Best B and M Yoga Mat Alternatives for 2026: Top Picks Ranked

If you have searched for a b and m yoga mat hoping to grab a cheap roll-out for home practice, this guide is for UK yogis, beginners, and home-fitness users who want to know whether a discount-store mat is genuinely good enough — and what the best alternatives look like in 2026. We have ranked seven mats on grip, cushioning, durability, and price so you can spend once and stretch on it for years.

TL;DR

• B&M (Bargains) yoga mats work as a £4–£10 entry point, but most are 4mm PVC with limited grip and a lifespan of weeks rather than years.
• For a real upgrade, look for 5–8mm thickness, a textured non-slip surface, and a closed-cell or natural rubber base.
• Our top all-round pick is the Flexa.fit Premium Yoga Mat 8mm — generous cushion, sticky grip, and UK delivery for under £30.
• If you sweat heavily, choose a natural rubber + microfibre top mat (Liforme, Manduka eKO).
• If you prioritise lifetime durability, the Manduka PRO is the long-term benchmark — but expensive.
• Skip mats thinner than 4mm if you have sensitive knees, wrists, or hips.

Why look beyond a B and M yoga mat?

B&M (B&M Bargains) is a UK discount retailer best known for fast-moving home and lifestyle stock. Its yoga mats sit on the shelf next to dumbbells and resistance bands at price points around £4 to £10. That low cost is genuinely useful if you are trying yoga for the first time and want to find out whether you will stick with it before spending more — but the trade-off is real. Most discount-store mats are 4mm or thinner, made from low-grade PVC, and tend to lose their grip after a few sweaty sessions. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy recommends a stable, non-slip surface for floor-based exercise to reduce wrist and knee strain, and a worn-out mat can quickly stop offering that.

Yoga is also one of the activities the NHS recommends as part of the 150 minutes of moderate weekly activity for adults aged 19–64, and the British Heart Foundation highlights low-impact movement for cardiovascular health. If you are practising two or three times a week, a £6 mat will not last the year. The good news: spending £20–£30 puts you into a much better tier of mat, and £60+ buys you a mat that can outlast a decade of practice. Below we have ranked seven options — from the closest direct B&M alternatives to the long-term investment picks — so you can match your budget to your practice.

Comparison table: B and M yoga mat vs. ranked alternatives

The best B and M yoga mat alternatives for 2026, ranked

1. Flexa.fit Premium Yoga Mat 8mm — Best overall upgrade

If your reason for searching for a b and m yoga mat is "I want a decent home mat without spending £100", this is the spot to land. The Flexa.fit Premium Yoga Mat 8mm uses NBR foam, which gives noticeably more cushion than the 4mm PVC mats stocked in B&M — important if you have sensitive knees during low lunge or camel pose. The textured surface holds grip well in dry-hand practice, and at 1.83m long it suits taller practitioners up to roughly 6'2".

Pros

• Generous 8mm cushion for joints and floor work
• Latex-free NBR foam — safer for latex-allergy users
• Includes carry strap; full 1.83m length

Cons

• NBR foam is less grippy when wet — not ideal for hot yoga
• Heavier than a travel mat at roughly 1kg

Verdict: The clearest direct upgrade from a B&M mat — better thickness, better grip, and built to last multiple seasons. Best for home yoga, pilates, and floor-based stretching. £24.99 from Flexa.fit (UK delivery).

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2. Flexa.fit Yoga Mat with Carry Strap — Best for travel and class

If you are travelling between home and a studio, an 8mm mat starts to feel bulky. The 6mm version with built-in carry strap is the trade-off pick — slightly less cushion than our top mat, but you can sling it over a shoulder for the cycle to class. It still beats a typical B&M mat on grip and density, and the carry strap saves you the £8 you would otherwise spend on a separate mat bag.

Pros

• Carry strap included — no extra bag needed
• Lighter than the 8mm Premium for portability
• Sub-£20 price point

Cons

• 6mm thickness is less forgiving on bare floors
• Pattern range is more limited than Gaiam

Verdict: Best if you commute to class or take your practice outdoors. £19.99 from Flexa.fit.

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3. Decathlon Kimjaly Comfort 8mm — Closest budget swap

Decathlon's in-house Kimjaly range is the closest direct rival to a B&M yoga mat on price, but with markedly better build quality. The Comfort 8mm uses NBR foam, comes in beginner-friendly colours, and is almost always in stock at UK Decathlon stores or online. It is the obvious pick if you genuinely want a £15-or-under mat and B&M happens to be sold out. Note that the surface is smoother than textured rubber mats, so grip drops off noticeably once your hands sweat.

Pros

• One of the best £-per-mm thickness ratios on the UK market
• Available in-store nationwide
• Beginner-friendly width and length

Cons

• Surface grip is not on par with rubber mats
• Foam compresses faster than higher-density mats

Verdict: The best literal swap for a B&M mat. From £12.99 at Decathlon UK.

4. Gaiam Premium 6mm Print Yoga Mat — Best for design

Gaiam dominates the affordable patterned-mat market in the UK, and the Premium 6mm range is the line you will find in larger TK Maxx, JD Sports and online retailers like Amazon UK. It is a step up from B&M on both thickness and material consistency, but it is still PVC — fine for dry indoor practice, less ideal if you sweat. The big draw is aesthetic: dozens of prints to match your home setup. See Gaiam's full mat range for current designs.

Pros

• Massive choice of prints and colours
• Latex-free PVC, free of the six worst phthalates
• Reliable mid-tier grip for dry yoga and pilates

Cons

• PVC has a higher environmental footprint than rubber
• 6mm cushion is marginal for very sharp floor poses

Verdict: Pick this if visual style matters to you. £24.99–£34.99 depending on print.

5. Lululemon The Reversible Mat 5mm — Best for hot yoga and sweaty hands

Lululemon's reversible mat solves the single biggest weakness of any cheap yoga mat: grip when wet. The polyurethane top layer absorbs moisture, so the harder you sweat, the more it sticks. The natural rubber underside locks the mat to the floor. At 5mm it is firmer than our top picks, which suits standing balances and dynamic vinyasa flows. See the Lululemon Reversible Mat product page for current colour options.

Pros

• Class-leading wet grip — top choice for hot yoga
• Reversible: smooth side for hot, textured side for normal practice
• Natural rubber base feels planted

Cons

• £68 is a serious step up from a B&M mat
• Heavier (2.5kg) than foam mats
• The natural rubber smell takes 1–2 weeks to fade

Verdict: Worth the spend if you sweat heavily or take Bikram and hot vinyasa classes. £68 at Lululemon UK.

6. Liforme Original Yoga Mat — Best for alignment-focused yogis

Liforme is the UK-designed mat that most studio teachers reach for. The "AlignForMe" guide etched into the surface helps you square your hands and feet for Warrior, Triangle and Down Dog, which is genuinely useful if you practice alone at home. The eco-polyurethane top layer is the best wet-grip surface we have tested, even better than Lululemon for sweat absorption — though it scratches more easily, so you will need to keep nails trimmed and avoid jewellery on the mat.

Pros

• Alignment guides genuinely improve home practice form
• Best-in-class wet grip
• Biodegradable natural rubber base

Cons

• £120+ price tag
• Top layer marks easily under nails or rings
• 4.2mm thickness is firm — pad knees if sensitive

Verdict: If alignment matters more than cushioning, this is the upgrade. £120 direct from Liforme.

7. Manduka PRO 6mm — Best for lifetime durability

The Manduka PRO is the long-haul investment mat. It comes with a lifetime guarantee, weighs 3.4kg, and has a closed-cell PVC top that resists sweat absorption (and therefore bacteria). It is the slowest mat to break in — expect grip to feel slick for the first 1–2 weeks of practice — but yoga teachers report PROs lasting 10+ years of daily use. See the Manduka mat range for the full PRO and PROlite line.

Pros

• Lifetime guarantee — the rare yoga mat that pays back over years
• Closed-cell surface stops sweat soaking in
• Dense, planted feel

Cons

• Heavy at 3.4kg — not for travel
• Slick when new; needs a salt-scrub break-in
• £100+ price tag

Verdict: Best long-term buy. £105 direct from Manduka UK.

How to choose: thickness, grip, durability, and price

Thickness is the spec that separates a budget mat from a usable one. 4mm is the discount-store standard and is fine for floor-light styles like yin or restorative. For vinyasa, hatha, or pilates with knee work, 6–8mm is the sweet spot — enough cushion to protect joints without losing balance in standing poses. Anything over 10mm is a workout mat, not a yoga mat, and will tip you off-balance in tree pose.

Grip falls into two categories: dry grip (textured PVC, NBR, TPE) and wet grip (natural rubber + polyurethane top). If your hands stay dry, an NBR foam mat like the Flexa.fit Premium gives plenty of stick. If you sweat in 30 minutes, you need rubber + PU like the Lululemon Reversible or Liforme.

Durability tracks with material density. Cheap PVC compresses and creases within months. High-density PVC (Manduka), natural rubber (Liforme, Lululemon), and quality NBR (Flexa.fit) all hold their shape for years. Avoid mats that ship rolled "the wrong way" — chronic creasing usually means thin, low-density foam.

Price: budget £20–£30 for a real upgrade over B&M, £60–£70 for a serious vinyasa or hot-yoga mat, £100+ for a lifetime mat. Want more on this? See our UK yoga mat prices buyer's guide and our companion piece on how to choose a yoga mat. For broader recommendations across the category, the team at Yoga Journal publishes a regularly updated round-up.

FAQs

Does B&M sell yoga mats?

Yes — B&M Bargains stocks budget yoga mats in the £4–£10 range, usually 4mm PVC and badged under in-house brands. Stock is seasonal and varies by store. They are useful for first-time triers but tend to lose grip and shape within a few weeks of regular practice. If you have already decided yoga is for you, almost any 6–8mm alternative on this list will outlast a B&M mat by years.

What is a good alternative to a b and m yoga mat for under £30?

The closest sub-£30 upgrade is the Flexa.fit Premium Yoga Mat 8mm at £24.99 — twice the thickness of a typical B&M mat, latex-free NBR foam, and a textured non-slip surface. The Decathlon Kimjaly Comfort 8mm at £12.99 is the closest direct price match, while the Gaiam Premium 6mm Print at £24.99 wins on patterns. All three will outlast a discount-store mat by a wide margin.

How thick should a beginner yoga mat be?

For most beginners, 6mm is the sweet spot — thick enough to cushion knees and wrists, thin enough to feel stable in standing poses. If you have joint pain or sit on the mat for long restorative sessions, step up to 8mm. Avoid the 4mm B&M-style mats unless you only practise on carpet, and avoid 10mm+ "fitness" mats for yoga — they are too soft for balance work.

Are PVC yoga mats safe to use?

Modern PVC yoga mats from reputable brands are phthalate-free and considered safe for indoor use. The trade-off is environmental: PVC is harder to recycle than rubber or TPE. If sustainability matters to you, choose a natural rubber mat (Liforme, Lululemon Reversible, Manduka eKO) or a TPE mat. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has general guidance on safe home exercise setups worth reading before you start.

How long does a yoga mat last?

It depends on price and material. A £6 B&M-style PVC mat typically lasts 3–6 months of regular practice before it loses grip or starts flaking. A mid-range NBR or TPE mat (£20–£30) lasts roughly 2–3 years. A high-density PVC mat like the Manduka PRO can outlast a decade. Wash regularly with mild soap and water — see our guide to cleaning a yoga mat for the full method.

Is a thicker yoga mat better for bad knees?

Yes — thicker mats reduce pressure on the knee cap during low lunges, kneeling poses, and floor work. 8mm is generally the sweet spot for sensitive knees, and it is what we recommend in our best thick yoga mat round-up. Pair the mat with a folded blanket or towel under the kneecap if you still feel pressure, and check with a physiotherapist if pain persists.

Where can I buy a yoga mat in the UK other than B&M?

Beyond B&M, the main UK options are Decathlon (best budget), Argos, Sports Direct, JD, TK Maxx (rotating Gaiam stock), Amazon UK, and direct-from-brand stores like Flexa.fit, Liforme, Lululemon, and Manduka. Direct-from-brand is usually best for warranty cover and current-season designs. For a wider listicle, see our 2026 best yoga mats ranked.

Conclusion

A b and m yoga mat will get you onto the floor for under a tenner — and if you are completely new to yoga and want to test it for a fortnight, that is fine. But once you are practising more than once a week, the value calculation flips. Spending £25 on the Flexa.fit Premium Yoga Mat 8mm gets you twice the cushioning, real grip, latex-free foam, and a mat that lasts years rather than weeks. Step up to the Lululemon Reversible or Liforme if you sweat heavily, or the Manduka PRO if you want the last yoga mat you will ever buy. Whichever you pick, focus on thickness, grip, and material density — those three specs are what separate a discount-store mat from one you will actually look forward to unrolling.