15 Best Yoga Mats On Carpet Floors (2022)

Researching for a good yoga mat to use at home?

You’ve got carpet floors in the space where you live and may need a few tips on what yoga mat will work best.

You obviously don’t want your yoga mat to slide around - because that’s very annoying. And you also don’t want it to get bunched up while you’re in the middle of your practice.

Before writing this review I combed over dozens and dozens of yoga mats and read countless reviews on amazon. 

Furthermore, I’ve been practicing yoga for over 15 years and teaching for about half that time. I’m happy to say I can whole-hearted say these are the best yoga mats on carpet...

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What’s so good about Jade anyways?

There’s a huge list of reasons why Jade yoga mats are always at the top of my recommendations. Here are just a few details you should know.

• They are made from natural material (rubber from rubber trees)
• They constantly get high ratings from verified buyers
• This brand’s ecological footprint is overall very low.
• Lots of my advanced yoga teacher friends swear by them.

If you are worried about a Jade mat slipping on your carpet, then stop worrying right now. It stays in place from start to finish.

Also, have your hands or feet every slipped on TOP of the yoga mat? That can be pretty dangerous and these yoga mats have a very good top surface that prevents your hands from sliding (even if they’re wet).

It’s Going To Last You A Long Time

Think about it... 

You’re buying a massive hunk of ecologically friendly rubber. These mats (especially the Harmony recommended above) will last you for a very long time. 

The only minor, tiny downside about this mat is that after daily usage you’ll begin to notice a tiny bit of fraying around the edges. But that’s only after a year or so of usage and it’s honestly insignificant overall. 

So why is this pick second and not number one?

The price on this Jade Travel yoga mat is a bit less than the Harmony mat. And really, this could be a better option for you…

It all comes down to cushion. If you need a bit thicker cushion option then yes, go for the top pick of the Harmony.

However, if you find that you don’t care much about padding because carpet already provides enough for you then this will be the best yoga mat choice. 

3. Jade Voyager Yoga Mat

This is actually a travel mat, but don’t be fooled.

If you still want the amazing quality of a Jade, but don’t want to pay more than $100, I’d suggest getting the Voyager. However, there’s a catch.

This mat is very thin. It’s literally only 1/16th of an inch! It also weighs less than 2lbs. You might run the risk of this mat bunching up a little bit, but I seriously doubt it. 

If you have a rug you can put down under this travel mat then you should be perfect. 

On the other side, if you have bad knees and sitting on the ground for any amount of time causes you pain then you’ll want to avoid this mat altogether. 

If you want a super thick mat, check out this next suggestion.

4. Jade Fusion Extra Thick Yoga Mat

This mat is the real deal…

It’s thick - 8mm to be exact. In the world of yoga mats, that’s very thick considering most other mats are about 5mm thick. 

Furthermore:

• If you need padding, this mat’s got it…
• If you need hand and feet traction, this mat’s got it…
• It won’t bunch and it won’t slide.

So why then isn’t number one?

Well that comes down to one sad truth - the smell. 

Sorry to say but all Jade yoga mats will have a slight rubber smell to them. Thinner mats like the Travel mat and the Voyager will smell somewhat, but that goes away with time. 

This mat is a fat hunk of rubber and it will for sure smell like one. If you are highly sensitive to the smell of rubber then do not buy this mat. 

However, if you can tolerate it, and can wait for about 2 weeks while you go through a couple cycles of scrubbing it and letting it air out then you wont regret your purchase. Again, you’ll just have to wait a while before the smell dies down. 

What about Manduka mats?

Manduka mats are wonderful…

Here’s a few quick notes about the Manduka brand:

• Solid construction and good warranties
• Made from rubber from rubber trees
• Lasts for years

So why then, aren’t these at the top of my recommendations? 

Again, it all has to do with smell.

Manduka mats actually smell more than Jade mats. Also, the smell seems to last longer as well. Therefore if you are highly sensitive to the smell of rubber you’ll want to skip these mats all together. 

If you don’t mind the smell for a while then keep reading. However, if you are adverse to any type of rubber or slight chemical smell then you’ll want to skip this Manduka section all together and go down to the worthwhile mentions section. 

There’s a reason this is their flagship yoga mat…

It’s solid. It lasts forever and the padding is perfect - 6mm.

The top layer is actually a tiny bit slippery at first, but after you do a simple salt scrub this helps to break things in and set the rubber how it should be. After that, it will have some good traction.

In my humble opinion, doing the salt scrub (as recommended by Manduka) is actually kinda fun. It’s like seasoning a cast iron skillet. In a way, it brings you closer to your mat. 

Considering yoga can be a very personal thing, I enjoy the relationship between me and my yoga mat. Now that may sound crazy, but we all have our favorite things… Favorite pair of jeans, favorite coffee mug, and more. 

Once you break this mat in a bit, and show it some love, you’ll adore it. 

6. Manduka ProLite Mat

It’s almost sad...

This yoga mat would get the number one ranking on this review if it were not for one glaring flaw…

It’s made from PVC.

Chemically, PVC has all sorts of bad things in it. To Manduka’s credit however they state that their mats are still made with the highest quality ecological standards. 

I’ll give them some credit on this because German ecological standards are some of the best in the world. The fact remains is that PVC is not biodegradable and this mat will sit in a landfill for a few 1000 years before ever breaking down.

If you can look past the PVC part then this mat is actually really, really good. It’s a wonderful yoga mat for use on the carpet and it will last you a very long time. 

7. Manduka eKO Mat

This is the slightly more affordable option from this company.

The eKO mat will have a rubber smell, but not too bad. At 5mm it’s the perfect width so it won’t bunch up on your floor.

You’ll have to season it just a little bit to get things broken in, but nowhere near as much as the Pro version. 

8. Manduka eKO Lite Mat

This yoga mat is also really good. It might slip a tiny bit on carpet, but unless you’re doing some wild, crazy vinyasa moves then you shouldn’t have to worry about that.

It’s a bit less thick than the standard eKO. This eKOlite is only 4mm, but that’s still really good.

It will feel good as your practicing and the rubber smell should go away pretty quickly.

Liforme Mats

Just a quick reminder…

You want a mat that won’t bunch up. You want one that won’t allow you to slip. Also, you want a mat that won’t slip itself on your carpet.

Liforme yoga mats hit all of these marks. They are really, really good mats.

The only real question is how much padding do you want, and how much do you want to pay?

You’ll feel the connection right away with this… 

Of all the recommendations on this list, Liforme provides the best traction - hands down (pun intended).

No more slipping in Downward Facing Dog. Furthermore, you can transition from pose to pose with ease because while it does provide a fantastic grip, the mat also allows you to move and slide a bit without the mat bunching up. 

It is made from rubber, but that smell goes away pretty quickly. It’s got a thickness of 4.5mm which is pretty standard.

10. Liforme Travel Yoga Mat 

Yes, it’s another thin yoga mat, but the grip is fantastic. 

If you are doing yoga at home then consider just putting an extra rug underneath and you’ll be just fine.

I know lots of people who use their old junky yoga mat as a cushion, but then put this travel mat on top of their old mat and it works wonders.

Other Mats Worth A Look

This mat is a wonderful mat to use on your carpet.

It’s a good price and has a really nice top coating that will help to prevent you from slipping. 

Just so you know:

TPE stands for Thermoplastic Elastomers. This is a mix of plastics and rubber and is generally touted as an environmentally safe option.

I won’t get into the details here, but just know that TPE yoga mats are not quite as good as rubber mats when it comes to the environment. 

TPE mats are far better to use than PVC mats. PVC mats are the cheap ones you find at TJ Maxx and the dollar store. PVC mats have harmful chemicals, don’t breakdown in a landfill, and generally should be avoided if you can.

As far as the PIDO TPE yoga mat goes, it does NOT use PVC and is the best TPE yoga mat I’ve come across.

(sorry for all the acronyms)

12. TOPLUS Yoga Mat - Classic

Like most TPE yoga mats they are a bit stronger than cheap-o yoga mats you find everywhere. 

This means there’s less of a chance for you to have your mat stuck to your foot, thus causing it to bunch up when you shift from pose to pose. 

The top is really grippy too. It’s not quite as good as the PIDO I’m suggesting above, but it’s still good for use on carpet or even hardwood floors. 

13. TOPLUS Travel Yoga Mat

Here’s a good travel option.

You guessed it, it’s thin.

It’s not quite as thin as other travel mats, however. It’s 3mm vs other travel yoga mats that are 2 or even 1.5mm… Now that may not seem like too big of a difference, but trust me on this. It could mean the difference between bruised elbows and knees or not.

It’s a bit oxymoronic, but if you want a thick, thin mat… Then check this one out.

14. Gruper TPE Yoga Mat Pro

This is an interesting choice...

The top is actually made of suede. Now, i would not recommend taking this into a hot yoga class, but at home on your carpet it should be just fine. 

It’s a bit slippery, but not too much. I’m including it here because some people may like the feel of suede on their body. If you are a super beginner then this mat may be worth a look. 

It’s also pretty thick too. 6mm so it will have a good amount of cusion. 

If you are more advanced then you’ll want to avoid this one. 

Yes, this is a PVC yoga mat.

If you must go with a PVC mat (remember the material that's NOT so good for the environment) then here’s my begrudging recommendation. 

This mat has lots of good reviews and it seems to hold up well in various situations. It wont slide too much on your carpet at home and it would also be good on harder surfaces.

This mat is wonderful if you are a beginner and not sure if you want to make yoga a life-long habit. 

If you do yoga more than 2 times a week then avoid this mat. However, if you want to have a good mat that will last you a year or more when you go to your weekly yoga class then this is a good pick.