Yoga mats can be divided into five categories according to their materials:
NBR, because the foaming agent and filler used are very different, the quality of NBR floor mats is very different. Inferior NBR floor mats often have a strong smell, which may even lead to skin allergies.
NBR cushion features: low price (within 100 yuan), good resilience, and large thickness (above 10mm), but the durability and skid resistance are average.
Representative brands: Upanishads, Jade Bird
PVC is actually the material of all kinds of plastics we see every day. At present, this kind of yoga mat has been eliminated by the market because of its poor elasticity and long use time.
TPE, TPE is the abbreviation of thermoplastic elastomer, which has the advantages of both plastic and rubber, and has good anti-skid and rebound effects. Moreover, it is the most mainstream yoga mat material at present because of its low foaming degree, less filler, less general smell and better safety.
TPE cushion features: moderate price (50-200), good resilience, good anti-slip effect and strong durability.
Representative brands: Upanishads, Jade Bird and Hada.
Rubber, at present, most of the mass market is PU rubber pad. The surface of PU rubber pad is made of polyurethane film and attached to rubber substrate at high temperature. Made of anti-slip, skin-friendly and water-absorbent pads, it has excellent touch and is the highest evaluation among several materials. The disadvantage is that it is afraid of oil, difficult to handle, absorbs dust, smells like rubber, and more importantly, it is expensive.
Representative brands: Hatta, Aoyi and Jade Bird.
All the materials and brands I mentioned above are aimed at the general mass market. Others, such as cork yoga mats, jute yoga mats, suede yoga mats, etc., are not mainstream choices in terms of cost or application scenarios. The recommended brands are also based on public parity, such as Manduka, Luluemon and liforme, which are too expensive for local tyrants to choose. After all, apart from being expensive, there is really nothing wrong with these.
Secondly, in terms of thickness, 8mm or 6mm is generally recommended. Cushions as thick as 10mm and 15mm are not easy to feel the ground and keep balance. In fact, they are more suitable for making fitness mats than for practicing yoga.
If you choose a higher-end rubber pad, the current mainstream is generally within 5 mm