3 things to consider before buying a yoga mat

My travelling yoga mats

When I travel, I always drag a yoga mat with me and usually end up leaving it to a friend I make along the way.

My last yoga mat, I left to my amazing friend and roomie Sergio.

Sergio had started doing yoga while we were living together and you could just see how much good it was doing him. And so, I thought that my beautiful orange yoga mat would be of much better use to him. As I was leaving for the airport at 3am, I left my yoga mat in front of Sergio's room for him to find in the morning.

A little gift to thank him for the amazing times we had in Lima.  A few days ago, he sent me this picture of himself having a blast doing acroyoga while playing the ukulele. Doesn't this picture just fill your heart with happiness ?

Since, I have found myself mat-less and that I am leaving for Costa Rica in a few days, the time has come to buy myself a new yoga mat. yay ! (one of the most wonderful times of the year if you ask me).

Whether you too leave a trail of yoga mats as you go or are simply looking to buy a new yoga mat, then here are the 3 most important things to consider before buying a yoga mat.

These tips will help you find the perfect mat to fit your practice, price range and lifestyle. Trust me, don’t just buy a yoga mat based on its color (like I did the first time) because you will end up disappointed.

⟶ here are the top 3 Things to consider before buying a yoga mat

• #1 Don’t go cheap

My first yoga mat was bought at a pharmacy for 15$. I had chosen it solely for its lovely color. It came as no surprise that it was not only cheap in price but also cheap in quality. First of all, it smelled baaaad.. for weeks. Then, the color that I found so beautiful in the beginning wore off within a few months and I ended up tearing it apart while down dogging (like a boss apparently). What I have learned since is that in the world of yoga mats, you kinda get what you pay for. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about saving money and I know that some mats cost a small fortune, but investing in a quality mat that will last you an eternity (or two), might actually end up saving you money down the road.

• #2 Choose the right material

Yoga mats can be made of many types of materials which will affect their durability, comfort and your overall experience. Standard yoga mats are usually made of PCV which offers great grip but contain many toxins. Also, those mats do not break down in landfills making them hard to recycle. Uncool.

Since you are going to spend quite some time on your mat, you might consider buying one that isn’t made with chemically-smelling plastics like PVC, because those are not good for you or the Earth. Yuk !

Luckily, you can now easily find eco-friendly mats that have the thickness, texture and grip your sweaty hands need, without all the toxins. Here are my favorites :

⟶ Choose this brand of mats made of sustainable natural rubber ( + they plant a tree for every mat sold !)if you are environmentally conscious and want a mat that contains no PVC, EVA or other synthetic rubber and that are made in the United States in compliance with all US environmental, labor and consumer protection laws.

⟶ Choose an eco-certified safe PVC mat (comes with a yoga towel and carrying stray) if you want to go with something designed to last a lifetime (or two), comfortable, with good grip and without the toxins.

⟶ Choose a mat made of natural cotton if you are looking for a more ‘traditional’ yoga mat, to use over a mat on or on a softer surface as there is no cushion, with an absorbent surface, great for sweaty hands and feet. (they are also eco-friendly yay !)

• #3 Think about thickness and weight

Thickness is another important aspect you should think of before buying a yoga mat. If you are a beginner or have fragile joints, then you might consider going for a thicker mat to prevent injuries. The thickness of your mat also dictates its weight. If you plan on doing yoga from home then this shouldn’t really be something that you should bother yourself with. But if you plan on dragging your mat to the studio or during your travels, you definitely should consider something lighter (your back will thank you).

⟶ Choose a thin mat (1.5mm - 3.5 mm) if you are a travelling yogi or if you need to carry your mat around a lot. Thin mats are great for you if you are looking for something easy to carry, lightweight and if you do not need much cushioning for your joints.  Here are my favorites :

Voyager Mat - Jade Yoga| 1.58mm thick, 1.5 pounds

Travel Mat - Jade Yoga | 3.17mm thick, 3 pounds

eKO SuperLite Travel Yoga Mat - Manduka | 1.5mm thick, 2.2 pounds

Travel Mat - Liforme | 2mm thick, 3.5 pounds

⟶ Choose a standard mat (4mm - 5mm) if you are looking for something that is thick enough to provide you with sufficient cushioning for your joints but at the same time not too thick so you remain grounded and balanced in standing poses. These mats are perfect for power yoga, hot yoga, Ashtanga as well as some slower flows such as hatha and Iyengar. Here are some of my favorites :

Harmony Mat - Jade Yoga |  5mm thick, 5 pounds

Prolite Yoga Mat - Manduka | 4.7 mm thick, 4 pounds

Revolution Mat - PrAna | 4 mm thick, 6 pounds

⟶ Choose a superior cushioned mat (5.5mm and +) if you are looking for a softer mat that provides that extra cushioning for your joints. These mat are great for restorative yoga, yin yoga, pre-natal and post-natal. If this is what you are looking for, then take a look at these :

Fusion Mat - Jade Yoga| 8mm thick, 8.5 pounds

Pro® Yoga Mat - Manduka | 6mm thick, 7.5 pounds

Ultimate Comfort Yoga Mat - Hugger Mugger| 9.5 mm thick, 5.2 pounds

And that's all for now !

I hope these little tips will help you on your search for the perfect yoga mat ! Tell me about which mat you use and which one you think of buying !

Lots of love,

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