Kulae tpECOmat

Kulae yoga mats are made from TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), a man-made material that is said to be biodegradable and non-toxic. I’ve come to like TPE mats for their soft, yet firm, support and ability to take a nicely patterned surface, which seems to help with traction. Kulae makes mats in three thicknesses, the basic tpECOmat being the thinnest and lightest. This mat is amazingly light. It’s like carrying a little feather around. The trade-off is that it is also very thin. At 1/8 inch (3mm) thick, the mat still provides enough cushion (cushiness is another of TPE’s best attributes), but I found that it has a tendency to bunch in standing poses where a lot of pressure is being applied to the back foot (like the warrior II and trikonasana). This is probably not a problem in Kulae’s thicker mats, so unless the lightest of weights is your priority, I would suggest going with one of them. Compared to the durability of a Jade rubber mat or the super dense Manduka PRO, TPE mats are going to lose out every time. That nice cushiony softness seems to equal a high susceptibility to wear and tear.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.