Customer Reviews

(Price/Each)Hugger Mugger Tapas Performance Mat

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

To give you some idea of my perspective, my family does yoga pretty frequently but we are not hardcore about it. We don't know styles by names or practice for hours at a time, but multiple times per week we'll run anything from a 10 minute destressor to a 30 minute core workout or MAYBE a Tony Horton's Yoga X... in other words, we're more familiar with what to expect from Rodney Yee than knowing what ashtanga or shivyana or whatever the styles are (I'm certain those aren't spelled right, but that's kind of my point).

We've all used the $15-$20 mats that are usually sold out of a cardboard box some place like Target or TJ Maxx. They are OK intro mats and beat using a towel by itself but leave much to be desired in terms of cushion, comfort, grip, and smell.

On the other end of the spectrum I have a really nice Manduka mat that retails for more like $80 or $90.

But is it worth it? This is where level of use becomes very important. If you're reading this you're already aware that you're not getting your full "time's worth" from yoga with a $20 big box mat that smells like PVC, but you're wondering how much nicer a "nice" yoga mat really is.

The answer is a LOT nicer. When you use a mat like this your senses are not being assaulted with chemical odor and you can really feel connected to your grounding. We also use our mats for cardio and they actually feel *good* on your feet. These nice mats are WAY better than the $20 jobbies at the national chains.

I also must confess that, as much as I love my Manduka, I can't say it is really all that much nicer than this mat (just considerably more expensive). It's not the exact same material, the Manduka does have slightly more cushion, but this mat is very very comparable in performance, at least for us. Those who are doing hot yoga for hours at a time are doubtless aware of things I am not, but for light-to-moderate yoga and cardio this mat is AWESOME.

Bottom line: while this mat isn't exactly cheap, it offers a HUGE increase in performance over an entry level mat but at a much lower cost than the super high end mats (that you may see very little advantage to). This is an excellent balance of factors, and isn't that what yoga is all about? :)

I hope this is helpful information. If I can answer anything else leave a comment, or please rank if helpful. Thanks!

The Hugger Mugger Tapas Performance Mat (Price/Each), Hugger Mugger Tapas Mat, Yoga Mat (used to be called the Mandara) was a great upgrade from the first (no brand?) mat I bought for around $20 at a discount retail store.

MY FIRST MAT
The (no brand?) mat I started yoga with was more lightweight, had more padding, and had a slick surface that was relatively easy to clean. It was also inexpensive.

However, the mat was horrible. I started out with Ashtanga yoga, which involves lots of movement across the mat. It began to disintegrate after a few months, leaving tiny pieces of itself all over the studio and the house. The padding was entirely unnecessary and actually made me feel unbalanced. And, I sweat a lot during practice, so the slick surface was a nightmare. It was a low-cost way to get into yoga, but I got what I paid for.

THIS MAT IS BETTER IN EVERY WAY
The Hugger Mugger mat is a little heavy, and not especially well suited to lugging around long distances. Of course, this doesn't matter for most of us, because we are just going down the street on our bikes, walking from the parking lot into the studio, or practicing at home. The weight seems to translate into a sturdier mat.

The mat is not heavily padded. It is 1/4" thick, which seems to be about the same as my first mat, but it is made of a much denser material. I have not found this to be an issue at all for working on my knees or doing shoulder stands. I feel like it gives me protection from the hard floor, while supporting me so that I do not lose my balance.

The mat was a tiny bit sticky at first. It was not enough to help much for heavy practice, and it is not sticky anymore. Still, I slide a lot less on the mat. If you sweat a lot like me, you may want to try Yogitoes (Yogitoes Skidless Premium Mat-Size Yoga Towel).

After seeing a lot of mats in the studios, and using a few different kinds, I think this one seems to be the best all-around mat. I expect it will last me for a few years, so it was well worth the cost.

Get this mat if you think the Manduka Black Mat Pro is overpriced for a newbie (like me). My friend is a Yoga instructor who uses the Manduka, but recommended this mat when I indicated the Manduka was too expensive for me. When she got on the mat, she said it was just as good as her Manduka "without the bad smell".
The only other mats I've ever used were borrowed, so I'm not even sure what brands they were, but this mat is better those those were because it's thicker and stickier. It provides good padding for my banged up knee (I had major reconstructive knee surgery a few years ago).

The mat really does make a big difference, I went crazy going to yoga without my hugger mugger mat this past week!
Super sticky + Super dense = superb performance. The cheap mats are too slippery and the mold to your feet when you stand on them.

I had this mat for a year and after doing bikram yoga 5x per week the mat still looked new... I had to buy another one because I wrecked this one in my washer. Be really careful if washing this thing in a washing machine :) I tried the Aurora mat that got rave reviews here and it was terrible so I returned it (it was very flimsy).

This mat is excellent because of it's stickiness and it's density. My yogi toes towel doesn't slide at all on it and it doesn't mold in despite being so thick. The downside of this higher density is that it is a bit heavy, but the mats that flex when used are no good, so it's a necessary downside.

The Manduka pro $80 is probably better and that one is even heavier, and I considered it, but at under $50 you can't do better.

Good luck!

After trying several other mats that fell apart rather quickly I wanted to buy a mat that would last a while. I debated between the Manduka and the Hugger Mugger and ultimately decided on the Hugger Mugger based on the price difference. So far I have been extremely happy with my purchase. The Hugger Mugger is definitely sturdy and the extra long mat has been a wonderful help to my yoga practice. I would say that while traction is pretty good I still find my hands sliding sometimes in down dog (just ordered a yogitoes). The bottom line is that if you are looking for a very good reasonably priced yoga mat you should consider trying the Hugger Mugger I think you'l be as satisfied as I have been with the purchase.

I had a 10+yr old Tapas mat, 1/8" thick, and it was starting to feel like not enough padding for my now-10+yrs-older knees. I like having extra space, so wanted a longer & wider mat - my old mat was 68x24, this is 72x26, and I like the extra space. I wouldn't have minded a little extra width, but the next step up is the prana Revolution at something like 36", and I felt like that was too much. I love the extra padding, I can really feel the difference. As others have mentioned, right out of the package there's a strong smell. I didn't bother with any of the washing business, and after two weeks of use it's mostly dissipated on its own. I'm not a big "purple" fan, but I didn't want a black mat, and I find I like the Concord more with each use. It's not an in-your-face purple, it's a dark tone but more interesting than black would be.

It does roll up a lot thicker than my old mat, so I had to go with a new bag - I splurged on the Manduka practice bag, which at 32" in length has enough room to get the mat in without wrestling.

Overall VERY satisfied with this purchase.

I got this mat purely based on reviews after considering Jade, Manduka, Lululemon, and others. Before I had a cheap $20 one from Target and wanted a thicker, less slippery mat. The thickness and size are definitely awesome, but I found the mat to be really slippery when used by itself, even if I haven't sweat much yet! However, when I put a bath towel over it it actually isn't slippery at all, which might explain why a lot of people buy Yogitoes. I was just hoping to find a mat that I could use by itself. I was trying to avoid getting Yogitoes but I might as well I guess since practically everyone in my yoga class, even those with $100 mats, have them. Oh well.

I am not using this as a yoga mat. Instead I am using it under four stools that provide seating at my kitchen counter. I wanted something to act as a rug and to protect my wood floors from stools sliding around. I also wanted something that would be easy to clean up after kids dropped food, etc.

This works perfectly. It is 1/4" thick, so it also provides a nice cushion.

It took several days for the roll to flatten out.

This really is my favorite mat of all the "pro mats", however, it is not the same mat as the original Hugger Mugger Mandara. It is thinner and slightly lighter than the original. This is the reason for only 4 stars. This may be a plus for some people, but I really enjoy a thicker mat with a little more cushion. I like the feel and texture of this mat and it will not slide or bunch up during practice. It will still get a little slippery if your practice is sweaty, but I just put a hand towel across the top for my hands and it works great. Of all the mats I have tried, I find this one to be the least slippery. This is my top choice for a professional quality yoga mat and the price is very reasonable. If you are a beginner or a yoga teacher, you will not be dissapointed with this mat.

I had a cheap mat & will never go back. I love this mat: not slippery, not smelly, good looking, large, durable.