How to choose yoga mats?

How to choose yoga mats? 

We will analyze how to choose yoga mats from the following aspects: material, size, portability and anti-slip.

1.material

At present, the mainstream yoga mat material on the market is generally divided into PVC, TPE, natural rubber, cork, cotton and hemp and mixed yoga mat material.If you are allergic to latex, check the label for latex free label（latex-free）

PVC

Advantages: good durability, low cost of raw materials, so the price is close to the people, is also relatively common use of yoga mat;Free from latex, suitable for people with latex allergy;The material is poorly absorbent, so it is easy to clean.

Disadvantage: due to poor absorbency of materials, it has good skid resistance in dry conditions. However, for those who sweat a lot, it has poor skid resistance.Plastic products do not degrade naturally.

TPE

Advantages: high elasticity;Good skid resistance in both wet and dry;Environmentally friendly, some products can be fully recycled

Disadvantage: compared with PVC, it has poor durability

Natural rubber

Advantages: natural source of raw materials, environmental protection;The natural texture and perforated structure of the surface help to absorb moisture, so it works well both dry and wet.

Disadvantage: It smells strong when you first buy it.The perforated structure is easy to absorb stains and needs market cleaning

cork

Advantages: environmental non-toxic, almost no odor;Woodiness has the feeling that returns to nature more;Excellent dry and wet resistance.

Disadvantage: Relatively expensive; Good absorbability of wooden structure, not easy to clean

cotton and hemp:

Advantage: skin-friendly, mild and non-irritating, it is the first choice for those who love traditional weaving techniques;Easy to clean

Disadvantage: Poor grip, limited to less action yoga classes or meditation practice, relatively small number of people

mixed material:

Most chemical synthetic materials are non - toxic products.PVC was first used as the material for yoga MATS in the modern sense produced by the industrial assembly line

TPE is a kind of high-grade material with high production quality and environmental friendliness

2.size:

The length is usually around 170cm and 180cm;The width is usually about 60cm

It is recommended for beginners to use a medium thickness of 6-8mm, which can make the process of learning yoga more pleasant.Advanced users are recommended to use 3-6mm (Also be the most common ply on market at present), The veteran recommended the use of 1.5-3mm thin pad, fully aware of the ground, to maintain stable movement

3.portability:

Yogi usually have two MATS, one at home and one outside.The yoga mat at home can ignore portability, but take out the mat must be convenient to carry.First of all, the weight should be light. Many brands will produce 1.5-3mm yoga MATS for travel, which can be easily rolled up or folded, and put into suitcases and backpacks.

4.Anti-slip:

Just contact yoga yoga people, generally yoga mat will not have any special requirements and attention.However, it has a profound impact on the experience of using non-skid or non-skid MATS, making the already arduous standing postures more difficult to control, more tense muscles and difficult to stretch. In addition to not being able to guarantee correct practice of postures, it is also related to the safety of practice.Summer yoga tends to make you sweat, so you'll need a moisture-resistant mat