A yoga mat for a hot room has one job: stay put under a wet hand and a wet foot.
We practiced on open-cell rubber when the room was warm and our hands were not dry. Grip when you are sweaty is the test. Grip in a shop is a rumor.
Grip and the floor
Open-cell rubber bites when it is damp, and it holds odor if you never wash it. A mat that slides on the floor is as useless as a mat that slides under you. Both surfaces matter.
- Grip that improves, or at least holds, when your palms are damp.
- A floor side that does not creep on wood or tile.
- A thickness your knees can stand.
- A smell you can live with after it airs out.
Test the mat when you are already warm. A dry hand will like almost anything.
After class
Hang it so both sides dry. A rubber mat rolled up wet is how it starts to smell. A occasional wipe with a little soap and water is enough. Do not leave it in a closed car.
Buy the mat you trust in your hardest pose. Everything else is color.
