Liforme is known for its beautiful yoga mats that also offer a unique and intelligent alignment system, but are they good enough to buy? I purchased their White Gold version and have been practicing on it for 1 year. And so for the purpose of this Liforme yoga mat review, I have done some additional research, and here is what I found.
Liforme yoga mats are some of the best rated yoga mats on the market. They come in a variety of beautiful colors and offer a unique alignment system that can be great for yoga beginners. They offer exceptional grip, even when sweaty, and offer great cushioning due to their rubber base. However, the downside is that they are expensive and not long-lasting.
It’s no surprise this brand is loved by yoga instructors and was even listed as one of the best yoga mats 2022 according to Best Housekeeping.
In this review, I discuss my experiences with my Liforme yoga mat that I’ve had for just over a year now.
The Best Things About a Liforme Yoga Mat
Alignment System – Great for Yoga Beginners
The key selling point of the Liforme yoga mat is its unique alignment system.
This alignment system is called AlignForMe, and it was actually the main purpose of this brand. It all started in 2004 when James, the creator of Liforme, noticed yoga teachers teaching hand and foot positioning in yoga classes and he wondered:
“Why doesn’t someone put some markers to help me position myself evenly, or help my teacher see where I’m at”?
And the result is a wide array of yoga mats that are helpful, eco-friendly, and beautiful.
I had been practicing on my black Manduka Pro for the past 10 years, and so you can imagine how different this white patterned yoga mat must have felt!
I will admit to absolutely loving practicing on this mat. Even as an experienced yoga practitioner, I actually enjoyed using the alignment system and started noticing tweaks I could make to my practice.
And so in my opinion, the former is great for yoga beginners, but I would also recommend it to more experienced practitioners who can still benefit from the alignment pattern.
Beauty – It Comes In Many Beautiful Patterns
The next thing to love about the Liforme original yoga mat is the beautiful colors and patterns it comes in!
I purchased the White Gold design and oh what a beautiful yoga mat it is! I decided on this design as I remember this being the very first pattern I had seen of these mats and I guess it stuck in my mind.
At the time of writing this article, I counted an incredible 29 different colors and equally stunning patterns so you are sure to find something you like.
In fact, they have just added a new version of the yoga mat, one that is fully customizable!
You can now customize your yoga mat and choose the color, and pattern and you can even add your name!
Grip – Great Grip When Wet
One of my favorite parts of the Liforme yoga mat is the incredible gip it offers, making it one of the best non slip yoga mat options on the market. I’m not sure if you have done a yoga practice on a yoga mat without any serious grip, but it can be a real pain in the neck.
As you can imagine, having good grip is one of the most important features of a good quality yoga mat. And so I wanted to try out the grip on this yoga mat. In fact, I’ve done quite a lot of research on yoga mat grip, so I wanted to see how this mat compares.
Interestingly, most mats tend to lose grip once wet. And yet that is where the Liforme yoga mat differs.
With the Liforme, you will know that once you have started to sweat you will get to experience a superior grip during your practice.
The reason is that the Liforme mat comes with a Polyurethane top layer bonded to a natural rubber base layer.
And this is why this is a great yoga mat for those who sweat a lot or go to a hot yoga class as this is a great hot yoga mat.
If you want to see the grip in action, check out my video, where I test the grip with both dry and wet hands:
Eco friendly yoga mats
If you are looking for sustainable yoga mats, then you’ll see that Liforme won’t disappoint. According to their website:
- “We make our Yoga Mats in the most planet friendly way possible to help conserve this place we all come home. We also support those who are working hard to protect the Earth”.
- They work with Tree-Nation, which has planted over 7 million trees.
- They have raised and donated over $250,000 to their official charity partner “Friends of the Earth”
Plus, know that the materials used are eco-friendly. According to their website: “Natural tree Rubber base and Liforme’s unique eco-polyurethane top surface.”
Regarding the White Gold Liforme mat specifically, 3% of every yoga mat sold is donated to Friends of the Earth.
Cleaning – Use soap and water
Cleaning with soap and water is the main recommended method to clean a Liforme yoga mat.
According to WebMD, if you want to remove dirt and grime and get rid of some germs, then simply clean with soap and hot water.
And so it’s no wonder that Liforme, B Yoga, and Sugarmat all recommend using soap and water to clean your yoga mat.
And so for a regular clean every 5-10 uses wipe your mat with some soap and water. For more information check out my article here: 6 Ways To Clean Your Yoga Mat Naturally
Of course, you could always buy a ready-made yoga mat cleaner spray, or make your very own. For more information check out my article: 7 BEST Yoga Mat Cleaner Sprays: I Tried Them All
And if you’re wondering if you can put your Liforme mat in the washing machine, the short answer is no.
Why? Well, Liforme mats are not designed to be exposed to a high amount of water in this way, we would strongly recommend against putting your mat in the washing machine. For more information read my article: Yoga Mat in the Washing Machine – Yes or No?
Weight – A Comfortable 2.5kg
Yoga mat weight is actually an important factor to consider when looking for a yoga mat.
Why? Well if you are planning on traveling with your yoga mat or want to carry it to and from your local studio, then perhaps it’s best to go for a yoga mat that isn’t too heavy.
And that’s actually where the Liforme comes in. At 2.5kg it’s not too heavy to travel with and carry around with you.
For a bit of comparison, the Liforme is just a bit heavier than the Lululemon Reversible (2.4kg) and a lot lighter than the Manduka Pro (3.4kg).
Plus, if you are looking for a travel yoga mat that is much lighter and easier to travel with, then you can go for the Lifomre travel mat which weighs just 1.6kg.
Keep in mind that neither are really a foldable yoga mat, so you will have to roll them up.
Extra Long Version
Some good news for the taller yogis.
The standard yoga mat size is a length of 68″/173cm and 71″/178cm.
But what happens if you are taller than that and want your head and feet to lie comfortably on the floor when in Savasana?
Well, thankfully Liforme also offers their XL yoga mats which are 2.10m in length.
Liforme Extras
I will add this to the list of things to love about Liforme.
If you are looking for a variety of eco-friendly and beautiful yoga mats to add to your collection, then you won’t be disappointed.
Liforme has a variety of yoga accessories:
- Yoga mats
- Travel yoga mats
- XL yoga mats
- Yoga pads (for handstand lovers)
- Yoga gifts such as water bottles
And of course, they all come in beautiful designs!
The Worst Things About a Liforme Yoga Mat
As much as I do really like Liforme, it still has its issues.
It’s My Most Expensive Yoga Mat
A big hang-up with the Liforme mat isn’t a cheap yoga mat. Of course, I knew this when I bought this mat. I knew this was going to be my most expensive yoga mat.
But you know what? In my opinion, most times expensive yoga mats are worth it.
Why? Well, this one offers an alignment system that can be helpful for beginners. It’s eco-friendly, it’s pretty and its rubber base offers great cushioning (ok I would have liked it to be a bit thicker as I explain later).
If you get one of the more basic versions, it comes in at $140, while the fanciest mats (like my White Gold) come in at $190. Super expensive, I know. So if you’re looking to treat yourself, then know that you’re getting a really good quality eco-friendly yoga mat.
It’s Not The Most Long-Lasting of Yoga Mats
Another disadvantage of the Liforme mat is that it is not the most long-lasting yoga mat out there.
Ok, nothing can compete with the Manduka Pro and its lifetime guarantee. However, for $140-$190, I would have liked it if I knew it would last more than 4 years.
Check out a comparison video I did on Liforme vs Manduka Pro:
Thickness – 4.2mm Thick
One further disadvantage of the Liforme is that it comes in just one main thickness option. And that is 4.2mm thick. To put this into perspective, the manduka prolite yoga mat is 4.7mm thick, while the very popular Manduka Pro is 6mm thick.
Now, yoga mat thickness is a very important factor to look into when choosing a yoga mat. And so it is not the most thick yoga mat out there.
For me, the best thickness of a yoga mat is 6mm. Why? Well, it is thick enough so you don’t feel the floor beneath you, your joints are protected, your hands and feet don’t sink into the mat.
This particular mat has a rubber base. And so the 4.2mm Liforme can feel like enough cushioning, however, if you have sensitive joints or if you like thick yoga mats (like me) then you may feel like this 4.2mm isn’t enough.
Ok, let me point out that the Liforme also comes in a 2mm thick travel version. However, in my opinion, this isn’t really a thickness to consider for your main yoga mat.
And so if you are also looking for a travel mat that is light enough to travel around with, then yes, this is a good option! Unfortunately if you want a 6mm thick Liforme yoga mat, then unfortunately for time being at least, there ain’t that option.
Not a Latex Free Yoga Mat
The Liforme yoga mat is not guaranteed to be latex free. According to their website:
“The bottom layer of our mats is made from natural rubber, and natural rubber does contain latex. However, our top surface does not contain latex. We therefore urge caution to any Yogi who suffers from a latex allergy when using the Liforme Mats, and recommend you check with a medical practitioner as to the extent of your allergy and as to whether using a mat with even a rubber base layer could be an issue for you.”
Conclusion of Liforme Yoga Mat
Liforme is not perfect, but it is still a terrific buy. If you are thinking of settling for a cheaper yoga mat you may want to reconsider.
In my opinion, the added price it takes to get the superior quality of a Liforme is well worth it making it one of the best yoga mats 2022.
I really love the grip (with both dry and wet hands).
Not to mention the fact that its absolutely beautiful and a pleasure to practice on!
My biggest complaint is that it’s rather expensive and I would have liked it to be just a little bit thicker. But in my opinion, this is a small price to pay when juxtaposed with the plethora of great features.
Related Questions
As a general rule, your Liforme yoga mat should last between 1-2 years, especially if you practice a dynamic form of yoga every day. If you practice twice a week then your Liforme may last 4-5 years. The grip is what will start to deteriorate and once your hands start slipping you will know you need to replace your mat.
Yes, the White Liforme mat does get dirty. This can be expected given that it is a white yoga mat. However, it is easy to clean so the stains don’t need a lot of effort to be removed.
The Liforme is a better mat compared to the Lululemon. Firstly, Liforme offers a unique alignment system that can help yoga beginners. It is eco-friendly and it comes in beautiful colors. Plus, it lasts longer than the Lululemon. However, the Lululemon is more affordable and offers better cushioning.
Yes, the Liforme yoga mat is a very good yoga mat. It offers an intelligent alignment system that can help yoga beginners and more experienced practitioners. It is eco-friendly and comes in beautiful colors and designs. Its main drawback is its high price point.
