Exercise Health Wellness

Best Yoga Mat for Hot Yoga, According to Experts in 2023

You don’t need a ton of specialized equipment to try hot yoga, but a mat that supports your practice—especially when you’re sweating buckets—is a definite plus. The ideal pick will help you feel “zoned in on your practice, to the point where you’re not focusing on your mat,” Erin Archibald, a registered yoga instructor with CorePower in Denver, tells SELF. But finding one that doesn’t slip, bunch, or cause discomfort as you move and perspire isn’t as simple as grabbing the first option you see on the shelf. We spoke with yoga instructors to help find the best options.How to choose a hot yoga matGrip: For hot yoga, you want a grippy mat to reduce your chances of slipping and sliding as things get hot and sweaty. Those made of rubber material are good for grip, says Archibald, who recommends natural rubber over synthetic since the former is more durable and often higher quality.Sweat-absorbing: Mats made with an open-cell design (meaning, they’re porous) can be really helpful in yoga yoga since they often fully absorb your sweat and don’t create a slipping hazard with any puddles, says Archibald. Many open-cell mats are constructed with natural rubber. Just keep in mind: You’ll want to regularly clean them so that they don’t get stinky. If you prefer an option that’s easy to sanitize, you can opt for a closed-cell design (meaning, they’re nonporous), which makes them easy to wipe and disinfect, Sarah Larson Levey, a registered yoga instructor and co-founder of Y7 Studio in NYC, tells SELF.Thickness: Mats come in varying amounts of padding, and the right level boils down to personal preference. You might feel more stable for balancing poses on a thinner mat, while a thicker one will provide more cushion for your joints. Generally, you’ll want a thinner option (in the 3 to 5mm range) for hot yoga for a more grounded feeling, and a thicker mat for more slower-paced styles (like yin or restorative), says Archibald.Size: The standard for yoga mats is 26 by 71 inches, which works well for most folks, says Archibald. If you’re taller (say, over 6’2”), then you may feel more comfortable on a wider, longer version, says Levey.The best yoga mats for hot yogaBased on expert input and customer ratings, here are solid picks to elevate your practice.

By Jenny McCoy / September 18, 2023

You don’t need a ton of specialized equipment to try hot yoga, but a mat that supports your practice—especially when you’re sweating buckets—is a definite plus. The ideal pick will help you feel “zoned in on your practice, to the point where you’re not focusing on your mat,” Erin Archibald, a registered yoga instructor with CorePower in Denver, tells SELF. But finding one that doesn’t slip, bunch, or cause discomfort as you move and perspire isn’t as simple as grabbing the first option you see on the shelf. We spoke with yoga instructors to help find the best options.

How to choose a hot yoga mat

Grip: For hot yoga, you want a grippy mat to reduce your chances of slipping and sliding as things get hot and sweaty. Those made of rubber material are good for grip, says Archibald, who recommends natural rubber over synthetic since the former is more durable and often higher quality.

Sweat-absorbing: Mats made with an open-cell design (meaning, they’re porous) can be really helpful in yoga yoga since they often fully absorb your sweat and don’t create a slipping hazard with any puddles, says Archibald. Many open-cell mats are constructed with natural rubber. Just keep in mind: You’ll want to regularly clean them so that they don’t get stinky. If you prefer an option that’s easy to sanitize, you can opt for a closed-cell design (meaning, they’re nonporous), which makes them easy to wipe and disinfect, Sarah Larson Levey, a registered yoga instructor and co-founder of Y7 Studio in NYC, tells SELF.

Thickness: Mats come in varying amounts of padding, and the right level boils down to personal preference. You might feel more stable for balancing poses on a thinner mat, while a thicker one will provide more cushion for your joints. Generally, you’ll want a thinner option (in the 3 to 5mm range) for hot yoga for a more grounded feeling, and a thicker mat for more slower-paced styles (like yin or restorative), says Archibald.

Size: The standard for yoga mats is 26 by 71 inches, which works well for most folks, says Archibald. If you’re taller (say, over 6’2”), then you may feel more comfortable on a wider, longer version, says Levey.

The best yoga mats for hot yoga

Based on expert input and customer ratings, here are solid picks to elevate your practice.

Lulu mat,” says Archibald, who has been using hers for over three years. Also cool: It’s reversible, so you can switch between a grippy and cushioned surface. Levey adds that the versatility of this mat means it can also be used for non-yoga activities, like HIIT workouts. For yogis wanting a thinner surface, there’s also a 3mm option available.n

Size: 26 x 71 inches

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Thickness: 5mm

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Available Colors: 7 total (including solid and patterned options)

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Lululemon The Mat (5-mm.)

A favorite among all three experts, this mat has a rubber base and a grippy top layer so you won’t slide around during class. Plus, it’s sweat-absorbing: “I always feel very stable and rooted on my mat when I’m practicing on a Lulu mat,” says Archibald, who has been using hers for over three years. Also cool: It’s reversible, so you can switch between a grippy and cushioned surface. Levey adds that the versatility of this mat means it can also be used for non-yoga activities, like HIIT workouts. For yogis wanting a thinner surface, there’s also a 3mm option available.

Size: 26 x 71 inches

Thickness: 5mm

Available Colors: 7 total (including solid and patterned options)

Manduka Pro as worth the investment, and it comes with lifetime guarantee to boot.n

Size: 26 x 71 inches

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Thickness: 6mm

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Available Colors: 13 total (including solid and patterned options)

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Manduka Pro Yoga Mat

This easy-to-clean, closed-cell constructed mat is “very grippy, supportive, and stable,” says Archibald. Slightly thicker than Lululemon’s The Mat, this product may be a great option for folks wanting extra cushioning for their joints. Though it is pricier than some others on this list, customers describe the Manduka Pro as worth the investment, and it comes with lifetime guarantee to boot.

Size: 26 x 71 inches

Thickness: 6mm

Available Colors: 13 total (including solid and patterned options)

JadeYoga’s mat cleaner.n

Size: 24 x 68 (or 24 x 74) inches

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Thickness: 4.7mm

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Available Colors: 12 total (all solid colors)

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Jade Harmony Yoga Mat

Described by Levey as a “wonderful mat,” this option is constructed with a natural rubber and ample cushioning. Archibald finds it to be very grippy and incredibly supportive, and she likes the porous sweat-absorbing surface—it provides a “grittier” feel compared to other mats, she says. The one downside of the Harmony: It can be tricky to clean. “It’s definitely not something that you can just wipe down with a towel,” says Levey. To thoroughly sanitize it, she recommends using JadeYoga’s mat cleaner.

Size: 24 x 68 (or 24 x 74) inches

Thickness: 4.7mm

Available Colors: 12 total (all solid colors)

Wesley Showalter, CSCS, a yoga instructor in Chicago, tells SELF. During a recent hot yoga session where he was drenched in sweat, Showalter says he didn’t slip once. Also neat: The mat comes with a shoulder bag, making it easy to haul around.n

Size: 26 x 73 inches

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Thickness: 4.5mm

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Available Colors: 7 total (all solid colors)

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Mocana Grippy Yoga Mat

For exercisers needing a little extra room to move around, the Mocana Nimbus may be the ideal pick: It’s two inches longer than your standard size yoga mat. “It’s a good length. I don’t feel like I’m hanging off the mat at all, but it’s not obnoxiously large,” Wesley Showalter, CSCS, a yoga instructor in Chicago, tells SELF. During a recent hot yoga session where he was drenched in sweat, Showalter says he didn’t slip once. Also neat: The mat comes with a shoulder bag, making it easy to haul around.

Size: 26 x 73 inches

Thickness: 4.5mm

Available Colors: 7 total (all solid colors)

Reetual Hot Yoga Mat

Style isn’t everything, but these eye-catching mats from Reetual are pretty to look at and add a pop of color to any hot yoga practice. Made with a padded rubber base to prevent slippage and a top layer that becomes grippier the more you sweat (since moisture helps increase the traction), they’re also very functional. Reviewers describe it as a “stunning” and “beautiful” mat, and praise the fact that “there’s absolutely no slipping” even in the sweatiest conditions. This mat is slightly smaller than average and also the thinner side, so it may not be ideal for folks who need ample room to move about or those who prefer extra cushioning for their joints.

Size: 24 x 70 inches

Thickness: 3.5mm

Available Colors: 16 total (all patterned options)

XL version, which measures 26 x 78 inches.n

Size: 24 x 68 inches

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Thickness: 5mm

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Available Colors: 4 total (solid, patterned, and marbled options)

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Gaiam Dry-Grip Yoga Mat (5-mm.)

For a quality mat at a lower price point, consider this pick from Gaiam. The textured topcoat is moisture-wicking, and the supportive, cushioned design “made hot yoga a lot easier!” wrote one reviewer, who recommended using the mat with a towel to remove any sweat. FYI: The mat is smaller than standard size, so tall folks may consider ordering the XL version, which measures 26 x 78 inches.

Size: 24 x 68 inches

Thickness: 5mm

Available Colors: 4 total (solid, patterned, and marbled options)

Liforme Original Yoga Mat

This mat is the most expensive on this list, but reviewers say the price is well worth it. Made with biodegradable rubber and slightly larger than average size, this mat is “durable and perfectly sticky,” per one reviewer. Another shared that they “don’t even need a mat towel with it since the grip is so great.” Customers also praise the mat’s alignment system—basically, a series of markings on the mat—that help you understand where to place your hands and feet as you practice. Bonus: It comes with a nifty travel case.

Size: 27 x 73 inches

Thickness: 4.2mm

Available Colors: 5 total (all solids)

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