Unroll a brand-new yoga mat and there's a good chance the first thing you notice isn't the grip — it's the smell. We read through 69,925 reviews on the Amazon Basics Extra Thick mat and 46,337 on the Gaiam Thick mat to find out how common the odor actually is, how long reviewers say it takes to fade, and why it lingers for some buyers and not others.
What the reviews actually say
We read through both the critical and positive reviews specifically mentioning smell, on both mats.
Where it clears up fast
Most reviewers who noticed a smell describe it as short-lived. On the Amazon Basics mat: "only thing was the smell after taking it out of the box. very chemically scent but only lasted about a day." Another buyer specifically called out the absence of odor as a selling point: "No nasty odor when I opened it, which was a huge plus." Gaiam owners report a similar pattern: "there's a faint foam smell when you first open it. It aired out within a day or two, so nothing to be concerned about," and "it has a fairly noticeable chemical smell when it's first opened. Mine needed a few days to air out before the odor mostly disappeared."
Where it doesn't go away
For a smaller group of reviewers on both mats, the smell is the main complaint and it sticks around. One Amazon Basics buyer: "several weeks later it still smells awful! When it's out in the open it's ok, but when I roll it up & pack for travel, the smell comes back." Another described it as "a strong smell requires a full day to air out. I had to leave it on my patio to clear the odor." On the Gaiam mat, one reviewer was blunt: "the smell is so unbearable that it gives me headaches. I've tried to use it over and over again and still the smell is overwhelming."
The reviewed products
Amazon Basics Extra Thick Yoga Mat
Most reviewers who mention smell report it fading within a day, though a consistent minority describe it lasting weeks, particularly once the mat is rolled up for storage. The smell tends to return when the mat is packed tightly, even after it seemed to have aired out.
Check price on Amazon →Gaiam Thick Yoga Mat (10mm)
Reviewers consistently describe a "faint" to "fairly noticeable" chemical smell on first opening, with most reporting it clears within one to a few days of airing out. A smaller group finds it unbearable enough to affect how much they use the mat.
Check price on Amazon →Frequently asked questions
Why does my new yoga mat smell so bad?
The smell comes from the foam material used in the mat off-gassing after being sealed in packaging — it's a normal manufacturing byproduct, not a sign of a defective mat. Both the Amazon Basics and Gaiam mats use foam that reviewers describe as having a "chemical" or "foam" smell fresh out of the box.
How long does it take for a yoga mat smell to go away?
Based on the reviews, most buyers report the smell fading within 24-48 hours of open-air exposure, and some describe it as gone within "a day or two." A smaller group of reviewers on both mats report it lasting weeks, especially if the mat is rolled up and stored rather than left unrolled to air out.
Why does the smell come back after I roll up my mat?
One Amazon Basics reviewer specifically noted this pattern: the smell seemed gone "when it's out in the open," but "when I roll it up & pack for travel, the smell comes back." Rolling the mat traps the off-gassing foam in a tighter space, which appears to concentrate the odor again even after it seemed to have cleared.
Is a strong yoga mat smell a sign of a bad or unsafe mat?
The reviews don't point to it being unsafe, but one Gaiam reviewer did raise a health-related concern, saying the smell "gives me headaches" and questioning "the chemicals that is used to make this mat has to be unhealthy." If you're sensitive to chemical smells, airing the mat out fully in a well-ventilated space before first use is the approach reviewers who had a good experience consistently mention.
Does one of these mats smell less than the other?
Both mats get smell complaints at a similar rate in the reviews, and both also have reviewers who reported no noticeable odor at all. The pattern looks more tied to individual sensitivity and how the mat is stored than to a real difference between the two brands.
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Prices, ratings and review counts change on Amazon in real time — figures above were accurate as of the data-capture date and may have shifted since. Always check the current price on the product page before buying.