I've practised on the Black & Purple Lite mats and this mat is right up there with the rest of them. The Black mat's too heavy for me as I travel frequently, and I find even the Purple Lite too heavy for shorter trips like hauling to & from the yoga studio. This Eko Lite's great for transporting/ travelling but still retains its heavy feel.

After a week of practice I can safely say it doesn't buckle like the other thin 3mm mats do. It sometimes looks as if the mat is uneven and doesn't sit flat on the floor smoothly, but when you're practicing you don't even feel it - it feels like a flat and solid mat. I practice in a heated room and after warming up, you do need a towel or yogitoes coz it gets slippery when wet (like most other rubber/ PVC mats too). But it grips well when doing a regular not-too-sweaty practice.

While researching this mat I couldn't find more close-up shots of what it looks like up-close, so I've taken some pictures here: http://skippettystreet.blogspot.com/2008/08/eko-lite-where-have-you-been-all-my.html

Overall, a highly recommended product, especially if weight is a consideration.

I was so glad to get this new mat--it's light and easy to transport (because it's thin you can roll OR fold it into a suitcase). The smell is strong but goes away-- you can lay it outside for an hour or 2 to reduce it significantly. Best not to leave it rolled up at first, but let it breathe and the smell goes away. I got the sand color and it's a nice gold... It does wrinkle a little bit in practice, but it's worth it for the lightness and the low enviro-impact.

i like the idea of being eco friendly but for me this mat is too thin. also it's texture is too slippery for hot yoga in my opinion.
mike

I have the Manduka thick black mat. It is the greatest but it is hard to transport and it's not eco-friendly. All of the other thin mats I've used buckle. I've used a lot of mats and have done yoga for a long time. This is an amazing transportable mat and it's eco-friendly. After 3 days leaving it unrolled, the smell on my blue mat is FINE. The quality and sustainability of this product should make it a no-brainer. I love it. If I didn't already own a non-eko black mat (that will survive me- and my kids), I would get the 5 mm eKO mat.

GREAT job, Manduka! Yogis- buy this mat. You'll love it.

I really liked the mat when it arrived - but on opening I saw a 2 inch long deep gash on the smooth side of it - the rubber had not filled properly on that spot. I'm inclined to think it was a quality issue on that particular mat. There are some spots where the rubber seems to have not filled smoothly which I think is how you can make things with natural rubber? - Really dont know. But the deep one made me return the mat, since I thought it might tear at that point given it is only 3mm thick. But I really liked the mat's look and feel. I'm going to buy the 5mm version since it might not be affected by the irregular filling scenario.