Yoga Direct Mandara Ultra Premium Yoga Mat

The mat feels like it will probably be durable and it does provide more padding than most, but the "extra traction" mentioned in the description must mean against the floor or shoes. If you're sweating at all your skin won't get much grip against the material this mat is made of. While doing workouts if I go into a plank my arms will slide out. I end up lying a towel down on top of this mat if I need grip.

I had purchased one of these mats in green about three years ago and LOVED it. It is my go-to mat for everything, and I teach a lot of yoga during any given week.This mat, though, turned out to be very slick, even after a couple of good washes. My solution was to get a rosin bag,  Aurorae Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag. Stop Slipping on your Yoga Mat, Odor Free and Non Sticky. Made in USA. , which works well, but white powder on a black mat and black yoga clothes means this mat has been busted down to home practice only.Pros: Thick, cheap, durableCon: Slick, not my favorite mat right now

I received this mat and it is not the mat described or pictured. I have a Mandara pro mat that I purchased years ago and was wanting another one. This is an imposture mat that they are trying to sell as the Mandra Pro. It doesn't even have a label on it. I will be returning.

I bought this mat in 2007. I practice fairly intensely 3-4x/week and the mat is still in great condition. I've tried the more expensive eco-friendly mats, and the frou frou mats they've had at some of the scene-y gyms and studios and this mat is still the best for me. It's sturdy, the 1/4" padding goes a long way for me, the extra length allows me to really stretch out, and most importantly - I don't slip on this mat, which is a problem I have with most other mats even in just holding downward dog. It IS heavy though, so it's not a convenient travel mat. I aired it out for a few days before using it in class and the smell was never a problem. I expect that I'll have this mat for years to come. It's one of the best investments I've made for my practice.

I have been using Mandara mats for ten years. This was not the same quality and did not havethe "Mandara" label. It did not have the same cushioning. Seemed like a generic yoga mat. I returned this product.

very thick mat. works better than my first mat which was too thin. works well against sweat but still helps to have a towel handy.

Update 2: I'm changing my ratings to 4 and would recommend now (can you tell I have a love/hate relationship with this mat). I've tried a ridiculous number of yoga mats since I purchased this one in 2011. While it can be slick, it's held up far better than the other mats I've tried (Jade, Lululemon, Manduka, a couple cheapies from Amazon, gaiam). It obviously has some scuffs and marks, but overall it's held up really well and it's the mat I reach for most often. I put a towel down now and the slickness isn't an issue. I guess I just have incredibly sweaty palms and regardless of the superiority of a mat's marketed grip, I will always slid in vinyasa style classes.UPDATE: I would not buy this mat again. I’m using it, but it is STILL slippery after 7 years. I use this mat for the cushion because it is thick but I use another mat on top because otherwise my hands slip. For a little more, you could buy a cushion-y mat that does not slip. I downgraded to 2 stars because while I still use it, I’d not recommend it.This is a good yoga mat. I bought it since my old mat was very thin and getting rough patches from where my hands rubbed during some poses (downward dog anyone?). I really like this mat because it is very thick, and I was having trouble with my knees hurting from certain poses on hard floors which I could feel with my old mat (I'm young but have old injuries from soccer and other sports which give me trouble). The reason I gave it to four stars: I found it someone slick even after wiping it down a few times. It seems to get better with time and wiping it down, but I was having trouble in my Vinyasa class with transitioning into and out of downward dog and Chaturanga during my sun salutation. When I tried Bikram, this mat was great because you use a towel on top (all that sweat). And it doesn't stink like you might think even after washing it (some of those mats smell! but with just washing down with a diluted vinegar solution my mat does not smell of sweaty feet). However, I've since quit Bikram and gone back to the Vinyasa "flow" style so I have to be aware of the potential of slipping (it has gotten better as I've "broken?" in my mat). Overall, this is better than a mat you will get at Walmart, target, barnes and noble, etc. I love it so much more than my old gaiam mat.

I had almost 4 year to have my Mandara Yoga Mat and it stay in excellent conditions. I am a full time yoga teacher, so imagine to use this mat more than 5 hours per day each day of the year. This is one of my most important and intelligent purchases of my life. After 4 years and more than 1000 hours of power yoga use, it has 2 or 3 scratches. And this mat has at least 5 years more of life. Has the perfect thick for kneeling or headstands, no slippery if you sweat and is very very very resistant. Only one thing: if you have planned to carry to often, have in mind this mat is heavy. You also will need a good quality and large yoga bag, like the kulae large yoga bag.Edited:I have this mat for more than 10 years now and it’s still working. A few scratches but it’s usable.What I don’t like that mucho after 10 years is the smell, I have to clean it so deeply from time to time for remove that smell! And they doesn’t happen with the other mats I have!

I wouldn't consider this on par with the Manduka mats. Its definitely a more rugged mat but its going to have more slip than a manduka. Having practiced on both this will not prevent you from slipping if your sweaty.