Choose the right yoga mat for your gym & yoga class

Here we have listed some general things to consider when choosing a yoga mat to bring to the gym or yoga class:

• Thin & light 
• Good grip
• Good cushion 
• Adapted to your yoga form

In some yoga forms, the grip is the most crucial thing to make you happy with your yoga mat. Below you can read which yoga mats we recommend for different types of yoga.

Best yoga mats for bikram-yoga och hot yoga

In this type of yoga, various positions are performed in a heated room with high humidity. That's why it's important to choose a yoga mat that has a really good grip - even when it gets wet. Our award-winning Grip&Cushion Yoga Mat provides superior support in hot conditions because it absorbs moisture.

We recommend that you buy one of these yoga mats:

• Yoga mat Position 4mm 
• Yoga mat Cover up grippy 2mm 
• Yoga mat Grip&cushion III 5mm   
• Eco yoga mat Grip&bamboo 4mm 

Best yogamats for yin yoga, kundalini, restorative yoga and medi-yoga

If you practice any form of calmer yoga, choose a thicker, softer yoga mat that's comfortable to lie on for long periods. As you will be holding your positions for a long time, it is important to choose a mat that is comfortable and provides good cushioning.

We recommend that you buy one of these yoga mats:

• Yoga mat Natural cork 5mm 
• Yoga mat Natural wool
• Yoga mat Grip&cushion III 5mm 
• ECO Multifunction mat 6mm 

Best yoga mats for flow yoga, power yoga, ashtanga- and hatha yoga

In this type of physical & dynamic yoga, balance plays a major role, as challenging movements are repeated. This requires a mat with a good grip so that you can feel confident in the positions. We recommend a thinner yoga mat which will allow you to get closer to the floor and maintain your balance more easily. The mat also needs to be durable so that it lasts over time. A perfect choice is our best-in-test winner Grip&Cushion Yoga Mat.

We recommend that you buy one of these yoga mats:

• Yoga mat Position 4mm 
• Yoga mat Cover up grippy 2mm 
• Yoga mat Grip&Cushion III 5mm  
• Yoga mat Recycled lightweight 4mm

Best yoga mats for pilates and floor exercises

When doing pilates or floor exercises, a thicker mat is a good idea. Exercise Mat Comfort has a cushioning of 7 mm, which is perfect for this type of training. Likewise, our Cork Yoga Mat provides proper support for floor exercises.

We recommend that you buy one of these yoga mats:

• Exercise Mat Comfort 7mm 
• Yoga mat Grip&cushion III 5mm 
• Yoga mat Natural cork 5mm

Choose the right yoga mat for your home practice

When choosing a yoga mat for your home, you can base your choice on the type of yoga, the application and your own preferences and needs. Do you want a thick yoga mat that is soft or a yoga mat with a good grip for more challenging yoga forms?  Depending on the type of yoga and the exercises you do, different mats are more suitable. If you're not sure, our BEST-I-TEST Grip&Cushion mat is an option that's suitable for all types of home practice.

We recommend buying one of these mats:

• Yoga mat Grip&cushion III 5mm
• Yoga mat Position 4mm
• Eco yoga mat Grip&bamboo 4mm
• Yoga mat Natural Wool 

Choose the right yoga mat for your trip

Do you want to be able to exercise on holiday or on a work trip? Then the most important thing to consider is the weight and size of the yoga mat - that it's thin, light and easy to carry. Go for a yoga mat that folds up, takes up little space and is easy to pack. Our Yoga mat Cover up grippy is perfect as a travel mat as it is just thin and foldable, while providing an excellent grip for different types of activities. Want an even more sustainable choice? Check out the Eco Multifunction Mat which can be folded up to 12 times. If you're looking for a lightweight yoga mat, the Yoga Mat Recycled Lightweight 4mm is our lightest mat - it weighs just 0.36kg.

We recommend buying one of these mats:

• Yoga Mat Recycled lightweight 4mm
• ECO Multifunction mat 6mm
• Yoga Mat Cover up grippy 2mm
• Yoga mat Position 4mm 
• Yoga mat Bamboo 4mm

Choosing your first yoga mat

When buying your first yoga mat, it's important to choose a mat based on your activity and yoga form. Under the heading "Yoga mat for the gym & yoga class" you can read more about which of our yoga mats is best suited to which form of yoga. But if you want a really good all-round mat that's suitable for several types of practice, we recommend our affordable bestseller Yoga Mat Position 4mm (which was rated a GOOD BUY by Råd & Rön in December 2021). The mat is perfect for use at home, at the gym or when travelling. The material has a good grip and provides good shock absorption, even during challenging workouts. For those who want a larger yoga mat with high performance, excellent grip and comfortable cushioning, we recommend our best-in-test winner Grip&cushion.

We recommend buying either of these yoga mats:

• Yoga mat Position 4mm
• Yoga mat Grip&cushion III 5mm
• Yoga mat Bamboo 4mm 

What is the difference between an exercise mat and a yoga mat?

Our exercise mats are generally thicker than our yoga mats to provide extra support and cushioning when performing different types of flexibility and strength exercises. A thicker and softer mat is also useful when you're doing supine exercises where your back needs more support.
You can find all our exercise mats here.

Unlike an exercise mat, a yoga mat requires more features. Thickness, cushioning and grip play an important role. The grip helps you feel secure and get deeper into complex positions. A yoga mat helps you with flexibility and balance. Our yoga mats are also great for other types of exercise.

How thick should a yoga mat be?

Of course, this varies depending on how you want to use it. Will you often take the yoga mat with you to the gym or yoga session? Then a thinner and lighter yoga mat might be best for you. However, if you work out at home most of the time, you may want to choose a thicker and more comfortable mat.

Our yoga mats range from 2mm to 7mm, but even our thinnest yoga mats have good cushioning and are comfortable for exercises done lying down. If you mostly do calmer yoga, such as yin, kundalini and restorative yoga, you can choose a thicker mat. Thicker mats can also be comfortable if you have problems with your knees or wrists and need some extra support.

For yoga forms with more balance exercises, such as vinyasa and ashtanga yoga, a slightly thinner mat may be useful to get closer to the floor so you can maintain your balance more easily. 

Which grip on the yoga mat should i choose? 

Unlike a regular exercise mat, a good grip is crucial for a yoga mat. The grip helps you to get deeper into complex positions and to feel safe - which is why we practice yoga on a mat and not directly on the floor.  

A superior grip is especially important when practicing any type of yoga where you sweat a lot, such as hot yoga and power yoga. Then - we recommend our Grip & Cushion Yoga Mat.

Keep in mind that all yoga mats need to be used some time before you can really feel how good the grip actually is. The more you use your yoga mat, the better grip you will get.  

At Casall, we make our yoga mats in materials that we know perform at their best - and are also better for the environment. Here you can read more about the materials our yoga mats are made from.

Bamboo
Bamboo is a sustainable and natural material that both looks good and is good for the environment. The product is made partly from bio-based raw materials: bamboo, rice husks, straw, wood and agricultural waste that can't be used for food or feed production.

If you want a bamboo yoga mat, choose:

• Eco yoga mat Grip&bamboo 4mm
• Yoga mat Bamboo 4mm 

Natural cork
Our cork material is produced in Portugal in a sustainable way. Cork provides a natural and comfortable feel and wears organically over time. The grip is better when the carpet is damp. Our cork material is 100% sustainably made from the bark of cork oaks in Portugal. It is a completely natural raw material with outstanding properties. It is biodegradable, renewable and recyclable. The cork is carefully harvested by hand and the trees do not need to be cut down. In fact, new bark grows on the trees, which means that the harvesting process is sustainable in a very unique way.

The cork from Portugal ensures that workers' conditions are also of a high standard. Cork farmers in Portugal are the highest paid farmers in the world because of the knowledge required to harvest the cork without damaging the precious source.

If you want a cork yoga mat, choose:

• Yoga mat Natural cork 5mm

PVC
PVC is an abbreviation of Polyvinyl Chloride. The material is a synthetic resin made from a polymerisation of vinyl chloride. PVC plastic is the second most widely used plastic in the world today. It can be found in everything from industrial products, raincoats and shower curtains to window frames and yoga mats. The main characteristics of PVC plastic are its long life, high resistance to wear and tear, and low weight and maintenance requirements. It is also easy to colour and shape. In its pure, original form, PVC plastic is a light and rigid plastic, but it can also be produced in a flexible and "softened" form. It is this process, which if not properly manufactured, can be harmful to people and the environment.

At Casall, thanks to our 30 years of experience and long relationships with manufacturers, we can guarantee a high level of safety and that the plasticizers we add are free of harmful substances as well as phthalates in the yoga mats we manufacture.

TPE
TPE is a non-toxic and recyclable material. It is PVC-free and contains no phthalates. TPE stands for thermoplastic elastomer which is based on SEBS (Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene). Although it is sometimes called thermoplastic rubber, because TPE has the properties and performance of rubber, it is actually treated like plastic and is recyclable. Because of its elastic component, TPE is a soft, light and flexible material. TPE consumes less energy to produce, is easy to dye and has a stable quality in the production process that results in relatively little leftover material. TPE materials can be recyclable as they can be moulded, extruded and reused as plastics. Because of its light weight and the fact that the material can provide very good cushioning properties as well as generally good grip on its surface, the material is very well suited to yoga mats.

If you want a yoga mat made of TPE, you should choose:

• Yoga mat Position 4mm
• Eco Multifunction mat 6mm
• Yoga mat Recycled lightweight 4mm
• Yoga mat bamboo 4mm
• Eco yoga mat Grip&bamboo 4mm

GRIP & CUSHION YOGA MAT BEST IN TEST

When Råd & Rön tested 14 different yoga mats in December 2021, on criteria such as durability, grip, undesirable substances, moisture management, cushioning and durability, our best-selling Grip & Cushion yoga mat was named BEST IN TEST. At the same time, our popular yoga mat Position was named a GOOD BUY.