I have a new favorite yoga mat–the eKo Superlite by Manduka. It’s marketed as a “folding travel mat,” but I’ve actually been using it for my daily practice.
I’ve been practicing on this mat exclusively for almost two months now, so I’ve been able to give it a good, thorough workout. Here’s my review.
The first thing I noticed about the eKo SuperLite is how well constructed it is, especially for a travel mat. Typically, travel mats are so flimsy you could probably tear them in half if you tried. Now, I certainly haven’t attempted to rip my eKo SuperLite in two, but this mat can clearly withstand a lot of abuse. It’s designed to be folded up, packed in your luggage, and, of course, practiced on vigorously.
For me, the true test of a yoga mat’s build is how well it stands up to repeated impact—e.g., jump-backs to Chaturanga. So far so good with the SuperLite. This is somewhat surprising, given that it’s made of 100% natural rubber. A lot of these natural rubber mats start to crumble pretty quickly, sometimes even after just one use. The SuperLite has a closed cell design, though, so it is probably less susceptible to this kind of deterioration. (The closed cell design is also good for hygienic reasons.) It’s also made by Manduka, who have long been then gold standard for solidly built yoga mats.
The eKo SuperLite is dense, not soft and squishy. And it’s just 1.5mm thick. Yes, that’s millimeters. At first, I was worried that the mat would be too thin. And I’m certain that for some people, it will be. If you have sensitive knees, wrists, or other boney extrusions, a thicker mat would probably be better for you. But I think most seriously practitioners prefer a solid foundation underneath them. If you like to feel a strong, firm connection with the ground – if you want to feel “connected to the earth,” so to speak – I can’t think of anything better than the eKo SuperLite.
Even though the SuperLite is part of Manduka’s eKo series of mats, it has a noticeably different surface texture than the other eKo mats. Specifically, it’s stickier (at least right out of the package) and seems to have more grip on both sides of the mat. This is very important to me. I know a lot of people complain about the top of their mats being too slippery (usually the problem is that their palms are too sweaty!). But I’ve found that it’s just as important for the bottom of the mat to have some grip on the floor. Otherwise, your mat starts to stretch when you’re in poses like Down Dog, and over time this destroys the mat.
I haven’t actually used the eKo SuperLite for any serious traveling. But I can see already how and why it’d make a great mat for someone who travels a lot. It rolls up like a normal yoga mat. But you can also fold it up like a towel and throw it in your suitcase. (This is actually how I store mine, because it tends to get some bulges/bubbles when I store it rolled up.) In the past, when I used to travel a lot, I would drag around my Manduka Black Mat in a separate carrying bag. In fact, frequently when flying on planes, my Black Mat would by my one carry-on item. This, of course, meant that I couldn’t take anything else on with me! Next time I fly, though, I’ll just slip my eKo SuperLite into my suitcase along with my socks and underwear. With a great but portable mat, I am more likely to take a mat with me when I travel, which means I am far more likely to practice when I’m on the road.
BUILD: A
FEEL: A+
DURABLILTY: TBD
VALUE: A+
OVERALL: A The eKo Superlite Travel Mat by Manduka is 68-inches long, 24-inches wide, and 1.5-millimeters thick. It weighs in at less than two pounds. I highly recommend this mat for anyone who needs to travel with their mat, whether it’s on an airplane, or just across town on the subway or a bike. At $39, this is a great deal for a real Manduka yoga mat, not some flimsy towel.
Hi there, it is great to see that this review. I unfortunately don’t share the same enthusiasm about the mat as you, but I by no means intend to discredit what you say, just giving my opinion and experience.
I have been doing Ashtanga for just over a year now, and what was important for me to maintain a disciplined (if not daily) practice was ‘being able to practice’. I work in an international environment and travel at least one a month to different parts of the world. I have been doing this for numerous years, but when Ashtanga came into my life things had to adapt. I am an extremely satisfied owner of a Manduka Black Mat Pro (x-long) and a x-long Yogites towel (i could make sweating an Olympic sport). These are my companions for my ‘home practice’. I don’t know if anyone out there is familiar with the weight of this famous duo? but is not an easy bit of kit to have extra on your person when hopping on and off off international and domestic flights!!!! (i think it is +/- 6kgs)
As a result of this i was leaving it at home and not fully engaging with my practice when I would travel…. and started to skip days.
Drum roll please… enter stage right…”eko SuperLite”….
I have found what i am looking for… folds up nicely, slots into my suitcase or EVEN my hand-luggage….. I am a man on a mission and i have all that i need.
I was not expecting it to be like my Black Mat… of course not and i was also not expecting it to be as cushioned as any traditional mat, but i was expecting a bit more.
I dont know if it is because i am not an advanced practitioner and I am not distributing my weight correctly or ??… I dont know. To sum it up, i was finding that i was not able to completely focus because i was being distracted by not being 100% satisfied with the mat. Listen, its a great mat, and it does everything it says on the box. It has better durability and less stretch considering its weight and mobility. But not for me unfortunately.
As a result…. I have just taken delivery of a Manduka ProLite (standard length) and a standard length Yogites towel. It is light weight, feels great under my feet a fantastic substitute to the true ‘Don-dadda’ of mats the ‘Black Mat Pro’.
Ok it doesnt fit in my small suitcase, so i bought a Manduka Practice Tote, and got the big one as it has enough space to double as my hand-luggage.
Peace
Marcus
@ The Yoga Room Chiang Mai
Hello,
How has your SuperLite fared in terms of longevity? I’ve purchased a Black Mat Pro, a ProLite, and a SuperLite. I’m trying to decide what to keep, as this seems to be a bit redundant
I enjoy the portability of the SuperLite but I wonder about its longevity and whether it would provide enough support.
The Black Mat Pro, on the other hand, offers great support but is not portable.
Could you lend some insight?
My SuperLite has held up really well, actually. I was worried about it initially, but it’s actually held up just fine. It’s done better than my regular eKo, in fact.
In terms of support, I don’t really have an issue with the SuperLite, but some people do. It really depends on what your personal needs and expectations are in terms of support. I find that the firmness of the wooden floor underneath my thin SuperLite is actually more supportive than a squishy yoga mat. But a lot of other yoga practitioners seem to want a softer mat, since this seems to take off some of the pressure from their hands, wrists, and joints.
I have about 10 yoga mats, for a variety of different purposes, so 3 doesn’t seem like overkill to me at all