As a yoga teacher, I get asked this question all the time. There are so many mats on offer and every one of you will have a personal preference or design feature that you are looking for. There is no one size fits all solution so I have brokensome of the best choices into categories below.

Best Budget/All Rounder – Yogamatters (£18)

These are the mats that I use in my yoga classes and they come in beautiful colours! They are nice and grippy with a little cushioning. I would definitely recommend this mat to a yoga newbie as they are great value for money.

Best for Durability and Non-Slip – Jade (£72-82)

I love this mat, I have had mine for over 5 years and use it every day. It is tough so not ideal for those of you that like a bit of padding/cushioning. But if you want something a little thinner so you can connect to the earth then it is perfect. It’s expensive but I swear by it – if you want extra non-slip and something that lasts forever then this is your mat!

Best Cushioning – Manduka PROlite (£58)

I have several people that come to classes that use these and swear by them – particularly if your looking for both grip and cushioning (so often mats have either one or the other). They come in a stunning range of colours and look beautiful.

Best Budget with Design – Gaiam (£17.85)

These come in some really striking and funky designs. I have linked to the ‘tree of life’ design that I have had before and loved but take a look around as there are lots of different patterns. I have had a few of these in the past and they have lasted really well. You can also get matching accessories on some of the designs which is a great if you like to have things coordinating. They are also nice and grippy with a little cushioning.

Best for Design – Yogabellies (£46)

These come in some really gorgeous designs that will really make your practice feel special.

Best for Sweaty / Hot Yoga – Yoga Design Lab (£62)

These mats from Design lab combine the benefits of a towel and a mat together – I haven’t used these mats but looking at the reviews they look like they are spot on for hot yoga.

I know there are loads of other great mats available from Lululemon to smaller independent desiners. But this gives you an idea of things to look out for. A great mat can really help you enjoy your practice (nobody likes to be slipping around). A word of advice – quite often any mat that you get will take a few uses to lose its initial slippiness.

 

Let me know if there are any mats that you love using that I have missed out and if there are any other topics that you would like to know more about? Please comment below or email me at karaandreayoga@gmail.com