i bought this mat in the hopes of enjoying the benefits of the high density "black mat" made by manduka without the bulkiness of that mat. first of all, either of the manduka mats is far better than the versions other companies have produced in response to the mat's popularity. there is not the heavy industrial smell to the mat that can get in the air, your clothes, and skin. their density makes it far and away a completely different experience than the typical yoga mat. they are more stable and cushion without being squishy. they are very sturdy and resilient and will last a long time, so your yoga mats will not end up littering the environment over time. between the two manduka mats, i favor this one because it is much easier to transport and store and i do not notice any loss of comfort from the slight difference in thickness (3/16" instead of 1/4"). if you are taller or heavier than average, do very vigorous yoga workouts, or have particularly sensitive joints, you might prefer the manduka black mat, particularly as it comes in an extra long style. but i found this mat at least as stable (perhaps more so), and more versatile, just the thing for a secure and comfortable support for yoga. another option in using this mat is to lay a cotton yoga rug on top of it. the cotton absorbs sweat and can be washed easily, so your mat will last even longer and you get a more natural feel against the skin during practice. cotton rugs are the traditional support for yoga, particularly ashtanga, and this mat and rug combination is often recommended by fine teachers as the best way to get the best of both worlds. if that's not enough, the $45 price i paid through amazon is far better than i saw in stores or other websites. you just can't go wrong with this mat. 5 stars

I recently purchased this mat, (as well as the manduka mat bag), based on recommendations from various people at my yoga studio. Truthfully, I couldn't be happier with my choice. The mat feels solid during my practice, at the same time my knees and hips can feel the benefits of the extra padding. I was a little concerned that 3/8" inch thickness wouldn't provide enough cushioning, and that I should look for a mat 1/4" thick. However, I've since tried some of these and though they are more dense they don't feel as secure. Also, I don't feel the need to carry around the extra weight inherent in the thicker mat. Finally, though I originally balked because this mat costs a bit more than others, when I considered how much athletic shoes cost, and how much I save by doing a barefoot workout, I went for it. I'm definately glad I did. 5 stars

Overall I would have to say this is the best yoga mat I have ever used. I have used the mat for five weeks ~3-4 days per wk, and followed the directions for "breaking in" the mat. It is nice and sticky and provides very good stability and padding when dry.

I bought this mat however, because it was supposed to grip even when wet. I practice ashtanga style yoga and sweat a lot. Once the mat gets wet I find it to be just as slippery as any cheapo mat. 3 stars

This is an excellent mat. I recently bought mine and could feel the difference from the first practice. It is a tremendous step up from the garden variety $20 mat. There is another mat made that has more cushion than this one (I believe this company makes it too), but you may not need to shell out the extra $20 unless you have really sensitive joints/bones. With that in mind, I think this mat would suit most people's needs. I practice on a hardwood floor using this mat and was completely comfortable. This mat is very effective for more sweat inducing forms of yoga. However, it is not fool proof. A person could still slip if he or she sweats profusely. I would then suggest the user to where a pair of socks (not the most "traditionally yogic" way of doing things but effective). Otherwise, this is a great mat for anyone who practices sweat inducing yoga regualarly. 5 stars

I got this mat as a gift and, after five months, it still has that smell of PVC and whatever chemicals they use in the processing. I tried leaving it out to breathe on the patio and it still stinks.

I called up the company about this problem and they made no attempt to resolve it. Given that yoga and the yogic philosophy are all about health and peace, I feel that this mat makes it hard to really enjoy one's practice.

Do yourself a favor and buy another mat. I certainly wish I did. 1 star