We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Travel Yoga Mat?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,932
Share

Many people who are regular practitioners of yoga don’t want to give up their practice when they travel. The standard yoga mat can create a problem for those who need to travel light and must fit all items in one piece of carry-on luggage. In general, yoga mats are fairly lightweight, especially if they’re made of foam, but they still may not be light or thin enough to easily pack. People may solve this issue by purchasing a travel yoga mat, which is typically lighter and thinner than standard mats.

Like standard mats, the travel yoga mat comes in numerous materials. Some are made of durable types of foam, and others are made of materials like very thin cotton. Typically, these mats weight about one to two pounds (.45-91 kg) and fold more compactly than do standard mats. Most can easily fit in carry-on suitcases without creating too much bulk.

Sometimes people who don’t require much cushioning use a travel yoga mat for all yoga practice. This isn’t ideal for everyone because these mats are typically less than a half-inch (1.27 cm) thick. Lack of appropriate cushioning may not make these mats a good choice for other matwork programs, especially pilates. The amount of matwork that takes place on the back may result in pain for those people who are working out on hard surfaces with inadequate cushioning. Pilates mats are typically a little thicker than yoga mats, and it may not be a good idea to get an extremely thin mat for significant pilates work.

For those who do require some additional cushioning, packing a travel yoga mat or pilates mat in a suitcase isn’t always possible. There are some ways to bring a slightly heavier mat along. Many companies that sell mats also sell numerous carrying devices with them that can help fully protect the mat and have space to carry additional equipment. Though this may mean checking a bag when flying, the additional hassle or possible expense of this can be worth it if it means having a comfortable mat for workouts at travel destinations.

It isn’t always necessary to buy a travel yoga mat, especially if traveling by car. Many yoga fans merely bring their favorite mat along, and do so by packing it in a protective bag. Another very easy carrying device for yoga mats are yoga slings. These feature handles but only fit around the center part of a rolled up mat. They make it convenient for porting yoga mats to and from classes, and mats can be packed this way for travel. Yoga slings aren’t always practical for thicker pilates mats, and some may cause deep grooves in heavier mats, which ruins them.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-travel-yoga-mat.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.