When attending a Pilates class at a devoted studio, you’ll typically discover specialised gear like reformers or train balls. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re trying to apply at residence or in a health club, having at the very least a fundamental mat is important on your exercise. Pilates may be very fluid, so the mats are thicker and extra slippery than yoga mats, permitting you to transition between workout routines and repetitions simply, says licensed Pilates teacher Julie Erickson, CPI, CPT.
To search out the most effective Pilates mats, we spoke with licensed Pilates instructors to study extra about what key options to search for when looking for a high-quality choice. Then, we spent over 4,200 minutes testing prime choices at residence, performing standing, mendacity, and kneeling Pilates strikes and stretches. We rated every choice for grip, consolation, portability, sturdiness, and worth. We additionally had a yoga and Pilates teacher from our Evaluation Board evaluate this text for accuracy.
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 75 inches x 23 inches x 8 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: 3.1 kilos | Our Total Score: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for these trying to improve their Pilates apply with a high-quality, well-cushioned Pilates mat.
Why We Love It
With Goldilocks-perfect cushioning and a non-slip grip on a number of surfaces, Airex’s Pilates 190 Mat was a shoo-in for our greatest total spot. Because of its strong cushioning and help, we will simply transfer by our complete apply with out taking a break as a result of joint discomfort, which is frequent for us. We additionally love that this mat is massive sufficient for full-body workout routines with out us having to reposition ourselves.
Throughout testing, we liked its regular grip as we flowed by Pilates workout routines, together with cardio-driven sequences and static and dynamic actions. We by no means felt this mat transfer on the carpet, hardwood, or tile flooring, and we felt snug performing each slower- and faster-paced workout routines. With a gentle, cozy ribbed texture, it gives glorious grip for our ft and fingers, even once they get sweaty. Plus, it’s grippy sufficient to help completely different sock textures with out us sliding round. We additionally love that it’s a breeze to wipe clear with soapy water.
Potential Flaws
- As a result of this mat is so lengthy, it feels considerably cumbersome and tough to hold round. It’s light-weight and may be transported if wanted, however we favor to make use of it in our residence exercise house.
Most Worthwhile Perception
“This mat has enhanced my Pilates apply by offering a cushty and supportive layer and safety from arduous flooring surfaces. I can transfer freely, doing full-body workout routines without having to reposition or pause to permit my joints to relaxation. I’m utterly targeted on train actions versus the gear I’m exercising with.” —Jessica Christopher, Verywell Match product tester
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 72 inches x 23 inches x 10 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: Not listed | Our Total Score: 5/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for many who desire a supportive, grippy mat and/or have delicate pores and skin and wish an choice made with out latex and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Why We Love It
Made out of naturally sourced supplies, Balanced Physique’s EcoWise Mat is our prime decide for many who prioritize help when trying to find the appropriate Pilates mat. With thick cushioning and a raised sample that provides superior grip, this mat strikes the right stability of stability and help. Once we use this mat on our hardwood flooring and carpet, it stays utterly in place. Plus, it grips our socks and naked ft nicely, stopping us from slipping and sliding, even once we get sweaty throughout extra intense strikes.
We love that this mat is hypoallergenic, which makes us really feel snug touching it to our naked pores and skin with out worrying about any irritation. It’s tremendous straightforward to wash, and in contrast to another mats we’ve used up to now, it doesn’t give off or maintain onto any odor. We wipe ours down with a disinfecting wipe after use and love that it dries extremely quick. We additionally love that it’s light-weight and simple to move and retailer.
Potential Flaws
- This Pilates mat didn’t utterly flatten after unboxing, and a crease stays even after plenty of use. Nonetheless, this didn’t affect our Pilates apply; the crease simply doesn’t look the most effective aesthetically.
Most Worthwhile Perception
“This mat enhances my Pilates apply due to its elevated grip. I discover it extra steady and simpler to make use of than a thicker mat. I additionally love that it’s lengthy as a result of I can transfer round greater than I may with a smaller mat. I might advocate this mat to others, particularly in the event that they’re in search of a pure choice that gained’t irritate their pores and skin.” —Danielle Auger, Verywell Match product tester
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Key Specs
Dimensions: 71 inches x 26 inches x 5 or 8 millimeters | Materials: Pure rubber | Weight: 1.2 kilos | Our Total Score: 4.7/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for many who wish to put money into a long-lasting, well-cushioned Pilates mat for a residence health club.
Why We Love It
If you happen to’re prepared to speculate in your house health club and know you wish to apply Pilates long-term, Bala’s The Play Mat must be on the prime of your listing. This mat is skinny however affords unbelievable cushioning. It grips completely on our hardwood flooring and jute rug, and gives cozy help, particularly to our hips when mendacity on our facet and knees once we’re on all fours. Plus, we really feel steady and safe, by no means dropping our grip, even throughout sweatier exercises.
Sturdiness is the place this Pilates mat shines—now we have used it for over a yr and haven’t seen any indicators of wear and tear and tear. It really seems to be the identical because the day we obtained it. It doesn’t maintain onto any odor, and sweat marks are straightforward to wash with cleaning soap and water. We additionally love its aesthetically pleasing smooth design that curves on the prime. Plus, it is obtainable in two thickness choices, so you possibly can choose the correct quantity of cushioning on your wants.
Potential Flaws
- This mat is pricier than different mats on our listing. Nonetheless, we predict its high quality exceeds its worth.
- Whereas this mat isn’t essentially heavy, it’s a bit cumbersome to hold. To treatment this, we bought a mat strap to make transport simpler.
Most Worthwhile Perception
“This mat is price its price, particularly due to its sturdiness. If you happen to’re keen to splurge up-front, realizing you gained’t have to switch it, then I will surely advocate it. It’s snug, sleek-looking, well-designed, and long-lasting.” —Abby Moore, Verywell Match product tester
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Wonderful help, particularly for the again and elbows
Straightforward to hold with hooked up straps
Funds-friendly
Key Specs
Dimensions: 70 inches x 22 inches x 10 millimeters | Materials: Closed-cell foam | Weight: 1.8 kilos | Our Total Score: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for many who are fascinated by making an attempt Pilates for the primary time or who’re fascinated about making it a daily a part of their health routine.
Why We Love It
The additional thickness and help supplied by Stott’s Pilates Specific Pilates Mat make it our prime decide if you happen to’re easing your manner into a daily Pilates apply. Its glorious cushioning supplied us with nice help, which we notably seen when performing strikes whereas mendacity on our again and when holding elbow plank poses.
We love that it affords top-notch grip, letting us move by our apply with out worrying about slipping or any mat motion, regardless if we apply it to hardwood flooring, tiles, or outdoor on concrete. We discovered this mat straightforward to roll up and transport, because of its hooked up straps.
Potential Flaws
- Once we used this mat outdoor, we discovered that it heated up rapidly in direct daylight. If you happen to plan on utilizing this mat outdoor, it’s possible you’ll wish to persist with a shady space.
Most Worthwhile Perception
“Consolation is the place this mat shines. My knees, elbows, and again really feel nice! My again, specifically, feels higher with this mat than every other mat I’ve ever used earlier than. Its thick cushioning lets my again sink in, and I really feel so supported and cozy. Its thick, gentle texture helps help my joints and bones, permitting for longevity in poses that require strain, like elbow planks.” —Samantha Aronson, commerce manufacturing assistant and Verywell Match product tester
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Reminiscence foam-like cushioning that holds its form
Stable grip on varied surfaces, together with hardwood and carpet
Gives glorious joint help
Key Specs
Dimensions: 70 inches x 23 inches x 25 millimeters | Materials: Excessive-density foam, rubber | Weight: 3.2 kilos | Our Total Score: 4.8/5
Who It’s For
Greatest for many who desire a excessive stage of cushioning and luxury throughout their Pilates apply.
Why We Love It
If you wish to really feel such as you’re training Pilates on a cloud, you’ll love HemingWeigh’s 1” Thick Yoga Mat. Its thick, reminiscence foam-like cushioning holds its form nicely and helps us really feel supported and cozy all through each transfer of our apply. And, as exercisers who are likely to get sore hand and wrist joints, this mat helped us carry out strikes we beforehand felt discomfort doing when utilizing our thinner, much less supportive mats.
Not like another mats we’ve used, this one has glorious grip on all surfaces, together with carpet and hardwood flooring. We felt secure and safe, by no means slipping or sliding, even throughout intense, sweaty exercises. Its easy texture makes it straightforward to wash, and it doesn’t maintain onto any odors. Plus, it’s light-weight and straightforward to hold, because of its included strap.
Potential Flaws
- Though light-weight, as a result of its cushioning, it’s fairly thick when rolled up, which can make it tougher to retailer.
Most Worthwhile Perception
“This mat may be very snug. The truth that it’s one inch thick may be very noticeable. It has a reminiscence foam really feel, which feels nice on my fragile joints. I like that I’m capable of put extra strain on my joints due to this mat.” —Jacob Fox, Verywell Match product tester
Pilates Mats We Additionally Examined
We spent over 4,200 minutes testing prime Pilates mats, however solely 5 impressed us sufficient to make our ultimate listing of suggestions. Though we favored a few of this mat’s options, it finally didn’t meet our rigorous necessities to be chosen as a prime decide.
- Gaiam’s Necessities Health Mat affords a budget-friendly value and an excellent grip on arduous flooring. Nonetheless, it felt inflexible and uncomfortable to make use of, and our fingers and ft slipped as we turned sweaty. Our nails scratched this mat’s floor simply, and it held indentations lengthy after our apply ended.
What We’ve Up to date
- Since publishing our preliminary research-based roundup of the most effective Pilates mats, we’ve re-evaluated our earlier picks and spent over 4,200 minutes hands-on testing prime choices. That is now a absolutely examined article, solely offering our hands-on expertise with every advisable Pilates mat.
- We consulted an extra professional, an authorized private coach and Pilates teacher, to make sure that our recommendation on selecting Pilates mats is correct and updated.
What to Search for When Looking for Pilates Mats
- Thickness: One of many foremost indicators of Pilates mats versus different train mats you would possibly discover within the health club or at a yoga studio is thickness. This extra thickness gives joint help for the backbone, knees, wrists, and extra. If you happen to are likely to expertise joint ache, think about a thicker choice for extra help.
- Cushion: Some mats supply extra cushioning than others—some are softer and extra pliable, whereas others are thick and agency. The kind of Pilates mat you select can improve the problem or present extra help throughout sure workout routines, says Erickson. Pilates teacher Laura Quinn, CPT, says that firmer mats present a steady, supportive floor supreme for sustaining your stability throughout varied Pilates workout routines.
- Density and Materials: Density is commonly mistaken for thickness, however these are two separate components to think about. A denser mat sometimes means it’s extra sturdy and can maintain as much as positions held for longer intervals with out leaving indentations within the mat. Mats manufactured from closed-cell or high-density foam are denser, higher high quality, and stand up to longer use.
- Floor Texture: The floor of Pilates mats tends to be easy or calmly textured. This helps you glide and carry out strikes extra fluidly. If you happen to are likely to get sweaty, it’s possible you’ll wish to go for a calmly textured choice for extra grip.
- Portability: If you happen to plan to take your mat on the go, you’ll need one which rolls up nicely, is light-weight, and comes with a strap for simple journey. Select a smaller, lighter mat if you happen to plan on taking it with you typically. A heavier, bigger mat may go finest if you happen to plan on utilizing it in your house exercise house.
How We Examined the Pilates Mats
To search out the most effective Pilates mats, we spent over 4,200 minutes testing prime choices at residence whereas performing varied workout routines and stretches. When testing Pilates mats, we consider every choice based mostly on the next key standards.
- Grip: To guage for grip, we think about whether or not the mat gives sufficient grip to maneuver by our apply comfortably. We attempt the mats on varied surfaces, together with hardwood, tile, and carpet, and spot whether or not their grip modifications as soon as we begin to work up a sweat.
- Consolation: When contemplating consolation, we take into consideration whether or not the mat gives sufficient cushioning and help throughout strikes that require sitting, mendacity down, standing, and kneeling. We additionally word if we really feel any strain factors or discomfort when utilizing the mat.
- Portability: When assessing portability, we think about how gentle the mat is, how simply it rolls up, and whether or not it comes with a strap for simple journey. We additionally word how straightforward it’s to retailer.
- Sturdiness: When taking a look at sturdiness, we ask ourselves if the mat reveals any indicators of wear and tear and tear over time. Is it straightforward to wash and keep? Does it maintain onto any odors?
- Worth: We verify every mat’s value after we consider all different key standards to evaluate whether or not it’s price it. Do we predict it’s priced pretty? Would we solely purchase it on sale? We prioritize Pilates mats whose high quality exceeds their worth and that we’d advocate to family and friends.
Our Specialists
We consulted consultants at every stage of our analysis, testing, and reporting course of. The next consultants suggested us on what key options to search for when looking for a high-quality Pilates mat. Though we select merchandise independently, professional enter helps inform our choices.
- Julie Erickson, CPI, CPT, licensed Pilates teacher and licensed private coach at Pilates for Life
- Anne Bertram, MFA, CMA, CHHC, licensed motion analyst, licensed Pilates teacher, and director of Structural Components LAB
- Laura Quinn, CPT, licensed private coach and head Pilates Teacher at Alo Strikes
Steadily Requested Questions
How thick ought to a Pilates mat be?
Most Pilates mats are at the very least a half-inch thick (12.5 millimeters) to help your backbone and tailbone throughout the class. Nonetheless, some extra moveable ones are as skinny as 6 millimeters (about 0.2 inches).
Can I take advantage of a yoga mat for Pilates?
Pilates mats are typically easy as a substitute of textured, and their thickness is designed to help your backbone throughout sure workout routines. It’s possible you’ll discover that utilizing a skinny, grippy yoga mat makes some Pilates workout routines tougher and even uncomfortable.
What measurement mat is finest for Pilates?
Pilates mats are typically round 24 inches by 72 inches. Nonetheless, there are bigger choices obtainable which will work higher for taller people and those that favor to not reposition their mats for full-body workout routines.
Why Belief Verywell Match
Amanda Berkey, M.Ed., is a Pennsylvania-based health teacher and health author for Verywell Match. She’s enthusiastic about discovering stability, whether or not performing lots of or making an attempt to nail the king pigeon pose. She believes there’s not far more motivating for an on-the-ground exercise than a beautiful, useful Pilates mat.
Further reporting by Sarah Anzlovar
Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RD is a personal apply dietitian and author for Verywell Match. She enjoys Pilates courses and is aware of how necessary the right mat is for sustaining correct kind and getting by essentially the most grueling exercises.