PRO Yoga Mat

I've had a bunch of nice yoga mats. My Jade mat began to fall apart and I got little rubber bits all over me when I practiced & my Lululemon mat wore down so much that it was no longer grippy. I decided to fork out the money for a Manduka Pro because I've read about their longevity. So far so good! I'll address the most pressing concern: the mat is really slippery when you first get it. It really shouldn't be because it's so expensive, but whatever. You have to do a bit of work to get it to a reasonable grippiness. Skip the salt advice; it doesn't work at all. Take regular old Dawn Dish soap, squirt it all over the mat, scrub the mat with the rough side of one of those green and yellow sponges, rinse and let dry. Do it a second time if it needs it. This worked great on my mat and it now grips very well except in the hottest of classes where I do have to use a yoga towel (also went with the ridiculously expensive Manduka towel and it works very well). It's a heavy mat. I'm not sure why people who exercise complain about this. It's not THAT heavy. It's a thick mat, but not in a cushy way. It's nice and dense. This is great for folks with joint (especially wrist) trouble. It's a closed cell mat. This means It doesn't soak up your sweat. If you're really sweaty, it will pool and you'll need to use a yoga towel. This is ideal for me because I was yucked out by open cell mats that make the sweat disappear. Where does it go? Into your mat. Forever. The closed cell nature of the Manduka Pro means you can wash it and it actually gets clean. I think this is overpriced, but I practice a lot and so far I'm a fan.

Excellent yoga mat , definitely is top of the line. Gives support, not slip, enough cushion, odorless, excellent material, great look, 💯 stability. Worth the investment!

thick and sturdy high quality mat. good grip, even with sweaty hands and feet. easy to clean. definitely my favorite mat ive owned and hope to use for years to come

My journey with yoga started in the summer of 2014 as an alternative to physical therapy on a cheap mat I'd purchased from a big box store. It was uncomfortable and, after a few uses, started leaving pieces behind on the studio floor. Since I had decided that I wanted yoga to become a lifestyle in order to stay healthy and fight against worsening symptoms of chronic medical ailments I came to the conclusion that I needed a new mat. After doing extensive research I came across Manduka and, given all their favorable reviews and life long guarantee, I decided to purchase one of their mats. Originally I had the Prolite but ended up getting the Pro after getting sick of feeling the hard, studio floor beneath me during classes. While this mat is heavier than the Prolite the trade off is definitely worth it. No longer do I feel uncomfortable on my knees or back when using this mat as I did on the Prolite or cheaper mat I originally had (which was even thinner). Yes, this mat is heavy but 7lbs compared to 4.5 is negligible in my mind if it means I can use the mat in all the ways it's meant to be used without feeling the hard ground so much. Yes, it can be slippery but a towel will help with this and, over time, the mat does get better. So many reviews complain about having to use a towel. It's never bothered me as not using one feels unsanitary and gross but if it bothers you there are other mats on the market that don't require one. However, the trade off there is that these mats are porous and are therefore absorbing your sweat into them which is not something I want my yoga mat to do. Also, those types of mats break down which means that within a year or two you'll have spent more money replacing them than you would have had you purchased this to begin with. No yoga mat will be perfect and, depending on how much you sweat, you will likely slide on just about any mat. What would help more with this, if it's a problem for you, are things like yoga socks and/or gloves. If you have any sort of knee, back, joint pain etc. I'd urge you to look no further than the Black Mat Pro. It's comfortable without sacrificing stability and will last you a lifetime. There's a reason they're so popular and if you're serious about yoga you deserve to have something that will help you be the best yogi you can be.

I Love this mat! I am a relative newbie in yoga, have been sporadically going to YMCA yoga classes for a little over a year. I started out by just using the mats at the Y. Then I decided that I would get my own mat... I didn't really want to use the same mat that lots of other people have been using; wasn't too sure how often they are cleaned or the health of previous users of the mats. Well... I got a yoga mat in the $20 range. Thin and my hands slipped in Down Facing Dog. Moved up to a mat in the $30 range and used both mats during practice. No problems with the thickness of the combined mats stacked together (comfort of knees in poses that require you to be on all fours), but still a little problem with slipping hands. And standing balance poses were a little more difficult since the two mats together were a little "spongy" and my balance is not that great that I needed the extra "added benefit" of a less stable surface to balance on! I noticed that all my instructors use Manduka mats... Hmmmm, wonder if the mats are worth the (lots) extra money they cost??? Asked a couple of my instructors, and they all said emphatically "YES!" Sooooo.... Decided to give the $$$ mat a try. I mean, after all, I spend well over $100 for running shoes... and stability and comfort in my yoga mat is also important! Well, I have to say, the instructors are right! I LOVE this mat. My hands do NOT slip in Down Dog, even toward the end of a strenuous yoga workout when I am a little "damp". (I sweat like a well lathered horse after a hard run...). The mat is comfortable in all of the poses that I have done; no issues with knees on the hard surfaces of the gym floor. Standing balance poses have become a little easier; the firmness of the Manduka mat provides stability that I was just not getting with less expensive options. The mat itself is obviously of better material than my previous less expensive mats. Firmer, heavier, less slippery. I have seen some reviews that say it is TOO heavy... not a problem. If you are doing plank position, and you are complaining about the weight of this mat, then something does not equate! I like the fact that the mat has a lifetime guarantee. One of my main instructors has used her mat for over 4 years; and she teaches classes 2 hours a day on average ... every day (or maybe more...). Her mat is still in perfect condition. She said that she went through 2 mats a year before moving up to the Manduka... So is it really more expensive than the cheaper mats??? Maybe not!!! I got the extra long Manduka mat. I am not tall (5'9") but I like to stay on the mat and not on the floor - shorter mats have me hanging off the ends on some poses with the normal sized mats. The longer mat is perfect! If you are new to Yoga, give yoga a try using the studio mats at the class before buying a Manduka (they are expensive). If you like Yoga and want to continue... BUY A MANDUKA MAT!!! You will not be sorry!

The Pro Mats, at least the one I purchased, are extremely slippery when new and unconditioned. I tried to practice on mine before doing the salt treatment and it was very difficult as my hands and feet were both sliding around a lot. So, I salted the mat down completely with both fine and coarse sea salt and let it stand for 24 hours. Then I took a clean damp wash cloth to it and scrubbed pretty thoroughly before rinsing off the salt. Next practice, the mat was still pretty darn slippery. So, I salted the mat down completely and added baking soda into the mix. Let that stand for several hours and then scrubbed very thoroughly with a clean damp wash cloth. The next practice was much better. Instructors at my studio told me this is their all time favorite mat once it’s “broken in” either through the scrubbing method or practice or both. That’s why I purchased the Pro Mat. I’m replacing a “B Mat” that I really liked but left some where & it “disappeared” unfortunately. The B mats are completely out of stock on both Amazon and the B mat website. I didn’t like the Jade mats at the studio because I find them slippery and unstable/stretchy. So, now that my mat is 95% broken in via the salt scrubbing method, I’m looking forward to completing the breaking in through practice. It is heavier than a lot of mats, but the 6mm depth provides cushioning and is not at all stretchy. I think I’m going to love this mat. Of note, I probably used at least $10.00 worth of sea salt and $2.00 worth of baking soda. That’s in addition to the $144.00 purchase price of the Pro Mat.

As a serious student of yoga for a year and a half, I have now used 4 different yoga mats. The first two were very cheap mats that I found at a department store; I then upgraded to a Aurorae mat while also discovering Yogitoes. I stuck with this combo of Aurorae/ Yogitoes for a long time in my hot yoga practice, and it worked very well for me as a newer student. The Aurorae mat is made of a more cushioned feeling foam, and its bumpy bottom surface gripped decently to the floors so that it did not slip around in a energetic class; and needless to say, with a Yogitoes on top of it, I had found a great combo. The comfort and stability that these two afforded me helped bring my practice to a higher level. After more than a year of using this combo, I decided to buy myself an appropriate present for completing my teacher training and purchased the Manduka black mat pro. I researched a variety of mats by companies I trusted, asked a few teacher friends how they felt about the mats they had used, and came to the conclusion that the Manduka mat sounded like what I wanted. It does not disappoint. It is a dense mat, first and foremost. It is quite a bit longer and wider than most yoga mats, and weighs around 4 times as much as a typical mat. The density and material used are an interesting combo, where it just feels incredibly solid and easy to grip underneath you when you are on it. I can not imagine it ever moving during a vinyasa practice, and even without a Yogitoes towel under me, I can easily find traction in my hands and feet in any pose. It is a superior mat for a dedicated, serious student. I must say that heated classes still require me to use a Yogitoes towel with this mat. I sweat a lot in vinyasa classes, and having a towel down to absorb this sweat and give me added traction is a must. I have tried Yogitoes and Yogarat towels, and I am still looking for a towel that would compliment the Black Mat a bit better. My only complaint, which is a very minor complaint, is that because the Black Mat is so dense, the grippy underside of a Yogitoes is not as well absorbed into the mat below it; you can feel the bumps under your feet much more distinctly than you do when using a more cushioned mat. The complaint about the Yogarat/ Black Mat combo is that because there are none of these grippy bumps on a Yogarat towel, it has nothing to keep it from sticking completely to the top of the Black Mat, creating a suction with the sweat, towel and your body and sometimes resulting in embarrassing sounding fart noises when you get on to your back for abs/ backbends/ inversions etc. Usually I just laugh when this happens, but the first time it was very surprising and I could see people being embarrassed by their farty mat. Any recommendations for a better combo? I still have not tried the Manduka brand towels. Perhaps that will be next :)

This is one heavy-duty solid mat. It looks tough. It feels tough. It is tough. The mat is dense and feels extremely firm with all my poses. I feel more grounded when using the mat compared to my old generic soft 1/4 inch thick mat. The extra 2 inches width and 14 inches length is greatly appreciated as well. The extra room is helpful when moving about the mat and staying focused holding a pose. The old generic mat is soft foam-like. It seemed to cushion my feet a bit more but does not feel as solidly built. I can finger squeeze the Manduka PRO with some pressure and feel the resistance. With the old foam-like mat there is no resistance between the fingers. Looking at the difference in the weights, over 6 pounds between the generic mat and the Manduka PRO, says a lot. It’s not just the size that makes up the added weight it’s the density of the mat as well. My old mat was used mostly at home with some occasional travel for over 4 years. It showed a little wear and tear. In the past 6 months I continue to use the PRO mat at the same rate as the old mat, about 3-5 times weekly, and based on the apparent toughness of the PRO mat it will last for many years; all things being equal. I did not see the need to break in the Manduka Mat PRO other than using it. The “thin surface film” was not apparent upon its first or later use. I had no slipping problems with bare feet from the onset of use. I felt firmly planted during my 30 minute workouts. With regard to dripping sweat; for me it is not an issue so I speak directly to that topic. I could see this possibly being an issue with Pilates, or hot yoga, but it was not during my 30 minute practice. Here is what Manduka's info sheet says, "Fabric-like Surface Finish for slip resistance, even with light perspiration". So, I'd say no, this not a mat for a moderate to heavy perspiration practice. :: Manduka PRO SPECS :: :: :: :: :: ~ Width: 26-1/2 in. / 0.673m ~ Length: 85 in. / 2.2m ~ Thickness: 1/4in. / 6.4cm ~ Weight: 9.0 lbs. / 4.08kg. :: OLD Foam-like Mat SPECS :: :: :: ~ Width: 24 in. / 0.61m ~ Length: 71-1/2 in. / 1.82m ~ Thickness: 1/4 in. / 6.4cm ~ Weight: 2.78 lbs. / 1.26kg This 85 inch mat receives 5 Stars for its excellent solid construction and its sticky firm feel on my bare feet. It is pricey compared to other mats but my thoughts are that it will last much, much, longer than those foam-like mats. I consider this mat an investment in myself and the environment. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NOTES from Manduka: Storage: recommend rolling the mat with the top side outward to help keep the corners flat. Store it horizontally. (!) Cleaning: use a non-solvent household cleaner and damp cloth, or sponge, then hang dry it outside. Do NOT clean the mat “with a garden hose” or put it in the bathtub/shower, or in a “washing machine”. <Now, that's funny.> Eco: the mat is “Oeko-Tex Cetified, Product Class 1” that “meets the human-ecological requirements as presently established for baby articles”. “No toxic emissions released during the production of this mat.” The mats are made in Germany.

Amazing mat. Works well and it is thick enough for me not to need a knee pad.

Turned up with blue stains on it, MAT itself is great hence three stars. I was only offered a refund due to stock of a replacement, purchased the Mat from Amazon to spread the cost. Should have purchased it from Manduka direct, lesson learned

I’m 95kg and need something to support my weight when I put my knee down and that won’t stretch on the floor like a rubber band when I do down dog. This mat is solid and great for someone tall in the XL size.

Beste yoga Mat! Ich nütze sie jedem Tag. Schon fast 2 Jahren und ist noch perfect.

J'adore! Très stable et confortable. Cher mais vaut amplement l'investissement si on s'en sert souvent et de très nombreuses années