The Kurma yoga mat is a premium mat with a few key features that set it apart. If you are looking for extra comfort or length, you might want to consider the Kurma Extra Long Professional mat. Read on for our full review.
March 25, 2020 UPDATE:
The Kurma Yoga Mat is not in stock at the moment. If you are looking for an extra long yoga mat, try the 7-foot long YogaAccessories Extra Wide and Extra Long mat.
Review of the Kurma Yoga Mat
The Kurma Extra Long Professional mat is a premium yoga mat. Although less known (and cheaper!) than Manduka mats, it can certainly hold its own in terms of quality. So what sets the Kurma yoga mat apart?
Thickness and cushioning
The Kurma yoga mat is 6mm thick, which is the thickest you can find for a true yoga mat. The mat is also very dense and noticeably heavier than other yoga mats at 7.5 pounds. While the extra weight may be less convenient for travel, the combined thickness and density make the Kurma yoga mat extra comfortable if cushioning is your priority.
Material and maintenance
The Kurma mat is made from a non-toxic medical-grade PVC that has the highest Swiss safety certification (Standard 100 by OKEO-TEX). This means you also get the other benefits of a premium PVC mat. The mat is non-absorbant and won’t breed bacteria inside the mat. You just need to wipe the surface clean after use.
PVC is also quite durable, and in case anything happens, Kurma provides a lifetime warranty for American customers if you provide a receipt of US purchase. Kurma is a reputable German manufacturer, and you shouldn’t have any problems with production quality.
While PVC is not as environmentally friendly as natural rubber, Kurma does use an emissions-free production process and ensures that final product is free of toxic chemicals. One benefit of PVC over rubber is that the Kurma mat is odor-free. Most rubber mats have a strong smell that goes away over time. The Kurma yoga mat should be odor-free right from the start. It won’t squeak or slide around, as the extra dense material stays still very well during your routine.
Extra long size
The Kurma yoga mat is 80″ x 23″, which gives you an extra foot of length compared to standard yoga mats. While the width is one inch narrower than most yoga mats, you are unlikely to notice that.
Taller men and women will appreciate the extra length on particular yoga poses. Combined with the extra dense cushion, the Kurma yoga mat is an excellent choice for larger individuals.
While the Kurma yoga mat is extra long, it still fits into most standard yoga mats. As we mentioned before, it is a bit heavier, but you can still carry it with you.
Grip and surface stickiness
The Kurma yoga mat has a smooth surface with a sticky texture for grip. It is important to wipe down the Kurma mat before its first use, in order to get the best possible grip. For basic yoga, the surface grip is fine. However, sweaty individuals will find that the mat is much too slippery under wet conditions. If you are a heavy sweater or plan to use the mat with hot yoga, you might want to look elsewhere, like the Clever LiquidBalance, or buy a yoga towel to lay on top of the mat. Surface grip is probably the weakest point of an otherwise terrific mat. It’s not bad, just not great.
Conclusion
The Kurma Extra Long Professional yoga mat is a great choice if you are looking for extra comfort, mat size, and stability. The downsides are its heavy weight for transport and the average surface grip. We particularly recommend this mat for large individuals. Last, but not least, at around $70-75 on Amazon (click here for the latest price), the Kurma yoga mat is a great deal for a premium mat that in many ways rivals the much more expensive Manduka mats.