Its official, yoga has become huge for men in America. Now you’re Googling things like “the best yoga mats for men” because you’re ready to give yoga a try. Congratulations!
But a yoga mat is the one tool you absolutely must have for class (unless you like the dirty rented mats at the studio) and there’s quite a variety to choose from.
Worry not my yogi friend, we’ve outlined all our favorite mens yoga mats below and included budget friendly as well as the highest quality options for you to look at. We’ve also included our favorite for hot yoga, traveling, etc. so there’s something for you no matter what your preferences.
Let’s dive in…
Best yoga mat for tall guys
Manduka Pro
The Manduka pro is one of our overall favorite yoga mats. It’s offered in multiple sizes including an extra long and wide version that works great for taller men. We love the Manduka because it offers a lifetime warranty which means you never have to buy another yoga mat if yours is ever damaged. Additionally, the Manduka pro is an ultra durable mat that’s 6 mm thick and made from a dense, body-friendly PVC.
Our favorite feature of this mat is that it’s 26 inches wide which is a full 2 inches wider than the standard yoga mat. This may not sound like a lot but when you’re down on the mat, that extra 2” is often the difference between having your knees on the hard floor and having your knees on the soft mat.
Manduka Pro is an investment and more expensive than the average yoga mat you’ll find at Walmart. But it’s worth the money if your a guy who does regular yoga or plans on doing yoga a few times a week.
Best Yoga Mat for Men With Sensitive Joints
Jade Fusion
The Jade Fusion is an ultra-popular yoga mat among pros in the yoga game. It comes in at 8 mm thick and it’s made from a natural tree rubber that’s been sustainably harvested. It is a heavy mat since it’s made from natural rubber, and it also may have a slight rubber smell when you first open it. That smell will diminish over time, but if you absolutely hate the smell of rubber you may want to go a different direction.
What we love about the Jade is that at 8 mm thick, it provides some of the best cushioning for men with sensitive joints. Another perk of this mat is that it’s very dense and doesn’t stretch when pressure is applied in opposite directions. The natural rubber surface has an exceptional grip and the Jade can work in almost any yoga environment.
Best Yoga Mat for Travelers
Yogo Travel Yoga Mat
If you’ve been struck with a wanderlust and need your daily dose of yoga on the go, the Yogo travel mat may be your best friend. This brilliantly designed yoga mat folds up to be the size of a newspaper so it can fit in any bag.
Its patented folding design also means that the bottom of your mat will never touch the top of your mat so germs cannot be spread from the floor. This is perfect if you’re ever doing yoga in an Amsterdam hostel hallway.
The Yogo also has two clips that keep it tightly folded after you’re done with your session. The clips also work as hangers for your mat so you can hang it over the shower rod after rinsing it off to let it dry.
Best Yoga Mat for Men on a Budget
Heathyoga Eco-friendly Yoga Mat
We get it, you can’t always buy an expensive yoga mat for something you might not be fully invested in. Our favorite budget yoga mat is the Heathyoga eco friendly yoga mat. It features alignment marks similar to the Lifeform yoga mat, demonstrates an exceptional grip, comes in lots of great colors, and holds up very well for a budget-friendly yoga mat.
Best Yoga Mat For Men With Sweaty Hands
Lifeform Yoga Mat
The Lifeform yoga mat is one of our favorite yoga mats overall. if you’re in the market for quality, then you will get that with this yoga mat. What we like about the Lifeform is that the ends don’t curl when you set it down. It plops in place fully adhered to the ground and ready for any pose you can throw at it.
It has an exceptional ability for absorbing sweat and is specifically designed for hot yoga. This mat has been tested in many environments and always performs above expectations.
We also love that it can work equally well in non heated yoga and features alignment markings that always help you stay centered on your mat. This is “hands down” our favorite hot yoga mat for men and hot yoga.
More Yoga Mats We Love
Yoga Design Labs Combination Mat
The combination mat is another option for those who enjoy hot yoga. While it works equally well in unheated yoga, it’s called the combination mat because it has a built-in yoga towel.
This towel helps to prevent sweat from pooling around your hands and the grip increases as you sweat. This is a good alternative to the Lifeform yoga mat if you’re on a limited budget but need something sweat resistant.
Yoloha Cork Yoga Mat
We love cork yoga mats because they are sustainably harvested, naturally antimicrobial, and don’t require a break-in period. The Yoloha yoga mat is unique in that it’s offered in multiple extra wide sizes.
With this mat you can choose a 26” or 30” widths which provides you plenty of real estate between you and your sweaty neighbors. This is a top quality yoga mat and if you’re a fan of cork, sustainable harvesting, and body friendly materials, it’s worth the investment.
Manduka PROlite
The Manduka PROlite is the baby brother of the Manduka pro. It’s just under 5 mm thick and weighs about 2-3 pounds less than the full size Manduka pro. Its grip is similar to the pro which is excellent. It also has a closed cell surface which is very easy to clean and it’s offered in 71 inch and 79 inch lengths to accommodate taller men. Overall the pro light is a very reliable and trustworthy men’s yoga mat that also comes in nice, muted masculine colors.
Hugger Mugger Para Rubber
The Hugger Mugger para rubber has mixed reviews. This is one of those mats that you either love or hate. Those who love it, really love it. Those who hate it, really hate it.
With that said, we’ve found this yoga mat to be very good quality and one that we really like. It has exceptional grip, it’s made from a dense natural rubber that provides great cushioning for your joints, and you can feel that it’s a quality yoga mat when you pick it up.
We’ve used this for quite some time and never had any issues with it. But some people complain that it’s too heavy or smells too much like rubber. While it’s not our number one favorite mat, we do like this mat and it is a great option for men of all shapes and sizes.
How to Choose a Mens Yoga Mat
When it comes time to choose a yoga mat you might be asking yourself, what’s the difference? Well there is no one-size-fits-all yoga mat and there are as many variations of mats as there are poses in yoga. There are a few things to consider before making your final purchase though…
Thickness
The thickness of your mat controls two variables of your experience:
- The cushioning for your joints
- The grip
As far as the cushioning of your joints goes, the thicker the mat the more cushioning you will have. If you’re someone who has sensitive joints, then you want a mat that’s at least 6 mm thick. There are yoga mats that are 1/2 inch to 3/4 of an inch which can be good for joint support. However, these thick mats tend to stretch when you apply opposing pressure on them such as in positions like downward dog.
The thickness of your mat influences the grip because thicker mats tend to sink in a little more which increases your staying power on the mat.
Grip
If you’re a guy who gets sweaty hands, then you want to pay special attention to the grip of your yoga mat. Aim for a textured surface instead of a smooth one. You may also want to use a yoga towel on top of your mat if you find that you have extra sweaty palms and feet or have trouble staying on the mat. Alternatively, you can use a combination yoga mat that works for both hot yoga and regular yoga because they have the towel built into the mat. Our favorites are the Lifeform and the Combination yoga mat.
Your Preferred Style of Yoga
The type of yoga you do the most will influence the style of mat you need. Most yoga mats are built for regular non-heated versions of yoga. However, if you prefer hot yoga, then you want to use a mat that’s built specifically for hot yoga. Our favorite hot yoga mat is the Lifeform yoga mat which has the built-in towel, exceptional grip, and it can absorb buckets of sweat.
Summary
Whether you’re just starting your yoga practice or you’re committed to daily yoga, you can’t go wrong with the mats on this list. We’ve studied and reviewed a dozens of yoga mats at this point and these are the best yoga mats for men no matter how tall, short, skinny, or wide you may be. If we left something off or you have a men’s yoga mat that you prefer – please let us know about it in the comments below!