Liforme yoga mat review: a near-perfect premium option

The Lifeorme Yoga Mat is made with a natural rubber base with a top surface of Liforme's eco-polyurethane. Each mat includes etched markings to help with foot and hand positioning (Liforme calls this its 'AlignForMe' system), and comes with a sturdy carry bag included. The original is available in a range of colourways, and Lifeorme also offers a selection of alternatives with different themes, as well as the option to create your own completely personalised mat.

These are widely regarded as being some of the very best yoga mats around, but they're a fair bit pricier than many alternatives. So do they warrant that premium price tag? Read on for our full Liforme Yoga Mat review.

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Liforme Yoga Mat review: design and care

The bulk of each Liforme yoga mat is made from naturally sourced, sustainable rubber, with a top layer of the brand's own eco-friendly version of polyeuthane. The two layers are heat-bonded (so no toxic glues) and the alignment markings are etched on. It's free from PVC, non-toxic, and will biodegrade in 1-5 years in normal landfill conditions. The packaging is also fully recyclable or reusable. In short, from a sustainability perspective, this is a guilt-free buy.

At 185cm long and 68cm wide, the Liforme mat is both longer and wider than average, giving you a little extra space to play with as you explore different poses.

On the down side, the larger size and the rubber construction mean this is one of the heavier mats you'll come across. If you're regularly lugging your mat over long distances, and need something that won't weigh you down, you'd be better off opting for a foam option (typically cheaper but less hardwearing). 

Liforme Yoga Mat review: usability and grip

Aside from the textured placement markings, the eco-polyeuthane topper is completely smooth to touch, which suggests it might be a bit slippery in use. Not so. The Liforme mat delivers excellent grip, both when your skin is dry and when things get a little sweatier – it'd be a great choice for hot yoga. 

The Lifeorme yoga mat is 4.2mm, which we'd say is around the perfect thickness for most people. The rubber base does a great job of providing an effective layer of padding while still delivering a stable base for balancing poses. You'll find thicker, softer mats if you switch to foam, but the down side is that a softer surface will have you wobbling about much more.

Lifeorme's AlignForMe marking system is nothing short of inspired. It looks abstract to begin with, but as soon as you begin your practice, it becomes clear which parts of your body need to be lined up with which marks, making it easy to tweak your and hone your positioning. Hats off to Liforme for managing to create a design that is intuitive to use, provides helpful guidance, and looks attractive at the same time. The markings are etched onto the mat so you don't need to worry about them rubbing off. This also means you can to some extent feel the gently textured sections with your hands and feet, rather than always having to look for them. 

Liforme Yoga Mat review: care

Because it's biodegradable, you'll need to take slightly more care of your Lifeorme mat. The brand warns against leaving it out in the sun for too long, as this can cause the mat to degrade more quickly, and cleaning it too frequently (once every 5-10 uses is enough) or using abrasive cleaning products. Don't let this give you the impression that these are delicate mats – all mats need some care, and the Lifeorme yoga mats are actually impressively robust.

Like traditional polyeuthane mats, Liforme yoga mats are absorbent, which means that your skin's natural oils will leave slight marks. If that's a major issue for you, head to our how to clean your yoga mat guide, where you'll find non-porous alternatives. However, a little bit of staining is far outweighed by the benefits on offer here. To keep your mat fresh and mark-free for longer, avoid practicing with freshly-applied moisturisers or oils on your skin, and occasionally wipe the mat down with a drop of dish soap heavily diluted with water to clean it.

Liforme Yoga Mat review: alternatives to consider

Head to our Core Balance Alignment yoga mat review for a closer look at our favourite budget Lifeorme dupe. They look very similar, with etched alignment guides and a dual-layer design. The Core Balance option seems to be less eco-friendly (it uses regular polyurethane rather than Lifeorme's eco-polyurethane), it's water-resistant rather than waterproof, and you don't get the snazzy bag either. It's also 2cm shorter and 2mm thicker than the Lifeorme. 

Another major Lifeorme competitor is the Yogi Bare mat. We haven't been able to test one of these out, but on paper it's also similar in design and build, although this one is slightly smaller and thinner than the Lifeorme. It's cheaper than the Lifeorme, but not as cheap as the Core Balance option.

Liforme Yoga Mat review: price and verdict

With an RRP of £100, the Liforme Yoga mat is right at the top end of the market, price wise. Is it worth it? We think so; this is a near-perfect yoga mat. The grip is excellent, the padding just right, and the larger size is useful too. We're also extremely impressed by the AlignForMe marking system, which looks simple, is intuitive to use, and is ideal for tweaking your poses. You are paying a slight premium for eco-friendliness – this mat is PVC-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable at the end of its life – but if you can afford it, that's a decision we'd encourage everyone to make. Do keep an eye on prices too; Lifeorme runs 20% off codes every so often (Black Friday is a good bet, as is Earth Day).