How do I choose the best yoga mat?

How do I choose the best yoga mat that suits me?

Yoga has become increasingly popular in recent years, and more and more people are discovering its benefits for their physical and mental health. Yoga can help reduce stress, keep the body flexible, and develop a clear and conscious lifestyle.

The beauty is that you can practice yoga anywhere and anytime, without expensive fitness equipment or special gear. A yoga mat and comfortable yoga pants are often enough. Nowadays, there are many different types of yoga mats available. Therefore, we have listed them for you so that you can find the right mat that suits you.

What should you consider when choosing a new yoga mat?

If you have decided to buy a new mat, you naturally want to know what to look for first. What are the differences between the various yoga mats, and which yoga mat suits the yoga style you practice best? The choice of a particular yoga mat depends on several factors:

• BUDGET How much do you want to spend on a yoga mat? For beginners, we have a quality line of affordable basic yoga mats.
• YOGA STYLE What type of yoga do you practice? Do you need a soft or a harder mat for this? Do you quickly suffer from your joints or a cold floor, or do you practice often and intensively and want a yoga mat that provides a lot of stability?
  
  
• APPEARANCE Is there a color that appeals to you more than all others? A mat that you find beautiful in terms of color and design can positively influence your motivation to practice regularly.
  
  
• DURABILITY How intensive is your yoga practice? Do you go to a quiet yoga class once a week, or do you work intensively on your mat for an hour and a half every day?
  
  
• WEIGHT Do you want to take your mat with you on the bike often? Or does your yoga mat need to fit in your suitcase when you travel? Or do you always practice in the same fixed place, and is the weight of the mat not so important?
  
  
• SIZE Is a standard mat sufficient for you, or do you need an extra-long yoga mat due to your height?
  
  
• ENVIRONMENT Do you want a yoga mat that is biodegradable?
  
  
• MATERIAL Is it important for you to pay attention to the type of material due to sensitivity to certain substances, such as rubber?

Which type of yoga mat is the best?

The main difference between yoga mats is the material they are made of. This determines the durability, weight, and comfort. To know which mat suits you best, it is useful to know the properties of the different materials.

Basic yoga mat – Love Yoga Mat 4mm – PVC

PVC yoga mats are popular because of their sticky surface, which prevents you from slipping. They are ideal for beginners and people who do not want to spend too much, thanks to the excellent price-quality ratio.

Basic PVC yoga mats are 4mm thick, which provides a pleasant balance between insulation and stability. They are lightweight, rollable, and foldable, making them easy to take with you, even in a travel suitcase. They are also suitable for outdoor use. Moreover, they are very easy to keep clean; Love Generation's basic yoga mats can even be washed in the washing machine!

PVC mats are less suitable for very warm or intensive yoga styles, such as Ashtanga or Bikram Yoga, as they can become slippery due to perspiration. PVC yoga mats have a closed cell structure and do not absorb moisture. If you sweat a lot during your practice, this can be solved by placing a cotton yoga mat or a yoga towel over the mat for extra grip.

Furthermore, standard PVC yoga mats are not very thick, so people with painful joints are better off choosing a thick yoga mat (more about this in the next paragraph).

All our PVC yoga mats have been extensively tested and are free of plasticizers and other toxins. However, PVC remains a synthetic material. This makes the mat particularly wear-resistant (and therefore durable) but unfortunately not biodegradable.

Extra thick yoga mat – Love Yoga Mat 6mm - PVC

The thick Love Generation mats are actually the same as the PVC yoga mats described above, only they have a nice thickness of 6mm. This provides more comfort and support and also feels warmer on, for example, a cold floor. And some yoga mats have a beautiful print, which is extra inspiring for your yoga practice!

A thicker yoga mat is ideal if you do a lot of floor exercises, such as in Yin Yoga, Restorative, Hatha Yoga, and mindfulness. Additionally, this mat is recommended for older people and people with joint problems, as the softer surface causes less pain in the back, ankles, and knees.

Although these mats are slightly heavier than the 4mm Basic Yoga Mats, they are still easy to take with you. The mats are easy to clean with a damp cloth or by scrubbing them in the shower.

A disadvantage of a thick yoga mat is that the softer surface makes balance poses, such as the tree pose, a bit more challenging.

Eco Yoga Mat - TPE – 6mm

If you are looking for an environmentally friendly yoga mat, a TPE yoga mat is an excellent choice. TPE stands for Thermo Plastic Elastomer, a synthetic variant of rubber. This makes TPE biodegradable, and of course, the mats are also free of toxic substances such as plasticizers.

TPE yoga mats are softer and more elastic than PVC yoga mats and have a super sticky surface. Thanks to the cell structure, you are less likely to slip during a sweaty yoga class.

They are more neutral in smell than rubber yoga mats and suitable for people with a latex allergy. Due to the softness, optimal grip, and extra thickness, these mats are ideal for quiet yoga styles and combinations such as Vinyasa Flow and Yin Yoga.

A disadvantage of TPE yoga mats is that they are more vulnerable than PVC mats. You need to be careful not to leave them in the sun for too long, avoid scratches from sharp objects, and they cannot be washed in the shower or washing machine.

Because they are softer and biodegradable, they also wear out faster than a PVC yoga mat.

eKo Yoga Mat - Natural Rubber - 1mm, 4.5mm & 6mm

Rubber yoga mats are available in different thicknesses and colors and provide excellent grip. They contain no toxic substances and are fully biodegradable. The rubber of the Eko Series from Manduka is also consciously and carefully harvested and does not come from rubber trees in the Amazon.

The top layer of the mat is reinforced with a textile layer that prevents the mat from crumbling and breaking. This makes the grip even better, and the mat becomes extra wear-resistant and durable.

A disadvantage of the eKO yoga mats is the strong rubber smell. This disappears over time, but some people choose not to use a rubber yoga mat because of the smell. Also, if you are allergic to latex, rubber is not the best choice.

Rubber yoga mats are relatively heavy. The eKO SuperLite Travel mat is so thin that you won't notice this, but an eKO Lite yoga mat of 4mm, for example, is quickly a kilo heavier than an equally thick PVC yoga mat.

Rubber can sometimes fade in color and wear out faster due to exposure to direct sunlight. These mats need to be treated with a bit more care.

Eco Yoga Mat - Cork with rubber underlay - 4mm

Cork is a natural and sustainable material that is gaining more appreciation in the yoga world. It is harvested from the bark of the cork oak, a tree that can regenerate itself every few years without being cut down. This makes cork a renewable and environmentally friendly choice.

Cork yoga mats offer excellent grip, especially during sweaty yoga sessions. The surface of the mat becomes stickier as you sweat more, making you less likely to slip during challenging poses. Another great advantage of cork is that it is naturally antibacterial and odor-resistant. This means your mat stays fresh longer and requires less maintenance. Cork is hypoallergenic, making it suitable for people with sensitive skin or allergies (except for latex allergy due to the underlay).

Cork yoga mats have a cork top layer and a natural rubber underlay. This makes them extra sturdy and provides a good balance between cushioning and stability, making them suitable for both dynamic and quiet yoga styles.

The disadvantage of cork yoga mats is that they are less soft than, for example, TPE or thick PVC yoga mats, which means they provide less cushioning for yogis looking for an extra soft surface. They are also somewhat heavier than average, which affects portability.

PRO & Premium yoga mats – PVC – 6mm

As your yoga practice becomes more serious and you stand on the mat more often, the requirements for a good yoga mat change. Many intensive practitioners and yoga teachers choose their mat mainly based on durability and grip. Therefore, they often choose Premium yoga mats.

The material of professional sports mats is denser in structure, making them heavier but also sturdier and more wear-resistant.

Manduka offers a lifetime warranty on their PRO series mats. The mats in this series are available in different thicknesses (PROlite 4.5mm and PRO 6mm). Extra-long yoga mats are also available in the PRO series.

The Premium Yoga Mat from Love Generation is also highly recommended if you practice yoga intensively. This mat is durable and wear-resistant, even with intensive yoga practice, and is therefore most chosen by yoga teachers.

Cotton Yoga Mat; the Mysore Yoga Rug

Traditionally, yoga is practiced on a cotton woven yoga mat. Especially if you sweat during your practice, a cotton mat provides good grip because it absorbs your sweat completely.

Cotton yoga mats are made from a natural material and are therefore also 100% biodegradable. They are easy to wash (at low temperatures). Especially during hot and intensive yoga classes such as Bikram yoga, Hot Yoga, Power Yoga, or Ashtanga, you see more and more people choosing a cotton mat.

The disadvantage of this yoga mat is that the cotton fibers wear out faster than rubber, TPE, or PVC. The mats are thinner than most yoga mats, so they are sometimes placed over a standard yoga mat or used on a carpet. On a cold or slippery surface, however, you risk feeling the cold or the mat slipping.

What is the best Travel Yoga Mat?

If you travel regularly or go on yoga vacations, it is nice to have a mat that does not take up too much space in your luggage. There are fine travel yoga mats available that do not weigh much and that you can also take with you folded if rolling up does not fit.

These mats are usually very thin. If you still want more comfort or are looking for a mat that you can also use for the long term, consider a yoga towel that you can use over a borrowed yoga mat on-site.

In addition to travel yoga mats, there are also very nice yoga bags available for your trip.

When do you use a Yoga Towel?

A yoga towel is the ideal solution for anyone who slips on their yoga mat due to perspiration. The thin, hygienic layer between your mat and your body absorbs moisture and becomes very sticky; slipping is a thing of the past.

The towels are made of (sometimes recycled) microfiber, which is naturally a bit sticky. This keeps the towel nicely in place. Moreover, the yoga towel provides a protective layer over your yoga mat. This makes your mat wear out much less quickly.

The towels are easy to wash and dry: you always practice on a clean and fresh surface. The towels are very lightweight, foldable, and can also be used as a bath, sports, or beach towel. Ideal for on the go.

The disadvantage of yoga towels is that they are very thin and that you always need to put something underneath. That can be a yoga mat, but a thick carpet, for example, is also a good surface.

Need help choosing the best yoga mat?

As you have noticed, there are quite a few types to choose from. Check out our full collection of yoga mats here.

We hope this blog has helped you find the right yoga mat that suits your needs, yoga style, and budget. Do you have any questions? Feel free to email us! We are happy to advise you on the perfect yoga mat for you.