Manduka Pro Yoga Mat Verve

This mat is a bit like a dog that you brought home from the shelter that you thought maybe would just be able to sit and stay, but actually took more training than you anticipated. After some substantial attention, you become best friends and forget all about the hard times. But if somebody tells you they're going to get a dog, you warn them that it won't be all love and light. That's how this yoga mat is. It's a bombproof mat that will outlast the transmission in your truck. For that reason, I do recommend the black color, but what do I know about how clean the blue will be in five years? Just a hunch.It's thick, so it's cushiony on the knees. I give the mat 5 stars. But I give the company 2 or 3 stars for how they advertise this thing. To say they underestimate ... MoreThis mat is a bit like a dog that you brought home from the shelter that you thought maybe would just be able to sit and stay, but actually took more training than you anticipated. After some substantial attention, you become best friends and forget all about the hard times. But if somebody tells you they're going to get a dog, you warn them that it won't be all love and light. That's how this yoga mat is. It's a bombproof mat that will outlast the transmission in your truck. For that reason, I do recommend the black color, but what do I know about how clean the blue will be in five years? Just a hunch.It's thick, so it's cushiony on the knees. I give the mat 5 stars. But I give the company 2 or 3 stars for how they advertise this thing. To say they underestimate the "break-in" period is an understatement. First of all, this isn't a leather boot. You don't "break" it in, as if it were leather that needed to be softened. It's got a slippery film on it. The thing that really gets my chi boiling about this mat is the lack of transparency from Manduka. Listen: the mat exudes a slippery film for some time. Nobody knows what it is. It might be whale oil, but Manduka won't say. I have a conspiracy theory that Manduka knows exactly how to make this mat sticky from the start but they can't do it without compromising their OEKO-TEX certification. This certification, by the way, means that there are 350 nasty chemicals that are not in the mat. Does it mean there are no nasty chemicals? No, just not the 350 known nasties. It could certainly have some unknown nasties, as chemical manufacturers are clever.But back to the topic at hand: Manduka is all like: "yeah, just sprinkle some sea salt on your mat and let it sit for a day in the sun." When I hear that this works for some people, I don't think they're doing downward dog on their mat. It just doesn't work. You have to really scrub the salt (coarser the better) into the mat thoroughly with pressure, for a few minutes. It should take about 5 minutes to scrub the whole mat. And then, guess what? It will be slick again in a day or two. I think what's happening is that the surface is exuding a film that continues for some period of time and you have to repeatedly scrub it off until it is gone. Perhaps leaving the mat out in the sun causes the film to evaporate faster: sure, give it a shot. Even though I am a tree-loving person, I even tried acetone on my mat. I'm pretty sure I just ruined my OEKO certification, but boy did that film disappear! But guess what? It was back a day later. I did a couple more salt scrubs and now it's usable. I anticipate it will get better with time (after all, this is what Manduka promises: the best way to "break in" the mat is [and I quote their website] "practice, practice, practice."). I find this advice duplicitous. I think they are preying on the yogi's belief that lots of practice cures all kinds of ailments, including a slippery mat. What I would like them to admit is that it has a slippery film on it that goes away with time and when you use it, your skin rubs off the film or your clothing absorbs some of the film until it is gone. Don't just tell me that "practice" will do it. There's a real patronizing of yogis here. Manduka, just give it to us straight and tell us what's really going on.If all this seems like too much to deal with for a consumer good, or you’re doing sweaty hot yoga, you can head straight to an open-cell natural rubber mat that is stickier from the start. Just don’t expect it to last as long, and it will probably smell bad for some time. If all else fails, just do some Savasana. Just breathe. Everything will be fine, I promise.

I give this product a 4 out of 5 just due to personal preference, where I think a yoga mat should have a little more "give" with the cushioning. I felt this mat was a bit hard for me, and at this price point for $5 worth of rubber, it needs to be perfect to get 5 stars. I'm fine with the break-in period. It was slippery at first, then did the salt routine and have done multiple HIIT workouts on it with shoes on, concentrating on stepping in the areas in the 1/3 of the mat where hands/feet typically go doing yoga. That has significantly reduced slipping, though it still has a bit more breaking in to do after a week of that. Could still be another couple inches wider to hit the perfection mark as well. I'm 5'8" and to do a wide stance pushup, it leaves me feeling a ... MoreI give this product a 4 out of 5 just due to personal preference, where I think a yoga mat should have a little more "give" with the cushioning. I felt this mat was a bit hard for me, and at this price point for $5 worth of rubber, it needs to be perfect to get 5 stars. I'm fine with the break-in period. It was slippery at first, then did the salt routine and have done multiple HIIT workouts on it with shoes on, concentrating on stepping in the areas in the 1/3 of the mat where hands/feet typically go doing yoga. That has significantly reduced slipping, though it still has a bit more breaking in to do after a week of that. Could still be another couple inches wider to hit the perfection mark as well. I'm 5'8" and to do a wide stance pushup, it leaves me feeling a bit restricted. Overall, solid workout mat, but has room to improve.

This is gonna be a long one, but I’ve got endless gratitude for the Manduka mission and the way it has changed my life. These mats are simply beyond compare. I first received the Manduka X mat as a gift about a year after committing to a daily asana practice. That mat went with me everywhere, it became my safe haven. The place I learned to intuitively and gracefully tend to myself during anxiety attacks, PTSD episodes, moments of grief that left me unable to do anything but breathe. I was (and still am) stunned by the quality, durability, and grip after a year of practicing on my Manduka mat 2+ hours a day. It has aged like fine wine. After another year, my practice having evolved substantially and my joints in need of more support, I decided to treat myself to the ... MoreThis is gonna be a long one, but I’ve got endless gratitude for the Manduka mission and the way it has changed my life. These mats are simply beyond compare. I first received the Manduka X mat as a gift about a year after committing to a daily asana practice. That mat went with me everywhere, it became my safe haven. The place I learned to intuitively and gracefully tend to myself during anxiety attacks, PTSD episodes, moments of grief that left me unable to do anything but breathe. I was (and still am) stunned by the quality, durability, and grip after a year of practicing on my Manduka mat 2+ hours a day. It has aged like fine wine. After another year, my practice having evolved substantially and my joints in need of more support, I decided to treat myself to the Manduka Pro. I couldn’t be happier. It takes about a week or so of daily practice to break in all Manduka mats, even after doing the initial salt treatment, but to me that’s part of the thrill. Each day I can feel my mat slowly adjusting to the way my body moves. If you want a wonderfully comfortable, supportive, durable mat perfect for your at home practice, Manduka Pro is your gal. Ms. Manduka X will now be my go-to travel/outdoor practice buddy as she’s more lightweight. Manduka, you have changed my yoga game and helped revolutionize my relationship to total body wellness. My mats are an extension of myself, my most reliable safe space. Thank you.