Customer Reviews

Jade Harmony Professional 68-Inch x 3/16-Inch Yoga Mat (Midnight Blue)

5 star:		(116)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I enjoyed using this Jade mat for the past 10 months or so. My only real gripe is that it wore out so quickly. To be fair, though, it didn't last any longer or shorter than my previous mats. But for the price, I had hoped that I could get more than a year of use out of it.

The mat is heavier and thicker than most mats. It is also, at least initially, perhaps a little less sticky than some of the other mats I've used. Once in a while I did have some trouble slipping on the mat during my practice, but this was due to sweat, and I doubt any other mat would perform better in this respect.

For the money, I would probably go for a Manduka mat. That's what I've switched to, and I have no complaints. The benefit of a Jade mat, however, is that it is more ecologically friendly since it is, I believe, constructed entirely out of biodegradable material, which is something you can't say for most mats, including the Manduka.

I've used a Jade harmony yoga mat for more than 2 years in a regular vinyasa practice. I remember it had a rubber smell at first, but the smell didn't bother me at all (it's weird but I actually liked the smell).

I saw a couple reviewers said it was slippery and not durable - I have had the opposite experience. It's lasted more than 2 years and still has much life to it. It's slightly worn where my downdog hands and feet go, but has actually given me more traction in those places. I should also say I'm an advanced yogi and am very rough on it. It's also great for traction. I've tried Wai Lana and other mats and this one is definitely the best. It does get slippery if I'm completely drenched with sweat, so I don't practice hot yoga without a towel on it. But I typically sweat a lot and my slippage is fairly minimal.

Tip for cleaning - every 3-4 practices I take my mat in the shower with me and rinse both sides with water, then let hang dry. No chemicals and it's kept it clean and in great condition. I can't speak highly enough of this mat.

The mat is indeed very non-slip when it's clean. But when it's not clean, it's very slick, worse than the worst sticky mat. The problem is that its open cell construction (like a sponge) soaks up sweat and body oils voraciously. The only way to clean it thoroughly is to soak it because the oils and such soak deep into the mat and wiping doesn't clean it. Since it's a big rubber sponge it takes days to dry after soaking it. Even worse than the slipping is that it starts to stink pretty quickly when it's not clean. So it's been quite a chore keeping my mat clean enough to enjoy. I'm tossing this one when it turns six months and going back to a normal sticky mat. I'd rather deal with the slipping using a towel than bother with cleaning this mat anymore.

I had been on the lookout for a decent non-slip mat for some time. Fortunately, not only did I find a good one, but it's environmentally friendly too! And in colors (early rubber mats were in white...snore)!

The cushion is nice too, especially if you attend classes at a studio with a hard floor surface (those thin, plastic mats just don't cut it on hardwood). It *is* heavier than the average mat, so you'll feel the difference rolling it up and carrying it around. Plus it doesn't slide in and out of my cloth yoga mat bag like the plastic mats, so I've given up the mat bag for velcro straps. There's a heavy rubber smell in the beginning, but that goes away with time.

Easy to clean too ~ I just rub down with anti-bacterial wipes. I can't comment on durability yet, as I've only had this mat for about 3 months. But I use it nearly every day and drag it back and forth to class, and it's as solid as the day I bought it.

I was so frustrated with those so called "sticky mats" and skidless towels, I left everything to try a jade harmony mat.
This product worked really well for my slipping issues. When my yoga classes get really hot however, i do notice I may slide a little in down dog but it is nothing like any other mat I've tried.

Some people complain about the weight of the rubber mat, since it comes in 3 different thicknesses. Since I have scoliosis and want to carry as little as possible on my back, I chose to get the thinnest rubber mat (1/8" travel mat). While at the yoga studio, I place one of their common mats under my mat for added cushion. I also recommend doing this since the rubber mat tends to be a dust magnet. So if the floor isn't the cleanest (say if you practice at a gym studio), dust, hair and fuzz tends to attract to the mat.

The smell of the harmony mat is overwhelming when you first get it. It would make my entire room smell of rubber when I was trying to air it out. The smell, however, fortunately goes away over time. Just make sure you air it out for as much as possible.

I've had my harmony mat for about 10 months now and I don't notice any wear on it.

After using a Jade Harmony Yoga Mat, I will never use anything else. In the past, I had always preferred extra thick mats to give me extra cushioning. What I like about this mat is while it is the standard mat thickness, it gives more cushioning than any extra thick mat that I have ever used. I cannot feel the floor beneath me when using this mat because it is such a sturdy and dense mat. I can't see any reason to really even look at the extra thick version of this mat since the standard is so good. Also, it has the best traction of any mat I have ever used. I've slipped on other mats in the past, but every time I have gone into a pose on this mat I have been firmly plated. Being that this is made from natural rubber, there is a rubbery smell to it but it is not as bad as some of the reviews would have you believe, and no worse than any other mat I have used. Every instructor at the studio where I practice uses Jade mats, and several students do as well. I took their advice and got one, and am so happy that I did. These are the best mats that I have seen, and I will never go back to using anything else.

I have tried many of the "name" brand yoga mats (including Manduka). They all have their weaknesses. And everyone has their own body, yoga style, and preferences. That said, this mat comes closest to meeting all my needs. I particularly like the extra length. It's not enough to get in the way in the yoga studio, but it is enough keep me from stepping off on those wide stances. And I am considered average height for a man. I have bony knees and I would have preferred a little more cushioning, but the thicker version of this mat (which I also own) I find to have too much give for balancing poses.

At the studio, they have some Jades that are over a year old, and they have a great grip. There must be some factory coating on this, because it does get a little slippery at times...but nowhere near as much as the other mat's I've tried. I just purchased this mat as I started Yoga Teacher Training to be my main mat and I am very satisfied.

Generally, this mat is pricey, but an Amazon seller had a great price and it arrived really fast.

When you first get this mat, the eau de rubber is overpowering. Eventually, it does subside, but for me it never went away. Perhaps because the mat itself only lasted about three months. Indeed it was quite sticky, for a few practices. After about a month, the traction tapered off and it started to pill and crumble. A few months later, it was at the curb, er, I mean, recycling plant. Go with the Manduka. It's not great either, but WAY better than this.

These mats are much more "sticky" than the average mat even when I am sweating from a hot practice. They are also thicker and can be purchased in a longer version (good for tall people and angle or lunge poses). Some people are bothered by the rubber smell - I hung mine over a rod for a week and it seems fine. The sustainability was important to me too - a natural product helps me feel more connected to the world than a petroleum product. I recommend these to my students and to you too!

THE GOOD: Performance! I'm a vinyasa teacher and I teach 10+ classes a week and also keep up a vigorous personal practice, so I need a mat that can really perform. I work with a lot of jump-throughs, arm balances and other precarious poses requiring serious grip of my mat, and I just love how secure and confident I feel on the Jade Harmony. It's nice to be able to do things like jumping into bakasana from down dog without worrying if your hands are going to slide out from under you! I have to get insanely sweaty to feel even the slightest hint of slipperiness. I know some people complain about slipping when it gets really sweaty, but if you know of any surface in the world that does not become slippery when soaking wet, make a yoga mat out of it and get rich, baby! Until that day, this is hella-grippy and if I know I'm going to be sweating buckets I just bring a hand towel, duh.

THE REALLY GOOD: Jade is a great company and you can feel good about spending your hard-earned money on their product. By now you've read about how they plant a tree for every mat they sell, how the mats are made in the US (hooray for US jobs!) and that they are completely biodegradable (hooray earth!).

THE FINE PRINT: First, you must never, ever leave this mat exposed to direct sunlight. Put it in the trunk of your car, covered. Use an old junky mat for outdoor practice (or just touch the actual earth for once... dirt is cool!). Sunlight will RUIN the stickiness of a Jade mat. It does say this on the label and the website, but I forgot and left my first one in the backseat of my car and the part that was exposed totally dried. I've seen other people ruin theirs too so don't do it! Second, this mat is made from natural rubber and is biodegradable which means it will BIODEGRADE! How long yours will hold up depends on how hard you work it and for how many days a week. With my teaching/practice schedule (see above), I get about a year out of one of these (I've had three). Eventually I wear grooves in the places where my hands and feet go in down dog and then little bits of rubber start coming off. At that point, I accept that my mat's time has come and treat myself to a new one.

If you want a forever mat, get the Manduka Black Mat Pro. It will never break down, but you will need a towel if you're super sweaty. Also, it's extremely heavy.

The Jade mat is made with open-cell rubber, which is why it's so grippy. Other eco-mats are closed-cell, so while you may have a more environmentally friendly mat, you'll be slipping more. Some people worry about the cleanliness factor of the open-cell construction.... In my experience a quick wipe-down after class using a spray bottle of water with a few drops of tea tree oil is fine for daily maintenance, and once a month or so you can submerge it in your bathtub with a splash of vinegar and then hang (not in the sun!) to dry. Try rolling it up in a big towel and stepping on it to get the initial water load out... it will dry faster.

Happy practicing!