Before you buy a yoga mat there are a few things to consider. The most important features of a quality yoga mat are: grip, absorbency, weight and durability. A secondary consideration is thickness. Below these yoga mat traits are explored in detail.

Grip

A very important factor in choosing a yoga mat is the grip factor. After all, a yoga mat is only as good as its ability to keep you from sliding all around the floor during yoga practice. Choosing a yoga mat with a good amount of grip is a safety issue, to be sure. Whether we’re talking about friction between the yoga mat and your body, or the mat and the floor, slipperiness in either can lead to injury.

For added grip, choosing a yoga mat with a raised and textured surface is a good way to go. The Soft Grip Premium Yoga Mat is a prime example of this type of mat. Made from natural rubber and fiber, this yoga mat is also eco-friendly.

Absorbency

Related to the grip factor is a prospective yoga mat’s ability to absorb sweat. Yoga can be sweaty business! A good yoga mat should be able to absorb a fair amount of sweat before pooling on the surface. Usually very thin mats or those made of non-porous materials are more prone to slipperiness.

Keep your mat free of sweaty build-up and promote sustainability too! The Premium Eco Yoga Mat by Gaiam is an eco-friendly mat made of absorbent cotton and renewable rubber. The rubber comes from a “tapped” tree that keeps on living. Ultra-thick cushioning and performance waffle texture affords superior grip for all styles of yoga.

Weight

A yoga mat that is lightweight will help ease the toting of yoga gear to and from yoga class. While most yoga mats are rather lightweight, it’s worth doing some comparative shopping if you plan on carrying your yoga mat while walking to and from class.

The Yoga Essentials Mat is good lightweight yoga mat with adequate thickness and is known for its durability. Measuring 24″ by 68″, this yoga mat is 1/8-inch thick, perfect for most yoga purposes and comes in a variety of colors (more than pictured).

Durability

Obviously you want a yoga mat to last as long as possible, yet durability is a factor for reasons other than the cost of replacement. Sustainability is the best reason I know of for choosing durable products whenever possible. Choosing a durable yoga mat will not only save you money, but will save resources and minimize landfill space.

This Reversible Yoga Mat is made from a biodegradable phtalate, that is latex-free and super grippy. Though bio-degradable, this yoga mat is known for its durability as well as its thickness (3/16 inch), and perfect for more common yoga poses, or more strenuous or a sweaty vinyasa session.

Thickness

The average yoga mat has a thickness between 1/16 and 1/4 -inches. Except for travel yoga mats, which are designed to take up less space, an average thickness is 1/8 inch, which does well in nearly all yoga classes and for most yoga purposes.

For more strenuous yoga classes such as Ashtanga or power yoga (or for those simply desiring more cusion), a thicker yoga mat may be desired, such as the Premium Sticky Yoga Mat from Gaiam. At 1/4 inch these mats are twice as thick as their basic mats and are much prettier than the pic shows.

Keep your yoga mat fresh and enjoy subtle aromatherapy at the same time!

One good way to keep your yoga mat fresh and lasting is to use yoga mat wipes, like these from Gaiam. Mat wipes keep mats clean and free of slippery sweat, not to mention the bacteria that love sweat! The yoga mat wipes to the left come in an assortment of scents including lavender, peppermint, tangerine and eucalyptus.

For more great yoga mats and accessories check out Gaiam.com