Best Mat Yoga Shoppers Choose: 6 Picks Ranked by Thickness

Quick Comparison

How to Choose

• Match thickness to your dominant practice. If two-thirds of your session happens on your feet — sun salutations, warrior sequences, balancing — stay at 6 mm or under. If you spend most of your time seated, supine, or on your knees, go 10 mm and up.
• Decide whether you need grip or traction. Rubber and textured PVC hold a dry palm through friction; some closed-cell surfaces get slicker as they get wet and only reach full grip after a break-in period. Sweaty hands change the math entirely, and a towel is a legitimate fix.
• Weigh the mat before you fall in love with it. A 7-pound mat is wonderful at home and miserable on public transit. Anything over about 5 pounds deserves a sling or a backpack-style strap.
• Check the cell structure, not just the material name. Closed-cell mats resist sweat and bacteria soaking in, which makes them easier to wipe clean. Open-cell mats absorb moisture, which improves wet grip but demands more frequent washing.
• Confirm the length against your height. Standard mats run 68 inches. If you’re over about 5’10”, your heels or hands will hang off in plank and savasana, and an 71- to 85-inch version is worth the upgrade.

Top Picks Reviewed

1. Amazon Basics Extra Thick Exercise Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap — 13 mm

This is the mat to buy when your knees are the reason you keep skipping practice. Half an inch of NBR foam absorbs the impact of dropping into kneeling and quadruped positions, and at roughly two pounds it’s genuinely light for its bulk. The tradeoff is real: standing balance poses feel spongy because the foam keeps sinking under your foot, and NBR is soft enough that toenails and dog claws leave permanent divots. The included strap is basic but functional. For stretching, physical therapy homework, ab work, and gentle floor-based classes, the value is hard to argue with.

2. BalanceFrom GoYoga All-Purpose — 12.7 mm

Functionally a cousin to the Amazon Basics mat, with the same half-inch foam profile and a slightly tackier embossed surface. The two-sided texture helps on hard floors, and the generous width makes it a favorite for home strength circuits rather than pure yoga. It picks up dust and lint quickly, so plan on wiping it after most sessions. Skip it if you practice anything fast-moving on your feet.

3. Gaiam Essentials Premium — 10 mm

A sensible middle ground. Ten millimeters still protects your joints in kneeling work, but you lose some of the trampoline sensation that makes half-inch mats frustrating in warrior sequences. It comes with a shoulder sling and arrives in the widest color range here, which matters more to people than they admit. Expect a strong off-gassing smell for the first few days — unroll it somewhere ventilated before your first use.

4. Manduka PRO — 6 mm

The studio workhorse. Dense closed-cell PVC gives you a floor that does not deform under load, so your foot placement in half-moon feels identical every time. It is heavy at around seven and a half pounds and it is famously slick out of the box — the surface needs weeks of use, or a salt scrub, before it grips reliably. In exchange you get a mat that survives a decade of daily practice and carries a lifetime guarantee. Buy it if yoga is a habit, not an experiment.

5. JadeYoga Harmony — 4.8 mm

Open-cell natural rubber, and the grip is the whole story: it gets more secure as your hands get damp, which is why it dominates hot and power classes. The rubber smell is noticeable at first and fades. Because the surface is open-cell, sweat soaks in and it needs regular cleaning; it also wears faster than PVC at the high-friction spots under your hands. Not suitable if you have a latex allergy.

6. Manduka eKO Superlite — 1.5 mm

Barely thicker than a yoga towel and designed to fold rather than roll, so it flattens into a suitcase or a large tote. On hardwood you will feel the floor through it, which is the point for some practitioners and disqualifying for others. Its best use is as a hygienic top layer over a rental mat, or as insurance for hotel-room practice. Fold creases relax within a session or two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a thicker mat always better for bad knees?

Not always. Very thick foam can destabilize the knee in lunges and single-leg work because the surface shifts underneath you. Many people do better with a firm 5 to 6 mm mat plus a folded blanket or knee pad placed exactly where they need it.

How do I stop my hands from sliding?

First, break the mat in — closed-cell surfaces are slickest when new. Then wipe away the manufacturing residue with a damp cloth and mild soap. If you sweat heavily, a grip towel over the mat solves the problem more reliably than any surface texture will.

Do I need a mat longer than 68 inches?

If you’re taller than roughly 5’10”, yes. Standard length leaves your hands or heels on the bare floor in plank, downward dog, and savasana, which undermines the entire reason you bought a mat.

How should I store it?

Roll it loosely with the top surface facing outward to keep the edges from curling up, and keep it out of direct sunlight, which degrades rubber and PVC. Never fold a thick foam mat for storage; the crease becomes permanent.

Final Thoughts

Pick the thickness that fits the poses you actually do most weeks, not the one pose that hurts. Floor-heavy and rehab-focused practice belongs on the half-inch foam mats at the top of this list, where the Amazon Basics option delivers the most cushion per dollar. Standing, flowing, and balance-driven practice belongs at 6 mm or below, where the Manduka PRO and JadeYoga Harmony earn their higher prices through stability and grip that hold up over years. And if you travel or use studio-supplied mats, the eKO Superlite is a cheap upgrade to your hygiene and your peace of mind. Choose once, choose honestly about your habits, and the mat stops being something you think about.