A couple of weeks ago I was on a mission to find a new yoga mat. I wanted one that was affordable, eco-friendly, comfortable, and had a cute design. That’s a lot to ask for in a mat. Thanks to the advice from a couple of my yoga instructor friends. I was able to find the perfect match. Now that I found the mat of my dreams I wanted to share some of the best yoga mats recommended by yoga instructors. Along with a peek into my yoga journey.
Related Post: DIY Yoga Mat Spray – How to Make Mat Cleaner
My Yoga Journey
Yoga hasn’t always been a part of my routine but it has always been in my life. When I was a kid my mom would bring me to the yoga classes she taught at a local gym. I would sit in the back corner of the room watching and snacking on apples while the students followed her every movement. I learned to mimic the easy poses like down dog and cat-cow but I was mostly content watching others.
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At that age, I didn’t want to participate in the yoga classes for one solid reason. My mom did it, so that made it not cool. Thanks to my stubborn attitude I didn’t roll out my mat until the fall of 2015. I had just moved to Tallahassee for college when I learned about a yoga club at FSU. A few weeks later I attended my first class with a friend. Together we practiced an hour-long Vinyasa Flow on the school’s lawn. By the end of the class, I was committed. I started going to two to four yoga classes a week. They ranged from Ashtanga to Vinyasa, and Power Flow.
One of my good friends at the time, Donnie, gifted me with my first yoga mat. It was cream-colored with an intricate design and I loved it to death. Literally. I used it for three years until it started falling apart. I stuck with this mat until I moved to Colorado in June. At that time I started practicing yoga at a nearby rock gym. During one of my Power Flow classes, I almost injured myself from a snag in the mat. I knew I needed to replace my mat ASAP and that’s where Vanessa came in.
Vanessa with her 6mm eKO Lite Manduka Mat
Vanessa is an instructor at Hot Yoga Tallahassee. When I asked for her advice on buying a new mat she told me about Manduka. They have a great mission statement and are eco-conscious while creating some of the highest performing (and long-lasting) products! She has owned the Manduka 6mm eKO mat for three years and says it still feels new. Thanks to her I found their eKO line that features grippy, non-slip mats.
My friend Parker also recommended the Manduka eKO lite mat. She recently completed her yoga instructing certification and has a health & wellness Instagram account called The Rolling Sloan. Parker was the one who convinced me to increase my budget and invest in an eco-friendly mat. She told me, “if you want a really solid mat to keep for a long time, I would consider investing in a high-quality mat like the eKO Lite 4mm.” One of the main reasons she loves Manduka is because they are a brand that has real yoga teachers globally designing their mats. They’re sustainable as well. Her mat is made from non-Amazonian harvested tree rubber. (shown below)
Parker with her eKO Lite 4mm Mat
Eco-friendly Mat: eKO Lite 4mm Mat
DIY Yoga Spray print by Maddie & the Moon Illustration. Check out her Etsy shop here.
Sweat Absorbing Travel Mat: Orenda India Cork Mat
Sometimes it takes a nagging/persistent friend to try something new. At least that’s how it was with my best friend Graey. I tried to get him to do yoga for over a year before he took a class. I knew he would love it and I wasn’t surprised when he did. In fact, he’s now a certified yoga instructor in Portland, Oregon. I can’t wait to attend some of his yoga classes when I visit!
Graey uses the Orenda India Cork Mat. He chose this mat mainly because he sweats a LOT during practices. Sweating during yoga is nothing to be ashamed of, though it can be pretty dangerous. Luckily, cork absorbs perspiration and helps the mat from slipping. It’s also super lightweight which is perfect for traveling!
Most Comfortable Yoga Mat: Thrive On Yoga Mat
Looking for a mat that’s super comfortable? My mom recommends the Thrive on Yoga Mat. Pictured to the right. She teaches a slower-paced yoga class and most of her attendees are seniors. They require a mat that is extra thick and cushy. This yoga mat is the ideal pick for people with joint or back concerns.
Budget-Friendly Yoga Mat: Gaiam Yoga Mat
And finally, the Gaiam mat. This has been one of the most popular mats for the last few years. You’re almost guaranteed to see someone with it in every yoga class. I personally haven’t used this mat, but I know it has great reviews. It’s a budget-friendly, beginner option which is probably why it’s so popular. It retails for only $21 and you can buy it at Target, or on Amazon.
I hope this guide helped you discover the best yoga mats! Thank you again to all the instructors that shared their picks. This post would have been possible without you. Be sure to leave a comment below if you’d liked this post or had another mat to share with me.
The Comments
Annie Dike
Very helpful! Love your yoga pictures. They feel like a big breath of Zen. I’m curious, do the yoga instructors recommend the same mats for sand as they do other surfaces? While I love the thought of yoga on the beach, in reality that’s been a bit tough without the right mat. Thanks as always for the beautiful information!
sienaneal
Annie DikeUnfortunately sticky yoga mats & sand don’t mix. The best advice I’ve heard for beach yoga is to ditch the mat and use a yoga towel! Manduka’s Yogitoes would be my first pick.