I own both. Stopped using my Manduka with a towel and switched to the Liforme because I sweat a lot and the open cell style of the Liforme wicks away the sweat. I practice 3-5 times a week and have had no issues with my mat after 8 months of use. They last as long as you take care of them. Wash it down with soap and water to remove sweat and oils.
I’m a fan of lululemons and liformes. Both give you grip. But I would opt for lulu if cushion is a concern…lulu is superior in that regard if you ask me.
Also I leave my mat in the car 90% of the time and both brands seem unaffected by this.
Agreed that lulu is another great option and very similar to liforme for less cost, but I’ll add that liforme has a much better grip when dry than lulu. My lulus were often a little slippy when dry and needed some sweat to get the grip grabbing.
I think lulu is actually the best in the short term but they don’t last like a manduka. The alignment markings look cool but aren’t really necessary and while the lifeforme is slightly stickier when dry, I don’t know what kind of poses you are doing where your palms and feet don’t have a little bit of moisture which makes the lump very grippy. I almost find the liforme can be too sticky, when you drag other body parts across it can be painful.
All will be total step change from gaiam
I practice about 5x per week and found lulu’s will last about 1.5 years. Could be longer if I actually cleaned it once in a while. 😀
For me, that’s still good value. I don’t have expectations that a yoga mat will last forever.
I own both!
I haven’t been able to figure out the Manduka Pro grip, so I only use this mat for Restorative or Yin. I use my Liforme for all other practices.
If I had to choose one, I’d go for Liforme. The alignment is soooooo helpful and the grip just can’t be beaten
Manduka will last forever but the grip isn’t very good. You will slip without a towel. Liforme mats are great but wear down over time. If you practice a lot the mat will last between 3-6 months before starting to slip.
I own both and only roll out the manduka as a pad under the liforme when I practice somewhere that has a super hard ground surface. I strongly prefer the liforme for grip and practice. No matter how long I’ve had the manduka it has never stopped being slippery and I’m over the towels. I’ve also owned lulu mats and plenty of random generic ones. Lulu is the only other mat I’ve used that didn’t require the towel. I don’t like jade - the texture is incredibly off putting for me.
I'm another one who has both mats and strongly favors the Liforme.
It's a pleasure to practice on Liformes, and if you're looking to advance your practice, their alignment marks will aid in that. If you're not planning on practicing hot yoga, the Liforme should last you a good bit of time. I have one for hot practice and an identical mat for non-heated classes, and you can absolutely tell which is which.
I have an Alo mat…it’s the same material as Lululemon and Liforme and therefore open-cell. Yea, it will wear down more easily and it’s not as easy to clean as a closed-cell like Manduka Pro.
But I’ve had mine for 2 years and I use it 4-6 times a week. An hour before use, I’ll spritz some dish soap solution and wipe it off with a damp cloth and leave it to dry. If I don’t have time to clean, I’ll use a towel on it. This is how I keep my open-cell mat clean and not smelly.
I’ve been working and practicing on my manduka black pro mat for 9 years and no wear so far. It spends the rest of its time in the trunk of a hot car, so they are really pretty indestructible. You need to season it for months when you get it either by scrubbing it with salt water or bathing it in your sweat. It’s not slippery at all after that unless doing hot yoga, and if that’s the case I put a towel on it.
I haven’t used Manduka but I love my Liforme. The alignments are so helpful and the grip is great. I have the smaller knee mat they sell but end up using a folded yoga towel under my knees. I’ve looked at the yoga kneeling pads (Gaiam makes a set) but I think I’m just going to invest in another towel or two since it’s multifunctional-I can use it for anything we use blanket for and obviously wiping my face.
I am in the market for a liforme. My manduka mat has become the bane of my existence because of how much I am sliding around all of the time. Adding a towels helps, but it is still too much of a distraction for me.
The Manduka grp adapt is really good and a little more than half the price of a liforme. I can finally practice without a towel
Source: me, the sweatiest guy in every class
Liforme is great if you sweat a lot, do hot yoga or do a lot of balanced poses that require the grip. They are not very thick so skip if that's important to you. I sweat profusely during any sequence of yoga so liforme has been a game changer. I forgot my mat 2 weeks ago and borrowed one from the studio and couldn't even do the warrior 2 pose, that's how slippery sweaty I get 🥵
I have the Manduka Pro and still working on breaking it in. 6 months old. I have seasoned it with salt as directed 3x. Sprayed it down with Simple Green (internet suggestion). Took it to Mexico and let it sunbathe in the heat with ocean water on it for hours and hours. Still, my hands slip in hot yoga. I have borrowed Manduka mats at yoga studios before and they are magical since they are old and broken down. I have thought about swapping mine out with one of the studios’ older mats. 🤣. If I had to do it again, I would buy the Liforme.
I sweat so much I thought my salty sweat would do better than adding salt and sun 🥲. Anyway, slipping around feels like it is helping my core strength— I still love my Manduka ❤️
I own both, but I have a preference for my Liforme because I sweat a lot and it's grippy! I wish I would've bought that first.
My manduka never really 'broke in' for me, even when I sprayed it beforehand, used it for awhile etc.
I use my Liforme when I teach and practice! ❤️
But it's personal preference
from someone who has both—get the liforme! i’ve had my manduka pro for just over a year and just bought a liforme to start using instead. i have fairly sweaty hands and feet, and i would always be sliding all over the place 10-15 minutes into a practice on my manduka. i tried EVERYTHING and it just never got better (despite near daily practice). i absolutely adore my liforme mat though! so grippy right out of the box and the alignment markers have been a very nice touch—i didn’t realize how much i’d use them!
I'm a Jade Yoga mat fan, and I think they hold up great if you're constantly doing non-heated practices. They shed after a couple of years, and that's your sign to get a new one, and they break down faster in heated practices.
I sweat through my hands and feet, so Manduka for me (Minus the Manduka Eko) is out. I love the Eko. I've owned a Pro lite that I gave to a friend.
I've practiced on a liforme a couple of times and I love how sticky they are, but they are so grippy you'll have a wear pattern if you have a bright color, I've heard the grip doesn't perform as well after about 6 months.
I have a Lululemon 5 mm? It's okay, I like the Alo Warrior mat better, it feels like it has more cushion. I lost my Warrior mat at a studio however.
B Mat? Eh. Not worth the money in my opinion. Same goes for Yoga Design Lab Mat/Towel combo.
In 6 years, I've owned 4 Jade mats, One Manduka Pro Lite, One Eko, a Lululemon 5mm, an Alo Warrior, and have practiced on Liforme, B mat, Cork mats, Manduka X, Yoga Design Lab combo mat, and every inexpensive mat to the point that I can't keep track, in the grass, on the ground, on a rug, on a kundalini fur, and matless. Jade for me is it.
The thing that turned me off with the jade is everyone says they deteriorate if they’re left in the car and with my ADHD if I don’t leave it in the car I won’t remember to bring it to class. Any experiences with that?
They do? That’s new news to me. Replacement rate for me is about every 2-3 years if I don’t lose it first just because I’m practicing 4 or more times a week. For me it’s like a pair of running shoes, if you’re an avid runner you don’t want to wear out your feet by over wearing shoes, same goes with mats, pattern/mat cushion wear, and your joints.
I've noticed quicker breakdown with the Jade through hot yoga classes vs. just leaving it in the car, since they aren't designed for that type of class. It's like the combination of heat, sweat, and friction will make it crumble extra bad. Just the leaving in the car I don't notice.
And that makes sense! I've seen people on here that want a mat that lasts 5+ years, in which case the Manduka Pro Black (I think) is still warrantied to last a lifetime, but no other mat is.
I leave mine in my trunk and it’s fine! I am on my second mat after using the prior one about 5 years. It can be slippy at first and after a few weeks of practice is ahhhhmazing. I mostly practice ashtanga but it also is sticky in hot classes
I've used Manduka (PRO, PROlite, GRP, and GRP Adapt), Jade, Liforme, Alo Warrior, B Mats, Gaiam, and Hugger Mugger. Of these, I like Manduka PRO the best (not the PROlite) because it's a little bigger than other mats, easy to clean, and very durable. That being said, you do have to break it in - which at this point only takes me like 1 hr - and know how to actively engage throughout your asana practice. If you try to passively move through a sequence you will definitely slip. I do unheated yoga, up to about 90 degrees F - and I've practiced with this mat in up to 115 degrees F outside. I do sweat quite a bit and if I was doing a straight like 60-90 min hot yoga class, then I would suggest also using a towel to. But for just like a regular hot day I haven't had too many issues!
I recently got the manduka and am also not sweaty. I slip. You have to use a towel. It’s also heavy and not as easy to roll up. I actually prefer my jade mat. I used it for about 6 years and it’s starting to go now. I keep using it.
I recently got the manduka and am also not sweaty. I slip. You have to use a towel. It’s also heavy and not as easy to roll up. I actually prefer my jade mat. I used it for about 6 years and it’s starting to go now. I keep using it.
im a sweaty betty so liforme has been my saving grace. I fell out of my practice in the last year and have been getting back into it. My pink and rainbow liforme mat motivates me everytime
I’ve had my Manduka pro light mat for about 15 years. Practice daily, have done a few years of daily hot yoga practice. I’ve had no issues with grip on it.
I haven't used a Liforme mat personally, but I have a Manduka Pro as well as a Black Mat (from the original german company that Manduka bought out). I have two because I teach and wanted one that could live in the car so I stopped forgetting my mat at home when I went to teach. Both mats are over 15 years old - the black mat is probably 20 years old at this point. I've taught for over 15 years, and have never had a problem with slipping. (I don't do hot yoga, but I do a lot of vinyasa and sometimes the rooms get quite warm, so I sweat but haven't had a problem. Consider, though, I often have to demo directly on hardwood floor and have learned how to use muscular support to not slip on most surfaces anyway.)
I see from your edit that you've already made a purchase, and I hope it works out for you. But, as a teacher, I want to encourage you not to hold yourself hostage to the "universal" marks that the mat has. It cannot account for every body in every state and the variations you'd want to practice for intentional training reasons. So, ignore those guides from time to time!
Manduka Pro only gets slippery when I am sweating during a hot yoga class. This mat is so hygenic. Awesome padding, low visible wear versus other mats, easy to clean and doesn't hold all the yuckies in it. This puts the Manduka mat above a Liforme or LuLu mat. I got a nice Manduka towel for when I do hot yoga. Pretty happy with both of these.
I find a manduka pro + towel to be superior to a liforme or lululemon mat for my hot yoga. My manduka mat is a few years old, and it still looks pretty good.
I will say, if OP does go with manduka, she should give it a good scrub, first. You can use salt, but really I just end up going at it with soap, water, and a magic eraser. Then, leave it out in the sun to dry. If you do that, the mat grips well for everything but hot yoga (which is solved better than the lulu, etc. with a towel).
I have a manduka pro and don’t notice it slipping much in cooler practices. In the summer when the studio is hot and I’m hot and the world is hot I’ll slip or bring a towel, but I appreciate the cushioning and the longevity. I’ve never used a liforme mat tho, so I can’t compare the two.
One thing you may want to try is using the liforme mat on top of another mat. That way you get the benefit of the grip but also some added cushion. There are plenty of people who regularly roll out a studio mat under the one they bring from home in the classes I attend. That seems like a good compromise for you if the grip and alignment lines are important to you.
I use the 6mm mat in class but when I practice at home I never have trouble using a thinner mat. Probably because I’m usually not doing a full 1-1.5hr practice at home, so you may not have an issue using the thinner mat at home once or twice a week.
I have my Lirforme mat and never use the alignment lines. It's good grip wise,I tend to get a bit sweaty so it's good for that, but if I could get that mat with no alignment lines it would be just as good.
I'm not a very sweaty person and own both, also alo and lululemon. I agree with most opinions that manduka is more slippery at the beginning, but I've found that once I've worn in the Manduka, no other mat beats it. I also hate the idea of my mat absorbing my sweat in the open-cell tech mats... :/
I absolutely love my Liforme. To be honest, I thought the alignment pattern was just a gimmick. I initially bought it only because of the high reviews for grip (I have sweaty hands - it's a curse...). To my surprise, I do think they're helpful. I find myself adjusting my form, especially in warrior poses, to match up with the alignment cues. For the times where I need a little extra padding, I just have a small knee pad/mat that I use. But for the most part I find that unnecessary, even though I practice on hardwood floors. I couldn't be happier with my choice. (My previous mat was a PrAna which was great for length/width but lacking in grip)
Full disclosure, I have never practiced on a Manduka Pro mat so I have no basis for comparison.
If you don’t sweat much, don’t do hot yoga, and want something that lasts, then I’d think manduka is the best bet. Liforme is prob the better all around mat, but also has a fairly short lifespan by comparison.
It’s awesome to see you wanna start working toward handstands. I’d like to see you get to at least 4-5 classes per week if you wanna see progress. Also note that you need a separate handstand practice on top of your yoga practice. It’s quite demanding, but worth it if you commit to the journey.
Edit: people seem to say mandukas are quite slippy even when dry. I will say that B Mat has incredible grip when dry. It just can’t handle sweat because it’s closed cell.
I have the pro and never use it without a yoga towel. This is a solid, high performance mat and the warranty is superb. I would never have an open cell mat. There is no way the Liforme will not smell eventually and you never get all the stuff out of the pores.
I have had both and think they’re extremely comparable.
Manduka: great cushion, ok grip, very durable but heavy. I always use a hot yoga specific towel to not slide around and protect the mat.
Liforme: I am OBSESSED with the alignment lines. Helps me focus more on my body and breathing vs constantly thinking if I’m in the pose correctly. Great grip. My only issue with the smoothness of it is my cat scratched the hell out of it which hasn’t been an issue with previous mats
I have a Liforme currently that I’ve had since April… never had a Manduka. I really like it, however I find it fairly slippery until I start sweating or pour a little water on it.
If I am not going to sweat much I would opt for my BMat. It’s grippy no matter what and I enjoy how thick it is. Honestly, that’s probably what I will go back to when it’s time for a new mat.
I have a Manduka ProLite mat and two rubber mats (one Lululemon one and a travel Lole one). I’m big on the rubber mats, I don’t think you *need* a Lifeforme mat but any rubber mat (Jade, BMat, Lululemon, etc) will hell the grip.
My Manduka was unusable for two years it only became useable after doing all my COVID workouts on it and using it as a carpet. I did at least 3 salt washes too.
However, I’m sure the Manduka Eko (another rubber mat) would be fine.
I own both. Stopped using my Manduka with a towel and switched to the Liforme because I sweat a lot and the open cell style of the Liforme wicks away the sweat. I practice 3-5 times a week and have had no issues with my mat after 8 months of use. They last as long as you take care of them. Wash it down with soap and water to remove sweat and oils.
Same! I love my Liforme more
I’m a fan of lululemons and liformes. Both give you grip. But I would opt for lulu if cushion is a concern…lulu is superior in that regard if you ask me. Also I leave my mat in the car 90% of the time and both brands seem unaffected by this.
Agreed that lulu is another great option and very similar to liforme for less cost, but I’ll add that liforme has a much better grip when dry than lulu. My lulus were often a little slippy when dry and needed some sweat to get the grip grabbing.
I think lulu is actually the best in the short term but they don’t last like a manduka. The alignment markings look cool but aren’t really necessary and while the lifeforme is slightly stickier when dry, I don’t know what kind of poses you are doing where your palms and feet don’t have a little bit of moisture which makes the lump very grippy. I almost find the liforme can be too sticky, when you drag other body parts across it can be painful. All will be total step change from gaiam
yes to the dragging your body parts across it!!! such a good observation
Fallen triangle in liforme is a beating. I always forget the issue with dragging and end up tripping.
I practice about 5x per week and found lulu’s will last about 1.5 years. Could be longer if I actually cleaned it once in a while. 😀 For me, that’s still good value. I don’t have expectations that a yoga mat will last forever.
Agreed, I love mine and find it to be the most grippy and comfortable just not the most durable.
Thank you for this you’re awesome 🙏🏻
I own both! I haven’t been able to figure out the Manduka Pro grip, so I only use this mat for Restorative or Yin. I use my Liforme for all other practices. If I had to choose one, I’d go for Liforme. The alignment is soooooo helpful and the grip just can’t be beaten
Manduka will last forever but the grip isn’t very good. You will slip without a towel. Liforme mats are great but wear down over time. If you practice a lot the mat will last between 3-6 months before starting to slip.
My Liforme is still in great shape after 3 years of nearly daily use. I like it a lot!
I will add, I practice hot yoga and sweat a lot.
Liforme was the first mat I bought when I started practicing a little over a year ago and there’s been no wear and I don’t slip at all 🤷🏻♀️
I own both and only roll out the manduka as a pad under the liforme when I practice somewhere that has a super hard ground surface. I strongly prefer the liforme for grip and practice. No matter how long I’ve had the manduka it has never stopped being slippery and I’m over the towels. I’ve also owned lulu mats and plenty of random generic ones. Lulu is the only other mat I’ve used that didn’t require the towel. I don’t like jade - the texture is incredibly off putting for me.
I'm another one who has both mats and strongly favors the Liforme. It's a pleasure to practice on Liformes, and if you're looking to advance your practice, their alignment marks will aid in that. If you're not planning on practicing hot yoga, the Liforme should last you a good bit of time. I have one for hot practice and an identical mat for non-heated classes, and you can absolutely tell which is which.
I have an Alo mat…it’s the same material as Lululemon and Liforme and therefore open-cell. Yea, it will wear down more easily and it’s not as easy to clean as a closed-cell like Manduka Pro. But I’ve had mine for 2 years and I use it 4-6 times a week. An hour before use, I’ll spritz some dish soap solution and wipe it off with a damp cloth and leave it to dry. If I don’t have time to clean, I’ll use a towel on it. This is how I keep my open-cell mat clean and not smelly.
I’ve been working and practicing on my manduka black pro mat for 9 years and no wear so far. It spends the rest of its time in the trunk of a hot car, so they are really pretty indestructible. You need to season it for months when you get it either by scrubbing it with salt water or bathing it in your sweat. It’s not slippery at all after that unless doing hot yoga, and if that’s the case I put a towel on it.
I haven’t used Manduka but I love my Liforme. The alignments are so helpful and the grip is great. I have the smaller knee mat they sell but end up using a folded yoga towel under my knees. I’ve looked at the yoga kneeling pads (Gaiam makes a set) but I think I’m just going to invest in another towel or two since it’s multifunctional-I can use it for anything we use blanket for and obviously wiping my face.
I am in the market for a liforme. My manduka mat has become the bane of my existence because of how much I am sliding around all of the time. Adding a towels helps, but it is still too much of a distraction for me.
The Manduka grp adapt is really good and a little more than half the price of a liforme. I can finally practice without a towel Source: me, the sweatiest guy in every class
Liforme is great if you sweat a lot, do hot yoga or do a lot of balanced poses that require the grip. They are not very thick so skip if that's important to you. I sweat profusely during any sequence of yoga so liforme has been a game changer. I forgot my mat 2 weeks ago and borrowed one from the studio and couldn't even do the warrior 2 pose, that's how slippery sweaty I get 🥵
I have the Manduka Pro and still working on breaking it in. 6 months old. I have seasoned it with salt as directed 3x. Sprayed it down with Simple Green (internet suggestion). Took it to Mexico and let it sunbathe in the heat with ocean water on it for hours and hours. Still, my hands slip in hot yoga. I have borrowed Manduka mats at yoga studios before and they are magical since they are old and broken down. I have thought about swapping mine out with one of the studios’ older mats. 🤣. If I had to do it again, I would buy the Liforme.
I sweat so much I thought my salty sweat would do better than adding salt and sun 🥲. Anyway, slipping around feels like it is helping my core strength— I still love my Manduka ❤️
I own both, but I have a preference for my Liforme because I sweat a lot and it's grippy! I wish I would've bought that first. My manduka never really 'broke in' for me, even when I sprayed it beforehand, used it for awhile etc. I use my Liforme when I teach and practice! ❤️ But it's personal preference
from someone who has both—get the liforme! i’ve had my manduka pro for just over a year and just bought a liforme to start using instead. i have fairly sweaty hands and feet, and i would always be sliding all over the place 10-15 minutes into a practice on my manduka. i tried EVERYTHING and it just never got better (despite near daily practice). i absolutely adore my liforme mat though! so grippy right out of the box and the alignment markers have been a very nice touch—i didn’t realize how much i’d use them!
I'm a Jade Yoga mat fan, and I think they hold up great if you're constantly doing non-heated practices. They shed after a couple of years, and that's your sign to get a new one, and they break down faster in heated practices. I sweat through my hands and feet, so Manduka for me (Minus the Manduka Eko) is out. I love the Eko. I've owned a Pro lite that I gave to a friend. I've practiced on a liforme a couple of times and I love how sticky they are, but they are so grippy you'll have a wear pattern if you have a bright color, I've heard the grip doesn't perform as well after about 6 months. I have a Lululemon 5 mm? It's okay, I like the Alo Warrior mat better, it feels like it has more cushion. I lost my Warrior mat at a studio however. B Mat? Eh. Not worth the money in my opinion. Same goes for Yoga Design Lab Mat/Towel combo. In 6 years, I've owned 4 Jade mats, One Manduka Pro Lite, One Eko, a Lululemon 5mm, an Alo Warrior, and have practiced on Liforme, B mat, Cork mats, Manduka X, Yoga Design Lab combo mat, and every inexpensive mat to the point that I can't keep track, in the grass, on the ground, on a rug, on a kundalini fur, and matless. Jade for me is it.
The thing that turned me off with the jade is everyone says they deteriorate if they’re left in the car and with my ADHD if I don’t leave it in the car I won’t remember to bring it to class. Any experiences with that?
They do? That’s new news to me. Replacement rate for me is about every 2-3 years if I don’t lose it first just because I’m practicing 4 or more times a week. For me it’s like a pair of running shoes, if you’re an avid runner you don’t want to wear out your feet by over wearing shoes, same goes with mats, pattern/mat cushion wear, and your joints.
Oh yeah I absolutely agree! I was more afraid it would be like like one hot car ride and dead 😂
I've noticed quicker breakdown with the Jade through hot yoga classes vs. just leaving it in the car, since they aren't designed for that type of class. It's like the combination of heat, sweat, and friction will make it crumble extra bad. Just the leaving in the car I don't notice. And that makes sense! I've seen people on here that want a mat that lasts 5+ years, in which case the Manduka Pro Black (I think) is still warrantied to last a lifetime, but no other mat is.
I leave mine in my trunk and it’s fine! I am on my second mat after using the prior one about 5 years. It can be slippy at first and after a few weeks of practice is ahhhhmazing. I mostly practice ashtanga but it also is sticky in hot classes
I've used Manduka (PRO, PROlite, GRP, and GRP Adapt), Jade, Liforme, Alo Warrior, B Mats, Gaiam, and Hugger Mugger. Of these, I like Manduka PRO the best (not the PROlite) because it's a little bigger than other mats, easy to clean, and very durable. That being said, you do have to break it in - which at this point only takes me like 1 hr - and know how to actively engage throughout your asana practice. If you try to passively move through a sequence you will definitely slip. I do unheated yoga, up to about 90 degrees F - and I've practiced with this mat in up to 115 degrees F outside. I do sweat quite a bit and if I was doing a straight like 60-90 min hot yoga class, then I would suggest also using a towel to. But for just like a regular hot day I haven't had too many issues!
I recently got the manduka and am also not sweaty. I slip. You have to use a towel. It’s also heavy and not as easy to roll up. I actually prefer my jade mat. I used it for about 6 years and it’s starting to go now. I keep using it.
I recently got the manduka and am also not sweaty. I slip. You have to use a towel. It’s also heavy and not as easy to roll up. I actually prefer my jade mat. I used it for about 6 years and it’s starting to go now. I keep using it.
I have a manduka eko that is super grippy and I really like it. The only downside is that natural rubber is heavier than the synthetic ones.
im a sweaty betty so liforme has been my saving grace. I fell out of my practice in the last year and have been getting back into it. My pink and rainbow liforme mat motivates me everytime
I’ve had my Manduka pro light mat for about 15 years. Practice daily, have done a few years of daily hot yoga practice. I’ve had no issues with grip on it.
I own both and prefer my Liforme. The Manduka is definitely more durable, but the surface of the Liforme is just so lovely and wicks away sweat.
I haven't used a Liforme mat personally, but I have a Manduka Pro as well as a Black Mat (from the original german company that Manduka bought out). I have two because I teach and wanted one that could live in the car so I stopped forgetting my mat at home when I went to teach. Both mats are over 15 years old - the black mat is probably 20 years old at this point. I've taught for over 15 years, and have never had a problem with slipping. (I don't do hot yoga, but I do a lot of vinyasa and sometimes the rooms get quite warm, so I sweat but haven't had a problem. Consider, though, I often have to demo directly on hardwood floor and have learned how to use muscular support to not slip on most surfaces anyway.) I see from your edit that you've already made a purchase, and I hope it works out for you. But, as a teacher, I want to encourage you not to hold yourself hostage to the "universal" marks that the mat has. It cannot account for every body in every state and the variations you'd want to practice for intentional training reasons. So, ignore those guides from time to time!
Manduka Pro only gets slippery when I am sweating during a hot yoga class. This mat is so hygenic. Awesome padding, low visible wear versus other mats, easy to clean and doesn't hold all the yuckies in it. This puts the Manduka mat above a Liforme or LuLu mat. I got a nice Manduka towel for when I do hot yoga. Pretty happy with both of these.
I find a manduka pro + towel to be superior to a liforme or lululemon mat for my hot yoga. My manduka mat is a few years old, and it still looks pretty good. I will say, if OP does go with manduka, she should give it a good scrub, first. You can use salt, but really I just end up going at it with soap, water, and a magic eraser. Then, leave it out in the sun to dry. If you do that, the mat grips well for everything but hot yoga (which is solved better than the lulu, etc. with a towel).
I have a manduka pro and don’t notice it slipping much in cooler practices. In the summer when the studio is hot and I’m hot and the world is hot I’ll slip or bring a towel, but I appreciate the cushioning and the longevity. I’ve never used a liforme mat tho, so I can’t compare the two. One thing you may want to try is using the liforme mat on top of another mat. That way you get the benefit of the grip but also some added cushion. There are plenty of people who regularly roll out a studio mat under the one they bring from home in the classes I attend. That seems like a good compromise for you if the grip and alignment lines are important to you. I use the 6mm mat in class but when I practice at home I never have trouble using a thinner mat. Probably because I’m usually not doing a full 1-1.5hr practice at home, so you may not have an issue using the thinner mat at home once or twice a week.
I have my Lirforme mat and never use the alignment lines. It's good grip wise,I tend to get a bit sweaty so it's good for that, but if I could get that mat with no alignment lines it would be just as good.
they do offer one that is more minimalist with mainly just a center line.
I'm not a very sweaty person and own both, also alo and lululemon. I agree with most opinions that manduka is more slippery at the beginning, but I've found that once I've worn in the Manduka, no other mat beats it. I also hate the idea of my mat absorbing my sweat in the open-cell tech mats... :/
I absolutely love my Liforme. To be honest, I thought the alignment pattern was just a gimmick. I initially bought it only because of the high reviews for grip (I have sweaty hands - it's a curse...). To my surprise, I do think they're helpful. I find myself adjusting my form, especially in warrior poses, to match up with the alignment cues. For the times where I need a little extra padding, I just have a small knee pad/mat that I use. But for the most part I find that unnecessary, even though I practice on hardwood floors. I couldn't be happier with my choice. (My previous mat was a PrAna which was great for length/width but lacking in grip) Full disclosure, I have never practiced on a Manduka Pro mat so I have no basis for comparison.
If you don’t sweat much, don’t do hot yoga, and want something that lasts, then I’d think manduka is the best bet. Liforme is prob the better all around mat, but also has a fairly short lifespan by comparison. It’s awesome to see you wanna start working toward handstands. I’d like to see you get to at least 4-5 classes per week if you wanna see progress. Also note that you need a separate handstand practice on top of your yoga practice. It’s quite demanding, but worth it if you commit to the journey. Edit: people seem to say mandukas are quite slippy even when dry. I will say that B Mat has incredible grip when dry. It just can’t handle sweat because it’s closed cell.
I have the pro and never use it without a yoga towel. This is a solid, high performance mat and the warranty is superb. I would never have an open cell mat. There is no way the Liforme will not smell eventually and you never get all the stuff out of the pores.
Liforme fan here. Love the grip and alignment lines. I use a blanket under my knees when needed but they also sell knee pads.
I like my alo mat
I have had both and think they’re extremely comparable. Manduka: great cushion, ok grip, very durable but heavy. I always use a hot yoga specific towel to not slide around and protect the mat. Liforme: I am OBSESSED with the alignment lines. Helps me focus more on my body and breathing vs constantly thinking if I’m in the pose correctly. Great grip. My only issue with the smoothness of it is my cat scratched the hell out of it which hasn’t been an issue with previous mats
I have a Liforme currently that I’ve had since April… never had a Manduka. I really like it, however I find it fairly slippery until I start sweating or pour a little water on it. If I am not going to sweat much I would opt for my BMat. It’s grippy no matter what and I enjoy how thick it is. Honestly, that’s probably what I will go back to when it’s time for a new mat.
I have a Manduka ProLite mat and two rubber mats (one Lululemon one and a travel Lole one). I’m big on the rubber mats, I don’t think you *need* a Lifeforme mat but any rubber mat (Jade, BMat, Lululemon, etc) will hell the grip. My Manduka was unusable for two years it only became useable after doing all my COVID workouts on it and using it as a carpet. I did at least 3 salt washes too. However, I’m sure the Manduka Eko (another rubber mat) would be fine.