After a long time searching for information about yoga mats , and after a while with my magnificent “soul mat” Today I want to tell you everything I had in mind to make my choice.

I hope this guide will help you choose the yoga mat that suits you, the type of yoga you practice, your lifestyle, your priorities and your budget. Choosing a yoga mat properly is very important because it will make your practice more comfortable and happier, among other things.

Comfort

Momentico closes its eyes, and imagine yourself lying on your yoga mat in the position of Savasana, as pictured below. Imagine your slow breathing, feeling the air like rubs against your skin, and your body feeling completely relaxed on ONE floor hard and cold! I know it’s an exaggeration, I just wanted to reflect you the importance of your comfort in practice:)

The thickness of the mat strongly influences this. A standard thickness may be about 3 or 4 millimeters, but I’ve seen options ranging from 2mm to 6mm.

Durability

This point is very important. When you invest money in a yoga mat , one of the things you think about is how long it will last me? And it is that clear, I would not spend 90 € on a mat I have to change every year.

So my recommendation is that you choose one that you have guarantees durability.

The first thing I did when I wanted to buy one for me was to ask my brother (yoga teacher for more than 10 years in Germany) and my teacher at the time, also with several years in practice, on what was his best recommendation for me. And both agreed with this brand I bought, among other things, durability.

I know people who carry Over 10 years! with the same yoga mat (the Black Mat® PRO). Can you imagine that? 10 years without having to worry again buy a yoga mat …

It is also important to note that you have the guarantee of refund if the product is damaged or defective. Why another of my recommendations is that whether you buy it online as if shopping in a physical store, have in mind the existing conditions on this issue, in case something happens. For example, here in this link you can see the conditions set by Amazon, which is where I usually do my shopping online. Normally you usually have 30 days to ensure that your yoga mat is in good condition.

Traction

Have you seen someone slip and fall in a yoga class? Surely yes! And of course, it is logical to happen, because often the cause is we are making a posture of balance is difficult to maintain. But much to improve balance and be able to concentrate on your breathing, to avoid slipping on the mat, sweat or simply rubbing, it is best to consider this point when buying one.

As I said before, I have at home another mat I bought some time ago in a china shop, before buying this, to do crunches. When I took up my yoga practice and I wanted to start doing yoga at home , I realized that I was far from being able to do some stand there, then it slips too much and was very easy to fall.

In this case there is a measure that can tell you to review before making the purchase. Just note that the online or physical store where you buy, you ensure that you have a strong traction or non – slip.

Responsibility to the environment

If your lifestyle you’ve raised to be “environmentally conscious” and help make the world a better place, then you’ll want to buy a mat “eco-friendly” or environmentally friendly .

Consider the material that your mat is made when you buy it. Most I found on the market are made with PVC (vinyl chloride), which as I read, is not recyclable and causes great environmental damage and health risks during production, use and disposal.

This was another thing I learned in my intensive search for the yoga mat . And I overjoyed to see that he was “winning” Manduka mat, it was manufactured through a process that ensures that there are no toxic emissions into the atmosphere, as well as being free of PVC.

In Manduka they are committed to creating responsible products with the environment and are aware of every decision they make in the manufacturing process. In addition, using, whenever possible, natural, recyclable, sustainable and / or biodegradable materials and are constantly searching for new “green” technologies.

You see, every moment I became easier purchase decision …

Size and weight

The size and weight is something you should take into account when buying your yoga mat . Like I said above, you must think in advance what use you’ll give, to get an idea of the weight that best suit you.

As for the size, if you are very high, there are mats that suit you. There is also who seeks a little wider.

For example, I bought, the eKO SuperLite® Travel Mat has measures 61 cm x 173 cm x 1.5 to 2 mm, and weighs 0.9 kg. Total Ligeresa! As you see in the pictures below, it’s super easy to store and fits in anywhere, even in my backpack!

To get another example, the Black Mat® PRO, which is the most popular yoga mat in Manduka, has two variants:

• standard, weighing 3.4 kg and having dimensions of 180 cm long, 66 cm wide and 6 mm thick.
• large, with 4.0 kg and measuring 216 cm long, 66 cm wide and 6 mm thick.

And this one, the PROlite® Mat weighs and measures that are being a little mean:

• 1.8 kg; 61 cm wide x 180 cm wide x 4.5 mm thick
• 2.27 kg; 61CM 200cm wide x long x 4.5mm thick

What determines your choice?

The thicker your yoga mat , occupy more space and weigh. If for you it is not a problem, because you practice yoga at home and do not have to carry it , or because you’re going to your yoga classes by car or you is very close to home, because I recommended a yoga mat 6mm thick.

I like to travel a lot, and while doing yoga, wherever you are. Also, I go to my yoga classes bike, and take my clothes to shower after class. In these cases it is more difficult for me the issue of comfort when transporting. That’s why I chose the yoga mat thinner, which is 2mm thick. But of course … When I came to class, I put on one of the ones in the room And so I win in comfort and hygiene!

If you decide on this mat and do not want to buy another to do yoga at home, you can put it on top of another can be like that put you in the picture below. That is what I commented that I bought once in a Chinese, and slides a lot and does not serve as yoga. But putting my soul mat above is extremely comfortable!

To consider: Do you need a special size or the normal size you is enough? Need weighing little, or you prefer to be more comfortable on a thicker mat?

It’s your time to choose!

Purchase options and handling yoga mat

What should you consider when buying a yoga mat online?

First, always buy from a store that is trusted. One thing I do before buying online, is to review people’s comments. For example, in the image that I put you under, you will see the number of votes and positive feedback has the Black Mat® PRO. That says a lot about the quality of the product, and everything that has to do with options and shipping.

Another thing to consider is shipping costs. Not only the price of the mat, but also how much it will cost you send it home. Shipping spending my mat was 15 €, but I advise you before deciding, you take a look at where it says Amazon “View Details”, you would underline in red in the image below.

One small detail I also had in mind before purchasing the yoga mat, was checking on internet if there was a discount coupon , and indeed, I found one! I paid 20% less, so I advise you to do a search before buying something. Overall it is a good practice whenever you go to buy something online, then you can go cheaper. In this link you have the Amazon discount page, you can find there great deals!

final words

I hope this has been helpful guide for you to buy your soul mat.

If you have experience with yoga mats the Manduka brand, or any other, I also like the compartieras, and thus help everyone who is in search of a mat to decide better.

A big hug for you. You enjoy your practice and you feel very comfortable and happy on your yoga mat.

namaste

naylin