The Great Yoga Mat Bake Off: BMAT vs. Manduka Black Mat Pro

11:38 AM 2 Comments A+ a-

A quality yoga mat is a key component of a regular yoga practice. Too often the mat is chosen in haste or purchased based on price. The yoga mats sold at department stores are not what you want to use for a daily yoga practice. They are thin, smell of chemicals and break down and begin to fall apart within months of purchasing. Do yourself a favor and try out a couple of mats before you make a purchasing decision. Your local yoga studio may have loaner mats you can try or you can ask other students in your classes what made them choose the mat they have. The type of yoga practice you prefer will also influence the type of mat you choose. Hot yoga will most likely require sweat absorbing yoga mat towels (Yogi Toes towels) or extra sticky mats (BMAT, LululemonJade, Gaiam Sol Dry-Grip).

I came across a BMAT at the Baptiste Level Two training I attended in July of '17. I'd never experienced a mat as sticky and grippy as the BMAT. Level Two training is a very sweaty experience and I never felt my hands or feet slip as I practiced asana on the BMAT. I asked the owner of the mat a few questions about where they got the mat, where it was made etc as I'd not heard of it. I reached out to BMAT once I got back home and asked about an ambassador program to spread the word about BMAT. They sent me a discount code and I used that to get 50% off of a BMAT Strong mat. I'd already purchased a BMAT Everyday but I felt that mat was too thin for my preference. The B MAT is made of 100% rubber (which I think smells good) and initially is a dust magnet (this lessens over time). Cleaning it is as simple as spraying it down with water with a few drops of tea tree oil in the water and letting it dry. The BMAT doesn't roll up super tightly for storage, so you may want to use a mat strap to keep the BMAT contained when not in use.

I'm a fan of my BMAT, and it is so grippy that you must fully commit to jumping back to chaturanga on the BMAT. There is no toes-sliding-into-place wiggle room on the BMAT. If you land short, you land SHORT. The BMAT surface does not offer any sliding at all (which is great!). When I practice at a headed studio with my BMAT, I don't need to use a yogitoes towel on my mat. It doesn't get at all slippery like my Manduka Black Mat Pro has a tendency to do. Less laundry, more BMAT.

All this being said, I'm a BMAT ambassador because I know their mat is amazing and so grippy and everyone who tries it LOVES it. You can get 20% off with this code (which is a great deal!)  AMB20JHUBE --> https://byoganow.com/

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Nails&Art
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August 15, 2018 at 4:48 AM delete

Hi Jen, would I be able to send you an email. I’m interested in the bmat but have a few questions :)

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Jennifer
AUTHOR
August 10, 2020 at 5:24 PM delete

Goodness gracious. I didn't know I had so many comments awaiting moderation. I'm so sorry! Hopefully you've made a purchasing decision and are practicing on your new mat! <3

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