Whether it’s a once-in-a-lifetime yoga retreat in Bali, or you just want to keep up with your practice on the road, bringing your own yoga mat along on your travels is a great way to bring a little piece of home with you abroad. Practicing on your own mat can allow for you to keep up good habits, and carve out a little slice of zen for yourself. Unfortunately, though, sometimes it’s difficult to travel with a yoga mat; their unique shape and size can be cumbersome, and won’t always fit within baggage allowances. But that doesn’t mean that you’re out of luck! We’ve gathered ten of our favourite mats that can easily be taken on your travels.
Jade Yoga Mats
Not only do Jade Yoga’s mats come in a variety of colours and styles, they’re also dedicated to environmental preservation. For each purchase, the company plants a tree. With over 1.5 million trees planted so far, we’d say that’s a great excuse to treat yourself to a new mat!
Jade Yoga produces two types of travel mat: the Jade Voyager folds up small enough to fit in a backpack or suitcase, and the Travel Mat is only 1/8th of an inch thick, which makes it lightweight and easily transportable.
La Vie Boheme Yoga Mats
Looking for something a little different? Not only does La Vie Boheme Yoga offer some seriously beautiful yoga mats, they also sell yoga rugs. Traditionally used for Mysore-style Ashtanga practice, these eco-friendly woven rugs are great for practice on the beach, at a retreat, or wherever your travels take you.
Sugar Mat
Sugar Mat has three main values: sustainability, durability, and community. Combine those with a healthy dose of pink and trendy, beautiful patterns, and it’s easy to see why they’re a popular choice for fashion-forward yoga practitioners! Their travel mats come in five of Sugar Mat’s bestselling designs, and even come with an easy-to-carry pouch!
Liforme Yoga Mats
Liforme’s specialty is in their AlignForMe system. Special markings on their mats allow for an even alignment, no matter what the pose. Their Travel Mat comes with a bag – simply throw it over your shoulder on your way out! But, if you can’t sacrifice any extra room in your luggage, consider letting their Yoga Pad tag along. A much smaller product, this pad allows you to reap the benefits of Liforme’s AlignForMe system, without taking up as much space while you’re travelling.
Yoga Design Lab Mats
Authenticity is key, as far as Yoga Design Lab is concerned. Designed in Bali, their mats are beautiful and practical, whether for everyday use or for trotting across the globe. YDL also offers special yoga towels, generally used for hot yoga practice, which are non-slip and quick-drying. While the yoga towels are a great option for hot yoga, they’re also a fantastic lightweight option for travel!
Magic Carpet Yoga Mats
What started as a childhood fascination with nature has turned into Magic Carpet Yoga Mats. These sustainable, beautiful mats are sure to spark conversations at yoga retreats, or in your local studio. Magic Carpet Yoga also offers yoga towels, giving you even more options when seeking a travel companion.
Yoga Zeal Mats
Many of Yoga Zeal’s mats are machine-washable, which is great news for retreat-goers, travellers, and anyone (like me) with a habit of getting things messy. While they don’t offer a specific travel mat, their mat strap costs $7USD, and allows easy transportation of their beautiful mats.
If you’re taking your yoga mat on your travels, you’re probably looking to find some peace during your journey. That means the less stressful the transportation of that mat is, the better! Whether you opt for a specific travel mat, or find a way to carry your mat in a way that works for you, we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your choice. Now the only question is what design you want on your mat!
Do you bring your yoga mat with you when you travel?
