Almost Perfect PRO Yoga Mat vs Combo Yoga Mat XL: which is safer?
Manduka Almost Perfect PRO Yoga Mat is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Our pick
Manduka
Almost Perfect PRO Yoga Mat
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde off-gassing
PossibleNatural rubber protein allergen (latex sensitivity)
PossibleMicroparticle shedding from foam and rubber degradation
Yoga Design Lab
Combo Yoga Mat XL
PFAS grade
Overall grade
Verdict
Hazard flags
Material
Confidence
PossibleVOC and odor during initial use
PossiblePolyurethane backing degradation over time
PossibleNatural rubber latex allergen
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde off-gassing, Natural rubber protein allergen (latex sensitivity) and Microparticle shedding from foam and rubber degradation on the Manduka and not on the Yoga Design Lab.
- We flag VOC and odor during initial use, Polyurethane backing degradation over time and Natural rubber latex allergen on the Yoga Design Lab and not on the Manduka.
- The Manduka is closed-cell PVC-free foam, rubber top where the Yoga Design Lab is Natural rubber, PER, polyurethane backing, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 25 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Manduka is the one to buy.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More yoga & exercise mats: see the full ranking