The Best Thick Yoga Mats
So you've made the plunge — you bought suitable yoga attire, signed up for classes, and went through some yoga flows — only to realize that you need a thicker mat. We don't blame you. Some mats are simply too thin to provide enough cushioning between you and the hard ground beneath you. This can be especially painful if you have sensitive knees or other joint conditions. Whatever your reason may be for wanting a thick mat, a little extra cushioning can go a long way toward enhancing your yoga practice. With that in mind, we rounded up some of the best thick yoga mats on the market.
What to Look For
A good yoga mat shouldn’t just enable you to practice yoga — it should directly enhance your practice. To do that, it should have three main qualities: a non-slip surface, enough length to accommodate your body, and sufficient cushioning to prevent pain. With that in mind, we rounded up a few of our favorite mats, specifically mats that are designed to be thicker than most. The Manduka Pro, for example, offers an impressive 6mm of cushioning (most standard mats are 3 to 4mm thick), and it’s also more grippy than most on the market. That means that you won’t slip and slide around during your yoga flow, even if your mat gets wet during a hot, sweaty vinyasa. Aside from the Manduka Pro, we also love the more humble Gaiam Essentials mat, which is still plenty thick despite its affordable price. We’d love to tell you more about these and the rest of our favorites — if you’re with us, keep on reading.
Manduka Pro Thick Yoga Mat
The undisputed champion
If you haven’t yet heard of the Manduka Pro, you’ve been missing out. Lauded as one of the industry’s absolute best mats, this beauty is perfect for serious yogis. We find its 6mm thickness to be ideal — it’s dense enough to provide serious cushioning without being so thick as to make it hard to balance in challenging poses. As for the cost, it may seem high, but there’s good reason for that. The superior quality of the materials used to construct this results in a mat that will last years, even with frequent use. Plus, according to Manduka, these mats are produced in an emissions-free facility, so this one does right by the planet.
Pros:
- Wide variety of elegant colors to choose from
- Crafted in Germany with high-quality materials
- Will last a long time if cared for
- Doesn’t get dirty easily, so you won’t need to clean it as frequently as other mats
Cons:
- May take a few uses to break in; until then, you might find the surface a little slippery
Aurorae Extra Thick and Long Yoga Mat
The underdog
If you’ve been doing yoga for a while, you know that high-quality mats are hard to come by. And typically, if you want a comfortable mat that will last a long time, you’ll have to dish out the big bucks. But that isn’t the case with this legendary mat from Aurorae, which is comparable in quality to some of the market’s premium yoga mats despite its reasonable price. It offers a little over 6mm of cushioning, and it’s also extra long, so you’ll have plenty of freedom to perform all your favorite poses. If you’re looking for a great B-tier option offered at an A-plus price, this is it.
Pros:
- Long length makes it especially useful for taller folks
- Variety of solid colors and printed designs
- Free of phthalates, phenols, latex, rubber, and silicon
Cons:
- It’s a little slippery; without this flaw, this mat would be close to perfect
Gaiam Essentials Thick Yoga Mat with Carrier Strap
The price is right
Committing to a yoga practice can be a challenge in itself — why let cost become another obstacle? Offered at a price that allows anyone to practice yoga without breaking the bank, this thick mat won us over for numerous reasons. Aside from its stellar price, we like that this thick mat offers a textured grip, comfortable padding, and a longer length than most mats on the market. Plus, its 10mm thickness is greater than even some of our favorite thick yoga mats. Gaiam has developed a reputation for producing well-made mats for years now, and this one is no exception.
Pros:
- Unlike most mats, this one comes with a free carry strap
- We love the vibrant color options on offer here
- Carry strap makes it easy to transport the mat by slinging it over your shoulder
Cons:
- It probably won’t last quite as long as costlier mats
Jade Fusion Thick Yoga Mat
Now that's a stretch
For many of us, the quality of the mat we use makes a big impact on the quality of our yoga sessions. With that in mind, Jade offers this luxurious mat, which is designed with the ultimate comfort and performance in mind. Measuring just under 8mm in thickness, it’s a bit thicker than some of our favorites to provide a little extra cushioning for sensitive knees and sore joints. But what really sets this mat apart is its traction. You won’t have to worry about slipping and sliding with the Fusion mat; instead, you’ll feel firmly planted during all your poses, even during sweaty vinyasa flows.
Pros:
- Made in the USA
- Constructed with sustainable natural rubber
- Thanks to the quality of its materials, this mat can last many years
- Though there aren’t many color options, the available colors are gorgeous
Cons:
- The rubber smell may be strong at first but should dissipate with use
HemingWeigh 1-Inch Thick Yoga Mat
Let nothing stop you
If you need serious cushioning, few mats will provide more of it than this one from HemingWeigh. Measuring one inch thick — which is a staggering 25.4 mm — this mat is ideal for anyone whose yoga practice would benefit from extra cushioning. Some poses require you to place serious pressure on your knees, and for some of us, we can only withstand that pressure if we have enough cushioning between the knee and the hard floor. And that’s exactly what this mat provides. Tender knees aside, this mat is also an excellent option for yin yoga practitioners because you can sink down into the cushioning comfortably while you hold those long poses.
Pros:
- Ideal for anyone who has trouble practicing yoga on hard floors
- Great for older practitioners and other folks with sensitive joints
- Excellent price, especially considering the degree of cushioning offered by the mat
Cons:
- The length is a bit lacking, so if you’re tall, you might feel that this mat is a little too short
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of having a thick yoga mat compared to a thinner one?
Many of us don’t realize how fragile our knees are until our first yoga sessions. With a thin mat, tender knees might make contact with the hard floor in the most uncomfortable of ways, making it painful or even unbearable to carry out some essential yoga postures. Therefore, having a thick yoga mat can help prevent this by providing some extra cushioning. The knees aren’t the only part of the body that can benefit from a thick mat, either. If you have joint conditions or any other ailment that causes pain, a little extra mat support could result in a smoother, freer yoga practice.
Are there any downsides to having a thick mat?
There aren’t many, but one of the major downsides is that thick mats make it harder to balance. This can be tricky when it comes to delicate balance poses, such as Virabhadrasana III (warrior 3) and Vrikshasana (tree pose).
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