Gaiam Cork Yoga Mat, 5mm

I have not used this mat, but it is my best seller at my studio, and people LOVE IT! We sweat buckets in our classes, and people find that they don't need a towel for grip (or just wipe up their puddles as needed)--they love the lightweight-ness of it and that it's antimicrobial! People ask for this so much that I can't keep it in stock (I sell all ranges of mats)! It doesn't seem to ever completely lay flat on it's own, but once your standing on it and practicing, I don't think anyone actually cares at that point (saw some complaints about that). I recommend rolling it loosely, and lay it out to dry between hot yoga sessions, because you may pull it out the next day and it'll still be wet. I tell my students that this mat is the perfect middle ground between the porous spongy "cheap" mats (which generally last 6 months or so with hot yoga), and the high-end expensive mats, which are typically durable but often hurt the student's wallet. People love it! So this is like 25 reviews in one!

I got this as a gift from my sister and it is the best mat I've had so far. It doesn't roll out to be completely flat but I don't mind that, a mat doesn't have to be perfectly flat to have a satisfying practice on it. I follow the instructions in the initial wrapping that recommend getting it a little damp before use to increase grip and it works great. The only con I can see is it takes some accuracy to roll it back up like it originally came but if you take your time it's really not a problem. It even comes with a carrying strap!

I personally enjoy my cork mat. I saw other comments that discuss this mat and thought I would contribute. First, this mat does not lay flat. I have taken this mat many times to classes and I can attest to that. However, I don't need the mat to lay flat to enjoy my practice. Second, the mat is not grippy, as a result I have chosen not to take this mat to an active vinyasa flow class. I am an active vinyasa practitioner AND an active yin practitioner. This mat is beyond perfect for a yin/restorative class. Its soft and durable, I get a lot of compliments on it at class and my pets aren't scratching it up so quickly when I practice at home. This mat is great when properly applied to a specific practice. If you practice yin or restorative, this is the mat for you.

I do like the mat, I use it for hot yoga and for yoga sculpt fusion classes. The only thing that bugs me is that it only rolls up the way that I bought it, with the cork side out. I've heard that a few customers tried to roll it with the cork side in and it cracked so I don't even want to try rolling it the other way, but it does let lay totally flat - the edges curve down into the floor and it raises it up - even after using it for several weeks. You can kind of see it in the back of the mat in the product video...

I love this mat. My Cat's don't claw it like they have done the softer ones. It's great for yoga, cardio & strength training.

Everyone of these mats that I've sold has been returned because people are sliding on them. We do not offer hot yoga at my studio, but I think these mats would perform better with sweaty hands.

This mat feels very comfortable - the cork and the 5mm thickness is nice on knees and wrists. However, it doesn't unroll well at all - I have to weigh the edges down with books to keep it from rolling back up. And the cork itself, while soft and smooth, I don't find to be very grippy and I slide around on it. I think it's a great idea, but the execution wasn't great.

Besides being overly firm, this mat would not stop trying to roll back up, even during after an hour in Pilates class. There was nothing I could do, including weighing it down with heavy water bottles, towels, etc. to stop it. This is unusable, like trying to tame a snake.

Unfortunately, this was the first "quality" yoga mat I have ever purchased. I had been through multiple thin "cheap" mats. They seem to serve their purpose, but I felt that since I have been committed to my yoga practice for over a year, it was time to purchase a "quality" mat. I purchased this mat and a carrying strap at Dick's Sporting Goods. After I took the mat out of its packaging, I attempted to put the strap around the mat so I could pack it with my yoga equipment. The mat immediately cracked. The mat has continued to crack more each time I have used it. The cork and charcoal combination appealed to me on two levels. First, the design matches my home decor style. Second, I thought the cork would be beneficial to cut down on slipping in certain yoga potions. Unfortunately, I have been unable to return this product. I would not recommend this. I feel it needs to be discontinued totally.

Not recommended