Where To Buy Yoga Mats !!LINK!!

We recruited two accomplished NYC-based yoga instructors, hatha/vinyasa specialist Juan Pablo Gomez and hot-yoga practitioner Arden Goll, to practice on and carefully evaluate yoga mats for the 2016 rewrite of this guide.

where to buy yoga mats

We also talked to Charles Gerba, PhD, a professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona, and interviewed Tsippora Shainhouse, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills and clinical instructor at the University of Southern California, to learn if a dirty yoga mat could make you sick.

Amy Roberts is a certified personal trainer and long-time amateur yogi with extremely discerning tastes when it comes to yoga mats, and nearly everything she buys. She has reviewed all manner of fitness products for Wirecutter, including resistance bands, foam rollers, and pull-up bars.

Wirecutter senior staff writer Ingrid Skjong is a certified personal trainer and off-and-on yoga enthusiast. She has taken numerous yoga classes (including prenatal yoga) and knows when a yoga mat feels right and performs well. She has delved into other fitness-related reviews, for running shoes, treadmills, connected indoor-cycling bikes, and GPS running watches.

Both of our yoga instructors praised the Voyager highly for its portability and traction, selecting it as either their favorite or second-favorite travel mat. Depending on the style of yoga you practice or your preferences, though, you may need to make a few adjustments. Our hot yoga instructor noted that the rubber felt almost too grippy and somewhat coarse on her skin and she had to put down a towel to absorb sweat near the end of class. Still, she preferred it over most of the travel competitors, which could become slippery during a heated session.

Although you can wash most yoga mats in a machine, the stretching and tumbling can easily tear a PVC or non-rubber mat. Rubber mats may fare better in the washer but suck up a ton of moisture and can take forever to dry.

Natural rubber and many plastic foams degrade when exposed to UV light. That means no drying wet mats in the sun or leaving them in a hot car, and possibly no al fresco classes; of our picks, JadeYoga and Gaiam specifically caution against prolonged exposure to sunlight.

Yoga mat materials can create a thicket of concerns for many yogis, and many companies that make yoga mats try to appeal to the environmentally sensitive nature of their audience. JadeYoga says it does not source the rubber for its mats from Amazon trees. Manduka will take your old mat (for a $10 fee on top of a new mat purchase) and have it downcycled.

We were interested in testing the Hugger Mugger Para Mat, which did well in a previous review, when we learned that a new XLXW version measuring 28 inches wide and 78 inches long was launching. Though our yogis enjoyed practicing on the extremely grippy, luxuriously thick ( inch or 6.2 millimeters) natural-rubber mat, they found it very heavy to haul around (nearly 10 pounds) and extremely pungent (our hot-yoga instructor described it as smelling like a tire factory, which even bothered her neighbor in class).

The Kulae tpECOmat Ultra mat is made of a TPE material with an extra-plush 8-millimeter (5/16-inch) thickness. The hatha instructor and Amy were big fans of the lightweight yet densely cushioned material, which Amy particularly enjoyed in restorative yoga practice during long-held floor poses. Our hot yoga instructor found it slippery and commented that the material stretched a bit underfoot. Its thickness makes this mat a bit unwieldy to carry when rolled up, despite its 4-pound weight.

The natural rubber Rumi Sun Yoga Mat takes an interesting approach to grip: The mat has a cotton-fiber-blend fabric mesh set into its surface, which provides some texture. We ultimately found the mat to be almost too rough. Its surface provided a decent amount of grip during both dry and sweaty conditions, but this is not a sticky mat (we experienced some slipping). The Sun Yoga Mat is noticeably dense and at 4.3 mm thick (0.7 mm and 1.9 mm thinner than the Lululemon and Yoga Accessories mats we recommend, respectively) it feels less cushioned than our picks. There was a strong rubber odor when we first unrolled this mat, which stuck around for several days.

The microfiber top surface of the Toplus 1/16 Inch Travel Yoga Mat has a nice feel, and the mat comes in a tidy plastic sleeve for storage. But our hatha instructor was not impressed with the traction; and though our hot yoga instructor thought it was decent on her trial run, she preferred the JadeYoga Voyager.

We also considered YogaPaws, a set of padded gloves and socks that could easily be the most portable mat-replacement option for traveling yogis. Unfortunately, neither yoga instructor nor Amy much liked practicing in them. Even the thinner version feels thick under your hands and feet, and the socks have a tendency to shift around as you practice.

Designed to help peacefully ground its user with soft, 100% mulesing-free merino wool, this option works for gentle exercises like yin yoga and yoga nidra. Even with its grippy base, it can be machine-washed and air-dried. Plus, its coordinating mediation pillow has a removable, washable cover made of the same wool from grazing sheep.

A yoga mat and a towel, this promises to get even grippier as it gets wet. Made from nontoxic materials like organic cotton with cushy design, these mats work for tall yogis, travelers, and hot yoga enthusiasts. Plus, it can be tossed in the washer after extra-active sessions of Ashtanga and Bikram.

Whether you are into hot yoga or a beginner who is just getting started, there is a perfect fit for you. Here are some of the best yoga mats that we could find from lululemon, Amazon and more, with input from some of the best yoga instructors around.

The Reversible Mat is just that, with a two-toned color on either side and a textured fabric to help prevent slipping around while in your pose. The mat is a 5mm width, large enough for you to spread out, but still narrow enough to roll up and throw over your shoulder for a yoga session on the go. The yoga mat comes in the pictured two-tone blue, as well as in Spiced Chai pink, Green Fern, Rhino Gray and an all-black option.

This Amazon Basics yoga mat comes in an array of colors to choose from, and for only $18 you can collect them all for your studio or home practice. This one has more than 61,000 reviews and an average star-rating of 4.6 out of five, leaving customers feeling relaxed.

A yoga mat serves as a foundation for your practice. It provides support for your body and traction so that your feet and hands don't slip as you move between poses. While many studios and gyms provide mats for shared use, owning your own can be a more hygienic choice.

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

Thicker mats provide extra cushioning for all types of yoga and are great for therapeutic practices. For example, if you enjoy restorative yoga, a style with fewer poses that you hold longer, you may want 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. They can, however, be more difficult to balance on during standing poses.

Eco / natural mats come from a number of sources, including natural rubber, organic cotton and jute. Eco mats are a great choice if sustainability is a priority. They tend to be slightly less grippy on the floor, but their natural texture provides traction for your body.

PVC is a plastic-based material. It's durable, easy to clean and provides excellent floor grip. But PVC mats are not absorbent and can become slippery when you sweat heavily. PVC is latex-free, a benefit to those with latex allergies. It's not biodegradable or as environmentally friendly as other options.

TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) is a synthetic blend, usually of plastic and rubber polymers. TPE mats may be more environmentally friendly than PVC, and some are fully recyclable. TPE mats are generally less durable than PVC mats of the same thickness, but still deliver good traction.

REI carries top yoga brands like Manduka, Prana and Jade. We offer a broad selection of the best yoga gear to get you ready for your next practice. We also have articles to help you get started with yoga, choose your yoga clothing and learn how to care for your yoga mat.

Ashleigh is the director of commerce for the Health Group at Dotdash Meredith where she oversees health, fitness, family, and mind content. She has covered the health and wellness space through a variety of lifestyle lenses for more than 10 years. She is also a certified barre instructor teaching at a boutique studio.

A quality yoga mat will typically cost between $20-$150. Cheaper options may be tempting and could work if you're not looking for a long-term investment, or if you don't plan on using your yoga mat very often. But they tend to be less durable than pricier mats. A dedicated yogi who practices yoga daily might want to invest in a more expensive mat that's made to last.

A yoga mat is typically thinner than an exercise mat, with a textured surface for helpful grip. Yoga mats also have a medium firmness for support, comfort, and grounding. Meanwhile, an exercise mat tends to be much thicker and is either very firm to support heavy gym equipment, like a rowing machine, or very cushioned to keep you comfortable during bodyweight exercises. 041b061a72