REVIEWS
4.3
86%
Recommended
72 Reviews
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Warren - Bikram
I want to be as honest and objective as I can in reviewing this product as I have mixed feelings about it. I live in the UK and I'm a practitioner of Bikram yoga, I attend at least 5 to 6 sessions per week, sometimes even more than that and have practised for two years. To be fair, I sweat a lot during practice, and when I say a lot, trust me I sweat like a pig in a sleeping bag! I have used a Manduka GRP mat, a Liforme mat and a Jade Harmony mat for practice, and I can say in terms of absorption the Gaiam Dry-Grip outperforms them all but still leaves a pool of sweat on the mat after particularly hot sessions. I cannot really rate grip as I always use a yoga mat towel, but I don't experience any major slipping issues from any of the mats mentioned above, and the Gaiam is no better or worse in my experience than the others mentioned. I like the 6 mm of cushioning, life time guarantee and appreciate it comes in a wider longer format, however I was surprised to find after two uses the printed design has worn away to such a degree (see photo), and the fabric Gaiam logo in the corner came off after the first session! I'm not particularly bothered by any of this as it is purely cosmetic and I would expect deterioration over time, but I am surprised how rapidly this has occurred given that this product was bought new and I had to import it from the USA to get the wider longer size, which meant I had to wait some time to receive as well as incur higher postage costs and import charges. Unfortunately this is not a mat I can use without a towel (probably two), although this is also true of Liforme, Manduka and Jade Yoga, but I feel Gaiam intend their product to be more robust given a lifetime guarantee.
Renee
I have been on a quest to find the best yoga mat for hot yoga. I wanted one that I could use without needing a towel on top. I read a lot of reviews, articles, and watched YouTube videos to make my decision. I have used other Gaiam mats in the past and they have been very slippery, so when I first read about this mat I ruled it out. I ended up purchasing a Jade yoga mat. It was great and not slippery, but not for hot yoga. Unfortunately, I needed to use a towel to feel safe. After a while, I decided to buy this mat even though I was skeptical. I am SO happy I did. It is not slippery at all. It is everything I have wanted in a yoga mat! I wish I bought this one right from the beginning. I don't think I will ever buy another yoga mat! There are only a few downsides to this mat. They don't bother me, but I figured I'd mention them. The shiny design is slippery, but I'm not ever in a pose where this has been an issue. Also, the mat does smell when you first get it. Deep breaths in Child's Pose were not great on the first day, but by the second day after airing out it was already considerably better. Lastly, the Gaiam label fell off on the second day. Im not sure why it would be stuck on with just some sticky adhesive, but I really couldn't have cared less. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this purchase. I was starting to loose hope in my quest to find a non-slippery mat, but I'm so glad I found this one! Namasté.
TedTheJarhead
I use this mat so far for my flow and foundational. I'm a larger guy at 6'3" about 250 and very wide at the shoulders. Normal mats don't get it done, and I've tried seemingly every mat on the market geared towards the larger yogi. While some have been ok, some have been good except for caveats, some have been done right dangerous! This is the first mat I can honestly say is just right for me. My very first down dog I tried to push myself off as hard as I could to see if I'd slip. No break in m, no nothing. I didn't budge. My warriors and lunge are as deep as I need, and I feel safe and secure even sweaty. I should have started my search with Gaiam. I'd have saved literally hundred of dollars.
infinitemk
I love this mat. It is the best one I have ever had. I have been flowing on it for two years now, averaging 2-3 classes a week. Just stating to notice minor wear. Lots of life left and I will cry if I can't replace with another one. Really the best mat ever!
Jen
The mat looks so nice when it's new and it grips well during the sweaty practice. But it scratched easily and after a few practices, it produced bubbly on the mat. I'm quite disappointed with the quality.
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