After buying the Manduka mat, which I am still hesitant to take out of the house to the yoga studio, lest I get dirt or scratches on it (yes I know, overkill for home practice), I love the block just as much. I use it to get into Pincha Mayurasana and it is sturdy, the texture feels soft against my fingers, the frog mark is cute and the color is wonderful. There is a certain energy or feel about the block, and I know this sounds very strange, but I am drawn to my mat more to practice yoga with it. I love this far above the small, foamy material cheap standard yoga blocks and it is well worth the extra bucks. Quality matters! Manduka Cork Block
I bought a cork block for two reason. First, I thought it would be more hygenic to have my own block (instead of using the ones that hundreds of other people use in a hot yoga class). And second, because it is made of cork, which is a renewal plant (well, tree) product. I like the block a lot. It's a great size and the rounded edges are great. There is no big logo or words or anything big and distracting like that on the block, which is also nice. The one drawback is that it is quite heavy. I use it at home and I will probably take it to classes as well but the weight has me already wondering if I really will do that. If you are getting a block for home or personal use, this would be a great choice! I think it would also be a good choice for a friend who does yoga.
I struggled in finding blocks for my home practice. Though I love good wood blocks for stability, I wanted something that was a bit lighter in weight for travel to work. I looked at bamboo, but they were not much lighter than wood (though certainly more environmental depending upon the type of wood block). I have had foam blocks and never been pleased with the feel.
I LOVE these blocks--they are lighter weight yet stable in my poses. The edges are rounded and pleasing in my hands. They also have a bit of 'give' to them, though not so much to cause instability.
I've purchased other Manduka products, and though a bit more expensive, the quality is excellent. These cork blocks are top of my list for being pleased with a product.
I purchased this block along with my BlackMatPRO yoga mat and I'm glad I did. What got me into buying Manduka was doing Yoga X from P90X. I was using the Harbinger mat before but, it kept moving around when doing the warrior postures and when I sweat I would slip all over the place. Both Manduka mat and block helped me improve my yoga postures because they allowed me to be more sturdy and not slip when I sweat a little. The block in particular was very useful, there's a move called warrior 3 and it's the hardest balance posture in my opinion and the cork block really helped in keeping my balance up until I could ween myself off it. The reason I gave it a 4 star and not a 5 is because of the material, while cork feels very sturdy and nice to touch it shaves off little flakes when using it. This is not a deal breaker but, it's something to consider as you will have clean off your mat a bit. So if your a big Yoga person or your doing P90X(Tony Horton uses Manduka for his Yoga) and you need a little extra help in the balance department or you need it for more advance stretch moves I highly recommend this block along with the BlackMatPRO.
The block is much better than the photo.
You can really tell the quality is there with the density of the block it self and the shape is right on.
If you use one of these I am sure you will like it.
Just purchased two of these yoga blocks from Manduka's website on Black Friday, and they arrived tonight. First impression is that they are going to be comfortable to use. They've got rounded edges and have a good feel and weight to them. The cork is nice because it has a little give/cushion to it and it grips just about any surface you place it on. I have yet to try these out in an actual yoga session because I've only had them about an hour, but I'll update my review once I've done so. The only thing I really can't say I like about them, is that they smell like a mildewy basement... almost as if they were damp and actually WERE mildewy (I don't see any growing on the blocks though). Anyways, I'm hoping this scent and dampness will go away after I've used the blocks a few days. I might put them near a register vent or by a sunny window to encourage them. Who knows, maybe that's what fresh cork is supposed to be like.
This is a comfortable block. The feel of the cork is exquisite (did I really just type that?). It is not extremely heavy but it's not light either. It will stay in place when doing your poses. Would buy again. Great stuff from Manduka.
I am a Yoga & Pilates student and was introduced to the many uses to be made of a block in my practice. This wonderful cork block is a luxurious addition to my home practice - treat yourself to a stable, heavy, comfortable, natural product.
This is a large block: 4.0x5.9x8.9"
The edges are rounded such that it is comfortable to hold.
The material is cork that has been processed and reshaped, probably under pressure, to create a much stiffer block than the foam ones, while retaining some softness.
Bamboo is arguably more eco-friendly than cork, but bamboo blocks are too stiff and tend to have sharp edges. - Yoga - Yoga Tools - Manduka - Cork'
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