How To Choose A Good Yoga Mat

Heathyoga Tpe Body Alignment System Yoga Mat

This eco-friendly TPE mat was designed with new yogis in mind. It has a special pattern with a firm grip embossed on the bottom of the mat to make sure you’re secure during your whole practice. The mat is tear-resistant and 6mm thick, providing a comfortable cushion for all forms of yoga. It also includes a body alignment system design across the mat, intended to help you focus and keep your body in proper form during your yoga session.

Reviews for this mat show that buyers love its style and durability. Some buyers mentioned that upon opening the mat, an off-gassing smell is released, but it disappears after a few days. Many appreciate how the nonslip surface delivers on its promise, even during their sweatiest hot yoga sessions.

Weight Or Ease Of Carrying

The weight of a yoga mat is an essential deciding factor that can influence your buying decision. You will find multiple varieties of yoga mats in the market, weighing between 2 pounds to 7 pounds.

However, if you buy a yoga mat with a thickness of around 3.175 mm, you can consider it a standard. Thus, weight and thickness are two inter-dependent factors that you have to find before buying an ideal mat.

If you like traveling or want to carry the yoga mat along with you, you have to make sure that you get a yoga mat that weighs less than 10 pounds. Even better, if you can put some more effort for finding light-weight and portable yoga mats specially designed for traveling purposes, or for your soulful meditation session in lonely outskirt.

Best Multitasker: Manduka Eko Yoga Mat

For those searching for a multi-tasking exercise mat, this pick is choice. I love this mat because it has a good amount of cushion. Id recommend it for yoga, Pilates, and barre, says Beltchenko. Bonus points for the fact that its made sustainably, and uses rubber and safe dyes for the pretty colors and patterns.

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Overall Winner: Jadeyoga Voyager

For my personal best, I have to choose the JadeYoga Yoga Mat. Ive had this with me for three years: I practice and teach on it every day and I also work out on it. I love it because its durable and eco-friendly, made from natural rubber, and of course, it offers a strong grip. I even think its the one with the best grip out of all the yoga mats out there, and its clearly the best sticky yoga mat for sweaty hands!

Is There A Difference Between A Yoga Mat And An Exercise Mat

Exercise mats are made for shock absorption during bodyweight training and for comfort during seated and supine exercises. Since youll most likely wear sports shoes, exercise mats are not so much concerned about the grip but rather the stress resistance and cushion. Thats why exercise mats are thicker than yoga mats, offer less connection to the floor, and not very practical if you want to stay in Downward Dog without slipping.

A yoga mat, on the other hand, is made for the barefoot practice. Its surface is more firm and grippy for added stability and safety.

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Best Yoga Mats For Beginners: Comparison Chart

How To Choose The Best Yoga Mat In 8 Steps

HomeBlogYoga Mat Reviews & TipsHow To Choose the BEST Yoga Mat in 8 Steps

Finding the best yoga mat for your practice isnt always easy. To ensure you choose the right one for you, you need to make sure it is suitable for your practice and that it matches your lifestyle.

Whether youre buying your first yoga mat or your fiftieth, browsing online or in-person, Im here to help.

Before you even step onto your new yoga mat, its helpful to know all the little details of the mat that will be with you over the next several hundred practices, along with what to expect during the selection process. Finally, take a look at my favorite yoga mats right now in your favorite categories, from most cushioned to the best for sweaty practices.

I will cover the following in this article:

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Type : Rubber Yoga Mats

These mats are rarely pure rubber but are made by blending or layering with another material. Rubber is heavy and sticky which means youll get excellent traction with the mat.

, Cork, Microfiber, Cotton Mesh, PU)

There are mainly 2 types of Rubber Yoga Mats: Rubber Mats with a natural fiber layer on top or with a synthetic layer on top.

1. Rubber mat with a natural fiber layer on top

These are rubber mats with cotton, hemp, jute, or cork infused into the mat or attached to the top layer. These are simple, elegant, and very minimalist mats with adequate cushion. The top layer usually has a special texture, which improves their grip even more.

and 3mm Rubber Mat with cork layer )

These mats are made entirely from natural materials which have their own unique properties. Hemp is a highly sustainable material, jute provides its unique rough texture, cotton is softer and cork gives excellent grip. Since they are so similar, choosing any one material over the other is really a matter of personal choice.

2. Rubber mat with a sticky synthetic layer on top

These are the latest and trendiest mats in the Yoga community and are made with either a Polyurethane or Microfiber layer on top. A rubber base ensures these mats dont slide on the floor as you move. These are recommended for those who perspire a lot during practice as their grip gets stronger the more you sweat.

PU Layer reversible Mat by Lululemon )

MY RECOMMENDATION ON RUBBER YOGA MATS :

Lululemon The Reversible Mat 5mm

Having a reversible mat is helpful if you plan on using it for different types of yoga classes such as Vinyasa or Bikram yoga. This rubber mat has a 5mm cushion, which is ideal support if your joints tend to hurt. The mat also has plenty of grip, even when it’s drenched in perspiration from a hot yoga class, and is easy to clean.

This mat is highly rated among yoga students and teachers due to its versatility and good traction, which works for even the toughest yoga classes. One thing to keep in mind is that this yoga mat scuffs easily, and it’s on the heavier side, weighing 5 pounds.

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Best Splurge: Liforme Original Yoga Mat

Another one of Beltchenkos picks, this is pricey, yes, but has a slew of features that justify the price. Longer and wider than many others, it gives you plenty of space to practice, plus alignment markers that are great for beginners or to help experts nail more challenging poses. The material is also super grippy, ensuring hands and feet stay put even when the mat gets sweaty, and its made of eco-friendly material as well.

Is There A Difference Between A Fitness Mat And A Yoga Mat

Theres an almost overwhelming number of training mats available on the market right now, and most can be split into two categories: yoga mats and exercise mats.

An exercise mat will be slightly thicker and more durable, able to take the strain of dropped dumbbells and rugged footwear as users blitz through HIIT and weights sessions. If that sounds like your bag, our tried and tested edit of the best exercise mats you can buy should be your next port of call.

Yoga mats, meanwhile, tend to be slightly thinner, with most mats between 0.4mm and 0.6mm thick. They will usually be made with slightly more delicate materials like rubber or latex, providing a stickier surface for your hands and feet. Unless the manufacturer says otherwise, it’s best to avoid wearing shoes on these mats and complete your practices bare foot so as not to damage them.

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Make Sure Its Long Enough

Your mat should be long enough for your entire body when you lie down in Savasana. If your legs are longer than the mat, the difference in temperature might make it difficult for you to relax. Standard yoga mats are about 68 inches long. If youre taller, make sure to get an extra long yoga mat. Extra wide mats are also available, so keep that mind if you need more space.

Travel Yoga Mats The Super Thin Version For People With Itchy Feet

Travel yoga mats tend to be mostly paper thin somewhere around 2mm in thickness for the majority of them.

Youll tell a travel mat apart from all the others by the fact that you can fold it easily, so you can take it anywhere with you. The downside? Theres only so much cushioning it can provide so if you use this mat straight on the floor you are likely to feel it in your wrists after a few yoga sequences or planks, especially when transitioning from downward dog to chaturanga. The reason they are so thin and light is because they do exactly what it says on the tin their only purpose is to make it easy for you to travel with them. Fold your mat to fit it into your suitcase if you want to stay fit on holiday, or take it from home, to your office, then to your local studio and back home without any hassle. But, while you practice, make sure you have something underneath it such as a carpet or another workout mat to take some of the hardness of the floor away.

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How To Choose The Best Yoga Mat Thickness

The search for the best yoga mat thickness can take you from the extra thick yoga mats that give you more protection for your joints to the ultra thin travel mats made for convenience on the go. With so many options, it’s easy to get confused on which is just right for your daily practice.

If youre reading this, it’s likely that you know that a mat is not just something to place between your body and the floor when you work out.

Its way more than that: your mat is that one essential piece of workout equipment that helps you feel grounded, supported and gives you the right protection for your joints – in addition to being beautiful and inspiring for your practice.

The mat in the photo above is available here.

The ideal mat should match your needs in such a way that you are able to get better and better at your yoga or Pilates practice in the 1+ years of using it so committing to choose the right one now will most definitely help upgrade your practice in the long term. We’ve written it all in detail in our blog post on how to choose your yoga mat.

Pick a mat that’s too thin and you may experience a lot of discomfort in your knees, wrists and ankles when you hold poses for a long time. At the other end of the spectrum, one that is just too thick for you can slow down your movement and keep you from feeling 100% supported youll just hopelessly sink into it.

Your Mat Must Have Good Grip

So one of the most important factors in choosing a good yoga mat is that one gets good grip with the mat.

One factor that affects our grip on the mat is the amount that our own body tends to sweat during the practice.

If one practices Ashtanga yoga or some other form of very strong energetic yoga, then one is likely to sweat a lot more than if one is practicing a more gentle form of yoga such as Sivinanda yoga, or gentle hatha yoga.

Each person sweats to a greater or lesser degree to the next person. If you sweat a lot, then you should choose carefully the type of yoga mat you purchase.

If one sweats a lot, as the sweat falls on the yoga mat it tends to make the mat somewhat slippy, making it more difficult to get a grip. And the slippiness increases as the amount of sweat increases.

Some people who practice ashtanga seriously, the amount they sweat increases during the time they practice, often use two mats.

They begin their practice using the usual sticky mat which is especially good for sun salutations and the downward dog.

As they begin to sweat more, they then cover the sticky mat with a canvas mat which gives more grip as it becomes wet with sweat.

Some people use non-slip towels which are placed over their non slip yoga mat. These towel type mats absorb the sweat and tend not to get slippy as one sweats more.

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Restorative Or Yin Classes

Restorative classes do not involve the active engagement of your muscles. Instead, they use the force of gravity along with time to bring about deep releases in your muscles and fascia . These classes take place primarily in seated postures or even lying on the ground â it’s affectionately referred to as “nap yoga” â so for this style you’ll want a plush and comfortable yoga mat that is at least 5mm thick, or even thicker, like the 6mm Manduka PRO, our Top Pick for Comfort. But again, most studios offer blankets to provide extra cushion. If you practice mixed styles of yoga, we suggest prioritizing traction over thickness.

How To Choose A Yoga Mat Bag Or A Yoga Mat Carrier

Once youve settled on getting the right yoga mat for yourself, youll need to carry it around.

In most cases, you will roll up your yoga mat to carry it around. Except for travelling yoga mats that are very thin, so you can fold them.

To keep a yoga mat tidy and stop it from rolling out, you have 2 options: a yoga mat bag and a yoga mat carrier.

Yoga mat bags are of two types: hand-carried and over the shoulder. They come in a variety of colours, design and material. Yoga mat bags can be cotton, polyester, linen or nylon. And some are waterproof.

Yoga mat carriers are straps made of cotton and elastic. They can also be synthetic. You can use some yoga mat carrier straps as props to help you stretch.

Sometimes when you buy a yoga mat, it comes with a bag. But if it doesnt, then you can choose the one you like.

Tip: When you buy a yoga mat bag separate from your yoga mat, make sure its the correct size.

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Best Yoga Mat Recommendations

When buying a yoga mat, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the number of options available. Ive compiled a list of them to make it easier for you to decide. Being an advocate for products with low environmental impact, note that most of my recommendations are made sustainably using eco-friendly materials. Check them out below!

How To Choose A Good Yoga Mat

Yoga can be a great exercise regimen that allows you to relax both your mind and body. You can take great care of your health by taking your yoga workout seriously. On top of learning to become more flexible, it is also a good idea to invest in a good yoga mat. If you want the ability to master all yoga poses, it is essential that you have a good yoga mat on your side. Before you buy the first yoga mat that you see, it is a good idea to know what to look for in a yoga mat. This will enable you to make the best purchase and will ensure that you get a yoga mat that is ideal for you. Here are the things that you should look for in a good yoga mat.

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Yoga Mat Thickness And Weight

Yoga mats range from super thin and compact travel styles that weigh a mere 2 lbs. to cushy quarter-inch beasts that weigh up to 7 lbs.

If youre not sure where to start, choose a mat thats about 1/8-in. thick , a pretty standard thickness. These mats are excellent for those in a strong, flowing practice. They allow solid contact with the floor, which helps with stability during a variety of poses. Compared to thicker mats, they are also less likely to catch and get in your way when you flow from pose to pose.

Thinner mats can help increase stability for styles of yoga with more active poses or balanced, focused poses. Look for mats with textured surfaces to maintain better grip when the poses get more strenuous.

Thicker mats provide extra cushioning and are best for more therapeutic practices. If you enjoy restorative yoga, a style with fewer poses that you hold longer, for example, you may prefer a softer, more cushioned mat. Thicker mats are also more comfortable for forearm and kneeling poses and for yogis with tender knees or achy joints. But they can be more difficult to balance on during standing poses.

If your yoga plans include air travel, look for a travel mat thats specifically designed for portability. Travel mats are very thin and light and pack down smaller than traditional mats, so theyre easy to take along in your luggage. Keep in mind that you will sacrifice some cushioning with a travel mat.