Black Yoga Mat

I treated myself today - have been eyeballing a yoga mat down at the studio. It's a black rubber mat that appears to be identical to the pricey Manduka Mat (we had both in stock, so I really did a close comparison), but a lot less expensive.

This is pretty much what they looked like coming out of the box (no frills!) and since I unpacked 'em and priced 'em, I ought to know!

We got them down at the studio from David Swenson, and according to his website:

"This German-made Premium Black Yoga Mat has gained a worldwide reputation as the most durable and stable yoga mat available on the market today. I have come across a onetime opportunity to purchase a quantity of these mats direct from the factory at such an incredible price that I wanted to take advantage of it and pass these savings on to you."

With my teacher discount it was pretty reasonable and I like the idea of getting the good quality mat without the label for a lot less. We'll see how it works with a little sweat (maybe as soon as tomorrow night, assuming I practice with Barb) - but even if I still need a mat cloth, it's nice to have a second heavy-duty mat for when my Jade Harmony is soaked through and needs to be dried / aired out.

It was only a matter of time before I joined the Black Mat Yoga Borg.

Bonus Link: No Stress: Pricey Yoga Mats Sell Briskly in Recession (Time Magazine, May 2009)