If you’re thinking of buying a yoga mat for yourself or someone else you may be feeling a little bit overwhelmed by the number of mats on market. There are huge variations of style, thickness, color, material used, and price. Some mats can be less than $10, while others cost over $100.
Let’s begin by considering the purpose. A good mat will provide a stable, nonslip surface that helps prevent slipping and falling, but also can provide cushioning when you kneel or lie on the mat. It also protects you from dirt, dust, splinters, bacteria, fungi and any other foreign matter that might be on the floor at the studio you frequent.
Sharing a mat or using a studio mat is generally not recommended since you are basically lying on a mat where someone else was sitting in sweaty yoga pants, and standing with bare feet; sometimes with our face on the mat! It doesn’t take much imagination to think of the “things” that could on that studio mat. Things like athlete’s foot, plantar warts, toe nail fungus, and bacteria from sweat. If you practice on a regular basis – buy your own mat!
Often, low priced conventional style mats are made of PVC, which according to Consumer Reports, PVC yoga mats may contain lead and cadmium. Or may even contain phthalates which have been linked to hormone disruption. If it is important to you to avoid such contaminants, you would be better suited to choose an ECO friendly mat made of natural plant materials, toxin-free or biodegradable plastics or natural rubber. Do be aware that those with latex allergies should avoid rubber mats as these do contain latex.
PVC mats tend to be very low in price and are moderately sticky with a smooth honeycomb-like surface. Rubber mats are much stickier and provide a better grip for heated practices where the hands and feet can become sweaty which may lead to more slippage. If you practice heated types of yoga, such as Bikrim or Vinyasa flow you may do better with a rubber mat, provided you don’t have a latex allergy. The type of mat you prefer is based on personal preference and the type of practice you have.
For example, if you practice restorative or gentle hatha yoga you may prefer a thicker mat with more cushion for seated poses or when lying down. However, if you practice power yoga you might do better with a thinner mat that will keep the feet more stable when doing standing and balancing poses.
Yoga mats typically are either 68 or 72 inches long, but extra short and extra long mats are available. If you are over 6 feet tall you may want to consider buying an extra long mat.
A good quality mat will resist wear and tear and won’t hold odors. To clean your mat you can wash it in the washing machine and hang it to air dry. Always use only a few drops of detergent in the water. I’ve also found that the surface of my mat last longer if I avoid big fluctuations in temperature, such as those that happen when we keep our mat in the trunk of the car. It gets too hot in the summer, and too cold in the winter which may cause drying of the surface. It is always best to bring the mat inside.
In the end, you need to consider the size, thickness, materials and price range of the mat that best suits your needs and budget. Color, although important should not be the primary decision maker. My personal preference is the JADE Professional mat in 74” length. It is only 5/16th of an inch think and has a great non-stick rubber surface that works well in the vinyasa flow classes I teach. My second choice is a Manduka Pro, and third I like the Kulae ECO mat.
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