Manduka Pro Yoga Mat Instructor Recommended Grip Texture 6mm Ultra Dense for Yoga, Home Studio & Pilates

I know it sounds very amateurish to blame a mat for stuff we cannot do, but then, the three practices I've had with this mat were far superior to the ones I had with my old travel manduka or the cheap mats from the studio, as if it enabled me to sink deeper in a pose, or perform my transitions with more support (I'm an intermediate to experienced practitioner, and I practice yoga daily). This mat is absolutely perfect, it has a good balance between cushioning and stability/floor presence; and of great grip but allowing you to slide when you need to. I'm very happy with this purchase, and the colour is beautiful and relaxing: I really do hope it lasts for life, as promised. I read a lot of comments on the mat being heavy – this is true, but think about the effort of carrying it around as part of your practice! – and slippery. To the second comment, it is VERY IMPORTANT to follow the breaking in instructions and giving it a salt scrub before the first use, and also knowing that, like every professional equipment (ballet shoes, sports gloves, martial arts protection, etc.), this mat requires preparation, care, and it will adapt to you with the constant use. I would not recommend this for people starting yoga now, or for people who are not deeply committed to their practice.

Was recommended this mat over other professional yoga mats by my very skilled and advanced yoga teacher. She had tried other more expensive brands, and wasn’t impressed with them. As said by other people mat was a little slippy at first, the recommended sea salt helps, there seems to be some sort of coating on the surface which disappears over time and with use, it’s taken 2 weeks for mine to bed in with use 3 times a week. Now it has fantastic grip and the comfort is brilliant. I no longer need 2 mats and hardly need to use my foam knee pads. I might not be the best at yoga but this mat helps me achieve the next level, it is not too thick like some, but just perfect to feel the ground for balances. Down sides as said by other reviews it needs bedding in from new, and little bit heavy if u travel far carrying it. Highly recommended by my yoga teacher and now myself.

I love my mat. It did not smell too bad and in no way triggered my asthma, something I was worried about from reviews. Just let it lie open and it will clear up soon. It feels very firm to stand on and my husband thought it was rock hard, he does not use yoga mats of any kind, so has no comparison to go by. However, when I lie on my side (hips) or kneel with the knee behind me I have no pain and can perform poses without discomfort for the first time ever! I can do upward dog without the tops of my feet / toes hurting. So highly recommended. I have actually been doing jumps as well which I normally avoid due to lack of mat stability. This mat will not budge. Yes, the mat was slippery when new, I scrubbed away at it with sea salt for half an hour wearing thick gloves and with good TV in the background. It has been much better and is softening up with every use. I use a folded up equa mat towel that I pull down when I start to sweat/experience slipperiness and it seems less needed with every practice. I was thinking of buying a prolite in the future for ease of travel but right now I do not want to miss this mat ever again. It is that good. Go for it, you might love it like me or else it should sell well on ebay as a used product. :) Happy Practising!

This mat is absolutely the best, I've been having it for 6 years and it looks and feels great still. Even my cat hasn't managed to destroy it with scratches, what actually happened to my other expensive yoga mat. It really feels like a good invenstment and I will probably die earlier than this mat will become unusable. Oh, and cushioning and grip are also outstanding while it doesn't attract dirt execessively. It is heavy tough, but I use it at home so this doesn't bother me.

Great mat, very good quality thick and heavy. I followed the instructions re the salt before use. This is the best quality mat I have owned hoping it lasts a long time. Have used for yoga pilates and workouts and found it to be very good. A little slippy but all reviews say this improves with use. Very pleased with the mat would recommend. Have given 4 stars due to the high cost but in comparison to other places it was a bargain I bought the purple mat as this was the cheapest.

Best mat I’ve ever used. Great thickness, it has made my practice easier and less painful (knee injury). Great value for money. It’s quite bulky therefore I wouldn’t travel with this mat. However definitely worth it for helping with home practice and also circuits. I’ve found lunges far easier using this mat. The colour is as expected.

Yes, it is going to be slippery at the beginning, but after a week and a half, it is absolutely brilliant! I live in a flat so I just put the mat in my living room, where I normally practice. I rubbed it with coarse sea salt and left it for about 12 hours (I know the official website says 24 hours, but I was too impatient), after that I splashed some water and rubbed it again with a damp cloth. I used a dry cloth to wipe it out again, and any remaining moisture dried up pretty quickly on its own. My feet and palms often get sweaty, so I quickly started slipping, especially in Downward Dog. In those cases, I would simply rub my palms and feet against the mat, until dry. I always wipe it out with some water and a cloth after usage. After a week and a half of practicing 2-3 times a day I no longer slide in Downward Dog, and I'm really enjoying using it! Everything about the thickness, high quality of material and cushioning has already been said, so I have nothing else to add. Highly recommended!

Not noticeably heavier than the so much thinner and so much less sturdier Tree Mat; definitely sturdy (doesn't bend or move when it's between you and the floor, so you never need to stop to flatten or rearrange it; doesn't stretch at all when you are in long low warrior poses, etc). It's not slippery!, the best mat I've tried for down dog... So solid and reliable, but with great cushioning; extremely comfortable for the knees... Ideal. Wouldn't want to use any other mat anymore. It smells of something artificial, but it's not too strong. Easy to keep clean. Extremely reliable for head and handstands (on other mats, these were scary!). Nothing not to like in it!

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

Love this mat. Very comfortable to use. The only negative is that it takes a while to break in and at first can be slippery. But other than that a great mat

This mat is a thing of beauty. Thick, strong, comfortable, easy to clean, no slipping, and just a great place for a big/tall guy like me to do my exercises. Has held up well and the lifetime warranty doesn't hurt.

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.

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