I got the mat as a birthday present. After my first class with it I can say that it is dangerously slippery if you get sweaty enough so the mat gets wet. I had great difficulties performing a “down dog” because my feet were sliding away on the slippery surface. The mat has no real grooves where excess moisture can collect. The surface is basically solid and glossy.

I have had 2 black mat pro mats. I had to send one back because of scratching and behold manduka sent me another one free of charge. For all the slippery people out there it takes about a year of regular use before the mat stops slipping. Alternatively there is instructions on the manduka website on how to soften the surface.
Once the top surface softens you won’t want to use a towel.
Hope this review helps….. u only buy this mat once

Lululemon’s “The Mat.”

I’m a Vinyasa teacher, and between the 10+classes per week that I teach and my own daily practice, I need a lot from a mat. I tried a friend’s Manduka Pro and while it was nice, I just didn’t fall in love with it and have to have one. For years I’ve been a loyal Jade Harmony girl—finding the grip and feel to suit me perfectly. I also love the company and appreciate their philosophy, but after going through my third mat in three years I was curious about my other options. I’ve noticed some other teachers practicing on Lululemon’s new offering—”The Mat,” and started asking about it. Everyone who has it is so enthusiastic about it that I had to go by the store and check it out.

I really would rather give my money to Jade, because as a company they are so worthy of support, but this was an experiment and I have to say, “The Mat” is in a league of its’ own. The surface is bizarre and space-agey…. a non-toxic, PVC free PU that is smooth to the touch yet grippier than any other mat I’ve ever tried. Somehow it absorbs moisture—you can actually see droplets of sweat vanishing before your eyes. The company claims it gets stickier as it gets sweatier, and that’s totally true, incredibly. It’s firm and dense, 2 lbs lighter than the Black Mat, and just as wide and long, and grips better than the Jade once you start sweating. No towel necessary. I’m not kidding, it’s totally weird and awesome.

It’s also treated with a non-toxic anti-bacterial/anti-fungal, and is reversible (the other side is very similar to a Jade mat, made of natural rubber and recycled Luon). Lulu sells them for $68, and I think it’s a great investment. I’ve been practicing since ‘98 and teaching since 2003, and I’ve been through a LOT of mats…. this is one of the best, and is the only mat I know of that holds a candle to the Jade Harmony or Manduka Pro in terms of performance and value.