I am travelling now and it is the first time in a long time I haven't left home with my travel yoga mat. And I regretted it almost instantly. I had to go out and buy another yoga mat and its so much bigger and bulkier than my easy to use, compact and lightweight mat. In fact, I'll be leaving it behind when I move on, just because it's too big to travel with.
Travel yoga mats are great for those who want to practice on the go and they are perfect for hotel rooms and guesthouses. While some roll up with carrying handles, others fold into a small square (like mine) and can be tucked away in the bottom of a suitcase or backpack.
They are easy to wash and while they don't offer as much padding as a regular mat, they are easily paired with a travel towel to give a bit of padding for your knees, when needed.
If you're looking to add a travel yoga mat to your packing list, take a look at the top yoga mats below, which I've chosen for their top reviews. I've also included the one I personally have, the Gaiam Foldable Yoga Mat, which I highly recommend.
This mat is the top rated on Amazon, with well over 300 positive and satisifed customers. At 1.5 mm thickness, it offers just enough padding to make it better the floor and also provides a grippy surface for those yoga practices on the go.
It is also quite lightweight, at just 2 pounds and is made with closed cell technology to keep out bacteria and moisture. I love that it's made from biodegradable, non-Amazon harvested, natural tree rubber and the company even collects all the waste and scrap from the manufacturing of these mats to be used in other products, making for zero waste manufacturing.
They come in a wide range of colours, as well. This is the best of the best.
A bit more affordable than the previous mat on my list, the Gaiam Foldable Yoga Mat is somehow half a millimetre thicker and yet slightly lighter than many other mats on the market. This mat folds into a perfect 10"x12" square, due to scoring, so it folds perfect every time.
It can fit in a suitcase or a backpack and can even be thrown in your carry on if you want to do an impromptu stretch sesh in the airport. It has a grippy, somewhat sticky surface and customers are reporting it has no weird plastic smell.
It is made from rubber and it comes in a range of nice, mandala accented patterns and colours. The only difference between this mat and the one I am currently using when travelling, is that mine has a bit of a cloth texture to the surface but I don't think they make this one anymore and I can kind of see why. It's a bit harder to clean and a bit less grippy than these new versions.
This mat is for the tall yogis out there. At 74 inches long, it's a bit pricier than some of the other mats on my list but not only is there more mat here, it's quite a bit thicker, at 1/8th of an inch. This means that it's also a bit heavier, but it's Jade Yoga's lightest mat, at about 3.5 pounds.
While you might not want to pack this mat around the Amazon jungle in your backpack, it's perfect for shorter city trips and for those with a regular, daily practice that don't mind carrying a bit of extra weight for extra comfort.
It's made with natural rubber in the USA and they even plant a tree for every yoga mat sold! Customers are reporting that this mat is "expensive but worth it" and one customer is just replacing their mat now after 11 years of use. It's the perfect mat for tall yogis that want a bit of comfort but still need something portable.
This is a fun option. It's a highly rated foldable three in one mat with a dual purpose surface, so its both mat and towel. I think this would be great for hot countries where hands and feet get extra slippery.
I also like how it folds up easily and then can be rolled and stashed in its own carrier, so you can throw it over your shoulder or attach it to the outside of your backpack. It has a nice celestial pattern, a sustainable natural tree rubber grippy surface and water based inks.
Just over 2 pounds and machine washable. What more could you want in a travel mat?
Okay, this isn't exactly a yoga travel mat, but it might just be the way I go for my next travel yoga mat purchase. These are grippy yoga gloves and socks that allow you to practice yoga anywhere.
They look a bit silly but who is watching and, best of all, they completely eliminate the use of carrying a mat. Now, where I am *not* sure about these is that it can't replace a yoga mat for providing a bit of cushioning and a clean surface to practice on, especially during floor work.
But if you don't want to pack a mat and just need something easy and space-saving, these could be what you are looking for!
The grippy surface is made from natural rubber and doesn't actually contain any padding, as they are designed to give you a real hand and foot feel. The top is mesh and breathable and customers are loving them, giving them rave reviews for the fact that they have open toes and are high quality with good grip.
Update: The team at Consumers Advocate reached out to me with their list of top yoga mats and asked if I would share it with you. If you're looking for more feedback and research on this topic, you can check out their piece here.
I hope this list of best yoga mats for travel help you on your quest to find your perfect travel yoga companion. If there is another mat you are using that you think should be on this list, let me know and I will be sure to add it!
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