The best yoga mats all have one goal – to support you in your practice. How they go about that is very different, and the perfect yoga mat is going to be different for everyone. Love sweaty hot yoga sessions? You’re going to want a sticky, sweat-proof, easy-clean mat. Find the floor extremely uncomfortable? A thicker mat comprised of denser material will help keep you off the floor.
We’ve rigorously tested out some of the biggest names in the world of yoga, alongside some less familiar brands, in order to find the best yoga mats for everyone, from beginners to experienced yogis, and a variety of different yoga styles and mat materials. Whether you’re just starting out or you’d consider yourself a veteran yogi, you’re sure to find your perfect mat in this selection.
If you're a beginner looking for your first mat, you might also want to take a look at our beginner's guide to yoga, written by a professional instructor. It guides you through everything you need to know before you get started and guides you through a selection of beginner-friendly poses to create your first flow.
If you can't wait for delivery, check out our guide to the best-reviewed yoga mats on Amazon to find a great mat with speedy Amazon Prime delivery.
We might not have full reviews for the products in this guide yet, but check back soon: we'll be personally testing many of the best yoga mats and updating this guide with our results.
Lululemon is a name synonymous with yoga – and for good reason. The Reversible Mat from the Canadian apparel brand offers impressive grip even in low-sweat classes courtesy of its natural rubber base, alongside an anti-microbial surface that reduces mat mildew.
At 5mm thick, it offers a good balance of stability and padding, meaning those who favor floor poses or worry about joint pressure can rest assured that their knees, wrists and elbows are adequately protected. It’s also a generously wide mat, measuring 66cm x 180cm. And while it definitely looks the part (the mat is available in a variety of colors), the fact it arrives without a strap and weighs 2.38kg means that it’s a little on the heavier side and well suited to at-home yoga.
If, like many, you first took up yoga during COVID, Meglio’s yoga mat might be the ideal option for those looking to invest in a mat. It's extra thick 10mm cushioning means you’ll never sink through to the floor, easing the pressure on joints in poses like plank, bow and dolphin. Its thickness also ensures it’s a multi-tasker, making it ideal for a range of other workouts and perfect for beginners.
That being said, the extreme padding might put off veteran yogis who prefer a greater level of contact with the floor, which is where the cheaper and thinner 7mm variation might prove more beneficial.
There is a noticeable smell of plastic when you first unfurl it, but that’s offset by the fact the non-slip material used refuses to budge mid-flow.
A brand committed to sustainability, Yogi Bare has become the go-to mat brand for major sports apparel retailers including Sweaty Betty. Created due to popular demand, this new streamlined design measures 4mm in thickness, meaning practicing yogis can achieve stability and gain a great connection with the floor.
Despite its thin design, this mat is still on the heavier side at 2.5kg but is easy enough to transport with the help of a shoulder strap (or wheels that can be purchased from their website).
The brand has also ensured the mat is vegan friendly, created using natural rubber and that its packaging is 100% recyclable. It’s also worth noting that for every mat sold, Yogi Bare plants one tree - if that isn’t an incentive, we don’t know what is.
When it comes to specialised yoga mats, Manduka’s lifetime guarantee means it’s a name you can trust. Created by yogis for yogis (and all other abilities too), this Pro Travel Yoga Mat is an evolution of the brand’s best-selling Pro mat.
Measuring 2.5mm thick and weighing just 1.1kg – an impressive 50% lighter than the standard Pro – this mat is ideal for folding into a tote, handbag, or even popping in your suitcase ahead of that beachside yoga retreat. Available in a variety of colours, the mat also has a closed-cell surface which keeps bacteria and mould at bay - something that also contributes to its generous lifespan.
Given its portable design, there has to be a compromise somewhere. Being incredibly lightweight often means foregoing traction, so Manduka recommends using it in conjunction with a performance towel if you’re concerned about grip.
With Every Atom is an independent, sustainable yoga brand worth paying attention to – and that’s before you spot the animal print that covers their mats. Weighing 2.5kg, it’s definitely the heaviest of the bunch, making it a little cumbersome to carry to class.
That being said, its eco-credentials more than make up for this. Made from biodegradable tree rubber, it’s also free from PVC, latex and many other toxic materials that are often found in yoga mats (particularly handy for those who suffer from allergies). The more you sweat, the better grip you have. It’s also easy to wipe down; soap and water will do it.
This mat is on the firmer side at 5mm thick, but its XL size – measuring 68cm x 183cm – means that even those above six foot tall can stretch out in child’s pose with ease.
How to choose the best yoga mat for you
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With so many mat varieties on the market, differing in thickness, weight, sustainability, price, and design, it can be an intimidating choice to make, with many mats, on the surface, seeming similar to one another.
However, take a deep dive into the construction, materials, and intended purpose of the mat to find out what will benefit your practice. Do you do yoga at home? Guiding “zones” might help you find consistency in your practice without an instructor. Maybe you’re after a thicker mat that helps ease the pressure on your joints? Balancing on your wrists or knees on a hard floor can be painful for some people, and some mats are sold in a variety of thicknesses.
Of course, it could be as simple as color choice. If you love the look and feel of a yoga mat you haven't been able to find anywhere else, go for that: after all, yoga should always be a joy to do.
Another consideration is material. Less dense materials such as foam are very soft, but not particularly supportive. Other mats with plastic in their construction are easy to clean, but not particularly environmentally friendly. Eco-friendly or sustainable materials like bamboo fibre or natural rubber fit all the above bills very well.
Finally, look at price. We've got a buying guide with various different price points, the cheapest being just £17.99 or around $25, but yoga mats can easily run you into triple figures.
Whatever your priority, there’s a style of yoga mat to suit your needs.
How we test
When testing the best yoga mats, we personally take them to our yoga sessions and try them out, and do supplementary classes at home to make sure they get a thorough testing during the two-week period.
We'll monitor factors such as grip – if our hands slide forward during down dog, you'd better believe you'll hear about it – material durability and density, as lasting handprints in a soft foam mat are a good indication of wear and tear later down the line. If it's anti-microbial, we'd expect sweat and other smells not to linger on the mat.
We'll then assess our findings against the price, judging if the mat is good value for money.
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