If you're shopping for a new yoga mat, you've probably seen the vast pricing differences between various mats.
You've probably been baffled by this wide price range and wondered what the actual difference between the least expensive and the most expensive is. People are anxious as a result and inquire, "How much is a yoga mat?’
We'll explain how much yoga mats normally cost, and how much you should spend on your mat in this post.
Is Yoga Mat Expensive?
The only possible accessories you'll need for your yoga practice are a yoga mat and a yoga towel. It's helps with at home practice for daily practice if one can't go to a yoga studio for heated classes.
There are so many options and a huge variety of costs, from the inexpensive ($20) to the expensive mats ($120).
What Causes Different Yoga Mats to Cost So Much Differently?
When discussing plastic or rubber yoga mats, the significant variance in quality is the primary cause of the wide price range.
Yoga mats that are "cheap" tend to be a less stable, rubbery smell, and have a shorter lifespan, beginning to show wear and decomposition after only a year.
Although PVC yoga mats are frequently the least expensive, they are also the least eco-friendly.
What is The Average Cost of Yoga Mats?
This is dependent on who manufactures it and where you purchase it. Here is a list of some of the most popular stores and their typical prices for yoga mats, but there are pricier mats in the world.
1. Sporting goods store: Yoga mats often cost between $8 to $50 at big-box sports goods stores. A yoga mat from a store like this often costs €25 and they lay flat very well and absorb moisture also.
2. Online marketplace: Yoga mats can be purchased from an internet retailer like Amazon for as little as €6, and they can cost as much as €300. On Amazon, however, yoga mats are often sold for between $10 and $50, with an average cost of roughly €25.
3. Large athleisure brand: A small number of major companies control the athleisure sector, which includes yoga, pilates, and any other fitness activity that requires wearing leggings. A mat from one of these brands typically costs €100.
4. Small yoga mat brand: Yoga mats are also sold by a large number of smaller, independent companies and makers, including those you may discover on Etsy. These lesser-known brands' yoga mats typically cost between $20 and $150, with an average cost of €50.
5. Cork yoga mat brands: From $30 to $200 can be spent on cork yoga mats. The provenance of the cork itself is directly associated with price volatility. Cheaper cork yoga mats often originate from China and do not adhere to the same ethical, sustainable, or quality requirements as cork yoga mats made in Portugal.
What Should the Price of a Yoga Mat Be?
Yoga has recently grown to be a very lucrative industry. Unfortunately, as a result, most mats are moving further away from their ethical foundations and Vedic beginnings.
The majority of athleisure brands are more like quick fashion than yoga. The enlarged margins on yoga mats serve as proof of this.
The majority of yoga mats made of plastic, textured rubber, and even some cork is made in China.
Most yoga mats typically have a 10x markup. In other words, if a mat sells for €100, sourcing the ingredients, making the mat, and shipping it abroad only cost the brand €10.
4 Best Yoga Mats
The following four best yoga mats are the best in terms of a textured surface, thicker mats, thinner mats, and rubber mats:
Manduka Hot Yoga Mat 6 mm
No matter what type of yoga you practice, its dual-textured sides, solid yet cushiony rubber construction, and enough size will have you covered for firm support, it's a thicker mat.
The mat from Manduka has two surfaces: one is smooth and "sticky" polyurethane, which causes your hands and feet to stick to it, and the other is spongy and natural rubber, which has a rough surface and instead offers traction.
This enables you to modify how much traction you require, whether you do hot yoga or restorative yoga, or you simply tend to perspire a lot and have sweaty hands.
Compared to the standard lululemon size, which weighs just under 5.75 pounds, the thickness makes it more than 7 pounds.
Nevertheless, some yoga instructors have voiced concerns about perspiration stains, especially on the light color exercise mat. They are not suitable for carrying around like a bag.
JadeYoga harmony mat
It is made entirely of rubber, which has its benefits in that it absorbs moisture and aids in maintaining traction in steamy conditions.
With a thickness of 3/16 inches (434 millimeters), it is slightly thinner than our top pick but still offers a sturdy yet spongy feeling beneath the knees, hands and feet. It's a slightly thinner mat. JadeYoga harmony mat sold well in the market.
Due to it being a durable material, the JadeYoga may be washed in a front-loading machine gently; however, be prepared for a lengthy drying time as this baby soaks up water.
It performed almost as well at wicking sweat away and absorb sweat as the Lululemon, making it a perfect choice for hot yoga classes as well.
Gaiam performance dry-grip yoga mat
Its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) construction, which offers lots of padding and substantial support to soothe our joints, hip alignment and stabilize our standing poses, makes it a good choice.
The PVC mats are rather lightweight at 414 pounds, about a pound less than our top pick—a factor to take into account if you carry your mat frequently. The PVC mat should be recycled or otherwise reused rather than discarded.
JadeYoga voyager
The only travel mat that was tested by a certified personal trainer or a yoga instructor that did not slip or shift on the floor, folded up small for packing into carrying bag, and gave outstanding traction during practice.
This mat's traction was comparable to that provided by our rubber runner-up pick, also produced by JadeYoga.
The Voyager offers a whole 68 by 24-inch natural rubber practice space, comparable to a normal mat. Our yoga instructor testers discovered that the Voyager remained as secure when worn on carpet or on top of another mat as it did on the floor space.
Note, there are other mats but the ones listed above are the best ones. However, the JadeYoga Harmony Mat and the Lululemon Mat Rolls feature heavier mats of different varieties
Care And Maintenance Of A Yoga Mat
In the real world, this entails cleaning and rolling up your mat after class before laying it out to dry at home, potentially with a second wipe-down on a second rollout.
Try using a dish soap and water solution to spot clean tough stains and grime. Consider soaking your mat in the bathtub for a more thorough cleaning.
You might also be interested in What Is The Best Thickness For A Yoga Mat, make sure you read our article to find more helpful information before purchasing your next yoga mat!
Conclusion
A yoga mat is an investment, not a cost. We also have suggestions for latex-free, non-rubber, and mats made entirely rubber. Our luggage-friendly travel mat can be folded up for easy storage.
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