Hugger Mugger Para Rubber Yoga Mat (River)

I absolutely love this mat! I had been doing yoga for about two years on my "beginners" mat and was having real issues with my hands getting sweaty and sliding. I finally decided it was time to invest in a better mat and talked with my yoga teacher. She let me try several mats at the studio to see how they worked. While they were better, I still found myself slipping a bit even on those. She then recommended I try her mat and I fell in love . She used this mat and I can see why.It's heavy so it doesn't slide around on the floor, it's cushioned so my knees are happy, and (best of all) I can do poses with sweaty palms without sliding. The only drawback at all is the mat is sticky enough that when swinging my leg to the front of the mat while in any downward position, I absolutely have to lift it - any dragging of the leg and the mat causes resistance. It actually encourages better yoga, but some days I'm not capable of a clean movement and have to come down on a knee and then swing the other leg forward.It did have a rubbery odor for the first few times I used it but that has totally gone away now and I am 100% pleased.I was taking a class from the owner of the yoga studio a couple of weeks ago and she did a double take when she was working with me -- looked at what type it was and made the comment that it is a really excellent mat.

Gonna say, right off the bat, that there is a latex smell to this mat. I've had mine about six months, and it no longer smells much while I'm using it, but I do notice that a rubbery smell lingers on my hands. Sometimes even after I wash them. So what do I do? I wash them again. No biggie. It's good to wash your hands frequently during cold season.It's 100% worth it, because this is a great mat. It's thick and spongy enough to cushion my joints very nicely, but firm enough to feel quite stable in standing poses. Some might like a firmer or softer mat, but for me, this is the perfect balance.While researching, what really drew me to this mat is the dual-sided aspect. The top, with the streak pattern, is a solid layer of sticky rubber. This side is more grippy, and feels firmer. I use this side most, since I do a lot of vinyasa yoga. If you flip the mat over, it has a more open-cell structure that feels a lot like a Jade mat. It feels softer, which is nice for restorative or yin, and if it's a hot day (I don't have AC) it seems to provide a little more traction under slightly sweaty conditions.For very sweaty conditions like hot yoga, just use a mat towel. This mat is not great on its own for hot yoga, but is any mat? Quality yoga towels are like 20 bucks, work well, and best of all, prolong the life of your mat because you're not sweating directly onto it.This mat is heavier than other mats I've had, but I have a backpack style mat bag so I barely notice the increase. The weight comes from the thickness and density that makes it so comfortable.

This is my goldilocks mat. I have had and tried so many! This one is just right. I love the cushioning on my hardwood floors, its nice and comfy on my sensitive knees. Its the perfect amount of non-slip for my hatha/vinyasa practice. It solid enough that it stays put on the floor. I have the river color, it is a teal green/blue color with paler striations throughout. I find it very calming. The surface of the mat is lighly textured, its much softer feeling then a Jade mat. It has a rubber smell (as do all rubber mats) I don't find it as overpowering as others have stated. I highly recommend this mat!

I absolutely love this mat and recommend it to everyone I know! I upgraded from my Manduka Eko Light which was falling apart/ripping after 6 months of consistent practice. I researched and contacted numerous companies about non toxic yoga mats for a long time before going with this one and I could not be more pleased with my choice. 100% natural tree rubber, no PVC, no heavy metals, no synthetic/recycled rubber, and no phthalates. Extremely non slip and the perfect amount of padding, the color is beautiful as well.

This mat is awesome!! I knocked off one star because, like others have mentioned, it is a little stinky. The pungent rubber smell can definitely linger in whatever room it’s stored in. I’ve had the mat for 3 weeks now and I’d say the rubber smell is approximately 60% gone....and this is with me not doing anything special in terms of airing it out. In my opinion, although the smell is not what I’d consider pleasant, there are much more offensive smells than the smell of natural rubber.Ok, now back to the mat’s awesomeness: Just the right amount of cushion; conducive to all poses. So supportive on my knees- it makes forward lunges a breeze! Love the color and simple, calming design (I purchased River). I cannot attest to the grip vs slip factor during extremely sweaty conditions (ie hot yoga), however during ‘normal’ practices where my hands and feet get mildly sweaty at best, the grip factor is 100%. I don’t slide one bit! The mat is a little weighty, but I don’t mind. When I take out the mat, I’m reminded of it’s good quality and look forward to rolling it out every time!**Edit: I’ve had this mat for about 3 months now. Smell is gone. I put the star back. 5 stars all the way. This mat is awesome!

I searched for a new mat for weeks. I had been using the same mat for ten years and decided to upgrade. I knew I wanted a rubber mat. My final decision was between this mat, the Manduka Pro, and a Jade mat. I decided on this mat for the price and the sustainable production. With the price of this mat, I was able to purchase a Hugger Mugger Tapas Travel mat, as well. I love it so far! It does smell a bit like natural rubber when it arrives. Just give it time to air out. Within a couple of weeks the smell was gone. To me, the temporary smell is worthwhile for a sustainably produced mat. I use it at home and take it to class once a week.

It's quite heavy, but I love the material because it's slip proof. It's also really pretty.

Je l'adore. Beaucoup de grip même avec des blocs de yoga. J'aime plutôt l'odeur du caoutchouc. Bonne densité.

Love it!