Find Your Perfect Travel Yoga Mat and Accessories

Yoga Mats - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the most important considerations when I buy a yoga mat?

You have a tremendous choice when it comes to buying a yoga mat. Prices vary considerable so clearly all mats are not created equal.

First consider where you'll be practicing yoga. If you have to travel to a studio or you're on the road often, you'll want to by a lightweight travel yoga mat. If your going to do yoga at home, then you'll have a much wider choice.

When you're ready to buy, your first choice is whether you want an eco mat or a standard item. Eco mats are more expensive and tend to have shorter lives. But they do feel nicer and you'll get that warm feeling that comes from helping the environment.

If your just starting off with yoga, you could just get a plain and simple mat and later if you decide the yoga life is for you, you can upgrade.

On a purely practical level, you need to get a mat that's the right size for you. This should be straightforward as mats come in standard sizes that suit most people. Then there's the matter of thickness. Too thin and it might be uncomfortable, too thick and it could be unstable. Again the standard thickness is fine for most people.

Finally, just make sure it grips the floor and lies flat and gives you enough of a grip for your hands and feet.

At the end of the day, find something that fits your budget and makes you feel good. You're going to spend a lot of time in close contact with your yoga mat so make sure the look and feel help build your mood for yoga practice.

Q: How do I take care of my mat?

Most mats are very easy to take care of. After normal use, just wipe your mat down with a terry cloth dampened with water. You can deal with heavier stains by washing your mat in a bowl of water with a small amount of mild detergent. If you use too much soap or detergent, soapy residue may render your sweat slippery during practice. So be sure to rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of soap. Remember that most mats are not machine washable.

After washing, place your mat on a dry towel or large piece of cloth and roll them up. This will remove most of the water from the mat especially if your squeeze it strongly. Then hang up your mat to dry as you would for any washed item.

Q: How do eco mats differ from standard mats?

Essentially, eco mats are made from environmentally-friendly materials. Regular mats are usually made from vinyl which is a synthetic material. Though perfectly safe in normal use, such mats are not biodegradable and over time can release pollutants into the environment if various chemicals are used in the manufacturing process. You can however buy vinyl mats which have been made without any chemical additives.

A new eco friendly material for yoga mats is TPE, which is free from PVC, chlorine and latex. Mats made from TPE offer a fine sticky surface as well as being kinder to the environment. They aren't as durable as vinyl items, however.

Actual eco mats are made of natural materials with jute being the most popular. These materials have the benefit of being hand washable and of course being natural, they're totally bio degradable. Many users favor jute owing to its absorbent quality. This allows the mat to grip even when wet.

These materials have the benefit of being hand washable and of course being natural, they're totally bio degradable. Many users favor jute owing to its absorbent quality. This allows the mat to grip even when wet.