how to choose a yoga mat

If your yoga mat is starting to look a little worse for the wear or if it's just not meeting your needs, it's hard to know what type of mat to choose. There are many options and accessories out there from $20 - $100+, but does price always indicate quality? Do you need to spend over $50 to get a good mat? It's not a simple answer and there are lots of pros and cons to think about, depending on where and how you practice. Below is some info I wish I had known before buying my first few mats!

ASK YOURSELF:

How often do you use your mat? If you're only rolling out your mat once a week, a $10 mat from Target or TJ Maxx might last you about a year. But beware, if you're new to yoga, you might be making it more difficult on yourself. Certain poses such as Down Dogs can be greatly effected by the texture and grip of your mat, possibly adding or removing a bit of struggle when you're first adjusting to the pose.

Do you care about the environment? Well, you should. It's tempting to lean toward a cheap plastic mat, but when you need to pitch it in 8 months, Mother Nature is stuck with your crappy old mat. Not only that, but your putting your face and body all over that mat...breathing it in and absorbing possibly chemicals or off-gases through your skin.

Where do you practice? Are you looking for something you can drag around outside and not worry about? Do you lug your mat a few blocks in the city and need something lightweight or are you mostly only toting to and from class? Depending what they're made of, sometimes even thin mats can be surprisingly heavy.

What type of yoga? Think about why you want or need this mat. If you have sensitive joints or you're practicing at home in your basement on concrete, you might be looking for a thick, cushy mat. Hot yoga-ers or those with healthy sweat glands will definitely want something grippy and probably also cover it with a towel to avoid slipping.

What's your favorite color? Though not an imperative factor, color can still effect your yoga practice and your mood. I can't say I would recommend choosing a mat based solely on color, but I would definitely take it into consideration.

Closed-Cell or Open-Cell? Closed-cell VS. open cell is often what separates the cheap from the expensive. Closed-cell mats are the basic type that you'll find in any department store, usually okay for those with a very relaxed yoga style who don't perspire much. They're considered more hygienic because they do not absorb water or oils from our skin/sweat. Closed-cell mats are cannot tolerate any moisture, so even slight perspiration in your palms or feet can make them slippery and difficult to grip.

Open-cell mats are porous and permeable. They provide significantly better traction than closed-cell mats and are ideal for a sweaty practice, but they are difficult to clean. Soaking in a vinegar bath is a good way to go, but open-cell mats wear out faster (with moisture) because the material is less dense. 

OPTIONS:

For Those on a Budget:
Gaiam mats, $10-$20. You can find these mats all over the place, and they’re relatively inexpensive. I would recommend these thin, lightweight mats for people who don’t plan on making flow-focused or heated classes a part of their practice. They don't offer much grip or support.

*NOTE: Though Gaiam mats are eco-friendly, many knock-offs and cheap closed-cell mats are not, so beware.

Pros: Easy to clean, inexpensive, eco-friendly
Cons: Not grippy

For Hot or High-Intensity Yogi: Lululemon’s The Mat, $68, is designed to soak up moisture without becoming slick. For lots of reasons, I personally do not support Lululemon, but I see students using The Mat without towels, even during the drippiest of hot classes. If you live near a Lululemon store, you can also easily try before you buy.

Pros: Eco-friendly
Cons: Difficult to clean

For the Nature, Eco and Yoga Lover:
Lots of mats are eco-friendly nowadays, but Hugger Mugger mats have a great Nature Inspired Collection, for about $30. They use really cool colors and designs inspired by nature and they're all natural with no heavy metals or phthalates. The texture is not woven or super-grippy, but if you love nature anyway, this would make a great outdoor mat!

Pros: Easy to clean, inexpensive, eco-friendly
Cons: Not grippy

For the Vinyasa Yogi:

Jade’s Harmony Professional Yoga Mat, $70, is endorsed and used by many world-famous yogis. You'll see tons of them at your local studio and they're all made with 100% natural USA rubber, are sustainable and sweat resistant and offer great texture and grip. My last open-cell Jade Harmony yoga mat only lasted about 8 months before it lost it's grip. I don't feel that I cleaned it too much and I only used it for teaching. Some yogi friends have had their Jade mats longer and others much less, but I'm going to see if I can drag my next one out a bit more by wiping it less.

Pros: Super traction, eco-friendly, great company

Cons: Difficult to clean, break down quickly

For Lifetime Yogis: Manduka’s Black Mat Pro, $100. This mat is thick and heavy, super grippy and eco-friendly. It comes with a lifetime guarantee, which makes it a good investment if you've shredded through a few cheap mats and aren't rolling up your mat any time soon. What's cool about these mats is that they actually get BETTER with age and even come with a recommendation to give your new mat a "sea salt scrubbing" to break-in the surface a bit. 

Though it seems pricey, you can rest easy knowing you NEVER need to replace it and it will not lose it's grip. Manduka will definitely be my next investment.

Pros: Super traction, eco-friendly, lifetime guarantee

Cons: Heavy, Expensive

Regardless of what kind of mat you go with, know how and when to clean your mat.

As with anything, try before you buy, if you're able. I made the mistake of ordering a Natural Fitness mat online that gets great reviews from others, but I despised the second I touched it. Many teachers or studios would be more than willing to let you test out their mats for a few poses or a class!