The benefits of yoga can be experienced at any stage of life; whether you are considering starting out for the first time, returning to the mat after letting your practice slip or have consistently honed your skills over many years, the mind, body, and spirit rewards that yoga offers cannot be overstated. There are few barriers to yoga; it doesn’t require specialised equipment or expensive yoga clothing; in fact, all you really need to get started is a yoga mat.
Finding the Best Yoga Mats
Yoga mats range in budget from £15-£150, and a quick Google search will reveal literally hundreds to choose from. But, of course, when you are already trying to learn your Savasana from your Pranayama, the last thing you want is to try and make sense of the myriad of mat choices. The cheapest isn’t always the best, but there is often no need to break the budget. So, here are our best tips for picking the perfect mat, along with a few top brand recommendations, including some of our own fabulous offerings.
Tip 1: Yoga Mat Thickness
Yoga classes tend to take place in studio rooms with hard floors, so it is natural to want a mat that offers protection from the floor and cushions your spine and hips but be wary of anything too thick. It might sound lovely to sink into a deep mat, but although it might be great for reclining and unwinding, a thicker mat will hamper your ability to balance, which is not so great. The perfect thickness for a yoga mat is between 4mm and 6mm.
Tip 2: Yoga Mat Grip
A mat that slides out from under you or sends you into unintentional splits can be both annoying and painful. First, you need to consider the underside and how well the mat stays put on any surface, whether in class or at home on the carpet; you need a stable mat that lays flat and doesn’t move. Then you need to consider the grip on your workspace, so when you place your hands and feet for downward dog, you don’t end up flat on your face. There are lots of options, including non-slip coatings, rubber and cork, to help with a good grip.
Tip 3: Yoga Mat Durability
Your mat will take quite a pounding and will accumulate dust and dirt from the floor and skin and sweat from you. The type of yoga you practice will also affect the mat, with Bikram yoga taking place in a very hot environment and Vinyasa being the most athletic style of yoga. Although good yoga mats do not need to break the bank, they become part of your practice. Ask any student who forgot their own mat and used a studio mat! Your mat becomes part of you, and anything else just feels wrong. It takes a while to break in your new mat, so you want to make sure your yoga mat choice is something that will not dent or rip easily and can partner with you for many years to come.
Tip 4: Yoga Mats on the Move
Finally, think about transporting your yoga mat. Mats at the thinner end of the scale roll up smaller, but if you prefer the depth of 6mm, consider how you will transport it. Yoga bags come in all shapes and sizes and have space for all your extras like yoga blocks, yoga bolsters and your favourite yoga clothes, or you can opt for a more simple strap that secures your rolled mat and acts as a carry strap all-in-one.
Our Pick of Yoga Mat Brands
We think our range of mats is a pretty good place to start – a little biased, maybe, but we have worked hard to create a choice of sticky mats, eco mats, travel mats and patterned mats to ensure you can find the perfect yoga mat partner for any style of practice. We simply adore this 6mm sticky yoga mat with a gorgeous elephant print in black and yellow. It is 183cm x 61cm x 6mm and perfect for any type of floor.
Yoga Studio Designed Mats Feature Fantastic Prints. Our 6mm Deluxe Yoga Mats are made To European Standards and they are made from the latest environmental polymer resins.
- Beautiful Elephant, Mandala and Lion Prints.
- Soft, shock absorbent and comfortable
- Offers insulation from cold floors
- Provides a stable, non-slip surface
- Trusted by Teachers Worldwide
- Size: 183cm x 61cm x 6mm – Weight – 1.74kg
Every mat in the Manduka collection is made from eco-friendly materials, and they have a wide range to suit all styles. We are delighted to be their preferred UK distribution partner, so you will find a great selection right here! We love the Manduka Equa Eko Yoga Mat 4mm, which has the ultra-absorbent eQua® yoga mat towel as its top layer and the natural rubber core from the 4mm eKO® Series as its base. Available in two colours/patterns.
Re-introducing the eQua® Yoga Mat! A combination of two of our best products – The ultra absorbent eQua® yoga mat towel as its top layer and the natural rubber core from the 4mm eKO® Series as its base.
- Great for sweaty yoga practices, prenatal, mommy and me yoga and restorative yoga.
- Decorative top surface enhances any living or sacred space.
- Durable microfiber sweat-activated top layer is slip resistant when wet.
- Bottom layer made of natural tree rubber.
- 2.3kg; 61cm x 173cm; 4mm thick. 99%Latex Free.
A range of gorgeous yoga mats that are 99% latex free and made from natural rubber, making them sustainable and stunning to look at. There is no PVC, heavy metals or ozone-depleting substances. The Jade Yoga Harmony 68″ Inch Yoga Mat 5mm is perfect for all yoga styles and comes in various colours to match your personality! It is 173cm x 61cm, which is a great size, and Jade Yoga plants a tree for every yoga mat they sell.
Jade Yoga use natural rubber because it grips better and has more cushion than any of the synthetic rubbers on the market (PVC, PER, TPE, EVA). It is also better for the earth as it is made sustainably.
- Natural Rubber Mat
- Unparalleled Grip
- 99% Latex Free Material
- Made in the USA
- Size: 173cm x 61cm, Weight:2.1kg
Another sustainable brand, Yogi Bare mats, is designed to offer maximum grip while being made from natural rubber. Yogi Bare Paws X Black Yoga Mat 4.2mm is longer and wider than some mats measuring 68cm x 213 cm offering ample space for your practice. In addition, the mat is designed to provide an intense grip and help with sweat flow leaving your mat dry no matter how sweaty you get.
Longer and wider than your average yoga mat, this style allows you to flow to your own rhythm and find the inner warrior in you. Get experimental and energise your body with extra thickness for supportive comfort.
- High Performance sustainable materials
- Innovative Grip Technology: Perforated Surface Intense Grip – No sweat! – this is a new invention! Helps with sweat flow
- Longer. Wider. More room to play!
- Dimensions: 680 x 2130 x 4mm
- Weight: 3.4kg
The Yoga Mat Takeaway
Finding the perfect mat can take time, but as you can see there are loads of fabulous mats. You can start your yoga practice on a budget or step up to something more expensive if it’s time to change your mat. The key factors are thickness, durability, grip and portability, so as long as you tick these boxes, you can then choose a colour and pattern that is authentically you.
