Best Yoga Mats

We reviewed yoga mats across grip quality when dry and sweaty, cushioning thickness, material safety, portability, and durability across types of yoga from gentle to hot power flow.

Grip is the single most important variable. A mat that slips in downward dog undermines every pose that requires stability. Grip performance changes significantly with sweat -- some mats grip better dry and become slippery when wet, while others actually grip better with moisture. If you practice hot yoga or sweat heavily, prioritize mats with wet-grip performance over dry-grip specs.

Mat thickness is a comfort and portability tradeoff. A 6mm mat provides significant cushioning for joints on hard floors but rolls into a large bundle. A 3mm travel mat fits in a bag alongside gear but may feel thin on hard studio floors. Most practitioners at home can use a 4-5mm mat as the all-around solution.