Finding the perfect yoga mat can be difficult. There are so many on offer, and everyone claims that they have the best products, so if you’re new to yoga, it can be really difficult to figure out what you should be looking for. Thankfully that’s where we come in, and there are seven ways you can look at a yoga mat in order to find the best one for you.
Yoga practice varies greatly, depending on style, meaning it can be very gentle or strenuous, with some disciplines, including Bikram yoga, performed in an incredibly hot room, meaning your mat is
going to get quite sweaty. Your yoga mat becomes your best friend during yoga practice; like your favourite fitting pair of jeans, it’s comfortable and fits you perfectly. You would immediately know if it wasn’t your mat, and if you’ve had to use studio mats, you will understand how this can negatively impact your practice. So rather than just finding a colour or pattern that you like, it’s better to take a little bit more time to understand the different factors involved in yoga mats.
In What Way Will You Use Your Yoga Mat?
The first and perhaps most important question is, how do you use your yoga mat? A mat that is only going to be used at home does not need to be exceptionally portable or lightweight. If you’re going to head to classes, the ease with which your yoga mat rolls up and can be carried becomes significantly more important.
A lot of yoga bags do not take into account wider or longer yoga mats, but depending on your body type, you might prefer a larger yoga mat, which will need different considerations for transporting it if you’re not just going to be using it at home. Finally, you need to consider the type of yoga that you’re going to be doing. For example, yin yoga is best performed on a softer, more cushioned yoga mat, whereas flow yoga will need something with a good anti-slip, quality and a lot of traction.
The Way the Yoga Mat is Made
Yoga mats are made using a wide variety of materials, and once you’ve established how you will be using your yoga mat, you can look at the best material to work with this.
- PVC: the best choice for someone who is just starting is often a PVC yoga mat, it’s cheaper to manufacture these, and if you find that yoga isn’t for you, it hasn’t cost you loads of money. The downside to PVC yoga mats is the environmental impact. Unfortunately, they are not biodegradable, and while they offer a reasonable degree of comfort and durability, they cannot be recycled.
- Rubber: rubber mats can either be made from natural rubber, which makes them much kinder to the environment or man-made products, but either way, they will probably contain latex which can be an issue if you have a latex allergy. They also offer durability and comfort, but natural rubber mats can be recycled.
- Foam: Foam mats look very similar to PVC mats to the untrained eye but are actually eco-friendly and therefore offer the same benefits without any damage to the environment.
- Jute: any natural materials are great for sustainability, and jute is a perfect choice but is not often used as a mat alone. Usually, it’s placed over the top of another Matt to increase your traction and bring more support to the body.
- Cotton: a cotton yoga mat doesn’t have any depth or support. The good news is that they are very eco-friendly and generally placed over the top of another mat to create a layer for absorbing sweat and ensuring traction even when wet. Cotton mats are great for hot classes.
The Way the Yoga Mat Grips
We call this the stickiness factor. In order to ensure your mat stays in place and doesn’t have you sliding all over, you generally need something with a high stickiness level. Cotton and jute have very low stickiness levels, and rubber offers moderate stickiness, but for the absolute gold seal of stickiness, you need PVC or foam.
The Way it is Sized
Standard yoga mats usually are 68″ x 24″. However, if you are particularly tall, you will find longer mats on offer, up to around 84 inches. Some people prefer a wider mat, and although they’re not as many choices on offer, you can find mats wider than the standard.
The Way the Yoga Mat has Depth
Again, depending on where you are doing most of your practice, the thickness or depth of the mat is also essential. If you are attending classes and looking for something ultraportable that easily fits in any yoga bag
- 1-2 mm is considered a travel mat and very portable but does not offer much padding against a hard floor.
- On the other hand, 4-5mm yoga mats are considered average, and these are probably the best choice for most styles of yoga.
Finally, 6 mm or above are considered thicker or high-end yoga mats, and their extra bulk means they are not particularly portable, and you will probably struggle to get them into most yoga bags. However, they are nicely cushioned and could be a great addition to a home studio.
The Way a Yoga Mat Feels
The texture of a yoga mat is also worth taking into consideration. It changes the traction level and how well you can grip. Sticky mats are specifically designed for people taking Vinyasa or Bikram yoga classes. In contrast, smoother mats may suit people enjoying more laid-back practices such as Hatha or Iyengar yoga.
The Way You Clean it
The easiest mats to clean or PVC mats, which can be wiped down with a wet sponge and hung up to dry every week, and wiped down with a damp cloth after every session. Natural rubber yoga mats need more careful cleaning to ensure that you don’t damage the stickiness and should be cleaned less often.