Rolled up, a yoga mat and an exercise mat look much alike. Once you’re on one, thickness, width and surface make a big difference to how it feels. This guide goes through what each of those changes, which mat suits yoga, Pilates or floor exercise, what to use for heavier gym work, and how to look after a mat so it lasts. Every mat we stock is in our yoga mats range, and there’s a comparison table further down.
Thickness and what it changes
Thickness is the number most people look at first. A thin mat keeps you close to the floor, so standing and balancing poses feel steady because your feet aren’t sinking into foam. A thick mat cushions your knees, hips, elbows and spine when you’re kneeling or lying on a hard floor, and gives up some of that steadiness when you stand on one leg.
- 4 to 6mm is the usual range for yoga. The Bench Yoga Mat Black is 4mm, the two Premium Yoga Mat High Density mats are 5mm and the Salute The Sun Extra Wide Yoga Mat is 6mm.
- 10mm suits Pilates, stretching and floor exercise such as crunches and planks, especially on timber or concrete floors. The Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm, the LivePro Exercise Mat NBR and the Bench Exercise Mat are all 10mm thick.
If you do a bit of everything, buy for what you do most. Slow, floor-based Pilates gets more from 10mm, and a flowing yoga class with lots of standing work usually feels better on 4 to 6mm.
Length and width
Most mats in our range are about 61cm wide. The Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm and both Premium Yoga Mat High Density mats are 183 x 61cm, the Bench Exercise Mat is 176 x 60cm, and the Bench Yoga Mat Black is 1728mm x 610mm.
Length matters when you lie flat. If you’re tall, a 183cm mat gives your head and heels more room than a shorter one. Width matters more than people expect for floor work: with your arms by your sides or in a wide push-up, a 61cm mat can leave your elbows or hands on the floor. The two wide options are the Salute The Sun Extra Wide Yoga Mat at 183 x 80cm and the LivePro Exercise Mat NBR at 180 x 80cm.
Grip and surface
Grip comes from the material and the texture on top. Here’s how our mats differ:
- PVC: the Bench Yoga Mat Black has a non-slip PVC surface that wipes clean easily.
- TPE: the Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm is TPE, and it has two eyelets so you can hang it on the wall with a mat holder.
- NBR foam: the LivePro Exercise Mat NBR and the Bench Exercise Mat are 10mm NBR foam. The LivePro has a textured surface for grip.
- High density: the Premium Yoga Mat High Density Black and Red are textured for traction and feel firm under you in held positions.
- Jute: the Jute Yoga Mat Black/Brown and Jute Yoga Mat Green are reversible. One side is natural jute fibre with a rougher grip, and the other is a softer layer of Eco PVC.
- Medium tack: the Salute The Sun mat has a lightly textured surface that lets your hands and feet sink a little into the foam.
A mat with more texture or tack holds your hands in place in downward dog. A smoother surface is easier to slide on, which some people like for Pilates and stretching.
Which mat for which kind of training
Yoga
Go for 4 to 6mm with a grippy surface. The Premium Yoga Mat High Density mats suit held poses, the Jute mats give you a choice of two surfaces, and the Salute The Sun mat adds width if a standard mat feels narrow. The Bench Yoga Mat Black at $39.00 is the lowest priced mat in the table and a sensible first mat if you’re trying a few classes.
Pilates, stretching and floor exercise
A 10mm mat makes long stretches of lying and kneeling more comfortable on a hard floor. The Bench Exercise Mat is the lowest priced of the three at $49.00, the LivePro Exercise Mat NBR is the wide one, and the Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm hangs up on the wall when you’re finished.
Heavier gym work
Yoga and exercise mats are made for bodyweight work. Dumbbells, kettlebells and anything you might drop will dent or tear foam, and a soft mat under a bench or a heavy lift moves around. For that kind of training, use gym mats and interlocking mats, and keep your yoga mat for stretching and floor exercise.
Props that go with a mat
Once you have a mat, props such as blocks and straps make some poses easier to reach while you build flexibility. You’ll find them in yoga props.
Looking after your mat
- Wipe it down with a damp cloth after use. The Salute The Sun mat is hand wash only with a damp cloth, and that works for most mats.
- Let it dry fully before you roll it up.
- Keep it out of direct sun when you store it, since sunlight breaks foam down over time.
- Hang it up if you can. The Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm has eyelets for a wall holder, which keeps it flat and off the floor.
Yoga and exercise mats compared
| Mat | Size | Thickness | Material and surface | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench Yoga Mat Black | 1728mm x 610mm | 4mm | PVC, non-slip | $39.00 |
| Premium Yoga Mat High Density Black | 183 x 61cm | 5mm | High density, textured | $99.00 |
| Premium Yoga Mat High Density Red | 183 x 61cm | 5mm | High density, textured | $109.00 |
| Salute The Sun Extra Wide Yoga Mat | 183 x 80cm | 6mm | Foam, medium tack, lightly textured | $99.00 |
| Jute Yoga Mat Black/Brown | Not stated | Not stated | Jute one side, Eco PVC the other | $99.00 |
| Jute Yoga Mat Green | Not stated | Not stated | Jute one side, Eco PVC the other | $99.00 |
| Bench Exercise Mat | 176 x 60cm | 10mm | NBR foam | $49.00 |
| LivePro Exercise Mat NBR | 180 x 80cm | 10mm | NBR, textured | $69.00 |
| Yoga Mat LivePro 10mm | 183 x 61cm | 10mm | TPE, black, two eyelets | $95.00 |
Yoga mat questions
Is a yoga mat the same as an exercise mat?
They overlap. Yoga mats are usually thinner and grippier so you stay steady on your feet, and exercise mats are usually thicker so kneeling and lying on the floor is comfortable.
How thick should an exercise mat be?
For floor exercise and Pilates on a hard floor, 10mm is comfortable. For yoga with standing and balancing poses, 4 to 6mm.
Do I need a wide mat?
If a standard mat leaves your elbows on the floor during floor work, or you simply like more room, an 80cm mat is worth the extra space it takes up.
Compare them all in yoga mats, or see our other buying guides. We ship NZ-wide.