When I started Asana Tree at the beginning of 2020 I did so because, as a reasonably inexperienced Yogi, I was disappointed with the yoga mats that were available on the market. I found that they were either too cheap and did not last or did not provide the level of comfort and grip that I wanted, or they were extremely expensive but still did not last. The last mat that I purchased before starting Asana Tree was from what many believe to be the market leader and within less than six months the surface was starting to decay, and I couldn’t use it anymore.
What a year it has been! I could never have imagined that I would be launching the business on the Eve of a global pandemic and now we’re almost a year on.
Many of you will be looking to 2021 for a fresh start and fitness is one of the many things that we look to take up in the new year. I have always struggled staying committed to fitness regimes and my yoga practise is the only form of fitness that I have been able to keep going, day in, day out for over three and a half years.
Anyway, this blog is to give my take on what you should look for in a yoga mat for 2021 depending on your needs, ability level and budget.
Budget mats
These are the mats that you will find in your local gym and are often made with foam. There are thousands available on the market. They are designed to cater for a number of different exercise regimes and to be inexpensive. This is where many decide to start with their first yoga mat purchase and that is understandable as you may, after all, decide not to keep practising yoga after a few weeks or months.
However, I would urge you to consider spending a little bit more to get a better quality mat. It will be comfier; you will not slide as much, and it will enable you to build confidence with your practise meaning that you’re less likely to give up and try something else. Also, if you buy the right mat then it will last a lot longer and so in the long term it will be more beneficial financially.
High end mats
At the other end of the scale are mats that often retail for over one hundred pounds. You will no doubt have researched and discovered who the big brands are. On the whole, these will be a rubber based mat with some kind of man made top layer to provide a grippy service.
These mats are for those who want to have the best possible surface for their practice, with perfect levels of grip so that they don’t slide but they can still ‘flow’ from one asana to the next (see our Pro-Grip mat).
Sustainable mats
The sustainability of yoga mats is often a top priority for Yogi’s and indeed, we have found that our most sustainable yoga mat (the Eco-Cork) has been the most in demand over the past 12 months. What one considers to be sustainable obviously differs from person to person, but you should look for whether the materials are natural, they should certainly be biodegradable within a reasonable length of time. The Company should also be able to tell you where their raw materials come from, if they are as serious about sustainability as they claim. Our cork is harvested from trees in Portugal and our rubber is harvested from trees in Malaysia, all in the most sustainable way possible. The top (PU) layer of our Pro-Grip yoga mat is the only man-made element, and this is crafted in Taiwan, which we have found to provide a much better surface than those made elsewhere.
Also consider the packaging that your yoga mat comes in. Our Eco-Cork yoga mats are simply but beautifully packaged in a cardboard box which is fully recyclable at the kerbside. Our Pro-Grip yoga mats are wrapped in paper and a linen bag for protection, rather than being wrapped in plastic which the vast majority of our competitors use. Again, the box as well as all the other packaging can be recycled at the kerbside. Both come with a carry strap, which is a must when you are buying a new mat.
What is the difference between the cheapest and most expensive yoga mats?
I’ve outlined some of the differences above, but the simple fact is that some of the big brands can, to a certain degree, charge what they like. At Asana Tree we use exactly the same materials and manufacturing processes (sometimes in the same factories) as the ‘big’ brands, but our overheads are much smaller and we sell directly to you the customer rather than using a distributor which means that our mats are at least 20% cheaper than other mats made in the same way, with the same materials but with a different logo.
How do I choose the best yoga mat for 2021?
Shop around, decide what’s most important to you; is it sustainability, performance or durability? Do you want to support the British economy by buying from British company? Do the ideals of the company match with your own? Is the company approachable? I often have Yogi’s emailing through our website, and I make sure to respond to each one of those personally, after all we want to make sure that you purchase the best yoga mat for you, even if that’s not one of our mats. We want to make sure that you enjoy your practise as much as you can.
Yoga has changed my life for the better and I know that there are many other people out there who would benefit from a regular practise. The right yoga mat is just a part of that, but it is an important part, so when you’re looking for the best yoga mat in 2021 sit down and think carefully before making your purchase.
If you have any questions about our mats, our other products or our journey then send us an email: hello@asanatree.co.uk
