If you’ve ever practiced yoga on a cheap mat, or with no mat at all (gasps in horror), you know the struggles of slipping around in poses like downward dog.
This is a particular struggle if you practice faster paced styles of yoga such as vinyasa because, let’s face it, we’re bound to get a little sweaty!
But fear not fellow yogi, here is my list of the top 10 best yoga mats for sweaty hands and feet so you never have to deal with this struggle again!
In this list you’ll find the grippiest and stickiest non slip yoga mats that will take you through the sweatiest of yoga classes.
This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure.
What to expect in this post:
- What are non slip yoga mats?
- The benefits of non-slip yoga mats
- What to look for when buying a yoga mat for sweaty hands and feet
- The 10 best yoga mats for sweaty hands and feet
- Other things to consider for your hot yoga class
What are non slip mats? And why you need one
Non-slip yoga mats are exactly as they sound. They’re designed to stop you slipping around during your yoga practice.
Why would you need this you ask? Well, put simply, your yoga practice becomes a lot less relaxing when you’re constantly having to readjust your alignment because your hands are travelling up your mat.
And aside from this annoyance, in worst cases poor alignment could result in discomfort and injury, which is definitely not what you want when you step on your mat!
Having a non-slip yoga mat designed to withstand those sweaty moments ensures you’ll have both a safe and relaxing practice, with minimal distractions.
The Benefits of Non-Slip Yoga Mats
Yoga mats designed to withstand sweat have several benefits including:
- Allowing you to hold poses for longer: when you can maintain proper alignment without sliding around you are able to focus on your breath and hold poses for a longer time.
- Smoothing your transitions: a stable base allows you to transition from one pose to the next more smoothly without slipping.
- Targeted muscle building: when we’re in correct alignment, we can target the right muscles and focus on particular areas we want to build safely.
- Allowing you to practice advanced poses: we don’t want to even attempt advanced poses such as handstands when there’s a chance of our hands slipping on our mat. Non-slip mats allow us to practice advanced poses safely.
- Reducing chance of injury: if we’re less likely to slip around in a pose, we’re less likely to be in improper alignment, place a strain on our muscles or completely fall!
- Improving your confidence: knowing that we’re unlikely to slip on our mat can improve our confidence in our practice without having to worry about the issue of slipping. This allows us to put all of our focus into the practice.
- Longer lifespan: if you got a little too excited about this one, let’s just be clear in saying I’m talking about the mat! Mats that are designed to withstand sweat are less likely to wear away when exposed to it, meaning you won’t have to replace your mat anywhere near as often, saving you that dollar.
What to look for when buying a yoga mat for sweaty hands and feet
In reality, any truly good quality yoga mat should be non-slip, unless they’re specifically designed for other purposes. But knowing which brands are truly high quality can be hard to spot.
Here are some important factors to look out for when buying a good quality yoga mat!
- Extra sticky: Sticky is a word that you will often see used to describe non-slip yoga mats. This is because they are designed for your hands and feet to stick to them, thus preventing the dreaded slide.
- Antimicrobial: This is a handy advantage when you’re planning to sweat lots and a factor you’ll definitely want to consider for a hot yoga class! Antimicrobial material helps to warn off the nasty bacteria that love your sweat (gross).
- Dry Tech: Some yoga mats are designed to dry more rapidly when you sweat on them, which is a definite plus for slip reduction. Some are also designed to become more grippy the more you sweat, cool huh?!
- Hypoallergenic: If you have sensitive skin or any known allergies, it’s best to look for mats that are hypoallergenic so they don’t irritate you. This is particularly important for sweaty classes since even your sweat can irritate your skin!
- Thickness: The thickness you want will depend on your preference. If you plan to do mainly floor based poses you’ll want a bit more cushioning for your knees. If you’re someone who practices more fast paced flows and balancing postures then less cushioning can provide more stability.
- Durability: Durability is very important when it comes to buying your mat, because who wants to have to replace their mat all the time? That’s why I would suggest spending a bit more money on a high quality mat rather than a cheap one, because it saves you so much more money down the line!
- Environmentally friendly: If the environment is as important to you as it is to me, look out for materials that are eco-friendly and from sustainable sources. This means avoiding cheap plastics and opting for natural materials instead.
- Size: Standard yoga mat length is approximately 68 inches long, so if you’re somebody who is taller than this you’ll want to look out for mats that are longer in length!
- Weight: If you’re planning to just use your mat within the home then weight may not be an issue. However if you plan to travel with your mat you may wish to look for mats that are lighter and easier to carry.
- Appearance: Call me superficial but I love me an attractive yoga mat! If you’re impartial to the appearance of your mat then you can safely ignore this factor, however for me beautiful colours and designs go a long way!
The 10 Best Yoga Mats for Sweaty Hands and Feet
So with those factors in mind, here are the 10 best yoga mats for sweaty hands and feet!
£69.95Jade Yoga is a yoga company dedicated towards being environmentally conscious. The Harmony Mat is made from sustainably sourced natural rubber from rubber trees and does not contain any PVC, EVA or synthetic rubber. It comes in a variety of different colours, three different lengths and there is an extra wide version also available. To make this mat even better, Jade Yoga plants a tree for every single mat they sell!
Buy on AmazonSize: 24 x 68"Weight: 4.85 lbsThickness: 4.8mmPros:- Extra sticky grip
- Good cushioning
- Environmentally friendly company and sustainable material
- Variety of different inclusive sizes
- Good choice of colours
Cons:- Not suitable for those with latex or rubber allergies
03/11/2024 10:27 pm GMT
$59.99This anti-slip yoga mat from WeGym prides itself on offering a grippy top surface made from polyurethane to withstand even the sweatiest hands and feet. Not only this, but the underside also has a grippy rubber base so you don't slide around on wooden floors. It claims to be durable, odour resistant and easy to clean, making it a good choice for sweaty styles of yoga like hot yoga and bikram.
Buy on AmazonSize: 26 x 71"Weight: 6.2 lbsThickness: 4mmPros:- Grippy top and bottom surfaces
- Odour resistant
- Moisture wicking
- BPA free
- 6 colour options
Cons:- On the heavier side
- Potentially unsuitable for those with rubber allergies
03/11/2024 10:22 pm GMT
The Liforme Yoga Mat is a mat that you’re bound to see in any yoga class! Its attractive design features a unique alignment system that helps you adopt the correct form during your practice. It is easy to transport, very grippy and made from eco-friendly and biodegradable natural rubber. Your purchase also comes with a free yoga mat bag to take your mat to and from class!
Check price on LiformeSize: 26.8” x 72.8”Weight: 5.5lbsThickness: 4mmPros:- Eco-friendly and biodegradable
- Good non-slip grip
- Attractive alignment design
- Comes with travel bag
Cons:- Not suitable for rubber or latex allergies
- Less cushioning than some other mats
- May wear down with regular use
Manduka's GRP Adapt Mat is their grippiest mat option, complete with a "satin-like" top layer and extra-grippy bottom layer to keep you in place during both dry and wet yoga sessions. It's also designed with comfort in mind, with a foamy inner layer for joint support. Win-win!
Check price on MandukaSize: 26 x 71"Weight: 5.5lbsThickness: 5mmPros:- grippy top and bottom layers
- well cushioned for joint support
- moisture absorbing
- regular or long option
- five colour options
Cons:- can be a bit squeaky
- prone to sweat stains
The Manduka Pro series claims to be the #1 recommended yoga mat by teachers worldwide! The PROlite is a slightly thinner and more portable version of the pro, which makes it an ideal option for taking to your hot yoga classes. It features a closed-cell surface to keep moisture at bay, has a smooth fabric feel for smooth transitions and a dotted underside to stop it sliding on hard floor. It comes in a variety of colours and three sizes.
Check price on MandukaSize: Standard: 24" x 71" Extra Long: 24" x 79" Long wide: 30" x 79"Weight: 4.4lbsThickness: 4.77mmPros:- Very good non-slip grip
- Latex free
- Very durable and long lasting
- OEKO-TEX certified emissions free manufacturing
- Variety of colours and sizes
Cons:- Takes some time to “break in” (may be slippery at first)
$39.99Heathyoga’s Non-Slip Alignment Mat is made from eco-friendly and recyclable TPE, which has a diamond shaped surface to prevent slipping. The thick cushioned mat features a design intended to help you achieve correct form and alignment during asana practice. The underside features a tire tread to prevent the mat slipping on hard floor.
Buy on AmazonSize: 26” x 72”Weight: 2.8lbThickness: 6mmPros:- Alignment design
- Eco-friendly and recyclable
- Well cushioned
- More affordable than some other mats
Cons:- May not lay flat after being stored rolled
- Easily marked
- Not as grippy as some other mats
03/11/2024 10:27 pm GMT
The Yoloha Original Air Cork Yoga Mat is made from durable non-slip natural cork combined with eco friendly foam for extra cushioning. The grip improves the more you sweat making it perfect for hot yoga classes. It is also fast drying and antimicrobial and contains zero latex or plastic! This mat comes in two lengths.
Buy from AmazonSize: Regular: 26” x 72” Long: 26” x 80”Weight: 6mmThickness: 2.5lbsPros:- Eco-friendly and sustainable
- Hypoallergenic
- Antimicrobial
- Non-slip grip that improves as you sweat
- Good cushioning
- Very lightweight
Cons:- The feeling of cork against bare skin can be undesirable for some
- Only one minimalistic design
$99.95The Para Rubber Yoga Mat from Hugger Mugger is made from sustainable rubber from renewable non-amazon sources. It features two different materials - one side features small bumps that help you to stay in place, while the other has a woven and rubbery grip. This mat is also well cushioned for those with sensitive joints. It comes in four colours and two sizes.
Buy from AmazonSize: Regular: 24” x 70” XL: 28” x 78”Weight: Regular: 6.6lbs XL: 10lbsThickness: 6.4mmPros:- Eco-friendly
- Very grippy
- Well cushioned
Cons:- Not suitable for rubber or latex allergies
- Strong smell
- Heavier than most
03/11/2024 10:32 pm GMT
$59.95This mat from Reetual is designed to be a 2 in 1 yoga mat and hot yoga towel. This makes it the perfect companion for hot yoga, especially as the grip of the mat improves while you sweat. The top layer is made from absorbant microsuede, with a rubber base for added cushioning.
Buy on AmazonSize: 24" x 70"Thickness: 3.5mmPros:- Replaces the need for a hot yoga towel
- Good grip when sweating
- Variety of different designs to choose from
Cons:- Can be slippy if not wet (requires spritz of water before use)
- Not suitable for rubber or latex allergies
- Not as cushioned as a traditional yoga mat
03/11/2024 10:12 pm GMT
$59.99The IUGA Pro Non Slip Yoga Mat is designed to be ultra lightweight despite its cushioned thickness. It is made from sustainably harvested natural rubber and is extremely sticky, preventing slipping during your yoga practice. The underside of the mat features patterns to prevent the mat slipping on the floor, and the top absorbs sweat quickly. The mat comes in 5 colours.
Buy on AmazonSize: 26” x 72”Weight: 2.5lbsThickness: 5mmPros:- Non-slip
- Very lightweight
- Good cushioning
- Textured bottom for grip on hard surfaces
- Sweat absorbing
Cons:- Not suitable for those with rubber or latex allergies
- Material can be prone to scuffing and creasing
- May produce a slight “squeaking” noise on certain surfaces
03/11/2024 10:37 pm GMT
Other things to consider
So hopefully you have lots of choices to decide on your favourite non-slip yoga mat for sweaty hands and feet… but what else do you need to consider for your sweaty yoga practice?
If you plan to (or already) attend hot yoga classes, you may wish to purchase a hot yoga towel.
Because the truth is, even the best hot yoga mat can get a little defeated by a super sweaty hot yoga class.
You will sweat a lot in hot yoga, so a towel like this one helps to soak up this level of sweat while still providing you with non-slip grip.
These are placed over the top of your yoga mat and can be washed between classes making them a hygienic choice!
The IUGA yoga towel has a unique pocket design that tucks over the corners of your yoga mat to stop you slipping! This 2-in-1 set also comes with a hand towel to wipe off sweat during the sweatiest yoga sessions.
This Shandali yoga mat towel is specifically designed for practising hot yoga. It will keep your mat protected from sweat while offering superior grip with its silicone "web-grip" bottom.
How to clean a sweaty yoga mat
Whether your yoga mat claims to be antimicrobial or not, you still need to regularly clean your yoga mat to prevent build up of bacteria and keep your mat smelling fresh.
I would recommend cleaning your mat at least once a week, but preferably after each use, particularly after those sweaty sessions!
To clean your mat, simply spray with an antibacterial natural yoga mat spray and then wipe off the residue with a damp cloth. Easy!
This yoga mat spray is made from essential oils to keep your yoga mat clean from sweat without unnecessary chemicals. It also comes with a free towel to clean with!
And there you have it! I hope that after reading this post you’re well equipped to banish the slip in your yoga practice.
Want more yoga content like this? Check out some of these posts:
- The 10 Best Ashtanga Yoga Books for Your Home Practice in 2024
- 8 Types of Yoga: Which Style is Right for You?
- The Top 5 Best Yoga Mats for Bad Knees in 2023
Not ready to make your choice just yet? No worries, just pin the image below to come back later!
Esther is the founder of Through the Phases, a wellbeing and healthy lifestyle blog dedicated to sharing mind/body/soul practices for self-exploration, healing, and fulfilment. She has a degree in Psychology, is yoga teacher trained (200hr), and is currently pursuing a Neuroscience MSc to further study the mind-body connection. Read more about her story here.