Manduka vs Liforme (2022): Which Is The Better Yoga Mat For You?

One of the best ways a yogi can level up their practice is by upgrading their mat. Because when you have one that’s of great quality, you can hold your poses with ease and confidence instead of slipping and falling all over the place. Two yoga mat brands worth considering are Manduka and Liforme, both of which have been given the stamp of approval by the yoga community.

That said, there are some pretty significant differences between them so it’s important that you choose wisely. To help you out, here’s an in-depth comparison of their most popular yoga mat models, namely the Manduka PRO and the Liforme Original Yoga Mat.

Manduka vs Liforme Comparison Chart

Grip

The Manduka PRO is slippery in the beginning but gets stickier over time while the Liforme Original Yoga Mat tends to lose some of its grip after a couple of years.

The Manduka PRO is known for having insane grip but be warned–it doesn’t start out that way. In the beginning, it’s going to be very slippery and downright unusable and that’s because it needs to broken in first. Unfortunately, it takes more than a couple of sessions to do so so you need to be quite patient and persistent with it. Just keep doing your sun salutations on it and it will eventually become the sticky and ultra grippy mat everyone claims it is. To speed up the process, Manduka suggests that you give the PRO a salt rub. Sprinkle some sea salt on it, leave it outside for 24 hours, and then wipe it down with a damp wash cloth.

As for the Liforme Original Yoga Mat, it saves you a lot of trouble by being sticky and grippy right off the bat. It doesn’t require a breaking in process so you can start flowing with ease the moment you unroll it. If you’re into hot yoga, this mat will be right up your alley because even if you’re sweating buckets, your hands and feet will stay put. You’ll feel definitely feel safe practicing on it sans any worries of slipping and face-planting. However, this yoga mat does tend to lose some if its grip after a couple of years of rigorous practice, especially on the parts where you usually place your hands and feet.

Materials and Durability

The Manduka PRO is a lot more durable while the Liforme Original Yoga Mat is more environmentally friendly.

Known as the Taj Mahal of yoga mats, the Manduka PRO is pretty much indestructible. Yogis say that it’s the last yoga mat you’ll ever have to buy because it’s built to last a lifetime. Manduka confirms this by promising that the PRO will never fade, peel, or flake on you and they’ve even backed this claim up with a lifetime warranty. However, eco warriors might be disappointed to know that the Manduka PRO contains PVC, a material that’s pretty hard to recycle and doesn’t biodegrade in landfills. But because it’s designed to withstand wear and tear, you’re still actually reducing waste and consumption and helping out the environment when you purchase this mat.

As for the Liforme Original Yoga Mat, its durability can’t be compared to that of the Manduka PRO. If you hop on it regularly and have a rigorous practice, you might have to keep buying a new one every couple of years because it wears down quite easily. And as mentioned, it tends to lose some of its amazing grip after a while. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a lifetime warranty either. This is the Liforme Original Yoga Mat’s biggest downside although it’s definitely much more environmentally friendly then the Manduka PRO. It’s PVC-free, non-toxic, biodegradable, and sustainable so it deserves some extra points for that.

Comfort and Support

Both the Manduka PRO and Liforme Original Yoga Mat are able to strike a great balance between comfort and support.

Both the Manduka PRO and the Liforme Original Yoga Mat are thicker than the standard yoga mat, measuring in at 6mm and 4.2mm respectively. This means that they’re able to provide greater comfort and protection, acting as a cushy barrier between the hard floor and any jutting bones. And because they’re so thick and heavy, they’re able to stay put underneath you and won’t bunch up or slide around during your practice. That said, it’s better to go for the Manduka PRO if you have extra weak or sensitive joints. It has a little bit more padding so you’re less likely to feel any aches or pains while you’re holding low lunge, plank, or crow.

Because both of these yoga mats have more cushion than what’s typically expected, you might think that it’s hard to balance on them. Fortunately, that’s not the case because they’re actually pretty dense and not at all spongelike. Because they don’t compress under your weight, you should be able to hold your poses without any sinking. Aside from providing a great balance between comfort and support, both the Manduka PRO and Liforme Original Yoga Mat are huge, giving practitioners a lot of space to move around in.

Ease of Use & Portability

The Liforme Original Yoga Mat is more beginner-friendly and is also slightly more portable.

As mentioned, both the Manduka PRO and the Liforme Original Yoga Mat are thicker and bigger than average. While that can be advantageous, it also means they’re not very portable. They definitely come with some heft so you’re better off leaving them at home or in the studio. But if you do a lot of travelling and need to bring your practice with you wherever you go, the Liforme Original Yoga Mat is the better pick of the the two. Clocking in at 2.5kg, it’s slightly easier to carry around than the 3.4kg Manduka PRO.

Speaking of ease, it’s worth mentioning that the Liforme Original Yoga Mat is designed with Liforme’s unique ‘AlignForMe’ system. Because it bears alignment markers on its surface, you know exactly where to place your hands and feet in poses like downward dog, warrior 2, and reverse tabletop. This makes the Liforme Original Yoga Mat extremely ideal for beginners because there’s a literal cheat sheet they can refer to whenever they’re feeling lost.

Verdict

The Manduka PRO is for advanced yogis while the Liforme Original Yoga Mat is better for beginners.

There’s no doubt that both the Manduka PRO and the Liforme Original Yoga Mat are top-quality picks, able to provide both comfort and support that not a lot of other yoga mats can. That said, they’re meant to serve different types of yogis.

Given that the Liforme Original Yoga Mat is sticky and grippy from the beginning and doesn’t require any breaking in makes it more suitable for beginners. Also, the fact that it’s designed with alignment markers adds to its beginner-friendliness. As for the Manduka PRO, it’s more geared towards advanced yogis who already have a regular practice in place. They’ll be able to dedicate time to the breaking in process as well as fully enjoy the durability of the Manduka PRO.

If you want more yoga mat options aside from the Manduka PRO and the Liforme Original Yoga Mat, you can check out our list of the best yoga mats.

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