If you’re a yogi who’s looking forward to traveling again soon, you may be wondering to yourself, “do I need a yoga mat specifically for travel?” Well, the answer is yes! If you’re a yogi-on-the-go, you need a lightweight, easily transportable yoga mat to allow you to practice from anywhere on the planet. But where do you even start to look? Don’t sweat it. We’ve scoured the web and read the best travel yoga mat reviews so that you can find the best travel yoga mats.
Our Top Picks
No time? No worries! Check out our quick list of top picks:
Best overall: Manduka Superlite Yoga/Pilates Mat This is what we believe is the best yoga mat to travel with. It’s light, foldable, and eco-friendly! | |
The Green Pick: Jade Yoga-Voyager Mat Made of all-natural tree rubber, this travel mat is high-quality and free of toxins. | |
Best for Sensitive Joints: Pure Fitness Deluxe Fitness Mat This exercise mat is perfect for those who need some extra cushion in their practice, even while traveling! | |
Best Splurge: Yogo Ultralight Folding Mat This yoga mat for travel has built-in clips so you can fold, roll, and go. Anytime, anywhere! | |
Best Suede: Yoyi Travel Yoga Mat Complete with a convenient travel case, this beautiful suede travel yoga mat is even machine-washable. |
Best Lightweight: Gaiam Folding Travel Mat One of the best folding yoga mats for travel, this mat is only 1lb so that you can carry it anywhere! | |
Best Absorbent: Snakuga Travel Yoga Mat This top travel yoga mat is designed to absorb sweat. It becomes grippier the more you perspire, ideal for hot yoga on the go! | |
Best Cork: Gurus Sprout Eco-friendly Yoga Mat This cork yoga mat is extra long and lightweight, making it perfect for travel. |
Best Travel Yoga Mats: A Closer Look
You don’t have to travel very far to see why we chose the above as our top picks. You just have to keep scrolling.
1. Manduka Superlite Yoga/Pilates Mat
The best travel yoga mats overall
Brand: Manduka | Material: Natural Tree Rubber | Dimensions: 71″/24″ | Price: 💰💰💰💰
The Manduka Superlite is our personal choice for the best yoga travel mat due to its versatility and high quality. Manduka’s Superlite yoga mat is made of natural tree rubber and non-toxic foams and dyes. This particular mat weighs just over 2lbs, so it is relatively lightweight and easy to carry around. Although you may roll it up, since this mat is so thin, you can easily fold it as well This mat does need to be broken in, so it should get better and better with use. This travel mat is just over ½” thick, so while it is lightweight, it should also provide a decent amount of cushioning.
Buyers loved these yoga mats, overall. They thought it was the perfect design for traveling and were pleased to find that it had a very grippy finish. They also loved how easy it was to fold up and store. The main complaint about this product was that it got too slick with any amount of sweat added to the mix. Some also mentioned that the mats smelled too strongly of rubber, which is very common in rubber yoga mats. The smell should, however, fade with time!
Reviewers Like
- Very sticky
- Easy to fold up
- It is perfect for traveling
Reviewers Dislike
- Gets slick with sweat
- Smells strongly of rubber
2. Jade Yoga-Voyager Mat
The best eco-friendly travel yoga mats
Brand: Jade Yoga | Material: Natural Rubber | Dimensions: 68″/24″ | Price: 💰💰💰
This yoga mat by Jade Yoga is made of all-natural rubber for those who like to stay eco-friendly. When it comes to transportation, this is an excellent mat for that, weighing only 1.5lbs. You can also buy the Voyager mat on Amazon if you have Prime and want free shipping. Our very favorite thing about these mats is that Jade Yoga will plant a tree for every mat sold!
Overall, buyers loved these yoga mats. With its incredibly low weight, they found that this mat was ideal for traveling. They also were pleased with how grippy the mat was and how durable and high-quality the natural rubber was. There were a few disgruntled reviewers, however. Some were not happy that the mat was so thin; however, the only way to have it be so lightweight is to have it thin, unfortunately. A couple of others were disappointed with how strongly their mats smelled. This is a common complaint with natural rubber products, so keep that in mind if you have a particularly strong sense of smell.
Reviewers Like
- It’s very grippy
- High-quality material
- It’s perfect for traveling yogis
Reviewers Dislike
- It is very thin
- Smells strong
3. Pure Fitness Deluxe Fitness Mat
The best travel yoga mats for sensitive joints
Brand: Pure Fitness | Material: NBR Foam | Dimensions: 68″/24″ | Price: 💰💰
This beautiful blue mat by Pure Fitness is perfect for all your fitness needs. It is made of half-inch-thick NBR foam to keep your body extra cushioned. Although this is a very thick mat, it rolls up and comes with a strap for easy transportation anywhere you need. This is truly the perfect travel mat with extra cushioning, and for those who use mats for more than just yoga, like exercises that could put pressure on their joints. It is also available on Amazon, for those who want to take advantage of free shipping.
Most buyers were thrilled with this mat. Those with sore joints who needed some extra cushioning were thrilled that this option existed. They were also impressed with its grip, as well as its amazingly low price. Some were disappointed, however. Since this is technically an “exercise” mat and not a “yoga” mat, some were disappointed about this. However, the description explains how thick this mat is, as well as that it is an exercise mat, rather than just a yoga mat, although it can easily be used for yoga. Always read product descriptions! Another buyer was disappointed that this mat wasn’t sticky enough for their needs.
Reviewers Like
- It has good grip
- It’s great for sore joints
- It has a great, low price
Reviewers Dislike
- Not sticky enough
- Not a legit “yoga” mat
4. Yogo Ultralight Folding Mat
The best splurge travel yoga mats
Brand: Yogo | Material: Natural Tree Rubber, Cotton, Recyclable Plastic | Dimensions: 68″/24″ | Price: 💰💰💰💰💰
Made primarily of natural tree rubber, this yoga mat is very grippy and eco-friendly. This is also a very compact option; the mat folds up very tightly. The straps attached to the mat clip together to keep it that way for easy transportation. Our favorite thing about this mat? For every mat purchased, Yogo funds a food-bearing tree and agricultural training for a family in Africa.
Many reviewers left very positive messages about this yoga mat. They loved how sticky it was and found the material very durable. They were also thrilled with how well it worked for traveling due to how tightly it folds up. A few thought that the mat was either not sticky enough or not cushioned enough, but overall, buyers loved it.
Reviewers Like
- It’s perfect for travel
- The mat is very sticky
- The material is very durable
Reviewers Dislike
- Not cushioned enough
- Not sticky enough for some
5. Yoyi Travel Yoga Mat
The best suede travel yoga mats
Brand: Yoyi | Material: Natural Suede and Natural Rubber | Dimensions: 72″/26″ | Price: 💰💰💰
This mat from Yoyi comes in several different (equally beautiful) prints and is perfect for all your travel yoga needs. It is 1/16” thick, so it folds up very small, and it also comes with a small travel case. One surprising thing about this mat is that it is machine-washable! This is quite uncommon when it comes to yoga mats. You may still choose to wipe it down, but you can machine-wash it safely if you prefer.
Overall, buyers loved this travel yoga mat. It folded up quickly and compactly for them, making transportation a breeze. They also loved how grippy the mat was. Some thought the mat was a bit heavier than they prefer, especially when it comes to traveling. Some mentioned it was a bit too slippery.
Reviewers Like
- It folds up well
- Nice and grippy
- Easy to transport
Reviewers Dislike
- Rather heavy
- It is too slippery
6. Gaiam Folding Travel Mat
The best lightweight travel yoga mats
Brand: Gaiam | Material: PVC | Dimensions: 68″/24″ | Price: 💰💰
This folding yoga mat from Gaiam comes in 5 beautiful pattern options and is made of PVC. It folds into a compact (10”/12”) size, and it only weighs a pound, so it’s perfect for transportation. It is worth noting that the description mentions not leaving the mat out in the sun for very long, as it could make the mat brittle and unusable. If you do lots of outdoor yoga in the sun, this may not be the mat for you.
Buyers were pleased with these yoga mats, overall. They loved how lightweight they are, which made them easy and convenient to transport. They were also impressed with how well they folded up for easy storage and loved that they were sufficiently sticky, too. There were a couple of complaints, however. Some thought the mat was too slippery, and others noted that the fold lines did not allow the mat to lie completely flat when it was open.
Reviewers Like
- It is sufficiently sticky
- It is so lightweight, easy to transport
- Folds up so small that it fits just about anywhere
Reviewers Dislike
- Mat is slippery
- Won’t lie completely flat due to fold lines
7. Snakuga Travel Yoga Mat
The best absorbent travel yoga mats
Brand: Snakuga | Material: Natural Rubber and Suede | Dimensions: 72″/26″ | Price: 💰💰💰
Made of natural rubber and natural suede, this beautiful yoga mat by Snakuga is perfect for taking your practice on the go. It folds into a 10”/12” rectangle which fits perfectly in its accompanying travel case. This yoga mat length is 72”, perfect for anyone who likes some extra space on their mat. This mat is available in several beautiful patterns with various color schemes and weighs just 2lbs, perfect for travel. Snakuga’s mat is moisture-absorbing, and as you sweat, the surface should become grippier.
The reviewers of this foldable yoga mat were pleased overall. They reported the mats being easily foldable, making them perfect for storing and travel. They also were happy with how grippy the mats were, even with how sweaty they were. Possibly most importantly, buyers reported that especially considering their price, these yoga mats were of excellent quality. On the flip side, some reviewers didn’t like how thin the mat is and felt it was not as light as they anticipated.
Reviewers Like
- Great quality for the price
- Nice and grippy, even with sweat
- It’s easily foldable, great for storing
Reviewers Dislike
- It is very thin
- Not quite as light as expected
8. Gurus Sprout Eco-friendly Yoga Mat
The best cork travel yoga mats
Brand: Gurus | Material: Cork and TPE Foam | Dimensions: 72″/25″ | Price: 💰💰💰
This yoga mat by Gurus is made of cork (top side) and TPE foam (bottom side) and weighs just 2lbs! It’s a whopping 72” long, so this is perfect even for those on the taller side. They are designed to be non-slip, so you can switch positions with ease. Gurus also plant a tree with every purchase made, which makes this a wonderful eco-friendly option.
Overall, buyers were very pleased with this cork travel yoga mat. They loved how grippy the cork was; even with lots of sweat, it worked! Buyers were also happy with how lightweight and easy to transport it is. Another plus was that the mats didn’t have any strong smells like so many other yoga mats do. However, there were some negative reviews. One stated that the cork started peeling off of the mat very shortly after being used. Some other buyers mentioned the mat was simply not grippy enough for them.
Reviewers Like
- Very grippy cork
- Perfectly lightweight for travel
- No bad smell like with other brands
Reviewers Dislike
- Not grippy enough
- Cork started peeling off
What to Look for in the Best Travel Yoga Mats
Yoga mats come in numerous varying styles, colors, and comfort levels. Let’s dive into a few things you’ll need to consider when looking for the best yoga mat for travel.
1
Materials
The first thing to consider is the materials used in the making of your yoga mat. Many companies are moving towards eco-friendly options such as natural rubber and cork, so it isn’t too difficult to find eco-friendly and non-toxic options. However, some materials such as TPE are boasted to be completely safe for humans, when in reality, they may not be. You may note that there are some options in this list that are made of or contain TPE. These are often cheaper options than rubber and other eco-friendly materials, and they are still good yoga mats. However, we think it is essential to be transparent about the relatively unknown, unstudied, and potentially negative effects of TPE.
All this to say, if you are especially conscious of keeping a home free of toxins or other harmful products/chemicals, you may want to stay away from PVC (which is known to be harmful) and TPE, and play it safe with natural rubber!
2
Weight
When it comes to travel, no one wants to lug around a heavy bag (or bags). This is why many travel yoga mats are very lightweight, which is ideal. Some yoga mats are meant for use at home, so they are not as lightweight as the average traveler needs. For this reason, many yogis who travel regularly may want to buy a separate yoga mat for travel, specifically. This is an excellent idea to keep your bags light and more easily portable.
3
Cushioning
One thing that is directly affected by the weight of a yoga mat is often the level of cushion it provides. The more cushioned a mat is, the thicker it is, generally speaking. Therefore, you must be careful and consider if you value your travel mat being lightweight or more cushioned. Although you can find lightweight mats with decent cushioning, if you have any joint pain or like some extra support, a mat that is designed for travel and extra cushioning may be difficult to find.
4
Folding vs Rolling
Another aspect of travel yoga mats to consider is how they can store. Typically, yoga mats get rolled up, and sometimes they come with a carrying strap for easy toting. While rolling is convenient for a trip to the yoga studio, when it comes to long-distance or long-term traveling, keeping baggage compact and light is of utmost importance.
This is where folding yoga mats come into the picture. Some yoga mats can fold into a very compact rectangle that’s only a foot long, and lies very flat, which is perfect for traveling.
In Conclusion…
There are all sorts of different yoga mats for travel, but we hope we’ve helped you narrow down your list of potential travel yoga mats. Better yet, we like to think you’ve found your perfect mat in this list!
Stay safe, and enjoy your future travels accompanied by your travel yoga mat!
Our Process
For this guide on travel yoga mats, our team spent 8 hours researching the most popular options from over 11 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about one hundred and fifty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each travel yoga mats. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 8 on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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Further Reading