The Best Yoga Mat I’ve Used & Why Yoga Professionals Concur

I’ve tried 6-7 different kinds of yoga mats over the years and there is one brand in particular that I swore my undying love to (till death do us part) but that was until I tried Jade Yoga’s Harmony Professional – a mat which many people swear is THE best.  I’m a huge fan of Baron Baptiste, and this is his mat of choice, which in itself had me intrigued. Other yoga professionals who swear by the brand include Shiva Rea, Sean Corn and Cyndi Lee to name just a few. Although that’s all good and well, it wasn’t until I tested this mat out for myself that I was able to see what all the fuss was about.

Jade Yoga is the first company to make eco-friendly yoga mats. Their mats are made from natural rubber and made in the United States in compliance with U.S. environmental laws. There is no PVC, PER, TPE or EVA used in the production of these mats.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been using Jade Yoga’s Harmony mat. The first thing I noticed when I received it was it’s scent. There is a natural rubber smell that you’ll notice when you start using it although it has pretty much disappeared over 3 weeks of constant use. Jade Yoga uses open cell technology, so there is a REAL grip with no chance of slipping or sliding no matter how much sweat is involved (yes, even with hot yoga!). Open-cell rubber is softer and more grippy compared to closed-cell, but you”ll find that grit, hair and other things stick to it more easily. Just be sure to have a clean surface to work on and you should be fine.

I do a variety of different workouts ranging from Vinyasa Yoga and Buti Yoga to aerobics and dance. This mat does not budge no matter what my routine is – a boon when you’re coming in and out of chaturanga!

The Harmony Professional Yoga Mat is 3/16″ thick and comes in a large selection of colors. It’s solid but light enough to tote to and from yoga class – a great all-purpose mat if that’s what you’re looking for! Another reason why I love Jade Yoga is that they have a partnership with Trees for the Future. For every yoga mat you purchase from them, they plant a tree.

You can purchase JadeYoga mats directly through their website, Canadians can do so through their Canadian distributor.

Disclosure: JadeYoga sent us a mat for review purposes. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.