PVC yoga mats
We track 4 mats built from PVC, thickness runs 2 to 6 mm, weight 2.4 to 7.5 lb, and the cheapest listed today is $21.00.
What the material actually does
The surface is closed-cell: sweat stays on top, so it wipes clean but goes slippery until you wipe it. Grip when wet is rated low, and when dry medium. It is latex free, which matters if you react to latex proteins. It does not biodegrade, but it outlasts rubber and costs less.
Material properties checked against the maker's documentation on Aug 8, 2026.
How it compares with the other materials we track
| Material | Mats | Average thickness | Average weight | Cheapest today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Closed-cell natural rubber | 1 | 5 mm | 7 lb | $87.54 |
| Natural rubber | 4 | 4.6 mm | 4.78 lb | $114.95 |
| PVC | 4 | 4.7 mm | 4.44 lb | $21.00 |
| Polyurethane top over rubber | 4 | 4 mm | 5.01 lb | $94.00 |
| TPE | 2 | 5 mm | 2.95 lb | $68.40 |
Averages across the mats in our own catalogue, recomputed on every build. A small sample per material is exactly that — a small sample — and the counts are shown so you can judge it.
Where it wins
Averaging our fit scores across every mat of this material and comparing them with the catalogue average shows what the material is actually good at:
- Outdoor Use — scores 0.804 here against 0.622 for the catalogue as a whole
- A Tight Budget — scores 0.633 here against 0.583 for the catalogue as a whole
- Extra Cushioning — scores 0.462 here against 0.458 for the catalogue as a whole
Scores run 0 to 1 and come from the same weights the ranking pages publish. A material ahead of the average here is ahead on those criteria, which is a narrower claim than being better.
Living with it
Because the surface is sealed, cleaning is a wipe rather than a wash: warm water, a cloth, no soap that leaves a film. What the seal cannot do is dry itself, so a mat rolled up damp will smell within a week.
Every PVC mat we track
| Mat | Price | Thickness | Weight | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaiam Premium 6mm | $21.00 | 6 mm | 3.26 lb | PVC |
| Manduka PRO | $144.00 | 6 mm | 7.5 lb | PVC |
| Manduka PRO Travel | $70.65 | 2 mm | 2.4 lb | PVC |
| Manduka PROlite | $96.13 | 4.7 mm | 4.6 lb | PVC |
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