7 Best Hot Yoga Mats in 2024

You’ve been getting into hot yoga lately, and it’s feeling great. Go you! Hot yoga definitely feels like a workout that’ll stick, unlike that short stint with Spin. But if you’re paying to rent a yoga mat and no-slip towel every time you practice, you may begin to feel the strain… on your wallet. If that’s the case, it’s time to invest in one of the best hot yoga mats — one that will hold up to regular practice and your sweaty bod.

While our favorite hot yoga mat is the Manduka PRO, there are a number of excellent options out there. Here’s our specialized guide to finding the best yoga mat for hot yoga.

Our Top Picks: Best Hot Yoga Mats

Short on time? Check out the top picks:

Manduka is one of the most recognizable names in yoga accessories, and that’s largely thanks to one product: The Manduka PRO Yoga Mat.

This mat is the multi-tool of the yoga world. Made from ultra-durable (and consciously sourced) PVC, the Manduka PRO boasts a closed-cell design ideal for all types of yoga, from Bikram to Vinyasa. It’s also one of the most comfortable mats around, thanks to the 6mm of thick, cushy foam that supports your joints during strenuous poses. Combine that with the proprietary dotted design for unbeatable traction (even when wet), and you’ve found one of the safest mats on the market. 

It’s also incredibly spacious and comes with a lifetime warranty. The only cons are that it’s heavy and expensive. But that’s a small price to pay for a reliable tool that’s guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Looking for something more environmentally-friendly? The Manduka eKO boasts all-natural rubber construction, sourced from sustainable farms in the Amazon. In other words, this mat is entirely biodegradable and toxin-free. Not only that, but the entire manufacturing process is eco-friendly and 100% zero waste. Wow!

The Manduka eKO has a lot of traction when wet, which is vital for hot yoga, so you don’t slip in your downward dog. The mat also has a closed-cell surface with a horizontal wave pattern that helps you maintain your grip. It has more of a sticky feel than a fabric-like texture and is 5mm thick.

Yogis found this mat to have a great balance of cushioning, traction, and handling moisture. The only downside is it’s not cheap, and it emits a strong rubber smell for the first few weeks.

Yoga isn’t about owning the fanciest mat or the best accessories. On the contrary, it’s about centering yourself in the here and now. And if you’re on a tight budget, that’s totally okay — especially since the IUGA Yoga Mat rivals high-end models at a fraction of the price.

This closed-cell TPE yoga mat isn’t just eco-friendly and SGS-certified. It’s also one of the grippiest options out there, thanks to a double-sided bone pattern that expands across the mat. Unroll the mat flat on the floor, hop on, and feel safe and comfortable practicing on 6mm of cushiony foam.

Still not sold? The IUGA is also one of the lightest options on the market, weighing in at just 2 pounds! Overall, it’s a fantastic and durable option for everyday yogis.

Seeking the best yoga mat for sweat?

The Jade Harmony features natural rubber construction and an open-cell design, making the mat stretchier and springier than Maduka’s closed-cell alternative. If you don’t understand the difference between closed and open-cell, just remember: open-cell mats absorb moisture and sweat better, whereas closed-cell mats can become slippery in hot yoga.

The trade-off? Open-cell mats also absorb more bacteria, making them harder to keep clean, which may give your mat a shorter lifespan. And if you want a versatile yoga mat, not just for hot yoga, an open-cell mat is not for you.

That said, the Harmony Yoga Mat feels great on the hot yoga floor. It’s 5mm thick, but feels like it has more cushioning than the Manduka. It also measures a generous 74″ by 24″ and weighs 4.5 pounds.

Overall, yogis found this mat to have an excellent balance of comfort and traction.

The Gaiam Sol is a yogi favorite. Why? Because it’s one of the stickiest mats around.

Even when you pour water on it, the Gaiam Sol stays dry with excellent grip — it’s almost magical how well it maintains traction when wet! Combined with its 5mm of impact-absorbing PVC, the Gaiam Sol is one of the safest hot yoga mats on the market (also great for those with latex sensitivities).

That said, the mat is on the shorter side at just 68″ in length. There’s also an unusual lack of texture, strange for such a robust nonslip mat.

Overall, this is an excellent and affordable option. Choose the Gaiam Sol if you want security and a slip-free mat that stays dry even when you’re dripping sweat.

Another option from Manduka? You bet! We couldn’t end the list without including the best mat for Bikram Yoga!

The Manduka PROLite is a smaller, more affordable version of the original PRO. As you might expect, it’s ideal for all types of hot yoga sessions — especially Bikram.

The PROLite weighs in at just 4 pounds, making it one of the lightest options on the market. And it doesn’t sacrifice on size, either. At 5mm thick and 71 inches by 24 inches, the Manduka PROLite is on par with its closest rivals — plenty big and cushy for yogis of varying sizes.

It also boasts a fabric-like material and closed construction cells, which means it prevents moisture from seeping in and keeps bacteria out. Backed by a lifetime guarantee.

If style is a priority for you, look no further than this YOGA DESIGN LAB Yoga Mat. The stunning, bright, geometric patterns are sure to get you compliments in the yoga studio. It also has a microfiber towel surface that grips nicely with sweat, so it stays sticky when wet.

This yoga mat is essentially a rubber mat and yoga towel in one — perfect if you like to add a nonslip towel to your mat rental.

Keep in mind this mat is specially designed for hot yoga. So if you go between hot and regular yoga, this mat might not be the most versatile for your practice. It’s also pretty short and light, measuring 68 inches by 24 inches and only 3mm thick.

Still, it’s an exceptional mat at a great price.

Seeking the Best Yoga Mat for Hot Yoga

When it comes to finding the best hot yoga mat, there are a few things to consider. 

1. Material

There’s a lot of variety in hot yoga mat materials, but the most common options include PVC, TPE, and natural rubber.

PVC and TPE are exceptionally durable synthetic plastics. Most mats made with these materials feature a closed-cell design, which keeps moisture and bacteria from seeping in. While this makes PVC and TPE mats easier to clean, they tend to be a bit more slippery than their open-cell counterparts.

That brings us to the next most common material: natural rubber. This material comes from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree and is more environmentally friendly than its synthetic cousins (but not as robust). Though not all natural rubber mats boast open-cell designs, many do. This means that they absorb moisture, keeping the surface of your mat from becoming slick and slippery — a boon during practice, but a hassle for cleanliness.

2. Dimensions

Length, width, and thickness — these are the key dimensions to consider when choosing the best hot yoga mat.

Your typical yoga mat measures roughly 68″ length x 24″ width. Contrast that with models on our list, and you’ll see that many of the best hot yoga mats are several inches bigger. That may not seem like a lot, but it makes a massive difference during practice. That extra space gives you more wiggle room and can make the experience that much more enjoyable.

Thickness is the other dimension to consider. The thicker the mat, the more cushiony and comfortable it is. Thicker mats are also safer and better on your joints. We recommend choosing a mat with at least 3mm to 5mm of cushion, but lighter options are fine for milder practices.

3. Style

Yoga mats come in all different colors, making it a relatively simple task to find one that matches your yoga pants.

And while that’s critical (you gotta look good, after all), there’s another essential element of style: the pattern. Yes, the ribbed pattern featured on most yoga mats becomes much more important during hot yoga. That’s because the grooves can significantly enhance the nonslip capabilities of your mat. Opt for a model that features ribbing on both sides, and give special considerations to mats like the Manduka PRO, which features a proprietary dotted design.

Our Process

For this guide on hot yoga mats, our team spent 4 hours researching the most popular options from over 25 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each mat. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 7 hot yoga mats on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.

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