4 travel yoga mats that are light weight, compact, but still sturdy

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Manduka Our top pick for the best yoga mat of 2022 is the Manduka eKO Superlite Yoga Travel Mat for $45.

All of our favorite travel yoga mats are light weight, compact, and accommodate any type of traveler. We also measured the thickness of each mat so you’re supported on just about any surface.   Whether you have a daily yoga practice or you feel achy at the end of long travel days, stashing a yoga mat in your carry-on lets you unwind and loosen up once you hit your hotel or campsite.

(Psst: Try using one of these online yoga workouts. ) But chances are the yoga mat you have at home doesn’t exactly pack down small. Flexible, travel yoga mats are specifically designed to pack down small and not take up too much room (or weight!) in your suitcase or backpack.

They’re often thinner than your standard yoga mat and made from more flexible material, both of which allow them to be stashed in small places but still provide you some cushioning as you move through asanas. But, of course, the thinner a mat becomes, the less reliable it becomes, so it’s important to look for a travel yoga mat that still has good grip, is made of durable material to withstand folding and transportation, and one that’s easy to clean. We’ve vetted the world of foldable, travel yoga mats to narrow in on the best ones for every type of yogi and traveler.

Looking for a standard yoga mat? Check out our guide on the best yoga mats, from yoga instructors. The best travel yoga matsBest overall: Manduka eKO Superlite Travel Yoga Mat, $45 available on AmazonThe Manduka eKO Superlite Yoga Travel Mat weighs only 2. 2 pounds and is highly flexible for travel, without sacrificing the quality of the materials.

Best budget: Gaiam Foldable Yoga Mat, $19. 39 available on AmazonThe Gaiam Foldable Travel Yoga Mat is a compact and grippy option with an under-$20 price tag. Best cushioned: JadeYoga Travel Yoga Mat, $42.

95 available on AmazonThe JadeYoga Travel Mat comes from one of the most reliable brands on the market, is 3mm thick, and comes in two lengths to accommodate taller people. Best reversible mat: The Reversible (Un)Mat, $58 available on LululemonThe cleverly named Reversible (Un)Mat from Lululemon is like having two lightweight yoga mats for the price of one. Best travel yoga mat overallMandukaThe Manduka eKO Superlite Yoga Travel Mat weighs only 2.

2 pounds and is highly flexible for travel, without sacrificing the quality of the materials. Pros: Folds down very small, lightweight, tear-resistant, natural rubber, sticky surfaceCons: Expensive, not a lot of paddingLong-time yogi and Hatha yoga teacher Christabel Lobo and Kasia Gondek, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist in Southern California, both point to the Manduka eKO Superlite Yoga Travel Mat as your best choice for keeping up with your practice while traveling. At 2.

2 pounds and 1. 5-mm thick, it’s extremely lightweight and flexible, making it easy to fold up tightly and toss in a suitcase.  Despite being so thin, the mat is made of a woven scrim so it won’t tear or stretch in your suitcase.

It has Manduka’s signature closed-cell design which helps keep the surface dry, as well, and creates a strong grip for sweaty hands, so you can even pop into a hot yoga class on your travels. All Manduka mats are made without PVC or potentially toxic plasticizers. –Rachael SchultzBest budget travel yoga matGaiamThe Gaiam Foldable Travel Yoga Mat is a compact and grippy option with an under-$20 price tag.

Pros: Affordable, very lightweight, meant to be foldedCons: PVC materialIf you only travel a couple of times a year, you don’t want to drop too much on a mat. Infrequent travelers will love the Gaiam Foldable Travel Yoga Mat. This one-pound mat is even more lightweight than Manduka’s eKO Superlite but it’s slightly thicker at 2mm thick.

The whole mat folds down to a 10-inch-wide and 12-inch-long rectangle for easy transportation in a carry-on or overnight duffel bag. It’s one of the most affordable options available, too.  I have a full-sized Gaiam yoga mat that’s lasted me for several years with regular use, so I can attest to the quality of the brand’s goods.

Best cushioned travel yoga matJade YogaThe JadeYoga Travel Mat comes from one of the most reliable brands on the market, is 3mm thick, and comes in two lengths to accommodate taller people. Pros: Natural materials, purchase benefits Trees for the Future, more cushioningCons: Heavier than many other travel mats, doesn’t pack down as small as othersNearly all travel yoga mats are pretty thin, which is frustrating if you have knee of joint issues. This 3mm-thick mat from JadeYoga is the best you can get for a mat that’ll still roll up tight.

What’s more, the JadeYoga Travel Mat is available in 68-inch and 74-inch lengths, which offers taller people adequate space on the mat. JadeYoga puts special attention on sustainability, and its mats are made of natural rubber sourced from trees with no PVC or other synthetic materials added. For each one purchased, the brand ensures a new tree will be planted.

A no-slip, open-cell (more absorbent) surface gives you a solid grip, and it features a much plusher cushioning compared to other travel mats. At approximately 3 pounds, it’s a bit heavier than others on this list, but that’s a small price for more support.  One downside is that, unlike most travel yoga mats, Jade’s rolls instead of folds, so it may be harder to fit in your luggage.

On the other hand, the quality makes it a great multi-use pick for home practice as well as travel. JadeYoga makes one of our favorite yoga mats for sweaty yogis, too. Best reversible travel yoga matLululemonThe cleverly named Reversible (Un)Mat from Lululemon is like having two lightweight yoga mats for the price of one.

Pros: Reversible with a grippier side for when you sweat, very thin and light, antimicrobialCons: Not much cushionOne of the downsides of taking your yoga practice on the road is decreased access to the props and extras that make classes and at-home vinyasa sessions more enjoyable. The Reversible (Un)Mat from Lululemon helps solve that problem with a moisture-absorbing polyurethane-coated layer on one side, and natural rubber on the other. If you get super sweaty during a vigorous practice, use the grippier side to keep yourself from slip-sliding off the mat.

For more chill sessions, you can use the rubberized side. The mat also has an antimicrobial additive to help prevent mold and mildew, which makes for more peace of mind while traveling. This mat is a bit thinner than our other picks at 1.

5 mm, so if you like mats with ample cushion, you may need to look elsewhere.  Other yoga buying guidesThe best yoga matsThe best yoga accessories to elevate your home practice, according to yoga instructorsThe best yoga blocksThe best online yoga workoutsRead the original article on Insider.