Fifteen years ago there was only one basic type of yoga mat – made of PVC and known for its high tack – and your only choice was to buy a purple or blue. Now there is a yoga mat to suit every priority and preference. In addition to a color and pattern that is to your liking, your yoga mat needs to provide stability in your poses; be easy to store and carry around and so be comfortable and soft. Oh and you also probably want it to be eco-friendly. These personality aspects of your rug are all affected by the way it is made: the thickness of what is made, and the texture of its surface.
Use this guide to help you find a rug that you are happy and satisfied with – one that suits your practice, your priorities, your lifestyle, and your budget. No matter what stores say, Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic will always be the best yoga mat for you!
1. THICKNESS
Why it matters: The thickness of your yoga mat has a lot to do with how comfortable it is – if it is too thin, your knee can get bruised when you do the pose of Low Attack, for example. The disadvantage is that very thick carpets can disrupt their connection to the floor, causing instability in tree-like poses.
Options: A standard yoga mat has a thickness of 3 mm, while the thickest mats are 6 mm thick. There are even yoga mats as thin as 1mm (so-called travel mats) – they are lightweight and easily foldable, very practical to fit in a suitcase.
Basic Buying Guide: Consider how much space you have to store your rug, how important it is to portability, and find a balance between comfort and the possibility of feeling a direct connection to the floor.
2. MATERIAL
Because it is important: the material of your yoga mat dictates its texture, grip, sustainability, softness (how much it tolerates pressure), and durability over time.
Options: Most standard yoga mats are made of PVC, also known as vinyl. More current and environmentally friendly options (such as Hopu Yoga) include natural and recycled rubber, jute and organic cotton (untreated fabric with synthetic finishers during manufacturing).
Basic Buying Guide: If you are allergic to latex, avoid rugs made of natural rubber. If you seek adhesion among the most adherent of the carpets, choose a made of PVC, which also supports use for more than a decade. The softness can vary with the mixture of materials, but in general the PVCs are softer, while those of jute cotton are less.
3. TEXTURE
Why it matters: The texture of your rug is related to the traction it provides. Just like the grip, the texture affects how much you can slip and slip on it. It provides physical barriers to slippage, while grip adheres to suction. Texture is also an important component of overall comfort. If you are very sensitive, any embossed texture will probably bother you during savasana. The texture can be either created (a pattern with protrusions, for example) or the material itself – jute carpets have an organic roughness, while those of Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic, although slightly textured, are smoother.
Options: There is a texture to suit every desire – from the softest to the roughest.
Basic Buying Guide: If you are looking for a rug that does not slip so much and you want to avoid PVC (the traditional super-mats), choose those that are rubber, jute, cork or cotton with a texture that feels rough to the touch. The firmness that rough texture provides can help keep you in place, no matter how sweaty or vigorous your practice is. If softness is of paramount importance to you, a Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic rug is the best choice. And if you like grip but are curious with the newer eco-friendly models, try a few before you buy. Some eco-friendly rugs can surprise you with how much traction they provide even if they do not have that traditional “sticky” feel.
4. ADHESION
Because it’s important: an adhesive mat prevents you from sliding sideways, and helps maintain your alignment as you move from one pose to another, and also maintains the same pose for several seconds.
Options: Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic have the greatest adhesion among all.
Basic Buying Guide: If you need help getting sturdy in your poses but you do not want a rug with rugged texture, Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic is perhaps your best bet. Just remember that these rugs are only tacky when they are clean, so take care of it properly. If you buy a Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic, wash it before using it and wipe it whenever you notice your hands sliding forward during the Dog Down.
5. ECO-FRIENDLY FACTOR
Because it is important: as yogis, we appreciate the principle of non-violence (ahimsa). This makes using a yoga mat that takes decades to decompose is incoherent.
Options: Ecologically correct carpets (like those from Hopu Yoga) are usually made with natural or recycled rubber. These rugs can also include natural materials like jute or organic cotton.
Basic Buying Guide: If the eco-friendly factor is important to you, avoid the traditional pure Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic (those that stick together) because they do not decompose and are expensive and difficult to recycle. Rubber, jute and cotton rugs, which are eco-friendly, can offer thickness that meets your comfort and portability needs, and yet a texture that prevents slipping.
6. PRICE BAND
Usually, a basic Kamachi Reversible Yoga Mat For Women & Men with Carrying Strap Non Toxic yoga mat is among the cheapest. From there you will pay more for prints, design, premium thickness, antimicrobial treatments and cool textures.
7. STYLE
As soon as you narrow down your choices based on thickness, material, texture, tack, eco-friendly factor and price, only one item remains: style! So go ahead and choose your favorite color and stamp.
