The Best Round Yoga Mats In 2023 (Which one should you buy / not buy)

If some of us (including myself) were once quite sceptical of round yoga mats, now we might have to think twice because these mats are here to stay. What appeared at first as a passing fad, it’s now definitely becoming a thing, as it’s gaining more and more visibility and approvals by the day. And I couldn’t agree more! 

What really made me change my mind is that this shape provides plenty of space for my practice, especially when teaching my zoom classes, because I can easily demonstrate each pose from any angle, without having to lay on an uncomfortable surface!

So if you’re keen on trying this new shape, here’s a round-up guide that could help you find the best circular mat for your practice!

The Top Round Yoga Mats Reviewed

	Product's name	Grip	Durability	Size and thickness	Design	Material	More Info
	Best Overall Manduka Eko Round Yoga Mat	4/5	5/5	59’ x 3mm	5/5	Polyvinyl Chloride	See Latest Price
	Best eco-friendly SoulSisters 55X55 Inches Suede Round Yoga Mat	4/5	3/5	55’ x 55	4/5	100% natural rubber with high-end suede microfiber	See Latest Price
	Best Grip SISYAMA Circle Round TAI-CHI YIN-YANG Yoga Mat Meditation Pilates (Black, 6...	5/5	4/5	5' or 6' x 5.22mm	3/5	Eco-friendly PPE rubber	See latest price
	Best Budget Option Everyday Yoga Round Yoga Mat	3/5	4/5	6' x 6’ x 5mm	3/5	PVC	See Latest Price
	Best size SCHRINER Pro Large Round Yoga Mat 6’ x 8mm for Exercise Premium Extra...	4/5	3/5	71’ x 71’ x 0.31’	3/5	Polyvinyl Chloride Foam	See latest price

Find the right round yoga mat for you

Manduka is a brand famous for designing great quality products, and this round mat is no exception. And how could it be otherwise? It topped our list thanks to its first-rate materials, unique prints, and great grip. So it’s basically the perfect match between beauty and efficiency. 

If there’s one thing I absolutely love about this mat it’s its size: it’s a 59″ diameter, so you’ll have plenty of room to perform any asanas in any style of yoga! What I also found pretty cool is the fact that this product is super thin (only 3 mm thick) and quite light too, which make it the ideal companion for all your travels. Furthermore, many users claim that given its high-quality materials, it’s also pretty durable and easy to clean, so it’s completely worth its fairly high price. 

But perhaps one of its biggest perks it’s its fantastic adherence on both surfaces, as the top layer is made from microfiber with a natural rubber, which is innately sticky. Just one little tip: as the company itself suggests, for enhanced grip try to make sure you lightly mist the mat before your practice. 

Lastly, the Manduka eQua eKO comes in various attractive designs, so there’s really something to suit everybody’s fancy, just need to pick the one that’s made for you!

So let’s recap its overall pros and cons…

Made with 100% natural rubber and high-end suede microfiber, this mat is by far the eco-friendliest option you can find on the market. It’s completely non-toxic and free of phthalates, so it goes without saying that when you buy this mat you’re actually doing something quite meaningful for both you and our planet. That added to its catchy prints, make it the go-to product for environmentally conscious yogis with an eye for aesthetics.

What pleasantly surprised me it’s that even the prints (which I personally adore) are made using water-based ink. However, there’s a price to pay in terms of durability as some users complain that the print progressively starts to fade away with time. But that depends entirely on how often you’re actually going to use this mat… 

So, simply put: if you’re practising yoga only on an occasional basis then this mat’s truly ideal for you, whereas if you’re a more consistent practitioner you might want to consider getting something slightly more durable than this one.

At the end of the day, this mat really does its job, as it’s a non-slip surface that ensures great grip and stability and it’s also the perfect width that provides excellent stability and comfort in each position.

Purposely created for both Tai-Chi and Yoga, this mat’s really great for those who are looking for an essential, roomy and extremely grippy mat. The first thing I felt when I looked at this mat, it’s that its appearance perfectly encapsulates the distinctive zen and minimalistic attitude of both these ancient disciplines, as it’s all jet black with a beautiful Tai-Chi/Yin-Yang symbol right in the centre. So for me, it’s a total thumbs up for its design, but that’s completely a matter of taste. 

Appearance aside, what really impressed me about this product it’s that it’s incredibly sticky. It has a fantastic non-slip surface that provides great grip on both sides: so the bottom surface will always lay pleasingly flat on the floor and the top layer, which is made of TPE, is ideal for those who practice dynamic yoga styles such as Vinyasa or Ashtanga. 

Furthermore, this mat’s only 5.22mm in thickness, so it’s super thin and lightweight, which means that it provides a suitable surface for a pleasant practice.

In this regard, I guess it’s also worth mentioning that its width might be a problem to some, especially for those who are more into static yoga styles like Hatha or Yin… In this case, my suggestion would be to always place a circular rug under its surface (try to find something of the same size or even bigger than your mat) so that you can have plenty of space and comfort during your class.

Also, there’s just one more little disclaimer you need to consider before buying: some users state that if you’re taller than 5′ 5′ you could have some length issues on certain poses, so if that’s your case, you might want to look at something slightly bigger. 

If you’re willing to give round mats a shot but don’t feel like investing too much money on something you’ve never tried before, then look no further because this mat is a great option for you. What truly caught my eye about this mat it’s that, when you scroll down to check the product reviews, you’ll find that this mat has gotten huge support from experts too! Which of course says a lot about this product’s real efficiency.

After some research, I was indeed satisfied with this budget alternative: mostly because it’s 6′ in diameter and that means you can have all the space that you need to stretch and pose.  Also, this mat’s made of PVC, which as you know is not the best material of course but at least it’s completely non-toxic, anti-microbial and it’s durable too.

Still, this Everyday Yoga mat has a rather crucial flaw: it’s not too sticky, because as the company itself stated on its website, the stickiness develops either with the use or if you mist the surface before your practice.

Something I’d also like to point out it’s that its design might appear a little dull to some, as this mat comes only in plain black, no other colours or prints…But then again, that’s totally relative to your taste.

First and foremost, this round yoga mat’s main feature is its size: like the one we’ve just reviewed, it has a diameter of 6’ so you’ll get to perform any asanas without having to lay on the floor. Secondly, despite being quite lightweight and easy to carry (it’s only 10 pounds!), this mat’s also pretty thick and comfortable. For this reason, if you’re more of a beginner or if you practice Yin and meditation this mat will surely be your best friend. 

Nevertheless, being suitable for calmer or meditative practices, this product’s definitely not the best candidate in terms of adherence. It does have a sticky surface on the bottom, so this mat will not slide on the floor but at the same time, I found that the top layer really lacks adherence. 

All in all, I have to say that what I appreciated about this mat it’s that, like the Manduka, Schriner makes its mats from non-toxic, durable and eco-friendly materials, which are always great perks to have in a mat.

Round Yoga Mats Buying Guide

Why buy a round yoga mat?

To be fair, back to a few months ago, if someone would’ve told me that round yoga mats are great I’d probably strongly disagree. Even more so because I always held dear to the millenary tradition of this beautiful discipline and perhaps the idea of doing something rather unconventional simply didn’t feel right to me… 

But after some research, I decided I had to give this new shape a try and see by myself if these mats are really worth their fame or not. And to my surprise, I had a complete change of heart and they’ve quickly become essential to all my classes.

As a teacher, I always had a hard time demonstrating some poses on my zoom classes given the restricted surface of the standard yoga mat. So I’d always end up with one knee or arm on the floor, which is, as you know, quite unpleasant, especially if the surface is not pristine.

And that’s exactly the real beauty of a circular mat: it allows you to do unique transitions you’d never thought possible on a traditional rectangular mat.

So no more performing Wild Thing on a slippery wooden floor, or doing Windshield wipers on a dirty surface, because this mat lets you explore a 360 range of motions in any style you like!

What to Look for When Buying Round Yoga Mats

When you’re looking for round yoga mats there are four crucial elements you might need to consider before buying: sizing, grip, material and durability. Let’s see why:

Size

This is probably the main feature of circular mats, as it’s pretty essential. Small round mats might be quite useless because they simply don’t have all the perks that this shape has to offer… The ideal size would be around 6-7 feets in diameter, so to allow you to have a lot of space to practice yoga in complete comfort.

Grip

The traction in the yoga mats is also incredibly fundamental. After all, you’ll probably agree with me when I say that a yoga mat that has little to no grip is definitely the most annoying thing ever. It simply won’t allow you to do your practice, so say goodbye to alignment and steadiness.

But there’s more: when you get a mat that lacks adherence it’ll be rather likely for you to get injured because either you’ll easily fall out of poses (especially when you do difficult inversions or transitions!) or the mat will just slip on the floor. So really, you’d better stay away from this kind of mat.

Whereas if you get something with an excellent grip on both sides I can assure you that you’ll get to perform yoga poses by the book.

Obviously, the adherence of your mat strictly depends on its materials, so check out the following section to know more about the best ones available on the market!

Material

When choosing the best product, try to always go for something eco-friendly and strictly non-toxic. For example, cotton mats or those made in microfiber are probably the best options because they’re soft, comfy and they’re also naturally sweat-absorbing. On top of it, when you buy such mats you’ll find that it takes literally nothing to clean their surface, so stains will no longer be an issue for you!

Durability

The durability of the yoga mats may vary depending on their material and the frequency of use. As aforementioned, if you’re fully committed to your practice and do yoga every day, I’d always suggest spending a little more money on a lasting product, instead of buying a cheap one that may last a couple of months or so. Whereas if you’ve just started out your yoga journey or you don’t practice too often, buying a cheaper quality product is not necessarily a bad thing. 

But it also depends on what feature of the mat gets affected by the time. So always keep an eye on the reviews: if the print or the design fades away with time it’s no big deal but if the grip is compromised then, as I said, you should try to look elsewhere.

FAQs for Round Yoga Mats

Final Thoughts

So we’ve come to the end of our review. I genuinely hope this article has made you change your mind about round yoga mats because they’re really something amazing!  As I said, I highly recommend the Manduka eQua eKO Round Mat, as it’s really the top-shelf product that the market has to offer…However, I think it’s also important to highlight the fact that there’s a mat for each purpose and taste. So just see what’s the top priority for you, whether it’s the design or its grip and simply find the one that perfectly matches your taste and needs!

Let us know your thoughts on round yoga mats, we’d love to hear from you.

Namaste!