photo via gaiam.com
Hi! Here is a domestic, non-travel post because I’m adjusting back to life in Austin!
Ever since I bought a cork mat, I’ve gotten requests for a review or general questions. So here you go, friends!
I had never used a cork yoga mat before I bought this mat, but I attended a great Queer Yoga meetup in Austin and the instructor said they loved their cork mat. After using Lululemon’s “The Mat” for a few years, I was looking for a more sustainable option (and one not made by Lululemon.) I also wanted it to be affordable. So Gaiam it was.
It hasn’t been the most fun journey with the Gaiam Cork Mat, but overall, I’m happy with my purchase. Here’s my honest review of the mat, some tips for caring for it, and some suggestions if you are looking for your next yoga mat.
What I Love About the Gaiam Performance Cork Yoga Mat
The Price
I practice yoga at least four times a week. I also teach. So I’m on my mat quite a lot. And yet, I’m still a sucker for a deal. The Gaim Performance Cork Yoga Mat is only $40. Shipping costs are minimal – the last time I checked, you could get free shipping! Whoop!
Unfortunately, low prices often mean low-quality products. Sure, you can get a yoga mat at Target for $10 – but it’s not great. A low-quality mat is often not grippy, which is honestly the #1 thing I look for in a mat besides price and materials.
The Grip
Luckily, cork has a great grip. Wow!
Even when I was in Bikram classes (I enjoy the class, but not the guy) I was able to grip without slipping around. If you don’t do hot yoga and don’t practice at hot studios, this probably isn’t a huge deal breaker. But for me, it’s a top priority.
I’ve used this mat for a few weeks and it’s still maintained its grip.
The Weight
I assumed that the Gaiam Cork Yoga Mat would be heavy. My 3mm Lululemon mat was a decent weight and it was thinner than the Gaiam mat. But when I got my mat, it was surprisingly light!
This isn’t the case with all cork mats. Willow Gardens (where I teach yoga) sells great cork mats. But they’re super heavy compared to the Gaiam one I use. I haven’t tried out the grip and durability of these mats, but I’m sure that the weight might have something to do with it…
The Maintenance
Cork is really just a great material for yoga mats. It’s sustainable, grippy, and antimicrobial/antibacterial. All you need to do for cleaning is wipe it down with water (or essential oils if you’re feeling fancy.)
Do know that your mat will need to air dry before you roll it up. I went to a hot yoga class on Tuesday afternoon, didn’t unroll it until Wednesday morning, and saw a lovely little sweat outline of my torso still on the mat. Gross. It cleared up quickly, but it was not a pleasant sight at 8:00 a.m.
What I Don’t Love About the Gaiam Performance Cork Mat
The Design
This seems shallow, but I don’t love how insanely plain this mat is. Yoga mats certainly don’t need to have designs on them, but it certainly helps to roll out a mat and see a pretty design.
Gaiam makes a cork yoga mat with a pretty mandala design that’s the same price and thickness of my mat. So if design is important to you, I can only imagine that this mat has the same grip, weight, and ~features~ as the one I’m reviewing.
Here it is. It must be new because it doesn’t have any reviews on Gaiam. (The reviews of the Performance Cork Yoga Mat aren’t super promising.)
I guess I’m kind of stretching for things because I’m generally happy with how this mat works.
photo via gaiam.com. What you see is what you get. I thought about posting a bunch of photos of myself practicing yoga on the mat, but honestly, it’s just a plain ol’ mat.
It Warped Easily
As a general rule, don’t leave your yoga mat, your climbing shoes, or any of your pricey fitness gear in your car during the summertime. Especially if you live in Texas, like me.
The first time I used this mat I wasn’t able to roll it out flat, which was annoying. I’m a tall lady and need every darn inch of my mat. And then I made the big ol’ mistake of leaving it in my car for like, an hour?
And then it warped. Like, to a point of no return. It won’t lay flat and currently it’s hiding in a corner of my house. I’m thinking about keeping it and seeing if I can make it into a board or a decoration of sorts at my new place, but I’m also a hoarder, so maybe that is just a nice little dream.
Why am I still saying I like this mat, though? Because Gaiam was really nice and, after telling me not to leave the mat in my car ever again, sent me a replacement mat. This replacement mat has not stayed in the car for more than 20 minutes at a time (while I’m driving) and has held up great. No warpys.
TPE?
While thinking about what to do with my old mat, I was like…can I recycle it?
Sure, the top layer is cork, but there’s a black layer underneath that keeps the mat together. It’s called TPE, or Thermoplastic elastomer. I personally wouldn’t have looked up what TPE is if I wasn’t writing a blog post on this mat, but my research didn’t take me too far. Thermoplastic elastomers are a type of material that mimics rubber. It’s exciting because it’s stretchy plastics, basically.
TPE is not PVC and it doesn’t contain latex, but that’s as much as I can confirm that doesn’t come from yogablog.blogpost.com. Mats made with TPE have the “potential” to be recyclable, says Wikipedia. Can’t really say if it’s biodegradable.
It’s not the worst material to have on a yoga mat. But it’s not the best.
I Still Need a Travel Yoga Mat.
Could I travel with this mat?
Yes and no. The weight of the Gaiam Cork Mat makes it an obvious choice for traveling – as long as you have a place to put it. When it comes to travel mats, I prefer something that is thin enough to fold (rather than roll up.)
I have used the Manduka eKO SuperLite Travel Yoga Mat and will be getting an Anthropologie Travel Yoga Mat in my next FabFitFun box! (Another review might be coming soon…) If I had a choice between packing the Manduka and the Gaiam Cork Mat, I’d honestly choose the Manduka. The ability to fold and store my mat in a backpack or a suitcase just wins out over the grip. (I very rarely do hot yoga outside of Austin anyway.)
Final Thoughts on the Gaim Performance Cork Yoga Mat
If you’re looking for an affordable cork mat for hot yoga, I recommend grabbing this mat. If sustainability is more important than the price tag, find a yoga mat with a more natural backing than TPE. Travelers who have room for a rolled-up mat will enjoy the weight of this guy, but it’s not super foldy and might be inconvenient to carry around.
Alright! I hope this helped. Let me know if you have used this mat or if you have other recommendations!
Also, if you’re interested in yoga, check out a few of my past blog posts:
“How Can I Get Into Yoga Online?”