Category Archives: Mats

Yoga Design Lab Combo Mat review

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People often ask us “what’s a good yoga mat for hot yoga?”. There are a number of options, and much of “what is good” depends on personal preferences. But the main thing you want to look for is a mat that has a good grip when wet (or you could use a yoga mat towel over an all purpose mat).

There are indeed mats that are made especially for hot yoga. We recently tried out the Combo Mat by Yoga Design Lab and it really fits the bill. Even better, Yoga Design Lab is a company that prides itself on “blending fashion-forward design elements with innovative functionality and bio-renewable consciousness.”

combo mat by yoga design lab

Yoga by design

First off, the company has definitely earned the right to have “design” in its name, as the mats themselves are quite aesthetically pleasing. These are some of the most Continue reading →

Donate yoga mats for kids!

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Yoga isn’t just for grown-ups you know! Kids can reap all the benefits as well. The organization Yoga Foster is helping this happen in public schools.

Yoga Foster is a non-profit organization with a mission to empower public school teachers with yoga resources to make happier and healthier classrooms.

Their goal is to provide kids quality, accessible yoga directly in the classroom, during Continue reading →

National Yoga Month offer + Aurorae coupon codes

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Yoga is good for you, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agrees!  In fact, in order to inspire a healthy lifestyle and educate the general public about the numerous benefits of yoga, in 2008 the HHS officially designated the month of September as National Yoga Month:

National Yoga Month

As part of the National Yoga Month Awareness Campaign, the National Yoga Foundation is offering a free week of yoga for you at one of 2,200 participating yoga studios in the US! Continue reading →

Inexpensive yoga mats compared

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The cost of yoga mats can vary quite a bit. The price is usually related to the materials, the quality of craftsmanship, and country of manufacture. But there are a number of inexpensive yoga mats out there that just might suit your needs.

Our guide below allows you to compare the features of some of the most popular affordable mats out there. Beneath the guide you’ll find in-depth descriptions and additional photos of the best sellers. Click on any column header to sort the table, for example by cost, thickness, or material:

MatSizeCostWeightColorsMaterialScore
Sivan NBR Yoga Mat1/2" thick
72"x24"		$19.991.8 pounds7 optionsFoam.4.5
ProSource Premium 1/2-Inch Extra Thick Yoga Mat With Carrying Straps1/2" thick
71"x24"		$18.992.5 pounds8 optionsFoam.4.3
ProSource Premium 1/4-Inch Yoga Mat With Carrying Straps1/4" thick
68"x24"		$16.993.0 pounds7 optionsFoam.4.2
Spoga High Density Yoga Mat with Carrying Straps1/2" thick
71"x24"		$19.992.1 pounds6 optionsFoam.4.4
YogaAccessories 1/4" Yoga Mat1/4" thick
74"x24"
$17.993.3 pounds26 optionsUnknown material. Phthalate free inks and dyes. Free of latex and heavy metals.
4.2
Yes4All 1/2-Inch Extra Thick Yoga Mat w/ Carry Strap1/2" thick
68"x24"
$20.052.2 pounds
Black, blue, green or purpleFoam.
4.2
Yoga Monster Mat by Bean Products1/4" thick
72"x24"
$24.953.5 pounds18 optionsPER. Free of toxic phthalates, dioxins and furans, phenal, or heavy metals. SGS approved.3.8
Gaiam Solid Yoga Mats (3mm)1/8" thick
68"x24"		$19.992.0 pounds8 optionsPVC. Free of phthalates and other toxins.4.0
Bixle 1/2" Inch Extra Thick Yoga Mat with Carrying Strap1/2" thick
72"x24"		$22.952.3 pounds7 optionsFoam.4.3
YogaHola Super Soft Eco-Friendly Yoga Mat w/ Carry Cord1/8" thick
70"x24"		$13.952.5 pounds5 optionsFoam.3.6
Da Vinci Yoga Mat with Carry Strap, 1/4" Inch1/4" thick
72"x24"		$18.992.8 pounds12 optionsPVC. Free of phthalates.4.0
Da Vinci 2-Tone Yoga Mat with Carry Strap1/4" thick
72"x24"		$16.993.0 pounds8 different 2-tone optionsPVC. Free of phthalates.4.0
Milliard 1/4" Yoga Mat1/4" thick
72"x24"		$17.21NA10 optionsUnknown material. 4.3
Valeo Yoga Mat Blueless than
1/4" thick
68"x24"		$12.501.9 poundsBlueUnknown3.0
YogaDirect 1/4" Sticky Yoga Mat1/4" thick
72"x24"		$23.27NA12 optionsPVC4.2
BalanceFrom GoYoga Mat with Carrying Strap1/4" thick
72"x24"		$24.952.5 pounds9 optionsUnknown. PVC free, phthalates free, latex free.4.1

The 7 columns in the guide are:

  • Mat name & picture (click to view more details or to purchase).
  • Mat size dimensions in inches
  • Mat price – These are current prices on Amazon.com in U.S. dollars. Outside the U.S., click the price in dollars to see the price in your local currency. In some cases price will change depending on mat color and/or style.
  • Mat weight in pounds.
  • Color and/or style options.
  • Mat material (more on mat materials below). SGS is a private, independent laboratory that tests many types of products and makes recommendations regarding consumer safety.
  • Rating – This is the average user rating on Amazon.com, where 5 is the best possible rating. It can be very helpful in deciding whether people were satisfied with their purchase.

Shopping for inexpensive yoga mats

One popular brand of inexpensive yoga mats is YogaAccessories. The average price for a YogaAccessories mat is about $20, depending upon color. They have over 20 colors to choose from.

Inexpensive Yoga Mats YogaAccessories label

Even though they’re inexpensive yoga mats, they boast some appealing Continue reading →

Aurorae Synergy Yoga Mat – Towel

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The biggest complaint I hear about traditional mats is that they can be too slippery. When people practice hot yoga and/or work up a good sweat, they often find themselves sliding out of pose. Not only is this counterproductive, but it is potentially dangerous.

Aurorae Synergy Yoga Mat-Towel

One company that has created a solution to this problem is Aurorae with their Synergy Yoga Mat – Towel. It is not a separate yoga towel. It’s an actual yoga mat that is merged with a microfiber towel. The two pieces are bonded together.
Synergy Yoga Mat - Towel folded to show both sides

It’s an unusual item. For a while I had been very curious to try it, especially Continue reading →

Yoga Cat Mat: My New Favorite Yoga Accessory

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Today I came across something which is currently my new favorite yoga accessory: The Yoga Cat Mat! It’s a mat and toy made especially for yoga cats, from the yoga curious to the full on feline yoga gurus.

yoga cat guru

I can totally relate to how the Yoga Cat Mat’s creator, Paige Hodges, likely came up with the idea. On the “About” page Hodges explains, “In order to accommodate the felines and make room for myself on the mat I’’ve learned to modify poses in ways that would make my yoga teachers cringe in horror”. In addition to getting a huge kick out of this, I was also relieved to discover that I’m not the only one that has to move my asanas to make way for the whiskered warrior poses.

Not only do my cats have the need to coach me when I’m in the middle of my yoga practice, Continue reading →

Aurorae Classic Yoga Mat review

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When you read reviews of any mat (or just about anything for that matter), there are always people who love it, people who hate it, and many in between. Some want a mat that is not slippery, and those who don’t perspire much prefer one that’s not too sticky. Some want a lightweight mat to easily carry to and from class, and some want a mat that provides more cushion. So, just as in yoga itself, it’s really all about what you as an individual are looking for.

I recently shopped for a new yoga mat. My criteria were that it had to be environmentally friendly, biodegradable, non-toxic, not too thin, and free of any odors. I also wanted to spend under $40. I did loads and loads of online searches, read the pros and cons of the many mats out there and finally I decided on the Classic Yoga Mat from Aurorae. Continue reading →

Shopping for my first yoga mat

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A yoga mat is the most essential thing you need to do yoga. It’s also one of those things that you just have to have one of your own (nobody is borrowing my toothbrush!). The things I considered while shopping for my first yoga mat included thickness, length, and of course price.  Mat material is also important to me. Stickiness/slipperiness is an important consideration, especially since I tend to sweat.

shopping for my first yoga mat

Since I’m a beginner, I checked out the Gaiam Yoga For Beginners Kit.  It seems like a very good deal since it has some extras and the price is very competitive, but unfortunately I Continue reading →