Gaiam Essentials Premium Carrier Orange Reviews Summary

Smell

Pros:

• "It doesn't smell like a ton of chemicals like some other mats I've previously purchased."
• "Comfortable and doesn't slide on my floor. There was no bad smell when delivered."
• "Love this mat! No funky smell."
• "I love it! It doesn’t smell bad, it’s smells new."
• "Also, no smell and I am very sensitive to those, so I was worried....Overall, great buy for a good price, highly recommended."
• "Mine didn’t smell horrible but I was expecting it to, since most new mats have an odor that needs to air out."
• "I also didn’t notice any smell beyond the normal new yoga mat scent that they all have."

Cons:

• "It does come with a harsh chemical-like smell when new. I also had some troubles with my hands slipping in certain yoga positions."
• "What a horrible smell, after a good wash also it's persistent. on forth day it's useless while doing simple stretch it got tear."
• "It does smell pretty bad too, hopefully that goes away quickly."
• "Not to mention we opened this and it made the whole house stink like burning plastic for a few hours."
• "This works. Although it took a few days for a very strong chemical smell to dissipate."
• "I found that the chemical smell is very strong and lingers in the room even when left open for hours."
• "How could anyone tolerate the smell??? Chemical overload. Yuck."

Grip and Slipperiness

Pros:

• "I use my mat for yoga & its great! No slip grip & easy to clean, & easy to store."
• "This yoga mat was nice as it offers more cushion than the ‘standard’ and offers great grip."
• "Good floor grip."
• "Overall the mat is not bad. Has a nice texture, so it gives a good grip."
• "This is a very high quality yoga mat. It is thick and has a nice spongey quality that is great for older knees especially. It has great grip, from first use."
• "The grip at the bottom isn't the only plus. The grip on top is pretty good, so you don't have to worry about sliding."
• "This mat is very grippy and I did not slip."

Cons:

• "I'm not a huge fan of this mat. Yes the price is right but the grip is pretty poor and it's so sticky that in class all you can hear is your skin sticking to it."
• "As someone who sweats in yoga, I kept slipping the entire time and had no grip on the mat whatsoever."
• "This product has a terrible smell and is extremely slick. It’s not very stable and hard to get a grip especially with sweaty hands or feet."
• "Be aware! This yoga mat is super slippery! Not good for yoga."
• "Very slippery even though it is thicker it feels very thin underneath."
• "This mat is stylish but slippery."
• "This mat has no grip. Trying to do anything where you need to stabilize yourself, does not work. I'm constantly sliding and slipping, and no, it's not sweat."

Durability

Pros:

• "I am a huge fan of this yoga mat. It is durable as well as easy to store."
• "This is a very high quality yoga mat. It is thick and has a nice spongey quality that is great for older knees especially."
• "Best yoga mat I ever purchased! Great, durable material. Really good grip and length."
• "I've used it numerous times and it is still good as new so I'm saying it's durable."
• "This mat is extremely durable as you would expect from the Gaiam brand."
• "More durable than most, for sure. NOT as super-cushy as some, but much more dense and solid."
• "No wear and tear at all, still grippy."

Cons:

• "1 year update: Mat is flaking apart. Poor quality."
• "The new one is longer (good), but thinner (not good) and the tread pattern has changed."
• "I have only been using my mat for about a week and half and it already is shredding."
• "I’ve had this one for about three months and this falling apart. I’ve always used my mats for more than just yoga so I expected this one to told you longer. Sad to say I already need to replace it."
• "This mat is crap! After 4 months it’s totally shedding and conveniently past the return window."
• "Spend a little extra to get a better quality mat, this one is not worth the money. Starting shredding after 10 uses."
• "These mats started shredding after minimal use, shedding small round dots of colored foam all over the studio."

Comfort and Cushioning

Pros:

• "The cushioning for this mat is good. It's comfortable to use, and a bit thicker than more expensive mats that we've gotten in the past."
• "The quality is good and if I need extra padding for my keens, I just roll it up."
• "It’s not on the thick side, but it’s so comfy and long too."
• "I like this mat for its size, grip, and cushion."
• "I bought this so that I could do yoga on our cement floors and it works great! The grip and mat thickness work well for performing beginner to intermediate Yoga/Pilates exercises on hard floors."
• "I weigh 215lbs and have old man knees.I bought this mat because the description said it was 'extra-thick for the additional cushioning your joints need during any yoga or fitness routine' and it doesn't have enough cushioning."
• "With its extra-thick cushioning, I can comfortably sink into poses without worrying about discomfort or strain on my joints."

Cons:

• "It’s heavier and bulkier than the typical today mat so it’s not something that you would carry around with you."
• "The mat is thin and hurts my elbows when I plank."
• "It was too thin, I felt the floor under me and it hurt my knees and hands."
• "Too thin. I would have rather returned it and purchased a thicker mat. This is good quality Matt just not thick enough is your not already on a padded floor or carpet."
• "The cushion/padding is okay, could be a bit thicker."
• "Wished that it was a tad thicker."
• "This May is pretty long, wish it was a bit wider."