Practiced for literally thousands of years, yoga is more popular today than ever before.
Hundreds of millions of people around the world practice yoga on a day-to-day basis – many of them as their primary form of exercise.
Others use it as a form of active meditation to really reconnect with their body, their mind, and their soul in a way that can otherwise be pretty difficult in today’s hectic and helter-skelter kind of world.
One of the most attractive things about yoga is that you don’t need a whole lot of stuff to get started. In fact, you can get a lot done in the world of yoga with nothing more than your body, a couple of instructional videos (many of which you can dig up on YouTube for free), and dedication to diving right in.
Of course, if you are going to take yoga seriously it’s not a bad idea to invest in a high-quality yoga mat. But not just any yoga mat will do, particularly if you’re new to yoga.
There’s nothing worse than slipping around on your mat while you’re trying to hold a pose or get into position. That’s why sticky yoga mats are a must!
Sticky yoga mats are designed to grip onto surfaces. That means the floor and your body. So your hands and feet won’t go sliding from underneath you while you’re trying to get into downward facing dog.
Finding the best sticky yoga mat, however, is a bit tougher than most people expect.
But that’s why we’ve put together this quick guide. We’ll walk you through what to look for when shopping for a sticky yoga mat, show you some of the top options on the market and give you our top recommendation for the best sticky yoga mat.
How to Buy the Best Sticky Yoga Mat
Even though the very best sticky yoga mats are always going to be very simple, very straightforward, and pretty minimalist there are still some key factors you’ll want to zero in on before you make this kind of purchase.
Let’s dig a little deeper into those core aspects right now.
Density
The number one factor that will determine how comfortable and how easy to use your yoga mat is will always be its overall density and thickness.
Some people absolutely love paper thin yoga mats and swear by all they have to offer, but the overwhelming majority of people like a little bit more substance, a little bit more stability, and a little extra cushioning – especially if they are going to be doing yoga indoors.
Look for yoga mats that offer at least one eighths of an inch of thickness. This is pretty standard and par for the course, with almost every major manufacturer of yoga mats offering this as a thickness option. It isn’t ever going to be big or bulky but it isn’t going to be paper thin, either.
Obviously, you’ll want to consider the portability, ease of storage, and the overall weight as factors before you pull the trigger on a sticky yoga mat purchase. All of these will be influenced by the overall density of your yoga mat, making it an even more important feature to really nail.
Sticky Yoga Mat Materials
As a general rule, the thicker your sticky yoga mat is the longer it’s going to last – especially if you invest in a yoga mat that has high quality construction materials throughout.
PVC or vinyl construction materials are pretty commonplace in the world of yoga mats today, and for good reason. Super easy to clean, offering tremendous grip and stability, very durable, and almost impossibly inexpensive most folks just can’t get enough of PVC options – particularly those looking for a new yoga accessory at a discount.
At the same time, PVC plastics and vinyls are anything but biodegradable or eco-friendly. A lot of people don’t love bringing something like this into a world as spiritual and as environmentally friendly as yoga for one reason or another.
Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) options are popular as well, featuring a scientific blend of plastic and rubber polymers – almost always made from 100% recycled materials. This makes these yoga mats a lot more environmentally friendly and almost just as durable as PVC of the same thickness. You also get plenty of traction, plenty of stability, and plenty of style with these options (and don’t have to break your bank account to get one, either).
Organic material options are available as well, including those made from natural rubber, organic cottons, jute twine, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You usually don’t get quite as much comfort or stability out of these organic options as you do with man-made products but you may be willing to make that trade-off to lower your invite footprint while practicing yoga.
Texture
The texture of the sticky yoga mat you choose to move forward with is always a huge deal.
After all, you don’t want to be moving through complicated or even semi-dangerous yoga movements without knowing – beyond a shadow of a doubt – that you are on safe footings. The last thing you want is your yoga mat to go shooting out from underneath you, causing Tract unexpected injuries along the way.
Textured surfaces, pebble grips, and other options are pretty popular. It really all comes down to personal preference, but you want to make sure that the yoga mat you choose has some texture to help cement you in place – especially when you start to sweat.
Stickiness
Stickiness goes hand-in-hand with the texture you’ll find on the top of your yoga mat, but this really has to do more with the material or texture on the bottom of your yoga mat – the part of your mat that will come into contact with floors and other surfaces.
Again, you want to know that you can go through different movements with real confidence with an understanding that your yoga mat isn’t ever going to shoot out from underneath you. Look for options that include some sort of extra grip on the bottom to keep you in position no matter what.
Top 5 Sticky Yoga Mats
Here are our picks for the best sticky yoga mats:
1. Heathyoga Eco Friendly Non Slip Yoga Mat
Made out of high quality, TPE eco-friendly construction materials, you won’t find any late tax, any PVC, any plastic, or any heavy metals inside of this yoga mat.
Premium engineering is on display across the board, with an intelligently designed body alignment system, just the right amount of cushioning, and stability features on both the top and bottom of this sticky yoga mat.
Available in an extra-large size as a standard option, you’ll have plenty of yoga mat to work with when you roll this out. Best of all, because it is 6 mm thick and features TPE construction materials it isn’t bulky or heavy, either.
Pros
Cons
2. Shandali Hot Yoga Towel
A bit different than the top option we highlighted just a moment ago, this “yoga towel” is made out of eco-friendly silicone materials featuring a web pattern for improved stability while cutting down tremendously on weight and bulk.
Not quite as nonslip as a dedicated yoga mat, this hot yoga towel still offers protection against slipping. The web grip we highlighted above is on full display throughout (both on the top and bottom of this yoga towel), holding you in position while you go through your yoga movements but also staying locked into position on the floor as well.
Best of all, you can use this yoga towel to dry off at the end of your workout thanks to the microfiber waffle material that has been built right in. This really does do double duty.
Pros
Cons
3. Heathyoga Synergy Yoga Mat Non Slip Hot Yoga Mat
Perhaps the best looking sticky yoga mat on the planet (available in a couple of different funky designs), you’ll be blown away at how solid this yoga mat feels even though it is just 6 mm thick.
On the top of this yoga mat you have SGS certified TPE construction materials that are 100% non-toxic and organic, with zero plastics and zero heavy metals. The surface has been coded with a crystal microfiber surface for extra absorption, allowing you to use this yoga mat as a towel after your workout has concluded. The absorbency of this mat is off the charts.
On the bottom of this yoga mat you have a texture rise to TPE bottom layer. The texture adds an extra bit of grip and slip prevention. Put it down on slick surfaces (like hardwood floors in a yoga studio, for example) and you’ll never have to worry about it scooting away from you while in the middle of yoga.
The extra-large size and lightweight combination make this a very attractive option for folks that do not want to feel as though their yoga mat is hindering their progress. This is a great choice.
Pros
Cons
4. IUGA Pro Non Slip Yoga Mat
Simple, straightforward, and pretty basic this is one of the most beloved sticky yoga mat options on the planet because of how effective and safe it’s been for a number of years now.
There’s going to be absolutely no slipping and no sliding with this yoga mat. The top layer features polyurethane materials that wick away sweat and absorbent extra moisture for a 100% slip free surface, and the bottom layer includes SGS certified natural materials that are textured for improved grip.
The entirety of this mat is made out of 100% organic or environmentally friendly materials, all of which are biodegradable, with the rubber itself made from sustainably harvested natural rubber materials that are free of PVC, latex, and other toxins.
Pros
Cons
5. Natural Jute Yoga Mat Eco-Friendly Non-Toxic Yoga Mat
If you are looking for a sticky yoga mat that is a little bit more traditional in its design and implementation you can’t go wrong with this completely organic jute twine option.
Made out of organic jute materials, as well as sustainably harvested natural rubber, you get a no slip, no slide surface from your new yoga mat without having to worry about PVC, plastic, manufactured rubber, heavy metals, or other toxins working their way into your body while you exercise.
Incredibly soft on your skin, as well as on your knees and joints, the unique dual layer construction of this sticky yoga mat guarantees that you can go through longer and longer yoga sessions without feeling the fatigue set in.
5 mm individual layers provide high absorbency as well. This make sure that you aren’t going to slide around on your yoga mat when you start to sweat, a big problem with traditional PVC or rubberized options.
Pros
Cons
The Best Sticky Yoga Mat
If we could only recommend one sticky yoga mat, it’d have to be the Heathyoga Eco Friendly Non Slip Yoga Mat.
All things considered, you may end up having to pay a premium price tag (compared to some of the competition) to get your hands on this top-tier yoga mat but it is worth every single penny.
Featuring top-quality construction materials, intelligent design, body alignment elements, and perhaps the best no slip surface of all the different sticky yoga mats that we highlighted above you know you are going to get your money’s worth with this investment.
It certainly doesn’t hurt that this particular yoga mat is thin enough to be highly portable, thick enough to cushion you while you go through the yoga motions, and durable enough to last for years and years without any signs of degradation or breaking down.
If you’re only going to purchase one yoga mat over the next couple of years this has to be the option that you go with.
Don’t get us wrong, all of the other sticky yoga mats we highlighted above are rock solid as well. It’s just that this one is head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.