Fifteen year ago, there were only one basic type of yoga mat in the market. Now, there is a mat to suite every preference and priority. Therefore choosing the right yoga mat has become important than ever before.
This guide will help you to find the perfect yoga mat for your requirement irrespective of your preference.
Thickness
If the thickness of your yoga mat is too thin, your knee might get hurt while practicing and similarly too much thickness will make it harder for you to feel a strong connection to the ground, making you wobbly in practice.
The ideal thickness of a yoga mat depends on the material of the mat but in generally needs to be around 4mm to 5mm thick.
Material
The material of your yoga mat dictates the grip, comfort, texture, sponginess and durability. Most low end yoga mats are made out of synthetic materials such as PVC, PU and vinyl. But most good quality yoga mats are made from more environmentally friendly natural materials such as naturel rubber.
Natural rubber is recognized as the best material for yoga mats among many yogis due to its durability, grip and comfort.
Texture
The texture of a yoga mat dictates how much traction it provides. Like stickiness, texture affects how much slipping and sliding you do. It provides physical barriers to sliding (whereas stickiness relies on suction). And because texture affects the way a yoga mat feels, it’s also a component of overall comfort.
Stickiness
Yoga mat needs have certain amount of stickiness to prevent it from sliding all over the place and help maintain the alignment as you move from one pose to another.
Regardless of the texture, natural rubber yoga mats provide additional traction due to the natural stickiness of rubber. Therefore natural rubber yoga mats are superior to many other yoga mats availed in the market.
Eco-Friendliness
As yogis we hold dear to the concept of ahimsa or no-violence. Therefore practicing on a yoga mat that is environmentally friendly is very dear to our hearts. Most low end yoga mats are made out of PVC, PU or vinyl materials which are synthetic and not environmentally friendly.
On the other had rubber, jute and cotton yoga mats are environmentally friendly and bio degradable.