Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm confused by the reviews that say there was no strap with this mat. I initially thought it came without one, but it was wrapped up in the middle - so don't worry when you get it and you don't immediately see the straps. You'll need them, too, since many non-adjustable yoga mat straps are much too small for this thick mat. If you buy other straps that are more attractive than plain black, just make sure you buy adjustable ones. As you can see in my picture, though, there was a plain black strap with the mat. It smelled a little bit when I first opened it, but after leaving it unfolded overnight, that dissipated. As some others have mentioned, there were a few tiny defects in the mat left from where the original packing cut into the edges a bit. They're very, very minor, though, and won't affect usage of the mat. It's a little bit heavy compared to thinner yoga mats, but that's to be expected. The color is really bright and vibrant,so I love that part. In terms of usage, this mat is wonderful. I've always hated having to double or triple fold a mat for certain exercises. I don't have to do that at all with this one. It doesn't matter if the surface is concrete, hardwood, etc. It might be a little sponge-y for super intense balancing (handstands) since the mat has a little more give. However, for most purposes, it's great and it absorbs a lot of the pressure on your body. One more thing - due to the thickness, this also doubles nicely as a nap mat for little kids.