For those who’ve been skipping your favourite vinyasa flows attributable to cranky joints, one of the best thick yoga mat will help you take pleasure in your apply once more—with out the discomfort. “Thicker yoga mats—1 / 4 inch (6 millimeters) or extra—are really useful if a pupil has delicate joints or [needs] knee or wrist help,” Tonya Brueggemeyer-Proctor, the nationwide yoga trainer operation supervisor at Life Time, tells SELF.
If that sounds such as you, you’re in luck. We’ve examined tons of yoga mats over time, a lot of which play properly with our our bodies—from our elbows to our knees to our hips to our again. Higher nonetheless, you could find a high-quality, joint-friendly mat at just about any worth level. Store our picks under, then learn on to study extra about the advantages of practising yoga on a soft floor.
Our high picks
- Greatest General: Bala The Play Mat, $129
- Greatest Funds Choose: All in Movement Premium Health Mat, $33
- Greatest for Scorching Yoga: Manduka Professional Yoga Mat, $138
- Greatest Funds Choose for Scorching Yoga: Gaiam Dry-Grip Yoga Mat, $70
- Greatest Foldable Mat: Lululemon The Foldable Mat, $118
- Greatest Dimension Choices: Hugger Mugger Tapas Extremely Yoga Mat, $62
On this article
Store one of the best thick yoga mats
Say goodbye to ache factors—and say whats up to a lot chiller flows.
Greatest General: Bala The Play Mat
“Common yoga mats typically depart my wrists in ache as a result of they’re simply too skinny and do not shield my joints from the ground practically sufficient,” SELF’s senior commerce editor says. “My Bala mat, nonetheless, is so thick that I can do downward canines and solar salutations with out lacking a beat.” The Play Mat clocks in at eight millimeters thick and offers a wonderful, impact-absorbing basis to your exercises.
Our editor additionally notes that, whereas the Play Mat is lots plush, it doesn’t make her really feel like she’s doing yoga in mattress: “It has simply the correct quantity of cushioning, however doesn’t really feel squishy both.”
Dimensions: 71 x 26.50 inches | Thickness: 8 millimeters | Weight: 12 kilos
Greatest Funds Choose: All in Movement Premium Health Mat
All in Movement’s budget-friendly, extra-thick yoga mat gained a 2024 SELF House Health Award for its versatility and sturdiness. Our tester had hers for 3 years when she really useful it for the Awards final yr, and it’s nonetheless going sturdy. She frequently makes use of it on uneven flooring like carpeting and out of doors decks with out challenge and feels noticeable strain reduction round her fingers, knees, and toes.
Dimension: 72 x 24 inches | Thickness: 15 millimeters | Weight: 3 kilos
Greatest for Scorching Yoga: Manduka Professional Yoga Mat
The very best-selling Manduka Professional earned the title of “the Rolls-Royce of yoga mats” from considered one of our House Health Award judges. It strikes a powerful stability between cushioning and stability, Holly Perkins, CSCS, informed us. “I really like that it feels so substantial and doesn’t transfer on the ground—it stays caught! It’s thicker than most yoga mats, so it’s [also] nice for power workouts, however not so thick that your toes stick in and are unstable,” she defined.
Due to its grip—on each the highest and backside layers—this mat is very nice for sizzling yoga courses. You gained’t slip by yourself sweat or fear about your mat sliding all around the studio flooring.
Dimension: 71 x 26 inches | Thickness: 6 millimeters | Weight: 7.50 kilos
Greatest Funds Choose for Scorching Yoga: Gaiam Dry-Grip Yoga Mat
You may get nice grip for lower than $100 if you store Gaiam’s Dry-Grip mat. SELF’s affiliate artwork director loves its just-right thickness—and we like that it’s pure rubber- and latex-free, for individuals who could also be delicate to these supplies.







