Manduka eKO SuperLite Yoga Mat - 1 5mm Natural Rubber Foldable Travel Friendly Soft Textured Surface Eco-friendly

I purchased this mat for a two-week international trip to do yoga in my hotel room. I wanted something that was able to fit into a checked bag, wouldn't bunch during use and provided a good grip. This mat was a perfect fit for a 25" checked bag so that I was able to loosely lay it on top without having to make any creases and the weight was minimal. The mat quality was top notch and the rubber texture provided excellent grip. I don't have particularly sensitive knees, so the 1.5mm cushion was sufficient on both carpet and harder floor surfaces. At home I use a Lululemon Reversible Mat which provides 5mm of cushion and has an open-cell surface that absorbs moisture, whereas the Manduka is 1.5mm and has a closed-cell surface to prevent moisture from being absorbed. Even with the mat being closed-cell I never experienced any issues with slipping, though I can see it being problematic if you sweat a lot or if you're doing hot yoga. The closed-cell construction is similar to the Manduka Pro and ProLite, so if you've used those mats you know what to expect and likely have a towel handy for hot yoga. I suspect most of the negative reviews about slipping are from people who are unfamiliar with Manduka mats. The most direct competitor to this mat would be the Jade Voyager which sells at a similar price point and is also 1.5mm; however it's a full 3 inches shorter (68" vs 71"). Being on the taller side, I dislike practicing on shorter mats so the Manduka won out in that aspect. Additionally I was able to see a Voyager at a local retailer and didn't feel like the build quality was as good as the Manduka. Other options include the Manduka Pro Travel Mat 2.5mm (~$75) and the Jade Travel Yoga Mat 3mm (~$70). These mats offer additional padding if you need a mat that's softer on your knees; however they also weight more (2.4lbs and 3lbs respectively). Overall, I think the Manduka EKO Superlite finds the perfect balance for size, weight, and grip for anyone looking to bring their yoga practice with them on their travels. Read more

Bought this mat so that I can practice anywhere I travel... and it works perfectly. I keep reading about the smell of the mat being an issue and, frankly, if the smell is what you have to worry about during a yoga session, then you are blessed. I tend to have all kinds of other distractions like loud sounds, people, and small spaces... but hey, live your life. What I love about this mat is that it is foldable and fits in most carry-ons. AND you can unfold it and any creases disappear during use and can be eliminated with a quick roll-up. Which it does easily. It is stickier than my other mat (by Gaiam) and I can easily grip the mat and do everything I do on my regular mat. I find that it works best on hard floors. The grip on carpeting or towels does not work as well. I used it on a carpet and it kept sliding, so I moved to a brick floor and it worked wonderfully. That being said, if you need cushioning in your mat, this is not it. This is thin! Which is why I like it. I do have some sensitivity in my knees, but after a few uses of the mat, I hardly noticed it. Read more

Its super thin and easy to travel with. This mat also doesn't slip on various surfaces and my hand grip has been good as well. My only issue is that the cushion isn't enough, but I guess that's the trade off with the mat being thin. I need a pillow to put under my joints (I.e. knees) for yoga poses. Read more

The media could not be loaded. Manfuka pro lite is known for their durability, density, and grip. Often feature closed-cell construction to prevent sweat and bacteria from penetrating, and a textured surface to enhance grip, even when wet. Many models also come with a lifetime guarantee and are made in an emissions-free facility. The thickness should be considered on hard surfaces, while it was super light weight and great on the go, this could hurt your knees on hard surfaces. Read more

This folds like a dream! I travel for work and have ongoing back issues so it's important for me to stretch at the hotel. I packed this and it works perfectly. I like how it has a good grip. I had the other type of travel mat but it was too thick and wouldn't fold. This packs well into my carry on and is a good length. Great quality! Read more

This is the best travel mat so far I used. It is worth paying that money. It is light and has a great grip. However, when sweating, I felt that my hand was sliding a bit. The mat itself stayed on the floor firmly. The only thing one would need to compromise is the thinness. I felt that my knees would want more cushion feeling. But again the weight of the mat is great, so I used thick socks as padding for my knees. The smell is a little bit there, but it goes away with time, also if a mat spray is used. I guess this is quite natural for every synthetic product. I wish they had like a thing bag or extra grips to use when the mat is folded. Read more

I lost my original Manduka travel mat last year while I was, well, traveling. It’s not the cheapest mat, so I decided to do some comparison shopping before repurchasing the same model. After reading tons of Amazon reviews and online articles about travel yoga mats, I ordered this and two other highly recommended mats—the others were significantly less expensive. In the end, I came back to this one—it was the most flexible and easy to pack in any type of bag, it was just thick enough to cushion my joints when placed on a hotel carpet, and it has the most perfect grippy surface of any other yoga mat I’ve ever used, travel or otherwise. I knew it was durable because I’d taken my original mat on virtually every trip I’d taken for about five years of very heavy travel. It’s completely worth the investment—10/10 recommend! Read more