Hugger Mugger Earth Elements Review
Compare prices at 2 resellers Pros: Lightweight, good wet and dry traction, comfortable
Cons: Mat sheds material a bit, creases and marks easily
Manufacturer: Hugger Mugger
Our Verdict
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Hugger Mugger Earth Elements | |||||
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Price | $59.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $70 List $69.95 at Amazon | $78 List | $25 List $24.98 at Amazon | $30 List $24.98 at Amazon |
Overall Score ![]() |
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Star Rating | |||||
Pros | Lightweight, good wet and dry traction, comfortable | Great traction when wet, easy to care for when doing hot yoga | Inexpensive, high-quality | Lightweight, foldable, good traction, inexpensive | Inexpensive, durable |
Cons | Mat sheds material a bit, creases and marks easily | Not as much cushion as a regular 5mm mat, somewhat slippery when dry | Thin | Minimal padding | Poor traction both dry and wet, not very stable |
Bottom Line | Good value for the money, though the same mat can be purchased for less from Prana | Great for hot yoga or people who like to use a towel over their mat | A great option not only for travelers, but for someone looking for a high-quality mat at a reasonable price | Excellent choice for travelling yogis | Inexpensive choice for beginner yogis or those looking for a mat to take outdoors/camping |
Rating Categories | Hugger Mugger Earth... | Aurorae Synergy | Lululemon Reversibl... | Gaiam Foldable | Gaiam Premium Sticky |
Comfort & Stability (15%) | |||||
Portability (10%) | |||||
Durability (15%) | |||||
Traction Dry (20%) | |||||
Traction Wet (20%) | |||||
Ease of Care (20%) | |||||
Specs | Hugger Mugger Earth... | Aurorae Synergy | Lululemon Reversibl... | Gaiam Foldable | Gaiam Premium Sticky |
Materials | TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) | Bottom: Polymer Environmental Resin, Top: Microfiber towel | Polyurethane | PVC | PVC |
Measured Weight | 2 lbs 1 oz | 3 lbs 10 oz | 2 lbs 3 oz | 1 lb | 3 lbs |
Length | 72 in | 72 in | 71 in | 68 in | 68 in |
Width | 24 in | 24 in | 26 in | 24 in | 24 in |
Thickness | 5 mm | 5 mm | 1.5 mm | 2 mm | 5 mm |
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Hugger Mugger Earth Elements mat is made from lightweight TPE (thermoplastic elastomer), and is non-toxic, biodegradable, and recyclable, according to Hugger Mugger. It is 72" long by 24" wide and 5mm thick. It weighs 2 lbs 1 oz and comes in Violet, Sky, and Teal color options.
Performance Comparison
Traction Dry
This mat has great traction and was only outdone by the Lululemon The Reversible Mat, Lululemon Reversible (Un) Mat, Jade Harmony, and Manduka eKO. The raised design and compressible material help your hands stay in one place on the mat when in poses like Downward Facing Dog. Note that we tried out both sides of this mat — there is a different textured design on each side — but they felt very similar and we couldn't decide which was supposed to be the top and which the bottom.
Traction Wet
Like most mats, traction decreased slightly on this one once our hands got sweaty. If you practice hot yoga, you'll want to use a towel on top of this mat, or consider a mat/towel hybrid like our Top Pick for Hot Yoga, the Aurorae Synergy.
Comfort & Stability
This mat sacrifices some stability in favor of comfort. It is nice and squishy, which is great when doing seated posed or poses on your knees, like Ustrasana (Camel Pose), but not so good for one-legged balancing poses. It is also so light that it might shift around on you during your practice. If you want something with both comfort and stability, then the Manduka eKO and Manduka PRO are the way to go.
Durability
We used the Prana version of this mat over several years, and it mostly holds up well. The main things to be concerned about are creasing and cracking. The TPE material holds creases in it, so if it gets folded in half or hung up over an irregular object, it will be permanently marked. Just be sure to store it carefully and not place a stack of heavy mats over it, and it should last a long time.
Portability
This mat, along with the Prana E.C.O., are the lightest full-sized mats that we tested in this review. At 2 lbs 1 oz, you'll barely notice it in your gym bag; however, it doesn't always roll up very small, and once it is used a lot, it doesn't like to stay rolled up either. If you need something lightweight for fitting in your suitcase when you travel, check out the Lululemon (Un) Mat instead.
Ease of Care
The "closed-cell" construction is a bonus when it comes to Ease of Care. This mat doesn't absorb your sweat like a natural rubber mat does, which means that it doesn't need as much deep cleaning. But, this mat does seem to attract dirt, animal hair, and lint, and it's challenging to remove those things. We tried in vain to remove some dirty footprints from the light blue side, and when we wiped down the mat after practicing in a home with pets, their tiny hairs stuck to the mat, and we had to pluck them off one by one.
Value
At the price point, this mat seems like a great deal, particularly when compared to the Manduka PRO or the Jade Harmony. However, our Best Buy winner, the Lululemon Reversible (Un) provides a better value.
Conclusion
The Earth Elements is a great mat for the price. It's comfortable and lightweight, with good wet and dry traction. It's not that stable, so if you practice a lot of standing poses, you'll want to consider the Manduka eKO, or the Jade Harmony.
Other Versions
This mat also comes in a 3mm version for less.
— Cam McKenzie Ring
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