I have had my Aurorae mat for nearly eight months and still consider it one of the best mats out there. As a yoga teacher, I've tried many different mats ranging in price from $50 to $100 and the Aurorae mat beats them all. It's as long and wide as the 'premium' mats that are twice the price, but it's super lightweight so it's easy to carry around. The thickness is perfect: everyone who has tried my Aurorae mat comments on how nice it feels. It's thick without being too firm or two soft.
I've also been impressed with the durability of my Aurorae mat- I practice daily at home, and in the studio at least 3-4 times a week. I also use my mat outside on grass, concrete and flagstones. Obviously it's been put through a lot, but it's still in excellent condition. I have washed it once a month according to the manufacturer's directions and aside from a slight discoloration where my hands and feet are positioned in down dog, it still looks brand new.
Since the Aurorae mat is phthalate-free, it didn't stink of plastic when it arrived. I only had to unroll it and let it sit out for a couple of hours and I was able to use it that night. It also didn't smell like rubber as some of the other premium mats do. It's not only scent-free, it doesn't seem to hold odors (which is important if you sweat a lot!) There's nothing worse than being in child's pose and holding your breath because your nose is so close to a plastic-y/sweaty-smelly/rubber-stinking mat.
The only drawback I've found for my mat is that it isn't very 'sticky' when I sweat, but I have yet to find a truly sticky mat anywhere. In my experience, if you practice hot yoga or sweat a lot, no mat is going to be sticky enough without a towel over the top (I use a microfiber towel specifically made for yoga). I have the roisin bag also sold by Aurorae and that helps a lot, but when the studio is 100F+, I need a towel to help soak up the sweat and allow my hands some traction in down dog.
On the other hand, if I practice in an unheated area the mat works fine. It's not 'sticky' so much as the top of the mat allows my hands to sink in a bit and gain some traction. That's nicer than the last 'sticky' mat I tried which was so sticky that I couldn't keep hair and lint from gathering all over the top. Gross!
Overall, I've been so pleased with my Aurorae mat that I'm considering buying another one just so I can keep one at the studio and one at home. I also recommend this mat to all my students and every one who has bought an Aurorae mat has been just as pleased as I am. I don't think you can find a better mat, especially for the price!
0 comments:
Post a Comment