more thickness. We suggest adding an additional mat underneath this Manduka product to create a super thick surface suitable for absolute beginners and pilates students. We found that 1/4" thickness was perfect for this mat.
Slip-proof protection.
Once a regular mat is wet, there is very little surface traction left and one should be careful. Hot yoga classes where people sweat are usually the sources of this probem. The practitioners are offered a number of solutions from special wipes, to absorbent yoga towels. Finding a mat with a fabric surface may also be the answer. The manduka mat almost does not suffer from this problem, the material is porous enough to absorb most of the moisture. During a hot yoga class we found that the sponge-like surface of the mat has an absorption limit, and once it's reached moisture will start accumulating on the mat's surface, creating an uncomfortable situation for heavy sweaters. We are, however, confident that this is an issue faced by any mat. The Manduka products do a pretty good job, but they are also not 100% absorbent. We were also concerned that moisture accumulated inside the mat's material may cause bacteria to grow. We recommend cleaning this mat at least once a mat, following the included instructions.
Small issues and appearance.
This mat is black, as its name implies. Some people may find the classic black look a bit outdated, though everyone we know thinks the mat looks very striking. For those who still want to be different there's a limited edition cherry version. We though the tire-black color was striking and effective, also non destructing during practice and meditation.
The natural rubber smell of a brand new Manduka Mat can be unplesant to some users. We washed the new mats following the manual, but the smell still remained. 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. The smell eventually goes away and does not come back.
The conclusion of our review.
The Manduka Mat is an indeed a Rolls-Royce of yoga mats - it's heavy, long, thick and extremely durable. If you are a dedicated practitioner you will definitely be happy with this mat and appreciate the good investment. The support, cushioning, grip and slip protection of this mat are unsurpassed and close to perfection. The only downsides of this mat are its weight and size. This product is perfect for home practice or to keep in a studio, carrying around may be a bit difficult.
Clement Bozinski is an experienced yogi master with years of teaching and practicing experience. Clement's expertise is used to rate products at the
Yoga Mat Review. Additional information, video and pictures of the
Manduka Mat. Clement's original review of the
mega popular Manduka Mat with user comments.
Categories
