Manduka Yoga Mat Review
About Manduka
First and foremost, Manduka is a sustainable brand. Putting it at the forefront of all it does, you’ll find consciously sourced materials and eco-friendly production methods within each item’s description. Offering a full range of yoga mats, clothing, towels, and accessories, the company does yoga gear the way it should be, with respect to the earth.
Receiving praise from New York Magazine, Bustle, Self, Glamour, and heaps of other notable publications, Manduka’s products frequent ‘best of’ lists. The brand also holds a proud following of 271k on its Instagram page.
In this Manduka yoga mats review, we’ll give you the rundown of the brand and its best-selling mats, fill you in on what customers have to say about them, answer important FAQs, and more, to help you decide if they’re worth the buy.
Overview of Manduka
Founded in 1998, the quality, selection, and practices of Manduka have come a long way, but its heart has remained the same. 23 years ago, Peter Sterios set out to create a yoga mat that would “make a world of difference.”
He believed that “the joy of yoga can encourage a more positive world,” and that’s the very same principle the brand is grounded on today.
Sterios designed just one mat, but it was a mat that changed the way people did yoga forever. Sending his design to instructors around the USA, those instructors turned around and shared them with students, and so, Manduka was born.
The El Segundo, California-based brand has since expanded its product line to include multiple series of mats, as well as apparel and accessories. It has transformed into a company that doesn’t just sell mats, it shares a vision.
Before we get into exactly what the brand’s mats are like, this Manduka yoga mat review will take a short pause on its pros and cons.
Pros
- Wide selection of apparel, gear, and accessories
- Multiple series of mats, with different thicknesses and materials
- Mats are made in OEKO-Tex Certified factories
- Sustainable collections & practices
- Fantastic Sale Section
- Ships around the world
- Satisfaction guarantees for mats
- Free US returns
Cons
- PRO line of mats requires a break-in period
- Can be pricey due to high-quality, sustainable materials
Just like every movement in yoga, Manduka’s mats are purposeful. With smart designs to keep you in the flow, stop slippage, and negate bacteria, these functional mats serve to keep your eye on the prize and reduce distraction.
Offering three different collections, this Manduka yoga mats review will take you on a journey through them all. We’ll also include a few extra special products to help elevate your sequence.
Manduka Yoga Mats Review
In this section of our Manduka yoga mat review, we’ll get into the brand’s awe-inspiring selection of yoga mats offered in dreamy prints, cushy material, and differing lengths and thicknesses. We’ll also cover a few of the brand’s accessories to improve your practice and make carrying your mat a breeze.
We’re going to start things off with the mat that’s gotten a ton of attention lately, the PRO Yoga Mat 6mm.
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat 6MM Review
One of the thickest mats on the market, the PRO Yoga Mat 6mm is substantial, durable, and sturdy. Of course, those features come with a 9.5 lb weight but carry it in one of the Manduka yoga bags to make the load feel a little lighter.
Recommended by yoga teachers around the world, this one is made to last. Offering support for your joints, along with stability in difficult poses, the German-made mat uses a proprietary dot pattern on its underside to keep it in place.
It’s made from a tightly woven fabric that resists moisture and bacteria. And, the top layer has a grippy texture that won’t ruin your flow like others do when you lift your hand up and the mat comes with it.
Measuring 71” x 26”, the Manduka PRO Yoga Mat 6mm is latex-free and comes in nine tranquil colors, like morganite colorfields, a marbled, peaceful teal.
Seriously get into your practice with this functional mat for $130.
Manduka PRO Squared Yoga Mat Review
Yoga mats are ideal for studio practice, but when you’re in your own space, feel free to spread out! The Manduka PRO Squared Yoga Mat is perfect for home studios. Roll around, stretch, use up every inch of this 78” x 78” mat, or perhaps flow with a friend.
The mat weighs 26 lbs, so you may want to leave it in place or store it close by. In traditional black, this large mat provides cushion, stability, and durability—everything you love about the PRO line just in a bigger form.
The PRO Squared Yoga Mat is $300 but is currently out of stock. Check back in again soon!
Manduka PRO Travel Yoga Mat 2.5MM Review
Oh so you like to move, do you? The Manduka PRO Travel Yoga Mat 2.5mm should do the trick.
With the PRO’s superior performance, grip, and durability, this thin Maduka yoga mat weighs in at just 2.4 lbs. Rolling it up and carting it to brunch is as easy as tying your shoe.
Measuring 71” x 24”, the mat is a classic black shade that won’t fade with time. Go anywhere with this travel-friendly mat for $75.
Manduka PROLITE Yoga Mat Review
So you love the PRO line but want something a little…lighter. No problem, Manduka PROlite has your back.
With the same supportive, stabilizing cushion, but 50% less weight, this mat uses dots on the bottom so it stays on the floor, but uses texture on top so it stays separated from your hands. The Manduka PROlite Yoga Mat measures 71″ x 24″ and comes in 11 colors. Keep things soothing with cosmic sky or add some bright color to your practice with deep coral.
Experience the PRO features in a more convenient weight with the Manduka PROlite for $100.
Manduka eKO Lite Yoga Mat 4MM Review
Meet eKO, the earth-friendly mat that’s going to break down naturally. Made from tree rubber (not sourced from the Rainforest) the eKO Lite Yoga Mat 4mm offers medium thickness and a grippy texture that’ll keep your bare toes in place.
This particular mat measures 71″ x 24” and comes in 10 patterns, like deep forest marble, an emerald green daydream that you could get lost in. Weighing 5 lbs, this mat’s great for those who walk to the studio or like to take things outside.
Do more with your mat with the Manduka eKO Lite Yoga Mat 4mm for $80.
Manduka eKO Yoga Mat 5MM Review
Made from sustainably sourced non-Amazonian tree rubber, this biodegradable mat provides a firm, textured surface for sweaty yoga sessions. Available in standard (71”) and long (79”) sizes, the mat weighs between 7-8 lbs and comes in five inspired colors.
Manduka says that it’s actually the most durable natural rubber yoga mat on the market, and it took a group of yoga teachers over four years to design it. Pretty cool.
Pick up a standard Manduka eKO Yoga Mat 5MM for $95 or a long for $110.
Manduka Breathe Easy Yoga Mat Review
Manduka yoga mats can get heavy—and people like them that way. But it doesn’t exactly make carting your mat to and from practice easy, and so the Breathe Easy Yoga Mat Bag is here to help.
It’s a super simple mesh bag that helps your mat dry out after sweaty practice. It features a contoured zipper for easy removal. Measuring 26.5” x 6.5” x 6.5”, this bag can be used with PROtravel, PROlite, eKO lite, eKO mat, eKO superlite, X Mat, and Begin series.
Available in black, harbor green, and thunder, make traveling with your mat all the easier with one of these lightweight, breathable Manduka bags for $30.
Manduka Enlight Rectangular Bolster Review
Some poses call for a little extra support. The Enlight Rectangular Bolster is made with 30% recycled filling that offers a firm, but cradling cushion. Its microfiber cover material is soft, dries quickly, and can be removed and tossed in the wash.
Weighing 2.5 lbs, the bolster measures 28″ x 11.75″ x 5″ and comes in six enlightened colors.
Add the Manduka Enlight Rectangular Bolster to your practice for $70.
Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel Review
When the sweat starts to drip, any mat is going to start slipping. That’s where Manduka yoga towels come in. Made from a smooth, absorptive material, this mat/towel wonder is easily rolled up and toted outdoors to keep your practice going no matter where you are.
The Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel uses Skidless® Technology (silicon grips) that help keep you in place while on it. It’s made with at least four recycled water bottles and though it comes in 14 wonderous patterns, the dye is free from AZO and heavy metals.
But let’s talk about these patterns for a second—ocean swell midnight? Lookin’ like a dream.
Available in standard (68″ x 24″; 1lb), standard+ (71″ x 24″; 1.25 lbs), and long (79″ x 24″; 1.6 lbs), you can get one of these gorgeous and outdoor-friendly mats for $60-$65.
How Sustainable Is Manduka?
To get an idea of just how sustainable Maduka is, pop onto any product page. In its description, you’ll get to get up on exactly how that item was produced and its certifications.
Certain Manduka mats boast higher sustainable stats, like its eKO series that’s made with responsibly sourced, biodegradable tree-rubber (not from the Amazon!). Or, the Yogitoes line that’s made with a minimum of four recycled plastic bottles.
All of its items are produced in OEKO-Tex Certified facilities, meaning the factories follow sustainable practices.
What Are Manduka Mats Made Of?
Manduka PRO mats are made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a material that’s usually used for electrical insulation. This material is tightly woven, durable, and moisture resistant—qualities that certainly make it just as useful for yoga and it is for electrical wires!
The brand’s eKO mats are made of non-Amazonian tree rubber. Both of these materials are easy to clean, just use some Manduka mat wash and a towel.
Who Is Manduka For?
Manduka is for yogis with a conscience. Sustainable practices and yoga go hand in hand, so it only makes sense that this brand merges the two.
Developing mats that will last you for a decade (maybe more), yogis of all levels can shop the company’s range of thicknesses, prints, and features and use them as they strengthen their practice.
Comparison: Manduka vs. Lululemon
Lululemon is treated like the queen of the yoga market, and rightly so. Take a look at its wide collections of workout gear for men and women, along with its accessories and gear, and you’ll find great-looking items that exude quality.
And though you will find Manduka leggings in our featured brand’s collection, just as you will its competitor, because this is a yoga mat review, we’ll be sticking to Lululemon’s mat selection to see how it stacks up against our featured brand.
Lululemon offers nine mats, some reversible, some not, but many with pretty patterns that rival Manduka’s options (although nothing beats ocean swell midnight, like, come on!). Browsing through our competitor’s mats, we didn’t see any above 5mm, so already, for thickness, our featured company has them beat, in friendly competition, of course.
We looked closer at the Lululemon Reversible Mat 5mm ($88) and found that it’s made from polyurethane, rubber, and has an antimicrobial finishing.
Again, we’ve got to give it to Manduka again, because it’s Prolite Yoga Mat 4.7mm ($100) is latex-free (Lululemon’s aren’t) and ditch the finishing, instead tightly weaving the PVC material to naturally resist sweat and bacteria.
With the quality of Manduka mats considered, the extra few bucks are certainly worth it, and that price comes with the peace of mind that the mat was made in an OEKO-Tex Certified facility too. We love you Lululemon, but who’s wearing the crown now?
Manduka Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
There are three parts to assessing a yoga mat: one, how it looks, two, how it feels, and three, how it performs. We’ve already got a great idea about the first one, but for the others, we’re going to need a little help from customers.
In this section of our Manduka yoga mat review, you’ll find a selection of feedback gathered from sources far and wide across the web that helps shine some light on what the brand’s mats are really like.
Let’s kick things off with a few ratings from the brand’s website, shall we?
- PRO Yoga Mat 6mm: an average of 4.5/5 stars from 1,397 reviews
- Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel: an average of 4.5/5 stars from 470 reviews
- Manduka X Yoga Mat: an average of 3.8/5 stars from 124 reviews
- EKO Yoga Mat 5mm: an average of 4.4/5 stars from 601 reviews
- Manduka EKO Lite Yoga Mat 4mm: an average of 4.4/5 stars from 408 reviews
All with high scores, we chose to zero in on the PRO Yoga Mat 6mm because it appears to be the brand’s most-loved mat. According to customers, it’s very stable, durable, and doesn’t slide on carpet. It’s thick and heavy, too.
This Manduka yoga mat review pretty much sums it up: “I can practice on carpet and the mat doesn’t bunch up or move around. Stability is wonderful and the size is great!”
As does this one: “Owned the mat for 3 years. Shows no sign of wear and tear.” The thickness and weight of a mat are really what makes it last throughout the years, and of course, the woven PVC doesn’t hurt either.
To see if we could find out some more details on the PRO Yoga Mat 6mm, we headed to Outdoor Gear Lab, a trusted source of quality information.
The blog’s team gave the mat an overall rating of 74/100 with the following scores:
- Comfort & Stability: 10/10
- Portability: 4/10
- Durability: 10/10
- Traction Dry: 7/10
- Traction Wet: 5/10
- Ease of Care: 8/10
These scores really help us to see just how durable and comfortable the mat is, and because of those qualities, how easy it’s to care for. Even though Outdoor Gear Lab gave the mat a lower score for its wet traction, its team said that it’s “nowhere near as sticky as the other top models.”
The Manduka yoga mat review also states that it “provides ample cushion for even the boniest yogis, but the overall effect is still stable and not squishy.” With yoga, balance is key, and squishy yoga mats can ruin your form, so it’s good to know this one performs strongly.
Feeling like we had a good grasp on what the Manduka pro mat was like, we wanted to check about another version that caught our eyes, the Yogitoes Mat Towel 2.0, sold on Zappos.
With a total of 119 reviews, the Manduka mat towel has an overall score of 4.7/5 stars. In terms of a breakdown, 84% of shoppers gave it a perfect score, while just 3% gave it 1 or 2.
Just like it looks, the Manduka mat is lightweight and soft, and buyers say that it has a good grip. Take this helpful review:
“I love this towel. It doesn’t bunch up or slip around on my mat of the same brand…The material is very soft.” Others mention its durability, which is great considering it’s such a soft mat.
From our research, not many people had negative things to say about the brand’s yoga mats, although we will note that the Manduka PRO line has a break-in period where it may be a bit slippy. The company tells customers this is a temporary thing and will change within a few uses.
Is Manduka Worth It?
The brand’s yoga mats are more expensive than your corner shop specials, but you’re also going to get more out of them too. The differences between one of the mats featured in this Manduka yoga mat review and one from Walmart are pretty stark, but we’ll recap them here in case you need a refresher.
Manduka puts sustainability at the heart of what it does. When you’re dealing with a primarily foam or plastic-based industry, things like this matter.
Its mats age incredibly well, no matter which one you use. We saw that in the previous section of this Manduka yoga mat review where we looked at the PRO and the Yogitoes—both very different thicknesses, both very durable.
And since they’re made from closed-cell fabric that helps keep out bacteria and moisture, they’re easier to clean. And, you don’t have to worry about germs on your face or yucky smells during child’s pose.
So yeah, we’d say the brand is worth it. But, if you need a few more reasons, check out the next section of this Manduka yoga mat review.
Manduka Promotions & Discounts
With quality and social responsibility often comes a higher price. Saving the world has its perks, so while the brand’s products are certainly worth the money, a deal is always appreciated.
Throughout this Manduka yoga mat review, we spotted a few that would definitely come in handy, like a stellar sale section, and free shipping on orders over $75.
Where To Buy Manduka
To access the widest selection of products, shop sales, and take advantage of discounts, we suggest buying directly from Manduka.com. If you prefer to shop around, you can also find certain items at Well.com, Amazon, and a handful of other wellness-centric retailers.
FAQ
Who owns Manduka?
From what we can tell, the brand’s original founder, Peter Sterios is still the present owner.
Where is Manduka Made?
Manduka PRO mats are made in Germany, while all of the other brand’s mats are made in China in OEKO-Tex Certified facilities.
What is Manduka’s Shipping Policy?
Manduka ships all around the world, and typically, orders placed before 12:30 pm PST will be sent out the same day. Orders placed after that time will be shipped out the following business day.
When your package ships, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a tracking link that you can use to follow your package’s progress. That link will also show you an estimate of when your order is due to arrive.
What is Manduka’s Return Policy?
Manduka offers a few different styles of products that all come with different return periods and guarantees. To help make things a little easier to digest, we compiled that information into a neat little list below:
- Yoga Mats: 30-day satisfaction guarantee
- Accepts used returns
- Must not be damaged or dirty
- PRO Series Mats: 90-day satisfaction guarantee
- Can return used mats
- Cannot be dirty or have damage
- Props: 30-day return window
- Must not be used, dirty, or altered
- Needs to be sent back with polybag
- Apparel: 30-day return window
- Cannot have been worn, washed, altered, or damaged
- Must include all tags and original packaging
To make a US return, follow these steps:
- Fill out the Return Form and include it in your package
- Email or call Customer Care
- Download prepaid return label (provided by Customer Care)
- Attach said label to the outside of your package
- Drop off at the nearest FedEx location
International customers are responsible for shipping the item back on their own accord, covering all shipping fees.
Send your returns to: Manduka LLC, Attn: Returns, 2207 E. Carson Street, Unit C3, Carson, CA 90810, United States
How to Contact Manduka
We hope you found all the information you needed and more in this Manduka yoga mat review. But, if you have any lingering questions, feel free to reach out to the brand by using any of the methods below:
- Email: info@manduka.com
- Phone: 1-877-626-3852
The brand’s customer service hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm PST.
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