Archive for September, 2010
PrAna Yoga Mats: Naturally the Best
Whether you practice yoga at home, or in a studio, the yoga mat you use is important. While stretching and relaxing you don't want to have to be worried about your mat taking off across the floor. Take a bit of time and find the mat that will work best for you. PrAna knows yoga. They have a line of mats that are not only comfortable to use, they are environmentally friendly too.
prAna The Revolution Yoga Mat
This mat is wonderful! And my favorite of the three prAna mats. It is longer and wider than most other yoga mats, giving you plenty of room to stretch and not run out of mat. It is extra dense too, giving the cushioning needed to prevent tired wrists and ankles, and at the same time giving it a long life. You won't need to replace this mat any time soon. The rubber-based construction makes it virtually non-slipping on any type of floor. You can get this mat cheapest on Amazon. I haven't been able to find it cheaper elsewhere.
prAna The Natural Yoga Mat
There is something to be said about a yoga mat the feels great under your hands. The cushion on this mat makes it a favorite. It is sticky, staying in place, and keeping my hands from slipping. It is ten inches longer than most mats, giving you room to move around. Made of all rubber, it is environmentally safe and biodegradable. Only downside to this mat is that it's quite bulky and heavy. – Doesn't roll up too well either from what I've seen. It's available on Amazon here.
prAna E.C.O. Sticky Mat
This mat is a bit longer than most yoga mats. The added length makes for less shifting around to stay on the mat. Both sides are textured, keeping the mat on the floor and your hands and feet on the mat. The texture is great if you are doing hot yoga. The thickness of this mat helps it to keep from rolling or bunching up beneath you. One problem though: It's durability. People who practice yoga regularly, will tell you this mat wears out in about 6 months. This mat isn't too expensive though, you can get it pretty cheap through Amazon here.
Manduka PROlite Travel Mat Review: Ideal for Yoga & Pilates Practioners
I have been through quite a few yoga mats in my lifetime, but not many have come even close to comparing to the Manduka 71-Inch PROlite Travel Yoga Mat.
What first brought my attention to this mat was when I was doing research online for yoga mats and found that it had an 82% customer satisfaction rating. This might not be amazing for most products, but for a yoga mat, it’s incredible. Keep in mind that most yoga mats produce a smell that will stay on you for the rest of the day, and that stability is hard to come by. That’s why the scores are relatively low compared to other types of products.
The difference with the PROlite Travel Yoga Mat is that there will be no smell emanating from it and the stability is superior. There are a few other things about the PROlite Travel Yoga Mat that you should know as well.
Manduka 71-Inch PROlite Travel Yoga and Pilates Mat
I had a difficult time choosing between the color options. They include midnight, olive, purple, orchid, and pinot. I usually like to go with a unique color, but being that all these color options are unique, I found myself in a bind. Since all the colors were unique, I took the opposite approach and went with the most traditional color, which was midnight. This allows me to use it anywhere without drawing attention (which is new for me). If you like to draw attention, I would recommend the orchid.
As far as the weight goes, this yoga mat only weighs 4.5 pounds. This is nice because it allows me to bring it with me whenever I go on the road, whether by car, train, or plane. The material is non-stick, which is an obvious benefit. In addition to that, it can be used on hard as well as soft surfaces. There are many yoga mats that wouldn’t work on a beach. This one can. And there’s nothing more relaxing to me than yoga on the beach.
Overall, if you’re looking for a yoga mat, I would highly recommend the Manduka 71-Inch PROlite Travel Yoga and Pilates Mat. It’s sturdy, resistant, durable and designed to last your whole lifetime.
