Manduka PRO Yoga Mat - Teacher Recommended, Non-Slip Textured 6mm ultra-dense, Hot Yoga Workout, Studio at Home Pilates

UPDATE: I've had this mat since 2012. It is now 2020 and it still looks the same as it did the day I got it. In the last 8 years I've probably averaged 150-200 classes a year on it. Is it still slippery? If you're in a bikram yoga class, shedding buckets of water, you will slip on any mat without a towel. Can I do a 90 minute practice in an unheated room without a towel, even if I'm sweating, yes. The biggest pro I see to this mat, other than how well it's held up, is the density. Once you use this mat, you will not be satisfied with anything else. It's the most padded, supportive mat I've ever used and I haven't found anything close. I got a thinner, travel Manduka mat, thinking it would be nice to have a lighter mat to carry while walking to my studio and I didn't use it more than a week before going back to the pro. Bottom line, this mat is one of my most prized possessions.ORIGINAL REVIEW: I bought this mat after first learning about them a year ago. I used to practice hot vinyasa power yoga about 2x a week and finally started to destroy my Gaiam target mat after about 4 months. I am all about buying a product that will supposedly be the last of that one item I will ever need and hate having to replace things. I hesitated buying this mat for a long time because I don't consider myself a super yogi and felt the price was high for a yoga mat. However, after looking at the price of other mats and the amazon price for this ($79 when I bought it), I figured $30 or so more for a lifetime guarantee was worth it.Ever since I got this mat I have practiced yoga 6 times a week. Mostly just to break in my mat (I'm not sure if I'm there yet after only 3 weeks, but I'm definitely getting there), but this mat really does make you want to practice more often. The support it provides is unlike any other mat I've ever been on.Yes, it's much heavier than my old target mat, and it's a bit bulkier to carry, but it's really not that noticeable and I'm shocked so many people complain about that. I used to use a sling and that worked fine to carry it, but I also got a manduka mat bag mostly to carry all my other crap now that I've started walking to my yoga studio 6 days a week. I carry this mat a mile to the studio and a mile back and never has the weight been an issue.One of the main things I was looking for was a sticky mat. I dream of a day when I can practice a hot yoga class directly on my mat without a towel and I will admit, that day has not come yet with this mat. That is the only reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5. However, a girl at my studio has had her black mat for about a year and she doesn't have to use a towel any more, so there's hope. I will say though, I hesitated buying this mat because of the towel issue. I thought was good was it to have a nice mat if I always have to cover it with a towel? I will say, towel or not, this mat holds up, and holds you up, better than any other mat I've tried. One of my biggest pet peeves is feeling like I am pulling my mat in two different directions in certain poses. This mat does not do that. It holds it's shape and sticks to the ground like no other. Overall, I am very pleased and actually think it's worth the money.UPDATE 12/31/2012: I am changing my previous review from 4 starts to 5 because I actually don't slip anymore. I guess it's been about 2 months now of use but I can finally make it through a whole hot yoga class with only a hand towel. I think I'll still bring a full mat towel for super sweaty days, but two days in a row now have been consistently do-able. I never thought this was going to be possible- I sweat a TON. My hands still need a towel right now but I'm hoping even that may be in the past soon. It's kind of nuts because the sweat does actually sit on top of the mat as Manduka promises with the closed-cell rubber, but you can still get traction. It makes yoga even more fun now because you can easily transition from poses with the help of a little lubrication! haha. ALSO, once again, I am happy I shelled out the extra money for this mat too because it still looks like brand new. A friend of mine bought the Lululemon The Mat around the same time as I bought my Manduka and her's is already stained where her feet and hands sit and will surely need to be replaced in a year or so.A few other comments on issues other people have brought up in these reviews: Yogitoes do work on this mat but I personally think towels without the nubs work better. It does not smell- at all (although it did have an off-gas smell the first few days I got it).

I have used cheap mats for years and thought it was stupid to buy one of these expensive ones. What's the point a mats a mat I thought. But I was wrong this gives much better grip, the cushioning doesn't fade by the end of a yoga session, and it's very easy to care for and maintain. I recommend upgrading if you are considering.

I am very confused by the other reviews. Let's talk about texture, progress, and size. Pictures show an old ProLite in green, new Pro in black.Texture - I did nothing to my mat. It's beautiful and sticky and I flew my crow right away. I plan on washing it regardless, because it feels almost like a film of stickiness put there for people who are concerned about the breaking in period. Out of the box, this mat is already stickier than my old prolite mat, which I find to have more than sufficient grip. For most practices, including a nice fast vinyasa / power flow, all I need is a hand (mat) towel in case my hands are slick. I do use a mat towel for hot yoga for grip and because it feels better against my skin. The striations of the embedded fabric top have changed somewhat over the years - I've attached a photo so that you can compare. I'd say the variance in the texture has also increased - I don't mind, but it is slightly less perfect. Of course, this comes from someone who did exchange her first Manduka because the texture lines were misaligned to the mat, which was included in the warranty. (Side note: Manduka has been a fantastic company for me, and they sent me another one which was perfectly aligned.) This one deviates by maybe 4mm at most, and I have the extra long. All in all, still a beautiful finish. The weight of this thing almost feels wet and heavy; it drops to the floor like a soaked towel and becomes one with the ground.Progress - I've owned my Manduka Prolite for 10+ years. I watched them transition from logo stickers to fabric tags to this iteration of printed on frog. This one is even stickier out of the box than my first one, which I did indeed have to break in. I noticed them making them less slick out of the box a few years after I bought my first one - and this one is even stickier than that! If anything, I think it's almost as sticky as a Jade Harmony, but less dry feeling and much more solid. This upgrade (and stay at home mat) is totally unnecessary for me - my old mat shows zero signs of wear, and I'll be hard put to justify buying another mat ever again after this one. However, as much of an indulgence as this is, I am so enthusiastic about it - it feels just different enough, like the top of the line model of a car compared to its middle sporty model, all smooth, heavy, and finished.Size - My new mat is extra long at 85" and 26" wide. I'm what, 65 inches? I don't really need it, but it is amazing to stretch my arms up and still have mat. Those extra inches on every side oddly give me more confidence to try balancing poses. I seriously thought this would be too long and pointless, but as soon as I laid on it, I knew it was never going back. It feels different enough that I wouldn't bring it to a super crowded yoga class because I don't need to be the person who thinks they need more space than the rest (since I am not larger), but at home, oh man. The freedom, the sprawl. To my fellow average height females, do it. Splurge. You're already getting the Pro, there's no going back.All in all, this reinvigorates my home practice and gives me more (unexpected) confidence to fly / fall. It's perfectly usable the moment you get it, and will completely outlast you. The only shame is that I'll never be able to justify getting another mat.