Your chakras are aligning. Serenity is trickling into the heart of your deepest worries. Everything is perfect until a hair from the carpet somehow plaits itself to your eyelash.
You swipe at your eye maniacally desperately trying not to lose form.
Now everything is half blurry but your sense of calm is recovering. You move into downward dog and through your one good eye, you spy a couple of old Doritos under the couch, and a dead woodlouse two inches from your face. You recoil and receive a nasty carpet burn on your elbow.
Who knew the journey to inner calm could be so turbulent?
But don’t give up.
We’re here to help you stay the course with our reviews of the five best yoga mats for carpet, an in-depth buyer’s guide, and a brief FAQ section, so you can continue on the yogi’s path.
Feeling stressed, Use Your Ujjayi Breath
We’ve got our number one pick for you right here, so ease back into your best couch potato pose and let us do the work.
Top 5 Best Yoga Mats For Carpets
OUR TOP PICK
EDITORS CHOICE
BEST VALUE
OUR TOP PICK
Manduka Pro Yoga Mat
Our top pick is an industry leader, and for good reason. Their Pro range mats are crafted with the highest possible quality Oeko-Tex certified PVC, and are the products of a completely emissions-free manufacturing process.
What makes this mat superb for use in carpeted spaces is the combination of a 6mm thickness – which will prevent damage to your carpet – and the extra high-density cushioning, which will ensure stability during even the most dynamic of pose shifts.
The Manduka Pro utilizes a cushioned grid grip on its top side with intersecting lines running the length and the width of the mat, ensuring, no matter what direction your center of gravity pushes, you’ll always have a sense of traction.
The underside of the mat has a unique dot-cell grip system to maximize traction on softer, slightly shifting surfaces. Basically, they’ve taken what works for walking boots and ATV tires and applied it to the bottom of a yoga mat. Smart, huh?
PVC is renowned for not being very eco-friendly; however, all Manduka mats are designed to last you a lifetime and are made free from toxic chemicals, dyes, and phthalates, so you know they’re great for you and your carpet, but aren’t damaging the earth either.
Pros
- Unique dot-cell base grip
- Cushioned grid top
- Zero waste and emissions
- Works great on all surfaces, not just carpet
- Will last a lifetime
- Non-slip
- Non-stick
- Oeko-Tex certified
- Industry favorite
- Comes in a number of attractive colors
Cons
- Especially pricey considering it’s PVC
- Non-recyclable
EDITORS CHOICE
Heathyoga Non-slip Yoga Mat
And breathe into pick number two, a beautiful, eco-friendly option with an iron grip, unique anti-tear construction, and slightly larger 72” x 26” scale.
Made from completely eco-friendly SGS certified TPE material, this 6mm thick mat would make light work of gripping to most types of carpet, and due to its size will accommodate taller yogis comfortably.
This Heathyoga mat uses a tire-tread grip pattern on the base, which means it will be ideal for maintaining traction on soft surfaces, while the slightly deeper than usual diamond shape grip system on the surface will keep your soles steady through those sweaty summer sessions.
This impressive yoga mat also comes with aesthetically pleasing body alignment lines, helping you master your form, and reducing the chance of accidentally grazing the carpet and giving you some of those nasty friction burns you’re buying a mat to avoid.
Just because alignment lines are sometimes associated with novice yogis, doesn’t mean this mat isn’t perfect for those monkish masters out there. Heathyoga are simply trying to broaden the market appeal of their high-performance product.
TPE mats are rumored to be more prone to drying out than other materials and thus more likely to crack and tear, but Heathyoga have really gone the extra mile with this product, providing a thin but effective tear-proof sheet in the center of their tri-layer design.
If that’s not enough to quell your doubts, you can prevent TPE mat damage by avoiding alcohol and witch hazel based cleaning agents. An oil-based mat cleaner will help to moisturize your mat and keep that surface grip nice and soft for your feet.
Pros
- Made from eco-friendly TPE material
- Well thought out and visually pleasing alignment lines
- Anti-tear layer ensures durability
- Affordable
Cons
- Maybe too big for small, furnished rooms
- TPE may be more prone to drying out
BEST VALUE
Liforme Original Yoga Mat
The Liforme Original Yoga Mat is a fully biodegradable, eco-conscious yoga essential that will appeal to the earth warriors out there who may have thought cork and cotton boards were the only sustainable options on the market.
The surface is made of polyurethane, which is the same substance they started making skateboard wheels out of in the 70s because of its unparalleled grip, and guess what…It’s still what they use for skateboarding; it can’t be beaten. And get this…it doesn’t just grip; it actually absorbs sweat.
The fact that Liforme had the intelligence to utilize this substance in the manufacturing of yoga mats is really cool, but what’s more amazing is that no one thought of it before.
It’s the thinnest mat on our list, measuring only 4mm thick, and although we generally recommend a 6mm thickness for yoga on a carpet, it does partially depend on the carpet. If you’ve got an incredibly shaggy or thick carpet, a thinner mat might actually more appropriate, and the Liforme Original is next to none when it comes to base grip.
These mats are advertised as being completely non-toxic and made with only body-kind materials which is obviously great especially as natural rubber mats can sometimes cause allergic reactions.
There’s no shortage of great eco-mats out there, but if you’re looking for a really high-performance, eco-friendly grip machine, then this might be the perfect mat for your intensive hot-yoga sessions.
Pros
- Eco-friendly and completely biodegradable
- Made of non-toxic, body-kind materials
- Polyurethane surface offers unparalleled grip and sweat absorption
- Patented body alignment lines
- Excels in hot yoga sessions
- Fantastic grip on carpet
- Unique item in a saturated market
- Wider than most mats on the market
Cons
- Rubber tends to be heavier than other materials
- Most expensive mat on our list
- Not many color alternatives
RUNNER UP
Toplus Yoga Mat
Number four on our limber list is the Toplus Yoga Mat, an amazing middle-of-the-range mat at entry-level prices for those of you who like a milder yoga experience.
It’s made from the same eco-friendly TPE material as our Heathyoga pick, and though it isn’t galvanized by an entire tearproof layer, the dual layering still makes this it tough customer.
The specialized base uses v-shape patterns similar to our second pick, so it should be stable on carpet, although the pattern is less complex in this case and so won’t be as dead-sure as the Heathyoga mat.
The surface grip isn’t quite as defined either but still offers plenty enough traction to handle any low to medium intensity yoga class with ease.
One of the great things about this mat is how light it is for a 6mm. It weighs 35oz which is next to nothing, so if you plan to walk or cycle with your mat, this may be a deciding factor.
Pros
- Great quality for the price
- Will grip well on carpet
- Lightweight
- Comes with its own carry strap
- Eco-friendly
- 6mm thickness is perfect for carpet use
- Double layered
Cons
- Less grip on the surface of mat
- May not be as hardwearing as other higher-ranked mats
- No alignment lines
RUNNER UP
Ewedoos Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat
Our last carpet captain is the 6mm Ewedoos Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat, and as the name suggests, it’s another great design that adheres to sustainable practices.
Its dedicated base has a deep wave, boot-style grip you can really rely on, while the surface sports a large diamond textural grip and indented alignment lines, so you don’t even need to look down. You can feel them as you move from pose to pose, making for more natural, enjoyable, and accurate sessions – no mirrors necessary.
The closed-cell surface design helps to keep things sanitary by resisting debris and moisture and makes it easy to clean.
Available in a myriad of different colors, this mat looks and feels more expensive than it is. It’s sturdier than any other single-ply TPE foam mat we’ve come across, especially in this price range, and as a bonus, Ewedoo’s customer care is second to none.
Pros
- Fantastic grip on all surfaces
- Dedicated base and surface
- Sturdy
- Eco-friendly
- Good density – not too spongy
- Affordable
- Available in all sorts of lovely colors
- Closed-cell surface design protects against moisture and grime build-up
- Ingenius indented body alignment lines allow enhanced self-awareness
Cons
- Single-ply
- Indented alignment lines may cause discomfort to sensitive parts of the body
Best Yoga Mats For Carpets Buying Guide
Thickness
A yoga mat for use on carpet should ideally be around ¼ of an inch (6mm). Your average yoga mat tends to be around ⅛ of an inch thick, which is fine for most hard-floor activities, but on carpet, they’re more likely to slip.
Just because thicker mats are more appropriate for use on a carpet, doesn’t necessarily mean the thicker the better. Once you go over a certain thickness, you’re going to start losing a bit of stability, as you’re carpet is already a thick spongy platform.
Size
The two things you need to consider when it comes to the size of a mat are your own dimensions and the size of your practice space. The average yoga mat tends to be 68” x 24”, but most companies will have various size options for each model.
Material
Certain materials won’t pair well with carpets. Using an incompatible mat over time may cause discoloration, ware, and changes to the texture of your lovely carpet.
To avoid the carpet fitter, you simply have to find a slightly thicker mat made from either natural materials or without the use of loads of dyes and toxins.
Grip
Basically, with carpet, the more traction you can get the better, which normally means you’re looking for mats with more pronounced and detailed grip patterns.
Brands are constantly experimenting with grip styles and will often develop their own patented designs so they can offer consumers something unique and cutting edge; however, this can push prices way up.
Don’t worry if you can’t afford the fancy stuff. There are plenty of affordable options with effective bases suited to yoga on carpets.
Density and Knowing Your Carpet
This sort of ties in with material, but there can be a little bit of a variation in the density of products made with the same material, so we thought we’d have a quick glance over your options.
What you have to remember is that there won’t be one ultimate carpet-use yoga mat, because all carpets are different. You should explore what mat will suit the style of carpet you have.
Is your carpet very spongy and thick? You’ll probably want a mat with a slightly higher density to increase stability. If you have a very rough, thin carpet, a slightly spongier mat will work to your advantage.
Acronyms
Something you’ll notice when you begin shopping for your new yoga mat is all the jargon in the form of acronyms. Whether it’s SGS, TPC, PVC or Oeko-Tex, it all just amounts in a heap of confusion that leaves you wanting to pour that green tea down the sink and fetch a stiff gin.
Well, we’re going tell you what all these esoteric little acronyms stand for to ease your mind.
SGS – Société Générale de Surveillance – A world-leading inspection, testing and certification company. Basically, if your mat is SGS certified, it’s a good thing.
TPE – Thermoplastic Elastomers – A eco-friendly foam with performance features similar to rubber and PVC. TPE has become the industry standard.
NBR – Nitrile Butadiene Rubber – A non-toxic synthetic rubber.
EVA – Ethylene Vinyl Acetate – Another material alternative considered to be less toxic. Not as widely accepted as TPE.
PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride – One of the most commonly produced synthetic polymer plastics. It’s not biodegradable and normally the manufacturing process is harmful to the environment.
Oeko-Tex – International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textiles and Leather Ecology (Not technically an acronym, we know). Another certification organization. A product with an Oeko-Tex certification is completely free from harmful chemicals and safe for human use.
Yoga Mats for Carpets – Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I replace my yoga mat?
You only ever need to replace your yoga mat if it’s not fit for purpose.
If you use the cheapest entry-level mats, you might need to change it up every 6 to 12 months depending on how often you practice.
There are lots of mats on the market designed to last a lifetime.
Can I do yoga on my carpet?
You can do yoga on carpets, but they often harbor build-ups of debris even if you hoover often.
You may also risk friction burns and pain to sensitive joints if using a carpet regularly.
Is there a difference between a yoga mat and an exercise mat?
Exercise mats are a lot thicker than yoga mats, usually measuring between 1 and 3 inches.
Savasana
We’ve come to our final pose; deep sighing breaths. You’ve reached the end of our little guide. Now you’re ready to choose the perfect mat that will help you become the totem of serenity you envisioned when you started out. No more crumbs, dust or cat hairs. No more anything…just breathing, just being. Namaste.
Related Yoga Mat Reviews To Check Out:
- Gaiam Yoga Mat Review
- New to Yoga? These are the best yoga mats for beginners
- Which Mats are Best for Hot Yoga? See Our In-Depth Analysis
- What Yoga Mat is Best for Travel?
