Reviews You Can Rely On

Prana Revolution Review

Good for taller yogis or those wanting a larger mat
gearlab tested logo
prana revolution yoga mat review
Prana Revolution
Credit: Prana
Price:  $90 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Prana
By Cam McKenzie Ring ⋅ Senior Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 28, 2016
65
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Comfort & Stability - 20% 6.0
  • Portability - 20% 4.0
  • Durability - 20% 8.0
  • Traction Dry - 15% 8.0
  • Traction Wet - 15% 7.0
  • Ease of Care - 10% 6.0

Our Verdict

Prana discontinued the Revolution mat.
REASONS TO BUY
Good dry traction
Longer and wider than most mats
REASONS TO AVOID
Heavy
Not very comfortable
Poor wet traction
The Prana Revolution is a beast of a mat. It has the largest footprint and is also one of the heaviest models in this review. This makes it an excellent option for taller yogis or those who prefer a larger practice surface. The dry traction is good and similar to some of the other top performers in this review; however, once our palms got sweaty, we experienced a lot of sliding in poses like Downward Facing Dog. While it is very stable, it is only 4mm thick and not as comfortable as our Editors' Choice winner, the Manduka eKO. It's also almost significantly more expensive than our Best Buy winner, the Clever Yoga Better Grip mat. All this to say that there are some better options out there.

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Prana Revolution is made from non-Amazon harvested tree rubber. The latest version of this mat is 2 lbs lighter than previous models but still weighs 6 lbs 8 oz. It is 78 inches long and 30 inches wide, and 4mm thick.

As with all rubber mats, you should avoid this one if you have a latex allergy

Performance Comparison


prana revolution yoga mat review - julia swimming in the sea of this mat. the larger surface area is...
Julia swimming in the sea of this mat. The larger surface area is great for larger yogis, but the firm rubber is not very comfortable.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Traction Dry & Wet


This mat has fairly good dry traction, and is almost as good as some of the other rubber mats we reviewed, like the Manduka eKO and the Jade Harmony, but those mats have a textured surface which helps provide additional traction. This becomes more noticeable once your palms get sweaty or there is water (aka sweat) on the mat. Then we had a lot of difficulty maintaining our hand position in Downward Facing Dog and other poses that require good traction.

prana revolution yoga mat review - with or without added water, once our palms got sweaty this mat got...
With or without added water, once our palms got sweaty this mat got slippery.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Comfort & Stability


This mat is certainly stable due to its large footprint and weight, but it is not that comfortable. It's only 4mm thick, and the rubber feels very compact, unlike the Manduka eKO and the Lululemon The Reversible Mat, which have a bit more give to them. A harder surface is great for balancing poses but does little to cushion our bones or joints, and we found prone poses very uncomfortable on this mat.

prana revolution yoga mat review - our hipbones were protesting in this pose. this thinner mat (4 mm)...
Our hipbones were protesting in this pose. This thinner mat (4 mm) is compact and does not provide a lot of cushion.
Credit: Kenny Barker

Durability


We were impressed with the durability of this mat. The compact rubber resists scratching and wear, and we didn't notice any erosion of the surface in high wear areas (where your feet usually roll over themselves when practicing Sun Salutations).

prana revolution yoga mat review - the compressed rubber resists wear and doesn't mark easily.
The compressed rubber resists wear and doesn't mark easily.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Portability


This mat received our lowest score for portability. At 6 lbs 8 oz, it's not the heaviest mat in this review, but the oversized nature makes it a bit of a chore to tote around. It didn't fit in our standard yoga bag, and we noticed the extra width (in a bad way) when taking it to and from class.

prana revolution yoga mat review - this mat is much wider and longer than a standard one. keep that in...
This mat is much wider and longer than a standard one. Keep that in mind if you use public transportation or bike/walk to your yoga studio.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Ease of Care


This mat was fairly easy to care for. The smooth upper surface was easier to wipe clean than the ridged surface of the Jade Harmony, though it still seemed to attract lint and animal hair like most other sticky mats. Because this mat has an "open-cell" construction, it will absorb your sweat and require occasional deep cleaning. The good news is that it only comes in black and a dark green color, which helps hide the dirt and grime a bit. If you don't see yourself scrubbing your mat in your tub once a month, a "closed-cell" mat like the Manduka PRO or the Hugger Mugger Earth Elements are better choices.

Best Applications


This mat is a good option for taller or larger yogis who want a mat that will provide coverage for their entire body. It's also a good choice for people who prefer a firmer feel to their mats.

prana revolution yoga mat review - our tallest tester, kenny (6'2), appreciated the longer length and...
Our tallest tester, Kenny (6'2), appreciated the longer length and wider mat.
Credit: Cam McKenzie Ring

Value


This mat retails for $90, which is almost twice as expensive as the Prana E.C.O., which scored higher overall in our tests. If you're in the market for a larger mat but don't want as high a price tag, the Large E.C.O. costs $60 and has similar dimensions to this mat (76" long by 30" wide).

Conclusion


This mat is a good choice for people who want extra coverage from their mat, but that does make it difficult to carry around. It does not have the best traction either, so if you have sweaty palms or practice a Vinyasa-style of yoga, you'll want something like our Editors' Choice winner, the Manduka eKO, instead.

Other Versions


In addition to the E.C.O. models, Prana makes another rubber mat, the Indigena Natural, which is narrower and slightly lighter than this model (78" long by 26" wide, 4mm and 6.1 lbs).

Cam McKenzie Ring