i bought this mat in the hopes of enjoying the benefits of the high density "black mat" made by manduka without the bulkiness of that mat. first of all, either of the manduka mats is far better than the versions other companies have produced in response to the mat's popularity. there is not the heavy industrial smell to the mat that can get in the air, your clothes, and skin. their density makes it far and away a completely different experience than the typical yoga mat. they are more stable and cushion without being squishy. they are very sturdy and resilient and will last a long time, so your yoga mats will not end up littering the environment over time. between the two manduka mats, i favor this one because it is much easier to transport and store and i do not notice any loss of comfort from the slight difference in thickness (3/16" instead of 1/4"). if you are taller or heavier than average, do very vigorous yoga workouts, or have particularly sensitive joints, you might prefer the manduka black mat, particularly as it comes in an extra long style. but i found this mat at least as stable (perhaps more so), and more versatile, just the thing for a secure and comfortable support for yoga. another option in using this mat is to lay a cotton yoga rug on top of it. the cotton absorbs sweat and can be washed easily, so your mat will last even longer and you get a more natural feel against the skin during practice. cotton rugs are the traditional support for yoga, particularly ashtanga, and this mat and rug combination is often recommended by fine teachers as the best way to get the best of both worlds. if that's not enough, the $45 price i paid through amazon is far better than i saw in stores or other websites. you just can't go wrong with this mat. Manduka 71-Inch PROlite Travel Yoga and Pilates Mat (Midnight)
Overall I would have to say this is the best yoga mat I have ever used. I have used the mat for five weeks ~3-4 days per wk, and followed the directions for "breaking in" the mat. It is nice and sticky and provides very good stability and padding when dry.
I bought this mat however, because it was supposed to grip even when wet. I practice ashtanga style yoga and sweat a lot. Once the mat gets wet I find it to be just as slippery as any cheapo mat.
I recently purchased this mat, (as well as the manduka mat bag), based on recommendations from various people at my yoga studio. Truthfully, I couldn't be happier with my choice. The mat feels solid during my practice, at the same time my knees and hips can feel the benefits of the extra padding. I was a little concerned that 3/8" inch thickness wouldn't provide enough cushioning, and that I should look for a mat 1/4" thick. However, I've since tried some of these and though they are more dense they don't feel as secure. Also, I don't feel the need to carry around the extra weight inherent in the thicker mat. Finally, though I originally balked because this mat costs a bit more than others, when I considered how much athletic shoes cost, and how much I save by doing a barefoot workout, I went for it. I'm definately glad I did.
I've had this mat for 2+ years and agree with the previous reviews. This mat is not sweat-friendly, particularly if you practice vinyasa. And, once sweat absorbs in the mat, the odor starts brewing (even if you do clean with the special yoga mat cleaner, herbal concoctions or whatever else).
For profuse sweaters with a regular practice, this mat is not for you. For those who dare take an inversion with the Manduka, be sure to put a towel under your hands and/or wipe off your mat before moving into position.
On a positive note, this mat does offer more cushioning for the knees (but is by no means as plush as a Tapas Ultra...not suggesting you buy this either because it falls apart). Oh and the Manduka holds up under toe-digging, which is another plus.
Namaste!
durable, lightweight, same texture as blackmat. I can barely notice a difference between this and the black mat. It is slightly less padded, but you can barely notice the difference. It is quite a bit skinnier as far as the width goes, but not a problem for me. Definitely better for using back and forth to class than the black mat would be. It is MUCH lighter! If you are doing downward dog correctly, you won't really slip at all. If you aren't in position correctly (too much weight in shoulders and hands), there will be a slight amount of slip when the mat is new. Once the coating wears off you'll be good to go. I use the opposite side from the label (circular patterns) I find it less slippery from day one. This is as good as a mat will get! I'm a 5'7 female and the 71 inch works fine for me an my husband who is 6 ft. tall.
This is an excellent mat. I recently bought mine and could feel the difference from the first practice. It is a tremendous step up from the garden variety $20 mat. There is another mat made that has more cushion than this one (I believe this company makes it too), but you may not need to shell out the extra $20 unless you have really sensitive joints/bones. With that in mind, I think this mat would suit most people's needs. I practice on a hardwood floor using this mat and was completely comfortable. This mat is very effective for more sweat inducing forms of yoga. However, it is not fool proof. A person could still slip if he or she sweats profusely. I would then suggest the user to where a pair of socks (not the most "traditionally yogic" way of doing things but effective). Otherwise, this is a great mat for anyone who practices sweat inducing yoga regualarly.
I absolutely love this mat. I've tried Manduka Pro, and it's wonderful too. The only down side is the weight, so I decided to buy Prolite. The slightly decreased thickness of Prolite doesn't compromise its comfortable level at all. Also I feel very sticky on it. But be careful, I guess the stickiness is variable among different persons. I have very dry hands, which makes me slippery on most mats at the beginning of my practice, including Lululemon The Mat. And I only sweat a little bit on my hands and feet when the practice prolongs, although my other body parts sweat like a pig. So Manduka mat is a perfect match for me. I feel very stable on it all along. But my husband also tried Manduka, and he complained at the beginning the mat felt sticky, but after his hands get wet by sweating, the mat became very slippery. Some reviewers below feel it's very slippery like my husband, and some reviewers feel manduka is the best just like me. So I guess the differences in skin types bring in so polarized reviews on the stickiness of Manduka mat. My conclusion is: if you are a dry skin person, and you feel slippery on most mats before you sweat, Manduka probably will be the best mat you've ever had. But if you are an oily skin type, and you sweat a lot on your hands and feet, Manduka probably won't fit you. Lululemon's The Mat or Jade mat will be a better choice. If you could go to a yoga studio which provides Manduka mat for rental (like Yogaworks at New York) and try the mat for one yoga class, that's the best way to tell. - Yoga Towel - Yoga Accessories - Yoga Mat'
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