From sun-soaked beach vacations in Hawaii to rustic mountain retreats in the Smokies, traveling is key to relaxing and reconnecting with our deeper selves. Getting away from our day-to-day routine can open up a world of new experiences. Naturally, for the dedicated yogi, it can be daunting to think of completely abandoning one’s yoga practice. While it may not always be possible to pack up your full set of yoga straps and yoga blocks, a travel yoga mat or towel yoga mat can be a practical necessity when taking your practice on the road. A travel yoga mat can free you to drop in on a spur-of-the-moment Bikram class or work on your warrior one in front of a rushing waterfall. Read on to discover the top five reasons you need to pack a travel yoga mat.
Save Time and Money
Vacation time is precious, and no one wants to waste minutes worrying about the hassle of mat rentals when they could be sightseeing or beach hopping. Having your own Yoga Design Lab Travel Mat ready to go means you can skip the stress of sourcing a mat in an unknown location. While many yoga studios may have their own mats for rental, selection is never guaranteed and usually is accompanied by a hefty rental fee. The initial expense of buying your own travel yoga mat will pay for itself within just a few drop-in class visits. Save your dollars for a luxurious Airbnb excursion or a delicious fruity mocktail. Lastly, it can be reassuring to bring along a little piece of home when practicing in new studios or spaces.
Hygienic and health-conscious
In a post-COVID world, it never hurts to be a little more health and safety conscious. While we would love to assume that all yoga studios adhere to strict cleaning standards, this just simply isn’t always the case. Whether you are backpacking with your trusty mat through Latin America or experimenting with the hot yoga offerings in Toronto, you never really know what your mat rental has been through. Sweat, dirt, and bacteria can all build up on mats over time, if not cleaned and cared for properly. Bringing along your yoga travel mat guarantees you peace of mind when it comes to hygiene, and greatly lowers your risk of getting sick. Pro tip: in addition to squeezing your travel yoga mat into your suitcase be sure to pack a travel-sized version of your favorite mat cleaner. This will ensure your latest yoga purchase is kept in tip-top shape in between sessions of practicing your favorite arm balances and backbends.
Take Your Yoga Practice Worldwide
Delicious foreign flavors, jaw-dropping sunsets, and heartwarming human connections. The gifts of travel are endless. But, sometimes it can be difficult to balance your desire for exercise and stability with your unpredictable travel plans. Depending on the length of your getaway, you may choose to step away from your daily yoga practice and exercise routine. However, for more long-term travel, it can be beneficial to develop new and healthy routines wherever you land. As many yogis can acknowledge, it can take months, sometimes even years to build a compelling practice. If you are truly in love with your custom yoga flow, why wouldn’t you continue your journey during your vacation? Keep progressing with your movements from pigeon to crow pose, when you pack along a travel yoga mat, or even some yoga stretch straps. Yogis heading to sweltering climates may even opt to further protect their mats from sweat and the elements with a quick-drying yoga towel. A travel yoga mat can also inject your practice with novelty by allowing you to try out different poses and postures anywhere from the forest floor to sandy beaches. Make unforgettable travel memories when you settle in for a sunrise meditation in the mountains or work on hip openers by the sea. For many individuals, travel can present a wide array of stressors, from missed flight connections to attempting to speak a foreign language. During these moments of anxiety and stress, your yoga routine can offer a welcome hour of relief and relaxation and relief.
Become Part of the Local Yoga Community and Make Friends
Frequent travelers understand one of the greatest blessings of exploring new horizons is the wide variety of characters, acquaintances, and friends you meet on the way. Yogis are lucky in that their far and wide community is welcoming. When fellow yoga lovers spot you with your travel yoga mat they will be more likely to strike up a conversation. Joining an unfamiliar yoga class can help you become part of the local yoga community and foster connections and friendships that will far outlast your vacation tan. With the addition of a yoga travel mat, you can easily switch up your normal routine with a foray into bolster yoga or yoga block cork work. Even if your snazzy new travel yoga mat fails to be a conversation starter, you can always make the first move by the yoga cork block stack!*
*In the market to up your yoga hand practice? Invest in a block and appreciate the greater depth of movement with cork blocks yoga flows.
Utilize as a Multi-Use Tool
Why limit your trusty travel yoga mat to just downward dog? While it may technically be called a ‘yoga’ mat, these ultra-lightweight and compact rectangles offer so much more than joint support. Thanks to their compact nature and microfiber thickness, they also provide extra cushioning for those more delicate items in your suitcase. New travel yoga mats deliver a delectable blend of comfort and absorbency thanks to new technologies and fabrics. This makes them ideal for impromptu picnics, outdoor seated meditations, or even sleeping.
Best Yoga Mats for Traveling
Since not all yoga mats are made for travel, it can be helpful to source yoga mat options specifically designed for the on-the-go yogi. Yoga Design Lab offers a multitude of yoga options from Infinity Design Mats to Yoga Curve Mats. However, for a failsafe travel option, we love the YDL Combo Travel Yoga Mat - 2-in-1 (Mat + Towel). Unlike cork yoga mats which can be a tad bulky for travel, this high-quality yoga mat is both lightweight and compact. Merging convenience and comfort, these mats also feature a luxurious microfiber towel layer atop a natural tree rubber base. Yogis can move through their flow with ease thanks to its 1.5 mm thickness and highly absorbent properties. Bring the 2-in-1 wherever you go thanks to its included carrying strap for yoga mat.
Yoga Travel Bags
Looking to make your yoga travel journey even more seamless? A yoga travel bag allows you to pack up your mat and strap yoga gear for a day of classes or spontaneous beach flow sessions. We are partial to the versatile YDL Yoga Mat Bag which features an adjustable strap, extra pockets, and room to store mat and some extras. Extra lightweight and easy to carry, it makes the ideal addition to your yoga travel repertoire.
Friendship, fitness, and convenience. Wherever your yoga practice may take you, there are endless reasons to bring along your travel mat. Relax after a stressful day of airport travel with a divine Savasana, or keep your energy flowing with an invigorating round of sun salutations. The comfort and ease of having your yoga travel mat both bolsters yoga prowess and opens your body to new experiences.
By, Isis-Maya Nissman