Gaiam Solid Color Yoga Mat, Non Slip Exercise & Fitness Mat for All Types of Yoga, Pilates & Floor Exercises

Although I have been practicing yoga for a while, this is the first yoga mat I have ever owned and I am very pleased with it! I love that it is reversible with two colors and I can choose a different color depending on my mood. Upon opening it, I used it right away without washing it, and my hands slipped during Downward Dog. After this incident, I decided to soak it in water with a very small amount of detergent (approx. 1 teaspoon) and hosed it down outside the house and hanged to dry. After washing, the mat has become sticky and my hands don’t slip anymore. It even holds together when I roll it due to stickiness, without the need to use a strap. Washing also eliminated the “new” smell that came with it. It’s not an unpleasant smell but it is the usual smell of new items such as clothing, shoes, etc. Tip about washing: Squeeze the extra water before hanging, hang indoors away from direct sunlight, and allow 48 hours for the mat to dry completely.I love the longer length although I am short (5’3’’). Since my yoga studio gets crowded sometimes, the extra length gives me extra “territory.” I also love the thickness of this mat. I used to use blanket during kneeling poses and Shavasana, but this mat eliminated the need for blanket while still providing comfort.I am surprised this mat has not received more positive reviews. I am very happy with this product and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality and affordable yoga mat.

LOVE this yoga mat, amazing for workout or stretching. High quality and doesn’t rip easily.

I love the extra length so my head and feet can remain on the mat. The extra width is not enough that people think you are taking up too much space in class, but adds just enough extra for my broad-shouldered hubby. Thickness is fine, knees feel comfy and the mat is not too thick when rolled up. We have only used our mats for about 2 months - 3-4x/week - but the quality appears to be good. No problems or damage notes so far. It does make some noise when unrolling - maybe I need to wait a few more minutes after wiping it down after each class before I roll it back up. I did wash the mats before we used them the first time, as recommended by other reviewers. No lingering odor or excess slipperiness. It does get a bit slippery IF my hands get sweaty. A yoga towel quickly fixes that. Overall very happy with these mats!

I first went to brick and mortar stores to look at mats, and found it’s hard to find ones above 68” and the prices are often $50 +I am 6’ tall / 200 lbs, and knew I needed a 78” + mat to allow for a few inches on either side. This mat, at 78x26, is perfect for accommodating my size without taking over the floor space and irritating the others in a class.It is PVC but says it’s clear of chemicals of concern in some PVC mats. It’s made in Taiwan.The mat is very nice and what I wanted with texture.I let it sit unrolled for 8 hours and wiped down with a wet towel with a little Dawn cleaning liquid.It had a chemical smell in the first use and was a little slippery. I am hopfulIt gets more tacky with user.

Even though I do not do yoga, I wanted a mat to use in other exercise classes such as barre and high intensity interval training. In the past I had used public mats provided by a facility and contracted a skin infection. In order to avoid a repeat of that experience, I bought my own mat. According to the ad, the mat is made from PVC and is non-toxic. Warning was given regarding a smell emanating from the mat when it is first unrolled, but I did not notice any odor at all. This mat is longer than most offering extra length to fold under for cushioning the head if needed. I have plenty of length to drape over or on top of a bench when the workout requires, and actually it is sufficiently long enough that it could be doubled on top of the bench if desired. Both sides of the mat are textured with excellent traction gripping the floor preventing slipping and sliding so there is no worry about injury in that way. There has been no skin irritation, chafing, or rubbing during or after using the mat. After each use I have wiped it down with disinfectant wipes the gym provides, rolled it up, and secured it with the strap (purchased separately) until the next class; it is lightweight and easy to carry with the strap. After almost a year of use at least 4-5 times per week, this durable mat still looks and feels like new. I have been quite satisfied with this mat and I would buy this product again if I ever need another mat.Top 3 Likes:-Long, double sided, textured preventing slipping-Durable, sturdy-Easy to roll up and strapTop 3 Dislikes:-Concern if worn spots develop, it may get slippery-Only 1!

I have a really, really expensive mat that I bought from a place that sells really, really expensive yoga pants ;) …I thought that buying a premium mat would give me a better experience and practice overall. But turns out I was wrong and sold a bag of magic beans on that one. That mat got so slippery and slick within a few sessions and no matter what I did to create a spongy stickiness, it got even worse. So bad that I slipped and it caught my knee in a weird position. So I went back to the basics, looked for the brand that I started practicing on years ago, and I’m happy to report that I have not slipped around since. Sometimes going bigger isn’t better. This mat is perfect. Just like it was years ago.

Negatives: cheap chemical smell and greasy feel even after wash/dry (though sticky enough to make feet noise); kind of heavy. Positives: nice and roomy with extra width and length; color (2 tone blue) are fine.Suspect as with so many products this brand was bought out, and then the product's quality plummeted. Of course I have no idea, but the price (31$) indicates low quality, leaky materials. I always wash my hands and try to shower after using this product. Hopefully it will break in and stop emitting, shedding substance.