Are cork yoga mats slippery?
Cork yoga mats are not inherently slippery, but grip varies according to the mat's construction, moisture, movement and the person using it.
That's why we're wary of describing any exercise mat as simply “non-slip”.
The more useful question is: how does cork behave beneath your hands and feet?
How does cork grip?
Cork has a naturally textured surface.
Rather than relying purely on a smooth, rubber-like tackiness, its texture creates a different tactile relationship between skin and mat.
When you first step onto a cork mat with completely dry hands and feet, it may feel different from a highly tacky synthetic mat.
As you begin moving, that can change.
Does cork get grippier when wet?
One of cork's interesting characteristics is that many people find the surface increasingly tactile as a small amount of moisture develops.
That's one reason cork has become popular for practices where hands and feet may become warm.
But there's an important distinction between slightly damp and soaking wet.
You don't need to saturate a cork mat to use it.
What about downward dog?
Positions such as downward-facing dog place particular demands on a mat because bodyweight is pushing hands and feet away from one another.
How secure you feel will depend on your skin, technique, moisture and the particular construction of the mat.
If your hands are extremely dry at the beginning of a practice, the cork may feel different from how it does ten minutes later.
Should I spray my cork yoga mat with water?
Some cork-mat users lightly dampen the areas beneath their hands before a particularly active practice.
It shouldn't be necessary for everybody, and a cork mat should never need to be soaked.
If you do introduce moisture, use very little and allow the mat to dry completely before rolling it away.
Construction matters
“Cork yoga mat” describes a category, not one universal product.
Different manufacturers combine cork with different supporting materials, thicknesses and constructions.
Those differences influence flexibility, weight, cushioning and stability.
The OTM Cork Yoga Mat combines cork and rubber in a flexible 3mm construction designed to provide a relatively grounded movement surface.
The important thing about grip
We could simply write NON-SLIP in large letters.
But that wouldn't tell you very much.
Bodies are different. Practices are different. Surfaces are different.
What we can say is that cork offers a naturally textured surface whose tactile character can become more noticeable with moisture.
And for many people, that's precisely what makes cork so enjoyable to move on.