Name: Diagrams Align Your Practice: Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat Is Like an On-Call Instructor
Author: Elizabeth Millard

‘Going with the flow’ is an essential part of any yoga class. But being able to move quickly through poses is less important than making sure to have proper alignment in each pose. Without that, you may not get the benefits of the poses — and, worst-case scenario, you may even risk developing overuse injuries over time.

Unless you do private sessions with a yoga teacher, though, it’s challenging to ensure you have the right alignment as you get into a pose and then flow to the next. That’s what makes the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat so valuable. Thanks to a distinctive pattern on the mat, you have an assistant guide for poses right below your feet.

In short: The Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat ($185) may be on the higher end when it comes to cost, but it’s a solid option for those who do yoga regularly and want to refine their alignment for different poses. The mat’s cheery colors combined with excellent grip, a zippered and water-resistant carrying bag, and impressive durability, make this a go-to choice for yoga enthusiasts.

Read the full review or scope out the full list of our top yoga mats in the Best Yoga Mats buyer’s guide.

Liforme Rainbow Hope Yoga Mat

$195 at Amazon Check Price at Liforme

Diagrams Align Your Practice: Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat Is Like an On-Call Instructor

Specifications

Size: 72″ x 26″
Thickness: 4.2 mm
Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Material: Rubber base and eco-polyurethane top surface

Pros

Lines for alignment
Good cushioning

Cons

Expensive

Elizabeth Millard

Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat Review

When I was in yoga teacher training about 15 years ago, alignment was one of my toughest personal challenges; it felt like I could never get quite the right position for my feet, especially during transitions such as Crescent Lunge to Warrior II.

Eventually, I figured it out, but even after taking and teaching hundreds of classes since then, I still make sure to look down and see where my feet are located because you build a pose from the ground up. If your feet are out of alignment, the rest of your body can’t get into a pose as intended.

In a class with a perceptive teacher, poor alignment often prompts a gentle adjustment. But, there are many times where teachers either don’t offer that type of hands-on guidance or they might do it only once or twice per class. And honestly, many people in classes don’t like adjustments and would rather “find the pose” on their own.

I’ve used many mats over the past decade and a half, and very few have been helpful for positioning. That’s why the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat is so unique. It uses what the company calls the AlignForMe system, which includes a vertical line down the center with horizontal lines on both ends. There are several 45-degree lines as well, and all of these are useful not just for standing poses, but also for some poses done on the mat, such as tabletop or cat/cow.

True to the name, the lines are colored like a rainbow, and there’s a central “blossom” to complete the look. Background colors are blue, yellow, or pink, all in a bright hue that feels cheery and upbeat.

Grip

The second most important consideration with a yoga mat is grip. Even if you have the correct alignment, it won’t make much difference if your hands and feet easily slip out of place. Liforme has patented GripForMe technology, which involves layering natural rubber with non-toxic, eco-polyurethane.

Even with this tech, though, the first couple of sessions with the mat were a little less grippy than I would have liked. While I could hold my position in most standing poses, Downward-Facing Dog did lead to readjustments to keep my hands from shifting forward. However, after that break-in period (which is very common with yoga mats), the Liforme was much stickier, and it wasn’t an issue.

Material

In the past, most yoga mats were fashioned out of PVC, which made the mats more affordable but didn’t do the environment any favors. Plus, these mats tended to pill like a cheap sweater after 10 or so classes. Fortunately, there are many sustainable options now, and this yoga mat is one of them. The mat is PVC-free and is even shipped without any plastic packaging.

Slightly longer and wider than standard mats, it offers more space and comfort; (photo/Elizabeth Millard)

Length & Thickness

The standard size for a yoga mat is 68 inches long by 24 inches wide, and the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat is slightly longer and wider at 72 inches by 26 inches. This may not seem like much, but it’s a boon for having more space in a class, and it’s particularly nice for taller people so their feet don’t hang off the end of the mat when lying down.

In terms of thickness, the mat is fairly standard at 4.2mm, but it feels thicker when you’re using it. That helps reduce strain on the knees and wrists while not being so thick that it seems like you’re sinking into it — mats with that type of thickness can be counterproductive, as they make balance more difficult.

The included bag makes it easy to carry and protects it from dirt and spills; (photo/Elizabeth Millard)

Portability

For those who need to pack a yoga mat for a trip like a yoga retreat, the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat is not an ideal option, since its thickness and size make it cumbersome to pack. However, the company does offer a travel version that is thinner, lighter, smaller, and weighs less, while still offering the alignment system that makes it so distinctive.

If you’re using the mat for local classes, though, it’s very portable thanks to the included carrying bag. Unlike a yoga mat strap that simply lets you carry a mat around but does nothing to protect it from spills or dirt, the Liforme bag encloses the mat completely, can be zipped up, and is water-resistant.

Cleaning

In general, it’s a good idea to clean your yoga mat after each use — either by wiping it down with a damp cloth and hanging it up to dry or using a mild, nonscented soap mixed with water and washing it down that way. There are also products designed specifically for yoga mats; the one offered by the company is the Liforme Ultimate Everyday Yoga Mat Cleaner ($23).

While I didn’t test this mat cleaner specifically, I did utilize a similar product, the Manduka Yoga Mat Wash & Refresh spray ($12), and the mat wiped down easily with that.

The mat takes time to break in and is pricey but offers durability and alignment support; (photo/Elizabeth Millard)

Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat Review: Critiques

While the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat has many advantages, there are a couple of drawbacks to keep in mind. The most notable is that it takes time to break in, and so your first couple of sessions — particularly in a hot yoga class, as I discovered — will be more challenging in terms of grip. Although you can put a yoga towel down on the mat to mitigate this, that defeats the purpose of the mat’s alignment lines.

Another challenge is the price. Even though the mat’s durability makes it a good investment, it will likely cause sticker shock to pay so much for a mat, especially if you practice only occasionally.

Conclusion

In general, the Liforme Rainbow Yoga Mat reviewed here may have an eyebrow-raising price tag, but for those who want a long-term, durable, and attractive mat, this is it. This design helps with alignment and comes with a carrying case: it’s a solid choice.

Having used this yoga mat two to three times per week over 3 months and in various scenarios — hot yoga, outdoor yoga, Pilates, yoga sculpt, and HIIT classes — I can tell that the mat will perform well for years with minimal breakdown. That’s certainly not the case with every yoga mat, and I’ve had plenty of options (even expensive ones) that began to show wear and tear after only a month or two of regular use.

This Liforme Rainbow is a good design for those just beginning yoga practice. Still, it’s also valuable for experienced yoga practitioners who want to keep refining their alignment in a meaningful way.