Saturday, January 7, 2012

I Won't Buy This Again - Thick Yoga Mat Critique

By Anthony King


From day one I've had to use a towel under my hands at the front of the mat to keep from collapsing in down dog. I've tried them all, your standard "sticky" mat, a Mysore rug, etc.

People complain about the weight of this mat, which I agree is rather heavy compared to other mats, but if you can do yoga, you can carry this mat to and from your class. I love this yoga mat.

The mat is really nice and thick BUT I am going to return it. Although, I washed it twice with soap, it still was very slippery for me. I suppose some folks may find it too heavy but it is still less than ten pounds and have no problem with that. There is the perfect amount of grip and the stability is excellent. I am a heavy build and muscular around 225. This mat is a good length for me, has just the right thickness and does not skid at all, highly recommended.

I have used it for approx 20 yoga sessions, I have wiped it down after each session, and I have scrubbed it a few times with a nylon brush, but it is still slippery when wet. This mat provides the best slip-resistance with a durable, thick mat for years of practice.

I am very happy with this mat. It is thick enough to use alone.

I compared the Jade and Manduka side by side and my hands didn't slip as much on the Jade due to the spongy texture which grips better. Plus the Jade is all natural and biodegrades.

I have been using it on carpet but on the hard floor should be better. I am doing the beach body program and this is the only mat they recommended. It's a pain in the butt to schlepp around as it very heavy and I also had to get a special bag (available from Manduka) for it as well, as my standard issue bag was too small for it, but it's worth it! I have been using 2 thinner mats for about 3 years and finally spent the money for a really good mat. After about five or six yoga classes, it finally wore off. Still slippery when it gets really sweaty but way better than any other mat I've ever used. A note of caution, it's much heavier than the previous mats I've used so it would be a lot harder to carry it for several blocks to a class. I read a review of this great mat last year when I needed a mat for yoga and Pilates.

However, use on a carpet can still cause bunching and movement, but there really isn't much that can be done about it for any mat. I'm impressed with this mat and recommend it to anyone who does tougher versions of Yoga or lots of jumping. I have been practicing yoga for nearly 3 years. I feel that the Black Mat is the best investment I have made. I also washed the bag in cold water and air-dried it to make sure it didn't shrink on me, and it didn't. The bag is awesome, by the way - roomy enough for a few other things and with a mesh pocket inside for keys, iPod, etc.




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