If you’re a regular reader of IDEAL, then you’ll know that we’re huge fans of an at-home yoga session. During lockdown, tuning in and turning up for our daily half hour with Adriene has become an essential element of the day, allowing us to set our intentions from a space of peace and purity. Just lovely.
Turns out, we’re not the only ones, with her Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel now topping 7 million subscribers, and a cultish appreciation for Benji the obvious natural progression. Of course, the ancient discipline of Yoga outlives YouTube by some 5’000 years or more, but in terms of domestic, digital workouts, and due to lockdown, it’s never been more popular.
The Metro reports that yoga was the top digital at-home workout of 2020, with uptake of the practice increasing by 25% from the previous year. Honestly, we’re surprised it’s not more!
If you started your yoga journey during lockdown, perhaps buying yourself a cheap mat and some blocks to help you perfect your downward dog and warrior pose, then perhaps you’ve now found yourself at something of an impasse?
Do you want to try out the harder poses or more athletic forms of yoga but you’re not quite sure if your cheap and cheerful equipment is up to the task? Maybe now is the time to commit to stepping up and getting some better quality accessories and a premium yoga mat that will give you the extra confidence needed to take your workouts to the next level?
If this sounds like you, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are 5 considerations when choosing the best yoga mat.
THE PREVALENCE OF PVC
Yoga mats come in a surprisingly wide range of materials, from jute and cotton, through PVC and various densities of foam in both open and closed cells, as well as latex and natural rubber. All offer different benefits in the form of thickness, texture and even weight, which determines how easy they are to carry while commuting between work, home and the gym.
We’ll consider material first, as it determines the stickiness, weight, and durability. Generally speaking, PVC (sometimes referred to as vinyl) offers the best balance between the various concerns we just mentioned, and is certainly the most durable. PVC also offers the ideal level of cushioning and ‘give’; it’s easy going on your knees without being excessively giving, the latter of which can result in injury. Or, even risk being too comfortable during Shavasana…you’ll never want to get up!
That said, PVC is a manmade material, and poses a threat to both the environment and your health.
THE IMPORTANCE OF TEXTURE
Another important consideration is whether you opt for a smooth or textured mat. Smooth mats tend to be more ‘sticky’, and are ideally suited to a more athletic yoga practice, particularly Vinyasa, when you have to make quick transitions or trust your whole body weight to your hands and feet – or even just your hands!
If you’re looking for a smooth mat with a decent grip, they are available with millimetre-thin suction attached, which increases friction and holds you steady as you move your body through the right configurations of positions and movements. That said, they are less sweat-absorbent, meaning a certain amount of slippage might occur on the upper side. The highly regard Manduka yoga mat brand is ideal here; according to Elite Daily, ‘’Manduka mat is basically perspiration-proof. This bad boy is solid and sturdy, and built to keep sweat from seeping into the mat’s core.’’
If your practice is more restorative and gentle, a textured PVC mat is better, since they offer more cushion; ideal for those poses all about longevity and resilience. That said, it’ll require regular cleaning because of the increased sweat accumulation and its somewhat abrasive, unnatural effect on the skin. For those who prioritise thickness, bamboo might be a better option (more of that later).
WEIGHT
Heavier mats will stay in place well, and tend to fall into the textured camp, but will be more of a burden to carry between sessions, work and home. These heavier, textured mats are also more of a pain to roll up, feeling bulky and oftentimes, a little clumsy.
Many yoga enthusiasts mitigate these issues by having two mats; one for solely using at home and one for public sessions. You could even get a lightweight mat for easy carriage and a heavier, better quality mat for your home workouts. The heaviness you choose won’t only be based on your style of yoga, but it’ll also concern the material you choose – even thin, natural rubber offers excellent protection, while open cell foam needs to be fairly thick to offer a good amount of cushioning.
DURABILITY
A thick, PVC yoga mat will generally be the sturdiest, and can last for upwards of a decade in the right hands. That said, they require frequent washes due to their sweat-absorbent nature.
Alternatively, many premium yoga mat producers include specifically designed cleaning products in their packages. In fact, those Manduka mats we mentioned earlier have created a line of biological cleansers to be used specifically with Manduka yoga mats which ensure you can keep your mat cleaner for longer.
Slimmer, smooth yoga mats, which are generally used for high intensity yoga flows such as Vinyasa, tend to last for a significantly shorter period of time. Alternatively, you could prioritise a more sustainable yoga mat material. Whilst they may lack the durability of PVC, the impact of their production on the environment (and often, on your skin) is far less pronounced…
ECO FRIENDLY OPTIONS
In recent years, several eco friendly yoga mat options have emerged on the market, including organic cotton, recycled rubber and jute. Bamboo yoga mats have also earned a strong reputation in the UK lately, partly due to their green credentials, but also because of the material’s antiseptic qualities.
Though you’ll be paying a little more, a naturally made yoga mat will be kinder to your skin, less likely to provoke an allergic reaction or chaffing, and ultimately, is a more responsible shopping choice.
The Evening Standard recently detailed ten of the best eco yoga mats, including the excellent Jade Yoga Elite S Mat, which is made from natural rubber. What’s more, the company plant a tree for every yoga mat sold, with over 1’700’000 planted so far. Wow!
The Manduka Eko Range is another premium yoga mat with strong green credentials; it’s also made from natural rubber, but has the added bonus of it being reinforced with natural cotton (rather than the commonly used synthetic polyester).
Finally, the Pro Cork Yoga Mat is made from, you guessed it, cork, and is ‘’non-slip, 100% sweatproof and, wait for it, since cork is naturally antimicrobial, it eliminates bacteria and odours a treat.’’ The next time you’re in child pose on this mat, you’ll actually savour the aroma rather than wince at it.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The reasons to take up yoga are myriad, from improved flexibility to an enhanced connection with the self. If you’re considering investing in a new yoga mat, we hope we’ve helped you set your intentions for a day of shopping. Whilst PVC represents the most affordable investment, offering durability, resistance and protection against injury, it does come with several drawbacks, too. Consider your priorities carefully before proceeding!
Oh, and if you’re shopping for a yoga-loving friend, then check out these 5 yoga themed gifts IDEAL for the yogi in your life.