Yoga 101: Your comprehensive guide to choosing a Yoga Mat

Your yoga mat can really make or break your practice. Yoga teacher Emmalene takes you through the essentials and non-negotiables when it comes to choosing your own yoga mat.

Choosing the right mat will give you many happy hours of practice

I won't lie, I've had some awful experiences with yoga mats in my 25 years of yoga practice. From the cheap ones that crumble, to the thin ones that result in friction burns on my cocyx 😳 to the ones that don't provide grip for sweaty fingers in downward dog.

I've tried a LOT of yoga mats and spent hundreds of pounds getting it wrong.

So if you've been thinking about buying your own yoga mat or upgrading an existing one, let me guide you through the potential minefield of yoga mat selection.

Why your Yoga Mat matters

Why do we use yoga mats in the first place? Surely the 'original yogis' just practiced postures wherever and didn't worry about fancy mats?

Honestly, some of them probably did. They would also have practiced sat on the grass or on another surface that would support, probably outside.

By the time we have photos, the 'grandfathers' of modern yoga (for example, Krishnamacharya) were shown practicing postures on carpets or rugs as well as directly on tiled floors (ouch!).

Krishnamacharya practicing on carpet in the 1930s

As the process of yoga postures was developed and popularised by these teachers and their students, it became clear that we needed a bit more of a practical solution. Carpets and rugs slip on smooth surfaces and this provides what the 21st century would consider a serious health and safety issue. The 'sticky mat' was invented (or rather, cut from carpet underlay) in the 1960s and then developed through the decades as new materials became available.

Your yoga mat matters because it provides a stable and consistent surface for you to practice your chosen postures safely and confidently.

When you practice downward dog, you don't want to be slipping around. I once suggested that a student change her mat for this reason, unfortunately she didn't do it in time and later suffered a wrist sprain to which the slippy mat could have contributed 😕. This is an extreme example, fortunately it doesn't happen that often, but your confidence in downward dog or any number of other poses will be much improved with a supportive mat.

The same for the level of 'squish'- not so much that you wobble in tree pose but enough that you feel comfortable in boat pose!

There is also the matter of durability and materials. A mat which wears through, frays or simply breaks is not going to support your practice for very long. Many people (my past self included) have bought cheap mats thinking they may not get much use, only to find that the yoga practice becomes regular (awesome!) but the yoga mat disintegrates beneath it (grim). The PvC mats of the 1990s and 2000s sparked pollution and potential health concerns as users were exposed to plastic particles well before we widely considered the issue of microplastics. This also caused yogis to start thinking about the chemicals and processes used to produce mats that we regularly roll about on.

An inappropriate yoga mat can make you feel less confident and comfortable than your practice deserves, and this really matters as the Yoga Sutras tell us that yoga happens when we 'embody steadiness and ease' (2:46)

Things to Consider when Choosing a Yoga Mat

For practical use, I've broken this down into several categories which I'll go into more detail on below.

The ones that make the most difference to you may be very individual. For me, I have a painful reaction to rubber and latex, which means that materials are always my first consideration. Yours may be different.

Choosing a Yoga Mat by practice style

I'd say this is the most common starting point. Your practice style is a big consideration for your mat. After all, you wouldn't want to practice Yin Yoga with super thin mat, it would be very uncomfortable most of the time. If you practice several styles, you have the choice of finding a mat which compromises enough to cover the differences you might need, or you can push the boat out and choose multiples mats- to suit each one.

Hot Yoga

This needs a mat that will become more grippy when heated and can withstand regular blasting with infrared heaters, which unlike regular heaters, heat up the objects in a room directly rather than the air. I'd say cheap PvC yoga mats are a big no here as they won't withstand the requirements.

If you can use rubber or latex then there are some amazing mats from these materials which become more grippy as you sweat on them, negating the need for a yoga towel (though I'd always recommend having one anyway). Cork yoga mats have become more popular in recent years as they are anti-microbial, meaning that as you sweat on them they resist the grown of bacteria and fungi (helpful, right?). A combination of rubber base and cork top is probably the boss for hot yoga in my opinion. You won't slip and it shouldn't be letting off any nasty chemicals, although I also hear that rubber mats can smell a lot, especially when they are new...

Vinyasa, Rocket or Ashtanga Yoga

Even in a non heated class, these styles of practice can create a lot of heat and you don't want to be sweating and slipping around as you move through an active practice. I see a lot of people using rubber mats for this, especially with the increasing popularity and marketing reach of brands like Liforme (go look them up but I'm not sponsored!).

Very active styles need a very durable mat- especially if you're using it daily. Modern formulations of PvC are good here as the engineering of some mats is so good that they're practically indestructible. Look for a make of mat that has a good explanation of its production processes when choosing a PvC mat to ensure you're minimising exposure to nasties and environmental damage.

For Ashtanga in particular, I find a slightly thicker mat is helpful when practicing the seated postures so it's nice to find a make of mat that comes in at 5mm thickness, but be aware that thicker mats can feel more unstable in standing balances.

Hatha Yoga

OK so techincally Hatha is anything that includes postures and breathing, but bear with me as you'll often see it used as a style description on a studio timetable.

For less vigorous movement but perhaps more time spent in static holds and 'down on the mat', grip is a little less important. You may also not want a material that will smell a lot and distract you in your practice!

Your traditional 'sticky yoga mat' is in its prime here, and this is exactly the kind of mat that studios and teachers buy for everyday hatha yoga use. In this type of practice, the chances are that if you need extra padding on the knees, etc, you'll have a yoga blanket nearby, so you're not limited by thickness of mat but beware that extra thin mats may still be uncomfortable.

Restorative and Yin Yoga

These are both types of practice where you spend pretty much all of your time sitting or lying on the mat.

A thick, well cushioned mat is incredibly helpful, even with the addition of a yoga blanket. Pressure discomfort from the floor is NOT a target area of sensation! I'd also recommend staying away from mats that will smell strongly (ie, rubber or chemicals). You can even choose a fully fabric (e.g. cotton or jute) mat for exclusive use in these styles.

If you're fortunate to be able to have multiple mats you can also layer them (e.g. a sticky mat and a travel mat and a yoga blanket) to create a really supportive practice area. That said, my Manduka Pro mat comes in at 6mm thick and I happily practice Yin without using anything else on top of it.

If you like to have the room to spread out, it's also worth considering wide & long mats for restorative or yin yoga. Several manufacturers offer these, so do look out for them, as well as alternative size & shape options including fully square or round mats, which are great for home practice.

Kundalini Yoga

Most kundalini kriyas are seated, so I'd give the same suggestions as for yin above, with the option of additional knee padding. Amusingly, I've found that kundalini has the added hazard that you might occasionally dribble all over one end of the mat from sustained practice of Lion's Breath 😂 so having something that's antimicrobial or at least can be easily cleaned, as per hot yoga, is not a bad idea!

Meditation and Pranayama

Technically, you don't need a yoga mat if you're simply practicing seated meditation and or breathwork. If you go to a meditation retreat you'll usually just be offered a series of different sized & shaped cushions. However if you practice regularly at home, perhaps before or after posture practice, it's worth thinking about how your mat will support this.

In my experience, a slightly thicker mat is always better and you may also layer it with a blanket and a round or crescent shaped meditation cushion (I often keep an extra blanket to go around me as well).

Choosing a Yoga Mat by Where you Practice

Where you practice can have a big impact on whether you feel like you have the right choice of mat. When choosing a mat, consider if you might also like to practice more in different environments once you have it. Weight and portability are important factors for some practice spaces.

At Home

If you have a dedicated yoga space at home, go you! You're very lucky. You can choose the type of mat or mats by what fits into your space and how you'd like it to be set up. You might even choose the colour or design to fit your home. There are some really aesthetically pleasing mats out there to choose from. You can choose how it's going to be stored too when not in use and whether it needs to fit into a particular cupboard space or look good leaning against a wall.

If you practice at home but you don't have a dedicated space, you might want to consider storage, size and ease of portability as your primary considerations, as well as whether you need to compromise on just one mat which suits your primary style of practice.

At the Studio

Being able to carry a mat to the studio easily is important, so really heavy, thick or odd sized mats will probably be out. You'll also be expected to use the space that a studio mat would take up which means that oversized mats aren't ideal, especially in a busy class. If you practice hot yoga at the studio, you may be expected to provide your own mat, so be prepared with something that will do the job.

A travel mat can be a nice option if, for example, you have to take your mat to work or elsewhere before heading to yoga, and you have the opportunity to layer it with a studio mat for more support. I have a lovely super thin cork mat for this purpose.

Outdoors

Practicing outdoors is amazing but presents several issues for mat consideration. You want a mat which is portable but also heavy enough to smooth out grass and small bumps in the ground or rock on which you may be practicing. You also want something which is easy to clean when you inevitably get mud or dirt on it and won't get stained the colour of grass. If it gets wet, or you just get sweaty from doing vinyasas in the sunshine, you want it to stay pretty grippy.

For these reasons, I'd mainly make the same recommendations as for hot yoga above, however, if you're practicing outdoors because you're going on a camping or backpacking trip you will not want to be lugging a heavy mat around! It's possible to get some really smart and thin foldable travel mats which will be durable enough for the job. Look for quality brands with good information about how the mats are made and tested, after all you don't want your mat to fail you part way through a trip.

Other Considerations for Choosing a Yoga Mat

There are several other things that could be big factors in your choice of mat! I've rounded them up below.

Price

Yes, this is a huge one and we shouldn't shy away from it. I've made the mistake of buying both a too cheap mat AND a too expensive mat in my time (what a joke!).

My advice on price is to choose a budget that you can realistically afford for a mat that will do the job for you and then find the BEST mat for your needs that you can within that budget. If this means looking at 'seconds' then do it- you can get an absolute bargain from some mat manufacturers (it took me years to figure out why my black Manduka mat was less than perfect and I was looking at it daily).

Some well known brands are just expensive, so make sure you're really getting what you need. Liforme seem to head the pack price wise, they offer really beautiful mats and I hear fellow students and teachers speak very highly of them, even getting custom colours and designs made up (which is brilliant if it's your 'forever mat'). I don't believe you need to spend over £150 to get a mat which will see you through years of regular practice, but if you have the cash and you're dedicated to yoga, it's a nice option to have.

On the other hand, don't spend too little either. Any yoga mat for £25 is going to feel like it disintegrates faster than your concentration in meditation. Plus it's unlikely to offer any grip benefits if you do more active styles of practice. Find a happy medium on price, and spend time hunting a bargain on a good brand if you need to. Your practice is worth it!

Personal Needs

You may have specific things that alter your mat requirements over & above simply how you will use it.

If you have strong environmental opinions then the way (and where) the mat is produced may be top of your list. Good manufacturers will provide this information, do seek it out and ask questions where needed.

If you have specific health or joint issues, the materials and thicknesses used can be really important. There are a huge variety of these, and they are being developed all the time as yoga becomes increasingly more popular.

Colour & Aesthetic

Yes! Yoga mats come in so many colours and aesthetics these days, and if your personal expression is important to you in the studio or at home then there is a strong chance you'll find the perfect mat design somewhere out there. A word of warning though, beware of beautiful mats that aren't fit for solid use. It's not beautiful when it's falling apart or giving you RSI because it's unsupportive.

Practically in terms of colour, I have a few things to add here. Light coloured mats will get DIRTY so be prepared to buy one that can be thoroughly cleaned and may not look as pristine in a few months' time. Dark coloured mats on the other hand will streak and can get dusty footprints visible even from a clean floor. My dark Manduka mats were pretty grim with regular Rocket practice where we used to use chalk too! But they are very cleanable.

A happy medium is a mid-coloured mat (my studio mats are turquoise) and for very heavy use a grey or silver mat will show the least dirt or wear over time.

So How will you Choose your Yoga Mat?

Let me know how you will choose yours and if there are other considerations that I haven't taken into account here. Which yoga mats have you found the best for your style or practice needs?

If you're starting a new yoga practice, committing to ongoing practice or coming back after some time off the mat, check out the options to practice with Emmalene either in person or online.

Emmalene also specialises in 1-1 yoga sessions tailored to your needs so get in touch here for something more personalised.