REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Durable
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor traction both dry and wet
Not very stable
Gaiam Premium Sticky Review
Inexpensive choice for beginner yogis or those looking for a mat to take outdoors/camping
Gaiam Premium Sticky
Credit: Gaiam
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Our Verdict
Gaiam is one of the biggest names in yoga accessory manufacturing, with arguably the widest distribution (they're in Walmart and Target stores, etc.). They're known for their colorfully printed and inexpensive yoga mats, but are they any good? We chose to test their more basic model, the Gaiam Premium Sticky mat, which is one you'd be most like to find and buy in these big-box retailers. While the price was right, it just didn't measure up to the higher end mats in this review. If you're new to yoga and not sure you want to spend up to $100 on a mat, then, by all means, grab one of these mats. You can always use it down the road for outside classes, camping trips, or other times when you don't want to use a more expensive mat.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Gaiam Premium Sticky mat is 5mm thick, 68" long, and 24" wide. It's made with PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), which is not the most eco-friendly material, but Gaiam asserts that it is manufactured without “the top six most harmful phthalates” and is also latex-free.
Performance Comparison
This mat is inexpensive and durable, but not very comfortable or stable.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Traction Dry and Wet
This mat has poor wet and dry traction. Our hands slipped whether they were completely dry or slick with sweat when we tried to hold poses like Downward Facing Dog. PVC mats are notorious for not having great traction, and this one is no exception. The Gaiam Foldable yoga mat had better traction than this one, as its surface really did have a “sticky” texture to it.
Even in dry conditions, our hands and feet slipped in this pose.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Comfort and Stability
We did not find this mat very comfortable or stable. Though it is 5mm thick, it did not feel as plush as the Manduka eKO nor nearly as stable. When jumping from Downward Dog to standing, the mat moved with us, and it shifted around on the floor during our practice. For the ultimate in comfort and stability, the 6mm Manduka PRO is the way to go.
This mat is a little squishy underfoot, making standing poses more challenging, and it's not very heavy so it tends to shift around during use.
Credit: Kenny Barker
Durability
Like other PVC mats, this one will last for a long time. The material itself is slow to degrade, and it doesn't hold creases or flake off like a TPE mat does.
This mat is double sided, so if one side starts to wear out or get dirty you can switch to the other.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Portability
This mat scored high for portability. It is relatively lightweight (3 lbs) and rolls up compactly and is a feather compared to the heavy and oversized Prana Revolution.
Ease of Care
Gaiam states that “yoga mats release a powerful but harmless odor when first unwrapped,” and that is certainly true with this model. But while they say that the smell should dissipate within a few days, this was not the case for us. We've had it out for three months now, and it still has a powerful chemical odor. While most of the mats in this review have a detectable odor, this one is overpowering and much more unpleasant than the smell of the rubber mats that we tested. While this doesn't affect the ease of care for this mat, we thought we'd mention it here anyway. As for the ease of care, it is fairly easy as it doesn't absorb water or sweat and will be slower to take on a funky odor. You can even throw this mat in a front-loading washing machine to get a deep clean.
Value
There's no question that this is the most affordable mat in this review, but it also had the lowest overall score. If you're new to yoga and don't want to spend a lot of money on your mat in the event you don't end up using it much, then this mat is a good option. Dedicated yogis will want to look elsewhere and invest in a better overall mat like the Manduka eKO, Lululemon, or Jade Harmony. On the flip side, this mat is almost much cheaper than the Manduka PRO, and it's hard to justify that price discrepancy.
The Gaiam mat (top) is almost $80 cheaper than the Manduka PRO (bottom), which is a significant difference in price without a correspondingly big difference in performance.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring
Conclusion
The Gaiam Sticky Premium mat is a low-cost entry-level mat. While we understand the need for a cheaper beginner mat on the market, it's not our first choice for practicing on, particularly when compared side-by-side to some great high-end mats, or the similarly priced Clever Yoga Better Grip.
—
Cam McKenzie Ring
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