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34 best yoga mats: Flow from downward dog to cobra in style with our tried and tested edit
Our pick of the best yoga mats...
Looking for the best yoga mat to help you perfect your practice? Yoga is one of those great workouts that can be done any time, any place. With the right mat by your side – or should we say, at your feet!? – you can go from a downward dog to dhanurasana with ease, strengthening your flexibility and finding your zen.
A good quality yoga mat can make the difference between a satisfying post-class unwind or uncomfortable and sore limbs the following day – this means picking the right mat is an important purchase when it comes to your workouts. On top of that, different people have different requirements, so there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
With that in mind, whether you're looking for grip to aid those sweaty palms, a long length for extra-deep lunges or a decent amount of squidge to appease your joints, we've found the best on the market.
The benefits of using a yoga mat at home
So, what do you need a mat for anyway? A good exercise or yoga mat will protect you from the floor and the floor from you. It can help prevent pains in your back when you're lying down or doing cat stretches. Exercise mats are also ideal for working with weights as they'll minimise damage to wooden flooring.
It can also help you get into a good head space."The right yoga mat can make you feel empowered, knowing this is your space that you have created to take care of yourself regardless of what style of yoga you practise," says London-based yoga teacher Lisa Willoughby. "Choosing a mat that you know, once rolled out, will become your physical, mental and spiritual space to put yourself first is priceless."
Help choosing the right yoga and exercise mats
There are a few factors worth considering before you start shopping:
Practice: which type of mat suits your routine? We've done the research to bring you the very best styles for every workout, including yoga, HIIT, Pilates, strength training, cardio and even an exercise mat to place under your treadmill.
Cost: before you balk at the price, consider cost per use. If you practice regularly, it’s worth investing in a premium mat as compared to monthly gym costs, the price is still miniscule. Plus, a beautifully crafted mat is more likely to go the distance, which benefits the planet in the long run. Equally if you’re an ad hoc yogi then a cost-effective investment might suit you better right now.
Shop consciously: look for sustainable mats made as locally as possible. "Choose an eco-friendly mat, so you are practising good karma and living your yogic-life off the mat too," suggests Lisa.
Space: most of us don’t have the luxury of an extra room at home. When choosing your mat, consider how much space you have, how tall you are, and which workouts you do most often, to maximise the space available.
How we test
Our wellness expert put a range of yoga mats through their paces. To earn a coveted spot on our roundup, mats had to stay firmly fixed to a range of surfaces, from carpet to tiles, while also offering great grip for our hands. Versatility, portability and ease of storage were also considered, as was that all-important zen aesthetic.
And, never ones to be outdone, Team Cosmo also hit the mat to find five grippy editors' picks that helped us go through flows in comfort (holding the crow pose for a shaky few seconds is still our biggest flex to date).
34 best yoga mats to shop in 2023
With a whole host of studios and trainers streaming workouts online, there's never been a better time to invest in a quality exercise or yoga mat for your home. Keep scrolling for 34 of the best mats to shop right now.
This hardwearing mat from Canadian fitness gurus Lululemon has an extra grippy top layer to keep you stable during dynamic practice and is reversible, so you can flip between that and its cushioned, natural rubber side as you need it. It's also antimicrobial, so you won't have to worry about mould and mildew building up. We're big fans of the brand's Adjustable Yoga Mat Bag too.
Dimensions: 66 x 180 cm
Material: FSC™-certified natural rubber base (contains latex)
Thickness: 1.5mm
Colours: Choose from a range of designs including Black/White/Black, Pastel Blue/White/Pastel Blue and Dew Pink/White/Dew Pink
This grippy, antimicrobial mat is made from sustainably sourced and FSC™-certified natural rubber base gives you cushioning and textured grip for low-sweat practices.
Dimensions: 66 x 180 cm
Material: 49% Rubber (Natural), 21% Polyurethane, 21% Rubber (Synthetic), 6% Polyester, 3% Nylon
Thickness: 3 mm
Colours: Also available in black, black and white, powder blue, dark blue and dark grey
An exercise mat with high-density foam for maximum cushioning, this will keep you comfortable while you work out and we love the sleek black design. It's also super easy to roll up and features an adjustable carry strap for you to take anywhere.
Dimensions: 61 x 181 cm
Material: 95% thermoplastic elastomer and 5% polyester
Thickness: 10 mm
Colours: Available in black
This stylish yoga mat and is made from a superbly grippy rubber blend. It's suitable for a range of exercise including pilates, barre and weight lifting but it's especially great for yoga thanks to the pattern points on its surface, which align with yoga poses and help you train. Ideal!
Material: 20% Polyurethane/ 80% Rubber
Colours: Wisteria Purple and black
Kati Kaia Yoga Mats are made from non-slip, 100% natural rubber with a premium vegan suede top, which is made from recycled PET bottles, providing anti-slip grip and protection for yoga practices, including Hot Yoga and sweaty practices such as workouts, pilates, HIIT and weight training. No toxic chemicals have gone into softening the rubber - so that's another added bonus.
Dimensions: 183 x 66 cm
Material: 100% natural rubber with vegan suede top
Thickness: 1.7 - 2 mm
Colours: Available in orange with multicolour pattern, pink with multicolour pattern, navy with multicolour pattern, green and turquoise, light blue with multicolour pattern
This raw cork texture is soft and flexible and is great if you struggle with balance or grip. It can be used for pilates, yoga, stretching or other exercise.
Dimensions: 182 x 61 cm
Material: Upper side of mat: 90% Cork Grain, 10% Polyurethane; Bottom side of mat: 100% TPE
Thickness: 4 mm
Colours: N/A
This ultimate grip mat is comfortable, cushioned and gives the ultimate grip. It comes in a v broad selection of colours and patterns and is made from non-toxic materials and eco-friendly ink.
Dimensions: 183 x 66 cm
Material: 100% natural rubber with vegan suede top
Thickness: 4 mm
Colours: Available in a range of patterns and motifs including angel eye, aurora, moons, sea earth air (coral), sea earth air (green), sea earth air (lavender) and star seeds.
This beautiful Erytheia design yoga mat made from all-natural and sustainable materials with brighten up your workout on even the greyest day. Its durable rubber base is topped with vegan suede to make you look and feel chic while you practice your downward dog, and for a luxury mat under £100, it's also a steal.
Dimensions: 66 x 183 cm
Material: 100% natural rubber with synthetic suede upper
Thickness: 7 mm
Colours: Available in a range of funky designs
This yoga mat from cult brand Bala is so comfy at 8mm thick and is also super supportive and innovative. Its antimicrobial, waterproof top layer is moisture-wicking and nonslip.
Dimensions: 66 x 180 cm
Material: Polyurethane, rubber
Thickness: 8 mm
Colours: Pink
If you're after an exercise mat with a little extra room, at 66cm this one is wider than the average. It's also a ‘sticky’ yoga mat, which means it will keep you from sliding all over the place and help to maintain your alignment during practice. Made from eco-friendly and lightweight TPE, it's also light enough to carry about, plus it's double-sided so you can colour match it with your mood.
Dimensions: 66 x 183 cm
Material: TPE
Thickness: 6 mm
Colours: Blue and pink
This versatile mat is comfortable but also has great grip and is super lightweight. It's a major practicality win and also looks sleek and chic. 10s across the board!
Dimensions: 185 x 61 cm
Material: Foam 100% Foamed Thermoplastic Elastomer and inner fabric 100% Polyester Elastic
Thickness: 5mm
Colours: Available in quartz pink, dark aubergine and navy blue
Honestly, even if we weren’t avid yogis, we’d still have this mat on display in our house. It’s available in three vibrant designs and they’re all gorgeous (although the leafy tropical number did have us dreaming of jetting off for a forbidden week in the sun).
Speaking of, this mat is perfect for travel. It’s only 2mm thick so can easily be folded up and popped in a bag for some al fresco yoga (+10 wellness points for us). Yet, despite being super thin, it’s still supportive enough to stop our back from aching after sessions. There’s also a fine toweling outer which makes it brilliantly grippy, especially when wet.
Key specs
Dimensions (cm): 183 x 61 x 0.2
Weight: 1.5kg
Material: Natural rubber and microfibre toweling
Thickness: 2mm
Colours available: Nevada, Harvey and Mills Blue, Tropical
Fitness fanatics, listen up. This ridged mat stuck like glue to carpet, tiles and more during yoga practice, making it ideal for at-home use. There’s plenty of cushioning for Pilates too, but it came into its own when faced with a lung-busting workout, hence the athletic aesthetic.
Key specs
Dimensions (cm): 183 x 61 x 1
Weight: 1.25kg
Material: NBR
Thickness: 10mm (thick)
Colours available: Black, red and
If you're a fan of multi-tasking you will love this fabulous yoga mat from Dublin brand Flowstate, which doubles up as wall art. It comes with a clever hanging feature so it can be displayed in your home, leaving you to express yourself creatively both on and off the mat.
Dimensions: 61 x 178 cm
Material: Natural tree rubber
Thickness: 3.5 mm
Colours: Available in a number of eye-catching prints.
ComFy Mat Gym Flooring Mat, Foam Exercise Mats, Interlocking Puzzle EVA Floor Tiles, Non slip Rubber Cushion For Home Workout, Bonus Adhesives,24"X24"(60x60cm) Black 4 TILES (16 Square Feet)
Looking for an exercise mat to cover a large area, place under your treadmill or something that's great for training with weights? These 1cm-thick foam floor tiles are ideal for all three! They're easy to assemble and you can buy them as a pack of four or eight. The brand also makes great cost-effective yoga mats.
Dimensions: 60 x 60 cm
Material: Ethylene vinyl acetate
Thickness: 10 mm
Colours: Also available in black, grey, navy, orange, blue and beige.
Designed to be your ultimate yoga companion, this exquisitely beautiful mat is a towel too. Made from absorbent sueded microfibre (from recycled plastic bottles) it also has a natural tree rubber base that provides the sweaty grip of a towel with the cushion of a yoga mat.
Dimensions: 61 x 178 cm
Material: Rubber
Thickness: 3.5 mm
Colours: Also available in a range of dreamy designs including Celestial, Kaleidoscope and Mandala Sapphire.
Looking for a yoga mat you can use in and outdoors? Proworks' exercise mat comes in various colours and is made from thick foam, making it ideal to use anywhere for a comfortable workout. It's 1cm thick and has a convenient holder for you to carry on your shoulder. The brand makes fab Stainless Steel Water Bottles too.
Dimensions: 58 x 183 cm
Material: Rubber foam
Thickness: 10 mm
Colours: Also available in red, yellow, green, blue, grey and black
An extra thick mat for when you're working on your abs or stretching before cardio, this 40mm-thick exercise mat offers excellent padding. It also folds away nicely and comes with a carry handle for when you want to take your workout to the garden with ease.
Dimensions: 60 x 180 cm
Material: Foam and PVC
Thickness: 40 mm
Colours: Grey
Salute the sun in style with this grammable, eco-friendly mat. Its woven fabric feels cosy and natural to press into and you can sling it over your shoulder for some al fresco meditation. If hot yoga’s your jam, look for something smoother for better flow.
Key specs
Dimensions (cm): 180 x 61 x 0.6
Weight: Not specified
Material: Jute
Thickness: 6mm (medium)
Colours available: Blue and sand
Yoga is about finding balance, and this mat does just that - 50% of it is made using excess manufacturing materials that would otherwise have gone to waste. We didn’t slip once while stretching, but could have done with more cushioning when lying on our back.
Key specs
Dimensions (cm): 190 x 60 x 0.4
Weight: 1.6kg
Material: 50% PPW and PVC
Thickness: 4mm (medium)
Colours available: Atlantic blue, pacific green
Sophie Leen is the Bookings Editor for Cosmopolitan UK and Women's Health UK. She specialises in creating fashion and shopping content across both digital and print platforms, as well as producing all of our fashion editorial photoshoots, which have included our digital cover with Olly Alexander and our curve influencer’s letter to the high street story. Sophie also looks after our Try Before You Train franchise where our team have tested and reviewed over 100 gymwear items.
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