Anyone own one of these? if so what is you opinion of them
What’s a manduka mat?
it is supposedly an excellent brand of mat that gets stickier as you sweat on it plus it is thick but firm for balancing poses
sounds pretty gross
I persoanlly own a Spandula mat, it is a great brand which you can fold up and fit into a small bag, the perfect travelling companion. I take my Spandula everywhere!
I am pretty anal so I used to wiped off my yoga mat each time because I see sweat dripping on it during yoga and I find that pretty gross. Now I use a mat towel called skidless by Yogitoes to lay on top of my mat. It is absorbant and is very hygenic since I can throw it into the washer after each use. For a towel it is expensive but worth the money. I searched online and found the cheapest one at www.absoluteyogi.com. I got the regular size in different colors. There is a bigger one but only in one color.
Just bumping the thread. Are the Manduka mats worth the money? Does anyone have other recommendations?
I definitely recommend manduka mats. I own two, one a little more thick (and more pricey) than the other. The first couple of times using it may be a little slippery but I think that is just an initial thing because now even after I wipe it down I don’t slip anymore. They are very strong and are supposed to last forever - mine are only about a year old. The mat I had before those was gaiam, which after only a few months it was really worn out and little pieces would tear off of it. It is worth the investment because you won’t have to buy another one for years
Opinion of them for what practice?
For my practice and carbon footprint I prefer a sort of eco mat. But even then you must balance Eco with safety. In that light I find the PER mats to be a nice balance but they are a bit too short if you are 5’8" or taller.
If you are jumping around and getting very sweaty then you’d want a mat that had traction when wet. If you’re doing a Kundalini practice you’ll likely want a sheep skin.
What’s wrong with goat skin ?
Nothing I suppose. Unless, of course, YOU are the goat:-)
after using and trying a bunch of different mats, I’ve settled on a Manduka - pun intended ;-).
Tried 4 other mats from the regular type to the ‘eco’ mats and though they are OK, the Mandukas are superior.
I have boney knees which really hurt if I don;t have enough padding on a hard floor. But I don’t like ‘spongy’. Most of the mats I’ve tried are more ‘spongy’ than not - all were specialty Yoga mats not the ‘exercise’ mats you find in general sports stores.
I bought a Manduka purplelite as my only mat and use it at all my practices, except the ones I do at Yoga Soup (studio in my area I go to a lot). The purplelite looks like it will hold up quite well over time, is not the real thick kind but is not spongy, so padding is good and is not bulky to haul around on a bike. Yoga Soup has a bunch of Manduka Blacks to use for their classes. Solid and subtantial firm, great grip and in my mind the AB FAB of the mats I’ve tried. But the Black is also a bit bulky, so not great to transport on a bike. Still, the Manduka Black is a benchmark.
I love Manduka yoga mats because they provide excellent cushioning due to the ultra thickness of these mats.
I have an original Manduka and one of the new Eko ones. Heavy, but they’re great mats if they fit your style.
Amazon has some useful reviews from both sides of the coin.
Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Manduka 71-Inch Yoga Mat (Black)
A manduka mat is the best for ashtanga or vigorous practice. It is a very durable mat and provides the best cushion for all the jump backs and jump throughs required in ashtanga. If you’re doing bikram, then you don’t need a manduka mat but it’s worth it to pay a bit more for a better mat. I’ve probably gone through 4 different mats and settled on a manduka and would probably never buy a different mat.
Also, I’ve visited studios around the country and have used some of the other popular brand name mats. Most of them are adequate and some of them are much better than the manduka with regard to slipping. However, the manduka is still my preference and is probably the best all around mat. However, a manduka is very heavy and bulky compared to most of the other mats.
[B]Help![/B] I love my new Manduka Black Yoga Mat but it is [I]very [/I]slippery when I get a little sweaty. I’ve vigorously washed it twice with rags & water to try to get the initial film off. What else can I do? From reading the above comments do I need to continue practicing on it while sliding about? Will this mat get any better? Or will it always be “slippery when wet”? Gosh, I really don’t want to have paid $100 for a yoga mat to be told I need to put another one on top. For those that have this mat, please advise me, thank you!
Hi Missi,
People actually sell mat cleaners and such. You can try to make your own cleaner, but you have to be careful not damage the rubber. There are lots of sites that sell cleaner if you’re interested.
ShopYogaHub, YogaAccesorries and TreeHugger are sites that sell and/or talk about these kinds of cleaners.
Hope this helps!
not a big fan of manduka mats… .to expensive and extremely heavy… 
I just posted this earlier, but in any case. The Manduka Black Mat is great, but heavy. I use it and love it, but it is not light!! (nor is it cheap).
Overall, i do recommend it and it is better than the other mats i have used.