Hugger Mugger Mat Test Drive

In my last post, I wrote about the yoga props I reviewed during my teacher training at Piedmont Yoga in 2013 (I can't believe it has been three years!). I shared my post with you fine folks, my followers on Twitter, and people in the yoga community (my teachers have shared my post with their students who have asked them what props to buy).

The kind people at Hugger Mugger (HM) reached out to me and asked if I had ever tried any of their mats. Before 15 February (when my Hugger Mugger mats arrived), I could honestly say I had not. HM offered to send me a mat to take for a test drive. I jumped at the chance! They suggested that I choose a mat from their extensive collection of yoga mats.

I'm not kidding when I say they have an extensive collection. It took me two hours to decide which mat to try. I read about all the mats (did not read any of the reviews): weight, material, thickness, where it was manufactured, etc. HM makes a mat for everyone!

I know what I liked about my Manduka mats (read previous post), so I was looking for something similar in the HM mats to which I could compare/contrast. I decided to try the Eco-Rich Yoga Mat. I chose this particular mat because it's made in the USA, made with plant-based oils (but it's PVC), light weight, and one I could compare to my eko lite mat from Manduka. I was a bit conflicted TBH; I was toiling amongst the Eco-Rich, Para Rubber Yoga Mat and the Nature Collection Ultra Yoga Mat. I wanted to get the Para Rubber and Nature Collection Ultra because it was thicker and provided more padding, but my heart strings were being tugged on by the "Made in the USA" Eco Rich. So... I committed to the Eco Rich.

When I emailed HM to let them know I finally made a decision on which mat to try, my contact informed me that my mat would be shipped out the following week. Before shipping my mat, I received an email from HM (have I told you they are really nice?) and they informed me that they would send me an additional mat to try, which was their personal favorite.

Top: Eco-Rich Yoga Mat and Bottom: Para Rubber Yoga Mat

Imagine my surprise when I opened the package above! HM sent me one of the other mats I was also dying to try (happy, happy, joy joy!). I was like a kid in the candy store. I couldn't wait to give my new mats a go! After unfurling both mats, I decided to test drive each mat for a week in my public classes (the classes I taught and attended). I used the Para Rubber during the first week (literally used it within 3 hours of receipt, as I was teaching a class that night) and the Eco Rich the following week. And now, ladies and gentlemen... The moment you've all been waiting for!

My Mat Review

1. Para Rubber Mat - My new favorite mat!

It's no wonder this mat is a favorite. This mat is grippy and cushy, a great mat for any yoga class! It is 1/4" thick, and the rubber it's made of is very soft and springy. Despite the mat being springy, it provides a lot of support during your practice. This mat also has substance; it weighs 6.05 lbs - it's a commitment to carry this around. I typically carry my mat from my car to the studio and don't have too far to walk, so it really isn't much of a problem. This mat is heavier than my Manduka prolite, which I brought to public classes with me (since 15 February, it has been on vacay at home). In class, this mat does not move around. Once I lay my mat on the floor, it stays put and takes more effort than what I am used to when I have to move my mat during practice. If you practice Vinyasa or Ashtanga yoga, you will enjoy this mat because your hands and feet won't slip.

I also invited my teachers and peers to try my mat. The go-to pose for testing the mat was adho mukha svanasana (downward facing dog). My teachers (Vickie Russell Bell and Richard Rosen) liked this mat a lot too.

The only negative comment I received about this mat was the smell. The first few days of use, the smell of rubber was noticeable. My neighbors complained about it (they don't anymore) and I also noticed the scent of rubber on my hands. After a few weeks of use, however, I don't notice it anymore. I'm not sure if my neighbors still do; they haven't said anything to me recently.

2. Eco Rich Mat

While this may not be my new favorite mat, I still really like this mat. This mat is lightweight and easy to tote around. It is 1/8" thick and weighs 2.4 lbs.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I used three Manduka mats: prolite for public classes; eko lite for my home practice; and eko superlite for when I travel. The Eco-Rich can easily replace two, if not all three, of my Manduka yoga mats because it's easy to carry around. I don't find it to be as grippy (for your hands) as the Para Rubber,  prolite, or eko lite, but the Eco Rich can hold its own. I would suggest (always) using padding in bent knee poses if you decide on purchasing this mat. If you like to really feel the floor during your practice, this mat is a great option. This mat isn't as cushy or springy as the Para Rubber or the prolite. If you move around quite a bit in your practice and prefer a mat that stays put, I suggest going with the Para Rubber instead of this mat. The Eco Rich moves around less compared to the eko lite and eko superlite, which is a good thing. Both sides of the mat are grippy, which isn't the case for Manduka's eko mats.

Like the Para Rubber, I used this mat for a week in my public classes. I also brought this mat along with me during a week long snowboard trip. The mat is a little bit thicker and doesn't fold flat like the eko superlite, but they weigh about the same (2.4 lbs versus 2.2 lbs). I was still able to fold my mat and pack it in my snowboard bag, along with my boots, helmet, snowboard, etc. I much prefer this mat for travel compared to the eko superlite because it offers more support, padding, and grip.

In conclusion, I would have to say that Hugger Mugger makes excellent yoga mats! They have so many different types of mats that it's hard for me to imagine that one couldn't find a yoga mat to suit their needs. I suggest thinking about what you really want in a yoga mat (e.g. grip, cushion, material, weight, thickness, portability, to name a few) to help with narrowing your options. Once you know your must-haves, it will be easier for you to decide on a mat. I struggled with this a bit, which is probably why it took me two hours to choose a mat, because I didn't make a firm decision about where I intended to use my mat and because I had several mats with which to compare the mats from HM. Luckily, the folks at HM were kind enough to share their favorite with me. Now, the Para Rubber has become my favorite too!

Yoga Props: A Review

The "style" of yoga I practice is alignment-based and is heavily influenced by Iyengar Yoga; we use props to assist us with getting into a pose to have proper alignment. In 2013, during my teacher training, we were required to attend public classes taught by our teachers (I can't remember what the number of hours were anymore) and to develop our home practice. Having a home practice (which I'm so glad I started because I'm happy to say I still have it today!) required us to have the appropriate props at home.

I volunteered to procure the props because I wanted to make sure I purchased the best props (IMO, of course).  I visited several studios in my area to test their props and shared the results of my research with my classmates. I also made arrangements to purchase our props at a discounted rate from several manufacturers/distributors.

Sidebar: I've been meaning to do this for a while... There are a lot of new yoga studios opening up and I've been really disappointed with their props, so I thought I'd put this out there to help the yoga community, so please... Spread the word!

I've noticed that it's usually cheaper to purchase yoga props from Amazon (Full Disclosure: I'm part of their Affiliate Program). Occasionally, you can get deals from REI (when they give their members a 20% discount, which is what most manufacturers offer teachers and yoga studios). The Holiday season is also a great time to purchase props because manufacturers, like Manduka, offer a 25% discount.

Below is the what, why, and which props I recommend.

Basic Yoga Props

• Mat: practicing yoga on a mat is the norm. My grandfather used to practice on a banig, a woven plastic mat. Today, most mats are rubber and you see people carrying their mats to/from class.

  • Deciding which mat to use is a very personal decision. If you can try before you buy, go for it. For public classes, I use a Manduka PROLite (I use the 71" mat). I like this mat because it's thick and provides nice padding for bent-knee poses, in addition to a yoga blanket. At home, I practice on a Manduka eKO Lite 4mm mat (there's no reason why you can't use this for public classes). I use this mat at home because our floors are carpeted. For more stability, I practice on a thinner mat and use a Lifeboard, a great prop for carpeted floors (nice to have), but not a must for practicing. Manduka mats provide me with the grip I need during my practice. My hands don't slip, which is very useful, especially in adho mukha svanasana/downward facing dog. Another mat I've used and like is the Jade Travel Mat. You'll definitely require a blanket in bent-knee poses, but it has excellent grip and it's great for travel. I don't recommend this mat if you're using it with a Lifeboard because the surface underneath doesn't grip and it moves around on the surface of the Lifeboard.

  • A lot of yoga studios now offer mat rentals; some also offer memberships, where they typically provide you with a mat for class. This is a good way to try different mats, especially if you attend class in different studios.

• Blocks: a must when practicing yoga, you can use them in many creative ways (e.g. In uttanasana/standing forward fold, if you're unable to reach the floor, the blocks can help; lying over a block can help with opening your chest; the use of blocks can teach you how to internally rotate your thighs, etc.).

  • Firm blocks are a must. Wooden blocks are great, but they can be heavy. The next best thing are cork blocks. I especially like the ones by Manduka. Compared to other blocks, they don't crumble as quickly - crumbling is a given with cork blocks, it happens over time.

  • The most commonly used blocks today are foam blocks. Again, I'd like to emphasize that the blocks should be firm. Manduka and Hugger Mugger make excellent foam (4-inch) blocks. Hugger Mugger also makes 3-inch blocks, which is sometimes more useful than 4-inch blocks.

• Strap/belt: another must that helps you get into a pose (e.g. In paschimottanasana/seated forward fold, you may use the strap when you're unable to reach your feet with your hands). I highly recommend D-ring straps (versus the cinch) because they're much easier to use and they're less likely to break during your practice. I've seen plastic buckles break and I've also found other buckles to be so cumbersome that it can disturb your practice.

  • I don't have a personal favorite when it comes to straps, but I suggest using at least an 8' strap made of thicker material. I'm not a fan of Manduka's straps, which are very thin and their buckles are not very sturdy. I've seen several break in less than year's time. Hugger Mugger makes a better strap if you had to choose between these two popular brands, but you can find a great strap from Yoga Mats or Amazon.

• Blanket: A must for those who practice sarvangasana/shoulderstand (my teacher always suggests to use at least 3 blankets) and it's also very helpful for those of us with tight hips in seated poses (especially those of us who sit at a desk/in an office all day).

  • There are two props that I'm super picky about and this is one of them. You want a blanket that is firm and will provide you with support, typically wool blankets. Sometimes, people are allergic to wool blankets; instead, cotton blankets can also be used.

  • The best blankets I've used, which also come highly recommended by my teachers, are the Italian Military Blankets. These blankets are spendy, I know; but if you're lucky, you can find them at an Army surplus shop where I managed to find them at $40/piece, a steal!

  • If I had to choose between a Manduka blanket or Hugger Mugger blanket, I would choose the latter, which is thicker and firmer than the former.

Really Nice to Have Yoga Props

• Bolster: A great prop for a restorative practice, seated meditation, pranayama/breathing practice, and savasana/corpse pose (unfortunate name!).

  • This is the other prop I'm very picky about. I sampled what seemed like hundreds of bolsters before I found the perfect bolster. The P-E-R-F-E-C-T bolster. I found this bolster from Yoga Mats. Specifically, I recommend the 9", round, cotton fill bolster with a weight of 7.25 lbs. I personally met the owner of Yoga Mats, Brenda Beebe. Brenda used to hand sew the bolsters herself in San Francisco. Today, she oversees a factory in Los Angeles who manufacturers the bolsters for her. The great thing about ordering bolsters from her is that you can have the specific color you want (lots from which to choose) and weight. I felt like Goldilocks when I was testing out her bolsters - one was too hard, the other was too soft. 7.25 lbs was perfect!

• Backless chair: Another prop that's useful when you're learning how to get into sarvangasana/shoulderstand, twists, restorative poses, etc.

  • You can find this prop on Amazon or you can purchase a regular office folding chair and remove the back yourself (or have someone handy remove it for you).

• Sandbags: helpful in standing poses, restorative poses, hip opening poses, chest openers, etc. The list is very long.

  • I prefer Yoga Mats sandbags because I like the cover, which is soft (other sandbags are covered in nylon, which is rough) and the fact that they have sand in their bags (some manufacturers use gravel, which is not as comfortable).

• Temple Pillow/Eye Pillow: helps to make restorative yoga more relaxing, including savasana/corpse pose. Like the mat you use for practice, this is a personal choice. They come in different types of material, filling, etc. Some people don't like to use them at all.

• Wedges: helpful in standing poses, seated poses, twists, etc. I prefer Hugger Mugger for these props for the same reason I like their blocks. I would purchase the foam wedges over the cork wedges.

The list above is what I typically use during my practice, but I don't use all of them everyday. The props have helped me immensely in my practice. I'd love to hear about your thoughts on the props you use. I'm also open to trying new and different props. Please leave your comments below.