14 Best Yoga Mats For 2024: Expert-Tested From Just £24.99

Liforme mats are perhaps the yoga world’s worst-kept secret. Grippy, gorgeous to look at (this one comes in a whopping 11 designs) and helpfully marked with asana guides, it’s no wonder they’re a firm favourite with yogis around the world (and in the WH office).

The alignment suggestions are the best we’ve tried, helping poses feel natural and comfortable, and it’s not too heavy, which is rare for mats of this quality. It doesn’t move around on the floor either — we tested it on hard wood, stone tiles and carpet, and it stayed put throughout.

As well as helping you absolutely nail your downward dog, warrior and lizard pose, this beauty is sweat-resistant (so you can bring the heat), pleasingly thick to protect your joints (although if you have really sensitive knees you might need something thicker) and even comes with a free (and very comfy to wear) yoga bag. Plus it comes in a bunch of different colours. Sold.

Is there anything lululemon can’t do? We think not, and this yoga mat acts as proof. It’s incredibly, incredibly hard to find fault with this — the grip is outstanding (yes, including when things get sweaty), the cushioning is perfect, even on hard floors, it rolls out flat every time despite it being stored rolled up, and the various designs all look absolutely beaut.

Yes, it’s pricey, but our Health and Fitness Ecommerce Editor, who’s had hers for over five years, feels it’s totally justified, as her mat is still as grippy and gorgeous as when she first unrolled it.

If we had to quibble? There aren’t alignment guides, so if you’re after those then you’re better off opting for the Liforme mat, and it might be a little heavy for some to carry to the studio if you’re travelling far — but we still do as we can’t bear to practice on anything else.

If leopard print’s not your thing (unlikely), this also comes in plain/block colours and calming marbled patterns which add an extra dose of zen to your flow.

Yogi Bare is well known for creating beautiful, grippy mats that both perform and look the part. But their latest innovation, the ‘Ever Grip’ mat, is easily the best mat the brand has ever released.

The latest tech delivers the grippiest mat surface we’ve ever tested, for amazing support and the confidence boost you need to tackle that tricky pose you’ve been trying to nail. The even better news? Sweat stains don’t even show up on this baby.

The alignment guides aren’t as detailed as some other offerings, but this all plays into the minimalist aesthetic — speaking of, it comes in four gorgeous muted hues, this sandy colour being our fave — and it truly looks gorgeous when rolled out.

It’s truly a hit with the WH team; here’s what our Health and Fitness Ecommerce Editor Hattie had to say: ‘I didn’t think anything could sway me from my lululemon mat but this has forced me to find space for another yoga mat in my life/home. It’s just an absolute joy to move on, the calming colour palette brings balance to my practice and the grip is phenomenal.’

One of the thickest mats tested, this one is ideal if you’re looking for plenty of comfy cushioning. Lightweight with a bumpy texture, it had good grip when tested with yoga and high intensity exercise, as well as with shoes on or off.

Cleaning it is a painless experience too, as all you have to do is give it a wipe! Available in a range of pretty colours and designs.

Yes, you can have it all! If by ‘all’ you mean grip, cushioning, comprehensive alignment guides and a gorgeous design to boot. Enter this beautiful (I mean, just look at it) mat from wellness specialists Omala.

Two sets of hand/foot markers, diagonal markers (great for warrior foot positioning) and a central line make up the Asana guides, covering you for pretty much any and all poses, and you’ve got plenty of space to play with at 183 x 68 cm (that’s larger than most, FYI).

The grip is good but there is better — e.g. from Liforme, lululemon and Yogi Bare — but it’s still very supportive and we did find it increased the longer we practiced. There’s also a great level of cushioning at 5mm, to the extent that when tested this on hard floors we found we could bump down onto joints with some force and be perfectly protected. However this does mean it doesn’t roll up as neatly as some other mats.

Available in two designs.

There’s nothing more irritating than buying a brand new yoga mat only for it to fall apart after a few vinyasa classes. Fortunately, there’s no such problem with this durable offering from the experts at Complete Unity. It’s crafted from sustainably harvested tree rubber and natural jute fibres, which means the surface isn’t the smoothest, but it is resistant to wear and tear and, crucially, it’s uber sturdy – trust us, it won’t budge, whether you’re flowing on carpet, hard wood or tiles.

Our yogi was mega impressed with the mat’s CompleteGrip technology, which provided a brilliantly stable surface to get their zen on. The brand is so confident about its grip, it even offers a 30-day ‘grip guarantee’ – so if you do find yourself slipping around mid-flow, you can get your money back. Neat.

The mat earned bonus points for its eco creds. The manufacturing process is zero waste, the materials are non-toxic and vegan-friendly, and the packaging is plastic-free. A word to the wise, though, there’s no carry strap and it is on the heavy side, so it’s not one for bringing on hols.

Available in three colours.

Like Jennifer Lopez, Hailey Bieber and Victoria Beckham, we’re sold on Alo’s gorj sports bras and leggings, so it’s no surprise the brand’s popular yoga mat passed our tests with flying colours.

Coming in a range of calming colours including powder pink and jungle green, it has a non-slip surface to wick away moisture and stop you sliding around, even during the sweatiest of flows and HIIT sessions.

Our expert said the smooth, plush material felt comfortable for all positions and at 5mm thickness, it offered serious comfort and top-notch joint protection. Plus, the anti-odour finish means you don’t need to worry about this mat smelling bad, no matter how hard you work on it.

Our tester appreciated the detailed care instructions (you can find them on the Alo site) but take note, the mat is on the heavier side so it’s best suited to home workouts. If you do want to carry it around you with, the brand offers a durable carry strap.

Oh Decathlon, yet again you’ve given us just what we need before we even realised we needed it, and at a price we can absolutely stomach. This time, it’s a yoga mat made for restorative sessions such as yin yoga.

When you’re holding poses for longer periods of time, you want a mat that can keep you comfortable and your joints happy. Thankfully, at a generous 8mm thick, this one does just that.

After using this mat for a few weeks for our home yoga sessions, we can say we’re firm fans. The mat is fairly thick at 4.2mm but it still feels lightweight enough to cart around the house to take a quiet half an hour to yourself to do some much needed yoga nidra.

Keep in mind that if you go for a lighter colour you can see sweat stains. Although the mat is moisture-wicking that doesn’t happen instantly, and if you’re into sweatier workouts we’d recommend picking up the mat in black.

Lighter and easier to roll out than traditional yoga mats, this travel mat is ideal for taking on holiday (poolside yoga anyone?). The bag with a shoulder pad is a particularly nice touch, making keeping fit on the go stress free.

Extremely grippy, even when sweaty, this mat would suit yogis and general fitness fanatics alike. Our expert enjoyed the alignment system feature that helped with positioning and technique, and WH Fitness Director Bridie has used hers almost every day since investing in it two years ago.

If a mat has any green credentials, it’s a big bonus in our book. So, when we found out this one is partly made from algae (yep, the stuff from lakes and ponds), we knew we had to give it a try.

Our expert said it was one of the most comfortable mats they tested, offering mattress-levels of cushioning, and it felt soothing on their hands and feet. It was surprisingly lightweight and portable too, handy if you fancy some Pilates in the park.

Our only niggle: it wasn’t amazingly grippy, so we’d reserve it for more relaxed practices.

Do you just love leaving your mat dripping in sweat? Are you a die-hard hot yoga fan? If so, you’re probably all too aware that not all yoga mats are designed for a good sweat sesh, and as such you need a specialist mat for the job.

Cork, as well as being one of the most sustainable materials out there, makes a brilliant hot yoga partner, as its grip increases as things heat up, it’s antibacterial so can banish any odour-causing bacteria brought on by Bikram, and because it’s 100% natural (and in this case, free from dyes) no toxins are released during your practice, no matter how much moisture you douse it in. Want to boost the grip pre-flow? Simply spritz with water.

It’s not just the cork that can boast eco credentials, as this baby is backed with ethically-sourced natural rubber, giving ample cushioning for joints. It feels lovely under foot and — we know this sounds weird — smells lovely too. Plus it’s fairly light and rolls up nice and small, making it easy to store and take to the studio.

Is it a bit plain in terms of design? Yes. But if you like a no-frills, natural approach then this is a winner.

At just 85g we challenge you to find a lighter yoga mat than this one. You can toss it up in the air and catch it with one hand with zero dramas — that’s how light it is. But, happily, light on features it is not, with a central line to aid alignment, ridged sections at the top and bottom to increase grip and 5mm cushioning to protect joints.

The grip is pretty good, particularly for this price point, but being made from polymers it can’t compete with premium rubber mats from the likes of Liforme, lululemon and Yogi Bare. It is a little narrower than most mats too, and initially left a light, tacky film on our hands, but this did dissipate after a few flows.

It’s an excellent option for those just starting out who want something simple they can cart to the studio, or if you need cushioning for basic flows it does the job at a great price point and is light enough to take everywhere. However, if you’re working with poses that require a lot of grip or heavy sweat flows, it may be best to invest in something a little more luxe.

Available in three speckled colourways — the dark blue looks like a starry night sky!