Intro
Yoga mats are a strangely personal thing. What works for one person, is another person’s nightmare mat. I hate it when other people walk all over my mat (especially in barefeet!) but other people aren’t so precious about their mats and their space. A yoga mat is often a yogi’s first big purchase once they have realised they are pretty serious about their practice.
My Mat Story
When I first started yoga, I just used the standard sticky mats that my studio provided but I found them really slippery and was constantly re-adjusting my hands in poses such as Down Dog. I then tried a mat that I got as a GWP but this was the same waffle PVC mat as the standard studio mats. I even tried scrubbing it, hoping to roughen up the surface but to no avail. The next mat I tried was a Nike one, with different textured sides. While this one felt nicer (much better for poses where there is pressure on the joints), I still felt like I was slipping and sliding all over the place. I then looked into mat towels but couldn’t justify spending that much on a towel with non-skid dots on the bottom! Especially when I read reviews saying that you need to moisten the towel first, to make it non-slip (seems to defeat the purpose, no?) I did, however, try a plain microfiber towel over my mat but I didn’t feel like it did much. After much umming and ahhing and penny pinching, I picked up Lululemon’s The Unmat (chosen over The Mat purely for price, seeing as the surfaces were the same). I chose to try Lulu as my teacher and a couple of other students had them, and when talking to them, they felt it was worth the expense.
It wasn’t love at first sight. The first night I tried it, I tried the rough, black side, thinking it would be grippier than the smooth, coloured side. Wrong. It was so slippery, it was even worse than the ‘sticky’ mats! I couldn’t even hold a downward dog. I nearly cried, thinking I had wasted $60 on a mat that was absolute crap. Luckily, I then thought to try the other side and it was fantastic! Even better once I bought my car and the pink mat matched the pink wing mirrors! I have since bought The Mat (5mm version), as my teacher training was done in a room with wooden floors, which can get hard on your joints after a while and I have also treated my mum to one (with matching carry strap) for Mother’s Day this year.
The Unmat Review
As detailed above, this was the first mat I purchased. This is described by LuluLemon as a lightweight mat, ideal for the commuting or travelling yogi. It can be used on its own or layered over another mat for more thickness/cushioning.
Thickness: 1.5mm (A standard sticky is mat 3mm)
Stickiness/Texture: The top of the mat (the side with the Lulu logo on it) is really smooth but has really good grip. My hands barely slip anymore and there is good traction for standing poses.
Price: I paid $60NZD for this mat in 2013. At the time of writing, this mat was not available for purchase on the New Zealand website but I found it for $48USD on the US website.
Eco-friendliness: According to Lululemons website it is made of polyurethane. I have heard it described as ‘the same stuff Tennis racquet grip tape is made of”. I wouldn’t describe this as particularly eco-friendly.
Size & Style: 180cm x 66cm. Weighs 1.05kg. It comes in a range of colours and patterns. They tend not to repeat prints and colours every season. It is light and easy to carry around. I tend to prefer to roll it up, as opposed to fold because I don’t like the fold marks that tend to stay in the mat.
Wear & Tear: I have used this mat most days for the last 3 years and it has held up really well. There are scuff marks from where the mat has ‘stretched’ when doing wide legged standing poses, like warrior 2. It also has a type of anti-fungal and microbial coating on it that prevents mould, bacteria and fungus growth. I still tend to wash my mat, especially after festivals or if I have lent it to someone. I just fill up the bath and use some dishwashing liquid. I put it out over the clothes line (usually coloured side down so it doesn’t fade) to dry. I can’t recall it having much of a smell, like some new mats do and there was no breaking in period as such (once I tried the right side!).
Conclusion
For me, when I purchased this mat I had 2 main factors in mind: stickiness and price. A bonus with the Lululemon mats is that they have some instore that you can try out before you purchase. Compared with other top-of-the-range mat brands, like Manduka, I don’t think the price is unreasonable. I would recommend Lululemon’s Reversible yoga mat range if you are in the market for a new mat and eco friendliness isn’t an issue. For me, while I am very happy with my mats, when/if one of them wears out, I will be looking to find a more eco version.