Best for balance and warranty
Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm
FitScore for Yoga Mat
- WarrantyLifetime
Choose it if you want a light, latex-free 5 mm mat with a lifetime guarantee for most styles of yoga.
Best for grip
Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm
FitScore for Yoga Mat
- WarrantyNot stated
Choose it if grip in hot, fast classes comes first and you want a longer, wider 71 by 26-inch surface.
Overall winner for most yoga practices: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm, by 1 point (68.9 against 67.9) with the weights of our best yoga mat guide. It leads on durability, affordability and features. The Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm leads on performance and practicality.
Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm wins 2 rounds- Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm wins 2 rounds
- =1 tie
Product photos from Amazon. FitScore weights are explained below.
Gaiam Dry Grip vs Manduka GRP Adapt: both are 5 mm mats made for sweaty hands. The Gaiam is PVC with a moisture-wicking topcoat, 68 by 24 inches, 4.25 lb, latex-free and guaranteed for life; the Manduka is a polyurethane top over natural rubber, 71 by 26 inches and 5.5 lb. Our FitScore puts the Gaiam just ahead for most practices; the Manduka grips harder.
Head-to-Head Specs
Here are the two side by side. A check mark shows the stronger spec on each line. Check both warranties before you order: the FTC explains how to read a product warranty. The CDC recommends muscle-strengthening activity at least twice a week for adults, and a regular yoga practice can count toward it. Harvard Health Publishing describes the physical and mental benefits of a regular yoga practice.
| Specification | Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mmFitScore 68.9 | Manduka GRP Adapt 5mmFitScore 67.9 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Studio mat | Studio mat |
| Material | PVC with a moisture-wicking topcoat | Polyurethane over natural rubber |
| Surface | Not stated | Open-cell (absorbs sweat) |
| Thickness | 5 mm | 5 mm |
| Size (length × width) | 68 × 24 in | 71 × 26 in✓ |
| Weight | 4.25 lb✓ | 5.5 lb |
| Latex | Latex-free | Contains natural rubber latex |
| Alignment marks | No | No |
| Strap or bag | Not included | Not included |
| Folds | No | No |
| Certification | None named | None named |
| Warranty | Lifetime✓ | Not stated |
| Specs won | 2 of 12 | 1 of 12 |
Check Amazon for current pricing and availability.
FitScore Duel
Both scores use the weights of our best yoga mat guide (how we score). Performance (35%) counts most, then durability and comfort (20% each), practicality and affordability (10% each) and features (5%). The Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm ranks #1 in that guide. The Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm ranks #2 in that guide. The order flips with other weights: in our best hot yoga mat guide the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm scores 68.3 against 66.6 for the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm.
Key Differences
- Material: PVC with a moisture-wicking topcoat on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; Polyurethane over natural rubber on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
- Surface: not stated on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; Open-cell (absorbs sweat) on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
- Size (length × width): 68 × 24 in on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; 71 × 26 in on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
- Weight: 4.25 lb on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; 5.5 lb on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
- Latex: Latex-free on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; Contains natural rubber latex on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
- Warranty: Lifetime on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; not stated on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
Round 1 of 5
Gaiam Dry Grip vs Manduka GRP Adapt: Grip, Dry and Wet
Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm wins this round
Grip depends on the surface material and how it handles sweat.
Material: PVC with a moisture-wicking topcoat on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm, Polyurethane over natural rubber on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
The polyurethane top of the GRP Adapt holds dry and wet; the Gaiam topcoat helps on damp hands but slides sooner once the mat is soaked.
Performance score in this comparison: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm 77, Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm 95.
Round 2 of 5
Durability and Warranty
Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm wins this round
Material and guarantee are the stated measures of how long a mat lasts.
Warranty: Lifetime on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm; not stated on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
Durability score in this comparison: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm 82.26, Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm 58.56.
Round 3 of 5
Cushion and Stability
Tie. Neither model has a clear edge here.
Cushion comes from thickness and how dense the material is.
Thickness: both list 5 mm.
Comfort score in this comparison: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm 74, Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm 74.
Round 4 of 5
Weight, Size and Carrying
Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm wins this round
Weight: 4.25 lb on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm, 5.5 lb on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
Size (length × width): 68 × 24 in on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm, 71 × 26 in on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
The Gaiam is lighter and its closed topcoat wipes clean; the GRP Adapt absorbs sweat, so it needs to dry flat before you roll it.
Practicality score in this comparison: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm 22, Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm 26.
Round 5 of 5
Materials and Extras
Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm wins this round
Latex: Latex-free on the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm, Contains natural rubber latex on the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm.
Alignment marks: both list no.
Certification: both list none named.
Features score in this comparison: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm 30, Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm 25.
Who Should Buy Each
Most home and class yogis
Pick the Gaiam Dry Grip if you want one balanced mat: owners like how it handles warm sessions, though a soaked mat loses some grip and the topcoat can wear over time.
Heavy sweaters and hot yoga
Pick the Manduka GRP Adapt if your hands slip: testers rated its grip at the top dry and wet, though the open-cell top needs drying after class and shows marks.
Consider Instead
Liforme Original
If neither fits, look at the Liforme Original: it offers a higher performance and comfort score than the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm. It ranks #3 in our best yoga mat guide.
Final Verdict
Overall winner for most yoga practices: Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm. Pick the Gaiam Dry Grip for a light, latex-free mat with a lifetime guarantee; pick the Manduka GRP Adapt for the stronger grip and the bigger surface.
Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm vs Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm FAQ
With the weights of our best yoga mat guide, the Gaiam Performance Dry-Grip 5mm scores higher: 68.9 against 67.9. It leads on durability, affordability and features, while the Manduka GRP Adapt 5mm leads on performance and practicality.
Both are 5 mm. The Gaiam is PVC with a wicking topcoat, 68 by 24 inches and 4.25 lb, latex-free; the Manduka is polyurethane over natural rubber, 71 by 26 inches and 5.5 lb.
The GRP Adapt: its polyurethane top holds when soaked. The Gaiam topcoat helps in warm classes but loses some grip in very sweaty sessions.
The Gaiam Dry Grip. The Manduka GRP Adapt has a natural rubber base, which contains latex.
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