A yoga mat is really the only thing that you tend to use on every yoga workout. It cushions your feet and gives you stability during some of the stretching moves. This mat is a full 1/4" thick and provides great cushion for your yoga routines.
First, a note about all yoga mats. Because of what they are made of, they tend to have a chemical type of smell when you first get them. This is normal! You simply air them out for a few days, perhaps wipe them down with soap and water, and this will dissipate. It's like breaking in a new pair of boots - you have to go through that initial phase.
I found the mat to be really wonderful. It is cushiony enough that it supports me in a variety of poses, whether I'm standing, kneeling, laying down, stretching. It is far better than doing yoga on a bare floor - whether that might be wood, stone, carpet or whatever. The cushion is really important for many poses.
Even though it has that nice cushion, it is also stable too. You feel quite firmly planted when you are doing balancing positions. It's not like you are trying to balance on top of a trampoline.
The mat is a good middle ground between "resistant to sliding" and "too sticky". You can readjust your feet when you need to - but if you want to plant your hands, it helps keep your hands in place.
I also really like that the mats comes in a wide variety of colors. People are more likely to exercise if they really like their exercise equipment. If you love green, go for green. I got the light lavender and really like it. To me it is calming and relaxing. Whatever color energizes or relaxes you, you probably can find it here.
The mat might be a little bulky to carry around with you, but you can get a lighter mat for use when you travel. This one is just perfect as an at-home mat, to really give you a solid base for whatever level of yoga you are currently at.
Highly recommended! YogaAccessories (TM) 1/4'' Extra Thick High Density Yoga Mat (Phthalate Free) - Dark Purple
The thickness of this mat is very comfortable. It's much better than the 1/8" mat which I find it too thin. This 1/4" mat gives me enough padding when I sit, and it doesn't throw me off balance when I stand. I also like the length of this mat which is 4" longer than the standard size mat. It's so good to have so much room to stretch when I lay down. Item arrived within the delivery estimate time. Very prompt service.
I am a daily yoga practitioner who purchased two of these mats in different colors. I was looking for a bargain, and I was encouraged by the high customer ratings. I am very disappointed. First of all, Yoga Accessories did not send me the items until 3+ weeks after I had ordered them. I had to write two e-mails to them. I received replies that they were sorry, they had been meaning to write me and tell me that the colors I had wanted were out of stock and did I want to select other colors. Then, when I did that and finally received the mats, they had a sharp, unpleasant chemical odor that has failed to disappear even after many days of use. This is bothersome during yoga, and I have to light several scented candles and incense sticks to mask the odor.
Perhaps WORST of all, the mats are not sufficiently sticky to hold asanas. For example, my hands slide 1 mm per second in correct Downward Facing Dog pose. It should be noted that I do not have sweaty hands and never have. This is very frustrating because this slippery mat basically defeats the purpose of what it was created for: proper positioning and hold of yoga poses. I have not had this problem with other mats for which I have paid slightly more money.
The only advertising that is true is that the mat is, indeed, slightly thicker than other mats I have owned. But that really doesn't make much of a difference if one cannot hold a pose on the mat.
Despite my correct usage and storage of it, I absolutely do not recommend this product. Find a better quality yoga mat if you need the mat for actual yoga. This one might be appropriate only for other sports like aerobics or jumping rope. I almost hurt myself slipping out of a pose on this mat.
Wow, I couldn't believe how terrible this mat smelled when it arrived. I almost returned it also. Thanks to Google, I figured out that some lemon juice and soap and hanging it up for a while could get the mat less smelly in less time.
I can't believe what a difference the thickness makes when compared to a mat of regular thickness. My wrists, my back and knees are much happier. I highly recommend this mat.
very nice product - very cushion-y. the only reason i gave it a 4 was the chemical smell when it was new. however, i hung it over the bannister for about 5 days and the smell disappeared. this is a satisfying product.
I read reviews & was a bit hesitant re smell. However, I ordered & am so glad. I'm only 5'4" but really appreciated the size--don't have to shift around so much between postures. I ordered burgundy, which is more of a muddy plum, & maybe the color dye has something to do with smell, cuz I don't find mine bad at all. It's just a tiny bit smelly with face to mat. But what does one expect with artificial materials? Only drawback is that it's more bulky due to size, and rolls to just short of 5" diameter, but the comfort is worth it. I've used for several months, & all is well. Buy & enjoy!
I was very disappointed, not in the cushioning value of this mat, which was very good, but rather that it smelled so bad. When I unwrapped it, I had to air it out. Even after 2 weeks airing, the smell was not gone, and the first time I used it in practice, after 10 minutes, I had to stop and take it out of the room. The smell literally made me ill.
NOTE: 8/16/07, THE SMELL THAT BOTHERED ME HAS DISAPPEARED. NOW I WANT TO GIVE THIS PRODUCT FIVE STARS *****.'
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