I obsessed about whether to purchase the regular size Manduka or the longer 85" model. I am only 5'9" tall and was told by almost everyone that unless you are 6' tall or over you don't need the longer mat. Besides, the longer model is "so" heavy. As usual, I went my own way and purchased the longer mat and am glad I did. I love the longer mat. First of all, when I am completely stretched out on my stomach, my entire body is on the mat, face, hands and feet--not on the floor. I like the balanced feeling of every part of me being on the mat. Also, when I do my various asanas, I can now start in different spots on the mat and therefore put less wear and tear on the same spots. Second, I am afraid I don't understand the "weight" issue? The 71 inch model weighs 6.5 pounds, this one weights 9 pounds. For me that's not much of a difference, especially since I am only carrying the mat from the parking lot to the yoga room, not backpacking across India. Most of the time the mat is at home anyway.
As far as the Manduka mat in general, I have used two other mats and this one provides a lot more support. I find it to be very dense and firm, with just enough tactile feeling. And, the mat does not move around on me. I really like that. My yoga teacher said this was the best mat around.I am glad I listened to her sage advice.
Joe Drew (Kent, Ohio) Manduka BlackMatPRO 85-Inch Yoga and Pilates Mat
$85 for a yoga mat? Like most of you, I had the same reaction, but it is one of the best investments I've ever made. Yeah, it's a lot of money, but the best always is -- and this mat is clearly the best. That's why your instructor uses one. You won't believe how much better your poses and jump-backs will be until you try it on this extremely supportive surface. It's well padded, but firm -- never squishy -- so your stability is excellent; and its surface relies on texture, not stickiness, to ensure superb grip, even when sweaty.
I also highly recommend the 85-inch length. I am not a tall person (at 5' 10", I am exactly average), but I love the extra length. I no longer ever find myself having to readjust a pose because I didn't start in exactly the right spot on the mat. It is a bit heavier (9 lbs.), but so what. It's exercise.
Now let me make a case for why this mat is actually a good value:
I have only been practicing yoga for a year (three 1-hour classes a week), and in that time I have purchased two mats for $30 each. One I've already worn out (material broke down from use) and the second one is on its way to wearing out. If I buy a third $30 mat I am now up to $90 in just over a year. The Manduka mat will last a lifetime and will make your practices better. And at $85, it's cheaper than any single club in my golf bag (and I carry 14 of those). So my opinion is: suck it up and spend the money. It only hurts for a minute and you'll forget all about it the first time you step onto this mat!
When I used lighter, less dense mats they would sometimes bunch up or move around during flowing vinyasa practice. If my toe caught the mat, the edge would flip over and require adjustment. Also, they did not cushion very well. In addition, lesser mats wore out quickly and had to be replaced. When doing poses like the side-arm balance, my foot would slip off the end of the regular length mat and I would fall out of the pose.
With the extra-long manduka mat, none of these issues is a problem. The mat is solid and dense, and stays put on the floor no matter what I do. It cushions really well, but because it is so dense it is no problem to balance or move on the mat (not mushy). I have used these mats intensively for several years and they still look great. Durability is outstanding, and they show no signs of wearing out. The extra length allows me to move with confidence, knowing I won't run out of room or slip off the mat. An additional benefit of the long mat is that it allows you to change your starting position on the mat somewhat, so that the small area worn by your feet is not the same every practice. In other words, you can spread the wear over a larger area to make it last even longer. The surface is plenty sticky for normal yoga, and if you do a hot yoga class or sweat a lot you will likely want to have a towel anyway. No complaints about stickiness.
As for weight, it seems that if you are big enough to need an extra-long mat you are probably strong enough to carry it around. It's not heavy, it's the best yoga mat I've ever used.
I'm 6'6" 225 lbs. and have been doing yoga for a few years. This mat is nice and long as well as a little wider and thicker than the standard mat. Yes it's heavier than a standard mat and I found it to be unpleasantly slippery at first, but I recommend it highly. If you ever find yourself stacking one mat on top of another to get the padding you need, or running out of room on your mat, then please buy this mat now and you will thank yourself later.
Pros: Longer, thicker, wider
Cons: A bit expensive (I think it's worth it), slippery at first (goes away after a few classes).
NOTE: You might want to periodically roll the mat from a different end to get rid of the teacher-tripping curl that develops over time.
Depending who you are (and perhaps more appropriately, how much you sweat), this mat may be the best thing or the worst. On the plus side, this mat is the most durable and stable of any mat I have tried, and I have been doing yoga for many years. Also, the bigger version at 85 inches gives you more room to work than almost any other mat on the market. Once you scrub the mat down with soap and water after you first get it (see other reviews), this mat is also sticky WHEN DRY. However, if you sweat and get the mat wet at all, it becomes VERY slippery. This has really been a problem for more rigorous vinyasa flows. You can buy a sticky towel to put on top of the mat to stop the slipping, but buying a towel for another $45 is hard to stomach after paying almost $100 for this mat. If you sweat, I would highly recommend the Jade yoga mats instead. They remain sticky when wet, but are less durable than the Manduka. Namaste. - Manduka - Ashtanga - Manduka Yoga Mat - Power Yoga'
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