Manduka GRP Adapt vs. GRP Lite | GRP Series Yoga Mat Reviews
/Which Manduka GRP series yoga mat to choose - the GRP Adapt or the GRP Lite? This in-depth review of the GRP series of yoga mats walks through the pros and cons of the GRP series, the differences between the GRP Adapt and GRP Lite... and which one might be right for you.
I'll even discuss how it compares with the Manduka PRO series of yoga mats! If you're into hot yoga or sweat a lot, keep watching to find out if the GRP Adapt or GRP Lite might be your perfect mat.
No time to watch this 11-minute review? Read the transcript below or use the timestamps to fast-forward to the part you’re looking for.
MANDUKA PRODUCT LINKS:
○ Manduka GRP Lite mat: https://bit.ly/2JUykNy
○ Manduka GRP Adapt mat: https://bit.ly/39N8g24
○ Manduka PRO yoga mat: https://bit.ly/2R6ghEx
○ Manduka PROlite yoga mat: https://bit.ly/336iDJa
○ Manduka eKO Superlite travel yoga mat: https://bit.ly/3iasrZ9
○ Manduka eQua mat towel: https://bit.ly/3mi6eL8
○ Manduka eQua hand towel: https://bit.ly/2Ffi9sm
MANDUKA EUROPE DISCOUNT CODE:
Use my promo code "ENLIGHTENEDSPOON" for a 10% discount when checking out at http://eu.manduka.com
PS. Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
LINKS IN VIDEO:
○ Manduka PRO vs. PROlite vs. eKO Superlite Yoga Mats: https://youtu.be/BagD_ayAhbY
○ Manduka eQua Yoga Mat Towel Review: https://youtu.be/KZ4xlLZQBnY
○ 15-minute Morning Yoga (hear the GRP Adapt squeaking): https://youtu.be/NMwk6fmOWcs
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Intro
02:07 Manduka’s Different Mat Thicknesses
03:04 GRP Pros 1: No Towels Needed
03:17 GRP Pros 2: Super Grippy
03:42 GRP Pros 3: Texture
04:15 GRP Pros 4: Portability
04:45 GRP Cons 1: Smelly
05:27 GRP Cons 2: Needs Airing Between Sessions
05:50 GRP Cons 3: Higher Maintenance
06:54 GRP Cons 4: Not Long-Lasting
07:13 GRP Adapt: Scuffs easily
07:32 GRP Adapt: It’s Squeaky!
08:03 GRP Adapt: Dust Magnet
08:30 FINAL THOUGHTS
09:36 Manduka PRO vs. GRP Mats
10:54 Manduka Europe Promo Code
11:13 What’s Next?
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, and welcome back to my channel. In this video, I’m gonna review two of Manduka’s GRP yoga mats: the GRP Adapt and GRP Lite. Two words: Mega grippy. GRP - Grip… Get it?
Stick around till the end coz I’ll also do a quick comparison against the Manduka PRO and PROlite mats, coz I KNOW you’re gonna be asking me “but how does it compare against the Manduka PRO series?” At the time of making this video, I’ve also got a discount code for you if you’re in Europe, so you definitely wanna stick around.
If we haven’t met yet, Hi! I’m Jaime Tan at Enlightened Spoon. On this channel you’ll get yoga and meditation practices and tools just like today’s, and other times you’ll get nutrition, fitness and lifestyle tips… all the things to help you stress less, yet accomplish more. So hit that Like button and consider subscribing if you want more like this.
My Yoga Background:
I’ve been practising yoga for more than 20 years now, and teaching since 2008, so I’ve tried and tested lots of different mats across different yoga studios around the world - I currently teach in a hot yoga studio - with classes ranging from more dynamic vinyasa core power to yin and yoga nidra - more quiet, reflective and restorative styles. All of which require different things from your yoga mat.
Disclosure:
Now in full disclosure, I got the GRP Lite and Adapt mats I’m reviewing today for free from Manduka - but it wasn’t for the purposes of this video. I’m actually working with them on a completely different project, but since I got these and you guys really liked my previous review of the PRO series mats and were asking about the GRP, I thought I’d do this review. If you wanna know about the classic PRO series, go check that video out.
Who’s The GRP Series For?
The GRP series! Who is this mat for? If you’re into hot yoga, or like me, sweat buckets when you practice - these mats were made for you. Now, there’s no “perfect mat”, but you can find your close-to-perfect mat, and since everyone’s needs and preferences are soooo different, I can only give you my impressions of the mats and what you should consider, in order to make an informed purchase.
Manduka’s Different Mat Series
Manduka typically makes 3 different thicknesses of mats in each of their series. There’s a thickest one, usually around 6mm, there’s an average/ regular thickness one, usually around 4mm, and then there’s usually a travel version between 1-2mm in thickness. They’ve done this in the PRO and eKO mat series, but it’s slightly different with this GRP series.
There are currently at the time of making this video also 3 mats in the GRP series - The GRP Hot at 6mm, GRP Lite at 4mm - the one I’ve got which I’ll talk about, and then there’s the GRP Adapt - the other one I’ve got which we’ll talk about - the Adapt is not the thin travel version you would think, but it’s kinda in its own hybrid category. Oh, and it’s 5mm thick if you were wondering.
So the GRP Hot and GRP Lite are kinda like the big brother - little brother mats - where the Hot is the thicker, plusher version, and the Lite slightly thinner but lighter version. I’ve only got the Lite, so let’s talk about the pros and cons of the GRP series, using the Lite and the Adapt mats.
GRP: Pros
1. No Towels Needed
This is the whole point with the GRP series of mats, no matter which one you get. They actually absorb moisture, which helps wick the sweat away from the surface of the mat - so you don’t slip and slide.
2. Good Grip
The Lite is really grippy. It’s marketed as a mat for a hot room that’s grippier when wet, but I’ve practiced on this not in a hot yoga room and it’s been super grippy, even when I haven’t been sweaty.
The Adapt is very similar - this is the hybrid mat that’s supposed to work both dry and wet, and has probably a stickier grip than the Lite. It’s so sticky it squeaks when you move on it.
3. Texture - Nice Feel
The Lite has a leather-like texture, so if you’re used to the PRO series of mats and how they grip, this one has a similar touch and feel - including the density and “closeness to the floor” feeling you get. There’s not much bounce to it - which is important in standing and balancing poses.
The Adapt on the other hand has a rubbery feel to it… almost like a rubber wellington rain boot. It also has a slightly spongier bounce to it - it’s sooooo slight, and honestly I picked up on it only coz I have the Lite to compare it against.
4. Portable/ Travel-Friendly
The Lite is really compact and travel-friendly, and rolls ups thinner, great for transporting to and from the studio or for traveling.
The Adapt isn’t so heavy, but it’s bulky. It’s not really such a big deal though, unless you’re traveling and space in your suitcase is a consideration.
What do you think of the Pros so far? Let me know in the comments below. And smash that like button and subscribe to my channel if you’re getting value out of this video so far!
GRP: Cons
Now let’s talk about the cons.
1. Smelly
The GRP Lite in particular smells really bad when you first open it. In the Netherlands, where I live, there’s a dish called haring - pickled, fermented herring. It smells like pickled, fermented herring when you first roll it out. I was so embarrassed at my practice, hoping the people around me couldn’t smell my mat. It takes a few weeks of airing out before the intense smell disappears. Even after more than a month, every now and again I still get a whiff of it.
I didn’t have any smelly issues with the Adapt.
Maybe it’s not a big deal in the long run, but you should know it might take a while for the smell to reduce in intensity.
2. Needs Airing Out Between Sessions
For all of the mats in the GRP series, because they absorb sweat, you really should be airing them out between practice sessions. Rolling them up and storing them immediately is gonna get funky with the bacteria count and also reduce the life of your mat. So it’s a bit more maintenance than a mat that doesn’t absorb sweat.
3. Higher Maintenance
Which leads me to my next point. Now maybe this is just me coming from almost 20 years practice on the Manduka PRO series and being used to that mat - The PRO series has a lifetime guarantee so you can really abuse those mats. You can disinfect it with essential oils or disinfectant spray found in most studios, and I usually just soap it and hose it down in the shower, leave it out to dry, BOOM it’s done.
In comparison to that, because the GRP series of mats absorb moisture you need to be a little more careful with them. You can’t just spray disinfectant and wipe it down. It’ll just absorb that disinfectant and Manduka doesn’t even recommend that on their FAQ page. They do make a GRP mat cleaning spray they recommend of course, but it kinda gets expensive over time.
I’ve simply just been wiping it down with a damp cloth, but the OCD in me is just not convinced about the hygiene factor. I really just wanna hose and soap these mats down, but haven’t worked up the courage to, in case it really destroys these mats.
4. Durability
Because of their highly absorbent nature, and the materials used in this, even Manduka says on their FAQ page that they’re not as long-lasting. I’ve only had these for a few weeks, so I can’t talk about how they stand the test of time, but there are plenty of Amazon reviews complaining about the lack of durability.
A few things you need to know about the GRP Adapt in particular:
1. The GRP Adapt scuffs easily. Because of that rubbery surface, when turning my heel from Warrior 2 to standing forward bend, prasarita padottanasana, I literally caused friction scuff on the surface of the mat. On my first practice on this mat. So I’m not sure how durable this is gonna be already.
2. GRP Adapt is squeaky. Because it’s so sticky, grippy and rubbery, it actually squeaks when you move on it. Seriously, it’s like practising on a rubber wellington boot.
Check this yoga video I made - and every now and then you can hear the squeak when my hands and feet move positions. Maybe that’s not such a big deal, but I find it kinda distracting. And in a studio situation I’d feel self-conscious about it, and maybe that’s just me. Maybe you do vinyasa classes with loud music, so no one will hear it. But it’s something you should know about.
3. GRP Adapt is a dust magnet. I don’t know why - maybe coz it’s so sticky or coz it’s black so dust shows up more easily? I don’t have the same issue with the GRP Lite or even my Manduka PRO black mat when I leave them out. The Adapt seems to attract dust, so I find myself Swiffering it often.
Note: The scuffing, squeaking and dust attraction are only from the Adapt, I don’t have those issues on the Lite.
Summary:
So - would I recommend these mats, who are they for, why would you need them?
In a heartbeat - I love the GRP Lite.
Especially if you’re into hot yoga or sweat a lot, don’t like fussing with yoga mat towels, and if you’re already used to practicing on the PRO or PROlite mats, this has a similar touch and feel. The only thing is the extra care you’ll need to air it out between sessions and to clean it, and also know that this isn’t as long-lasting as the PRO series… so if you’re concerned about your environmental footprint, that’s another thing to bear in mind.
If you couldn’t already tell, I’m not such a fan of the Adapt - simply from a texture and feel point-of-view. Like I mentioned earlier, it makes me feel like I’m practicing on a rubber wellington boot, especially when it keeps squeaking. But this is so personal and subjective, and maybe you don’t have the same issue that I have with it.
And if you stuck it out up until here, you probably wanna know about how it compares with the PRO series.
Look - you’re talking to someone who’s been practicing on the PRO and PROlite for almost 20 years, so I already have a bias preference towards it. It’s easy maintenance, durable, and the hygiene factor of being able to just soap and hose your mat down and have it dry quickly is important to me. I’ll link to my previous review for the PRO series in the description below. I also like throwing a mat towel over that I can wash later. Hygiene, man. It’s a thing. If you’ve never heard of yoga mat towels - where have you been? Check out my review of the Manduka eQua mat and hand towels in this video.
Maybe you’re less anal than I am, or sweat less than me so it’s not really a concern of yours… but ultimately my heart belongs to the PRO series, and I feel like the GRP Lite, my current fave mat, is my mistress. Also coz I’m not sure how long it’s gonna last on me… so time will tell! (like all good mistresses - just kidding).
Which Mat Are You Considering?
So… has this helped you? Confused you even more? Let me know in the comments below and smash that like button and subscribe to my channel for more yoga and meditation videos to help you stress less, yet accomplish more.
Ready to make that purchase? Use my code “ENLIGHTENEDSPOON” for a 10% discount off any Manduka product if you’re based in Europe - still valid at the time of shooting this video. I make a small commission with any purchase at no extra cost to you - it simply allows me to continue making these hopefully helpful videos for you.
What’s Next?
Now another question I’ve been getting a lot is “Liforme or Manduka?” So stick around for my next video where I’ll compare the Liforme against the Manduka GRP and PRO mats. Smash like. Subscribe.
Check out my other videos for more nutrition, fitness and lifestyle tips on how to flow through your busy life with more grace, ease and flow, and I’ll see you in the next one!
