42 Birds The Robin vs B Mat Strong: Which One Should You Buy?

The 42 Birds Robin is 5 mm of cork over a latex-free foam base, 72″ × 26″ and 1.9 pounds, for $92. The B Mat Strong is 6 mm of tacky rubber made in Spain, 71″ × 26″ and 5 pounds, for $144.

Against the 4 mm B Mat Everyday, the Robin was the thicker mat as well as the lighter one. The Strong flips the first half of that: it’s a millimeter thicker than the Robin and 3.1 pounds heavier. So this is a thicker mat for home against a much lighter one for carrying, with two very different ideas about grip on top.

At 1.9 pounds, the Robin goes to class without much thought. 42 Birds says it rolls to about 4 inches across, and several reviewers mention a carrying strap in the box.

Reviewers on b, halfmoon’s site aren’t agreed on carrying the Strong. One, who calls the mat a splurge, finds it a chore to take to class and better suited to home. Another rolls it into a bag and takes it around without complaint. b, halfmoon’s page doesn’t list a strap. If you walk or bike to a studio several times a week, those 3.1 pounds may matter more than anything else here.

The B Mat grips on contact. GearLab hasn’t tested the Strong, but its 2023 review of the thinner Everyday, the same rubber, found no break-in period and gave it a gold medal for non-slip grip, wet palms included.

The Robin works differently, by 42 Birds’ account. The brand says cork increases traction with moisture, calls the mat ideal for sweaty or hot yoga, and suggests misting it lightly for more grip. No outlet has tested it. On 42birds.com, a reviewer who kept slipping on a Lululemon mat in hot classes says the cork grips more as they sweat, while one who calls it a great mat otherwise says it doesn’t work for hot yoga.

That much rubber tack has costs. Some of GearLab’s testers felt stuck sliding between poses on the Everyday, and it collects dirt, hair and lint, so GearLab keeps it in a bag. One repeat B Mat buyer calls B Mat grip excellent but not too sticky. Neither surface soaks up pooled sweat, so bring a towel to a heated class either way.

b, halfmoon pitches the Strong at higher intensity practice or anyone after a little extra support. GearLab described the Everyday’s rubber as dense and springy, compressing slightly and bouncing back, and the Strong has half again as much of it.

The Robin’s 5 mm is a cork top over foam. One Robin owner calls it light as a feather but solid to work on. For long kneeling holds on a hard floor, the Strong gives you more material between your knees and the ground.

Both are 26 inches wide, two more than a standard mat, and the Robin is an inch longer. Both brands also sell an 85″ × 26″ version: the Extra Long Robin is $108 and 2.5 pounds, and b, halfmoon offers a Strong Long.

On a slick floor, a mat under two pounds can creep during a fast flow, and the Robin relies on its slip-resistant foam underside to stay put. GearLab found the Everyday tacky on both sides and planted on the floor.

42 Birds lists the Robin’s top as 100% sustainable cork from Spain and Portugal, over a foam base free of PVC, plasticizers and latex. It doesn’t say where the mat is made.

The Strong is rubber, described in b, halfmoon’s FAQ as natural and synthetic components, crafted in Spain and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. The natural rubber rules it out for a latex allergy, and in that case the Robin is the choice.

42 Birds asks you to let the Robin lie flat for a few hours before first use, wipe it with a damp cloth after practice, skip harsh cleaners, air dry it completely and store it rolled cork side out. It says cork resists mold, mildew and odor on its own.

b, halfmoon’s routine for the Strong starts with leaving it packed until first use, against oxidation, then water and neutral soap, dried, rolled logo side out and kept out of long sun. GearLab’s Everyday arrived with a rubber tire smell that took two days to clear, and its surface picked up water stains, so GearLab suggests a darker color.

42 Birds’ Happiness Guarantee gives you 30 days with free returns, even after you’ve sweated on the mat, so you can test the cork grip claim in your own classes. There’s no warranty after that month.

b, halfmoon also allows 30 days, but only for a mat that’s unused and still in its original packaging, and sale items are final. What you get instead is a year of warranty, minus the usual exclusions for sun, dirt, stains and normal wear. Peeling at hand and foot spots, the complaint GearLab found in its market research on the Everyday, falls into that last group. b, halfmoon designs its mats for at least two years of practice.

The Robin is $92 at 42birds.com in natural cork only, where 181 of its 212 reviews are five stars. Skip the Amazon listing under its name: it describes an older 72″ × 24″, 2.5 pound mat and holds 3.9 stars from 36 ratings.

The Strong is $144 at us.bhalfmoon.com in seven colorways at last count, with a 4.9 average from 254 reviews on that site. It isn’t on Amazon. If you like cork but want 6 mm and don’t mind 7 pounds, our Yoloha Unity Pro vs B Mat Strong page covers the heavier cork option.

Buy the Robin if you carry your mat, need it latex-free, or want to try cork’s damp grip in real classes with the option of sending it back. It’s $52 cheaper and 3.1 pounds lighter, and its grip case rests on 42 Birds and its owners rather than a test.

Buy the B Mat Strong if the mat mostly stays home, your hands sweat, and you want the extra millimeter under your knees. Accept 5 pounds, latex, lint and a purchase you can’t return once it’s unwrapped.