Manduka | PRO Yoga Mat | Odyssey | 71 x 26 in, 6mm

Why it's worth it

A dense 6mm mat with a sealed top that keeps sweat on the surface, where a towel can get it. It's firm rather than plush, it's built at 71 by 26 inches, and Manduka backs it for life against manufacturing defects.

Nothing else here is built to last this long. Manduka sells the PRO with a lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects, which is rare for a mat and tells you something about the construction. Owners routinely describe practicing on the same PRO for a decade or more, and teachers pass them between studios for years. Published durability research puts a typical PVC mat at roughly a year to a year and a half of daily use before it starts flaking.

The surface is closed-cell, so sweat sits on top instead of soaking into the foam. That sounds like a small distinction until you've owned an open-cell mat that started to smell. You wipe this one down and you're finished. Manduka does ask you to use its own mat wash rather than a household spray cleaner, which is a mild annoyance but not a hard rule to follow.

From our review of 8 yoga mats for a home studio, by Eleanor Vance, Health & Beauty Editor

What we like

• +Nothing else here is built to last this long
• +The surface is closed-cell, so sweat sits on top instead of soaking into the foam
• +The weight is a feature here, not a flaw
• +This version runs 71 by 26 inches, longer and wider than the 68-by-24 standard most brands use

What to know

• –The break-in period is real, and it's the complaint you'll hear most
• –It's also the heaviest option here and among the most expensive