Manduka PRO Yoga Mat - 6mm Ultra-Dense Non-Slip Textured Surface, Teacher Recommended for Hot Yoga, Pilates & Home Studio Workouts | Perfect for Yoga Classes, Gym Sessions & Meditation Practice

I Love this mat! I am a relative newbie in yoga, have been sporadically going to YMCA yoga classes for a little over a year. I started out by just using the mats at the Y. Then I decided that I would get my own mat... I didn't really want to use the same mat that lots of other people have been using; wasn't too sure how often they are cleaned or the health of previous users of the mats.Well... I got a yoga mat in the $20 range. Thin and my hands slipped in Down Facing Dog. Moved up to a mat in the $30 range and used both mats during practice. No problems with the thickness of the combined mats stacked together (comfort of knees in poses that require you to be on all fours), but still a little problem with slipping hands. And standing balance poses were a little more difficult since the two mats together were a little "spongy" and my balance is not that great that I needed the extra "added benefit" of a less stable surface to balance on!I noticed that all my instructors use Manduka mats... Hmmmm, wonder if the mats are worth the (lots) extra money they cost??? Asked a couple of my instructors, and they all said emphatically "YES!" Sooooo.... Decided to give the $$$ mat a try. I mean, after all, I spend well over $100 for running shoes... and stability and comfort in my yoga mat is also important!Well, I have to say, the instructors are right! I LOVE this mat. My hands do NOT slip in Down Dog, even toward the end of a strenuous yoga workout when I am a little "damp". (I sweat like a well lathered horse after a hard run...). The mat is comfortable in all of the poses that I have done; no issues with knees on the hard surfaces of the gym floor. Standing balance poses have become a little easier; the firmness of the Manduka mat provides stability that I was just not getting with less expensive options.The mat itself is obviously of better material than my previous less expensive mats. Firmer, heavier, less slippery. I have seen some reviews that say it is TOO heavy... not a problem. If you are doing plank position, and you are complaining about the weight of this mat, then something does not equate!I like the fact that the mat has a lifetime guarantee. One of my main instructors has used her mat for over 4 years; and she teaches classes 2 hours a day on average ... every day (or maybe more...). Her mat is still in perfect condition. She said that she went through 2 mats a year before moving up to the Manduka... So is it really more expensive than the cheaper mats??? Maybe not!!!I got the extra long Manduka mat. I am not tall (5'9") but I like to stay on the mat and not on the floor - shorter mats have me hanging off the ends on some poses with the normal sized mats. The longer mat is perfect!If you are new to Yoga, give yoga a try using the studio mats at the class before buying a Manduka (they are expensive).If you like Yoga and want to continue... BUY A MANDUKA MAT!!! You will not be sorry!