The Best Travel Yoga Mats [Updated 2024]

As a traveling yogi I have been spending a lot of time on my travel yoga mats this past year.

We’ve also been moving and for some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to store my main yoga mats in boxes with all of our other belongings and for over a year all I had were my foldable yoga mats.

I’ve always had solid opinions about the mats on this list but after practicing exclusively on these mats for almost a year and a half, my opinions have shifted a bit.

I’ve been practicing yoga since 2017 and am a certified yoga teacher who travels for a living, I know what you need in a travel yoga mat.

This post is a complete guide to the best travel yoga mats on the market.

The Best Travel Yoga Mats at a glance

Don’t have time to read the whole article?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• MOST OVERALL | MIKKOA | After living on my travel yoga mats, this became my favorite to use. It stays firmly in place and doesn’t slip or bunch up during my vinyasa practice, the yoga towel surface is soft and feels good, it’s beautiful, and it folds up to the size of a pair of jeans.
• BEST SYSTEM | YOGO Ultralight Travel Mat | This mat is lightweight, compact, folds perfectly with it’s own system. YOGO has beautiful simple colorways. The folding system ensures that the top never comes into contact with the bottom, making it very sanitary.
• BEST “BIG” BRAND | Manduka eKO Superlite | This is a classic on the travel yoga mat market. Their new Pro travel mat offers a thicker and familiar texture in a travel version but the eKO Superlite is the most compact of their offerings.
• BEST BUDGET TRAVEL MAT | Gaiam Travel Mat

Keep reading for more suggestions and more details…

My Favorite Travel Yoga Mats [2024 Edition]

Here are a list and breakdown of the best options for a yoga travel mat in 2024.

1. MIKKOA

MIKKOA Travel Yoga Mats are the most beautiful yoga mats I have ever seen.

The surface is that of a yoga towel – they are grippy, have beautiful patterns, and are easy to clean.

If you practice hot yoga or Bikram, this is the mat for you, full stop.

Mikkoa’s mat folds compactly into the size of a pair of jeans, and when unfolded there are zero creases. It lies completely flat and the bottom of the mat is also made of a grippy rubber that clings well to the floor.

It never bunches up or moves during my transitions like my Manduka mat does.

I have two travel MIKKOA mats (researching for this article has turned me into a bit of a travel yoga mat hoarder) but they also offer regular yoga mats and beach towels.

What I love most about MIKKOA: I love the soft texture of the mat and it’s slowly become my go-to travel mat.

It’s easy to fold up and when unfolded there are zero creases or marks. And importantly, the rubber base means it never slips during transitions.

MIKKOA At A Glance:

• Weight: 1.5 kg (3 lbs)
• Thickness: 1.5 mm
• Dimensions: 72″ x 26″, folds down to 10″ x 6″
• Material: Natural rubber bottom, vegan microfiber suede top

2. YOGO Ultralight Travel Yoga Mat

This YOGO Ultralight travel mat is perfect for frequent travelers and quickly became my one of my favorites.

It’s an incredibly compact yoga mat that even comes with its own built-in straps and handle.

Cleaning has also been very easy because I just use the built-in handle to hang it in the shower.

I rinse it off with the gentle soap I use for my kids while I shower and leave it hanging to dry.

You can read my full review of the YOGO mat here.

The surface of this mat reminds of the Manduka travel mat. It’s smooth but very grippy.

That’s because the YOGO mat is also made from renewable tree rubber. And even better, as a company, they give back by planting food-bearing trees and providing restorative agroforestry training in Africa.

What I love most about YOGO: This mat is designed to be sanitary. The folding system allows for the bottom of the mat to never come in contact with the top.

You don’t have to worry about rolling the hotel room floor germs onto the top of the mat, where you rest your face in child’s pose.

YOGO At A Glance:

• Weight: 2.1 lbs 
• Thickness: 1.7 mm
• Dimensions: Open 24” x 68” (folded 12” x 2” x 4.5”, comparable to a newspaper)
• Certified-responsible tree rubber; recycled straps and label

3. Manduka EKO superlite Travel Mat

Manduka is a fantastic brand and one of my favorites.

I actually have their EKO Superlite in two different colors, three of their prolite mats (as my main, daily use mat) and I like their affordable eQua towels when I practice hot yoga.

Manduka is well-known for its quality, so it was a given that their travel mat was also going to be good quality yoga mat. Colors are simple but beautiful.

Manduka mats are very grippy and smooth. You won’t slide around in warrior 2 but the mat can slip during vinyasa transitions.

It’s a very environmentally friendly, non toxic yoga mat. Manduka mats include no PVC, toxic plasticizers or harmful dyes.

They’re made from sustainably harvested natural tree rubber and are biodegradable.

Some people complain of a rubbery smell fresh out of the box. I did notice the smell at the start but after letting the mat air out for a couple of days it went away for me.

What I love about Manduka: As I mentioned before I own two of these mats and a number of their other products.

Being a huge name in the industry you know you can trust them. High quality is expected and my mats have withheld a lot of wear and tear.

Manduka Eko Superlite at a Glance

• Weight: 1.1 kg (2.2 lbs)
• Thickness: 1.5 mm
• Dimensions: 71″ x 24″
• Material: Orange Peel Top Surface for traction, non-Amazon tree rubber

PSST! HEY!
Stay with me to the end of this post for my recipe for all-natural homemade mat cleaner!

4. Jade Voyager Fold Up Yoga Mat

Jade’s Voyager mat is an extremely lightweight yoga mat at only 1.5 pounds.

The mat folds up compactly to easily fit in your suitcase or backpack.

If you trying to decide between the Jade Travel Mat and Manduka, in my personal opinion it comes down to texture.

Both companies produce a great anti-slip yoga mat, but where Manduka mats are smooth, Jade mats have more texture that you’ll feel under your feet.

What I love about Jade: They’ve taken their popular mat and made a travel version, if you have a Jade mat and want a travel yoga mat, getting their travel version is a no brainer.

Jade Voyager At A Glance:

• Weight: 1.5 lbs
• Thickness: 1.5 mm
• Dimensions: 68″ x 24″
• Material: Renewable tree rubber

Read Next | The 5 Best Online Yoga Programs I Use

5. Gaiam | Most Affordable Travel Yoga Mat

Gaiam is a great yoga company because they offer good quality yoga mats at very accessible prices.

The Gaiam travel mat folds into a 10″ x 12″ compact square.

The mat is perforated for easier folding, these markings may or may not bother you during your practice, but it’s something to keep in mind.

This Gaiam yoga mat weighs 2 pounds and has a smooth (besides the creases for folding), grippy texture.

It comes in fun patterns that are a bit more subdued than those on the MIKKOA mats.

What I love about Gaiam: At an unbeatable price point, this is the most accessible mat out there. It is also great for workouts beyond yoga.

Gaiam At A Glance:

• Weight: 2 lbs
• Thickness: 2 mm
• Dimensions: 68″ x 24″
• Material: PVC

6. Liforme Travel Yoga Mat

This mat is ideal if you’re focused on improving your alignment with markers for where to put your hands and feet in

The Liforme Yoga Travel Mat is thicker, wider, and longer than most travel mats.

It’s not foldable. It must be rolled and comes with its own yoga mat carry bag.

It’s also heavier than the other mats here at nearly 4 pounds but with that weight you do get a bit more comfort.

Honestly, while I’ve loved using my friend’s Liforme mats, it’s too big for me to justify as a regular travel mat but it does have its pros.

What I love about Liforme: I find the Liforme mats to be extremely soft. The surface is smooth but has a good grip and it’s a high-quality yoga mat and thicker than the typical thin travel mats. This is the best travel yoga mat on the list for knee and joint support.

Lifeform At A Glance

• Weight: 1.6 kg
• Thickness: 2 mm
• Dimensions: 72″ x 26″
• Material: Natural Rubber base and Liforme’s unique eco-polyurethane top surface.

Knee Support for a Thin Yoga Mat

The only con to travel yoga mats derives from the main pro, they’re very thin!

This is why it shouldn’t be your main mat for your daily practice (unless you practice on carpet), it can really tire your knees and joints.

When I practice on a hard floor while traveling, I usually bring a hand towel or t-shirt with me to provide a cushion for my knees during poses like tabletop or low-lunge.

But if you have particularly sensitive knees, there are specific cushions (like this knee pad that can just live on your mat throughout your practice.

A cushion like that provides the needed joint support for your knees.

Proper Care for your Folding Yoga Mat

After investing in your new travel mat, be sure to take good care of it so it will last through all your exciting travels.

Here’s some tips and tricks to get serious mileage from your new mat.

Store it rolled

While most travel mats on this list are foldable yoga mats, it’s best to not store them that way long term.

I travel with my Manduka Superlite folded, but when home or at the hotel, I store it rolled like a regular mat.

This just prevents unnecessary wear and tear.

Keep it clean

It’s also important to maintain a clean mat.

Give your mat a cleaning after each trip to keep it sanitary, grippy and long-lasting.

Use an all-natural cleaner for the best results. I particularly love this lavender cleaner.

My Homemade Travel Yoga Mat Cleaner Recipe

While the above cleaner is easiest for travel with its small, compact spray bottle, when at home I make my own mat cleaner in a large, glass bottle.

Of course, you can use whatever empty bottle you have laying around, but I bought these amber glass spray bottles on Amazon because they’re easy on the eyes.

I fill them 3/4 of the way with water and top it off with white vinegar.

Generously add in drops of lavender essential oil and tea tree essential oil.

That’s it!

Picking a Travel Yoga Mat 2024: What I Look For

Before choosing the perfect travel yoga mat, it’s important to know what to look for.

Here are the 5 most important features you should keep in mind while shopping for your mat.

1. Weight

First and foremost, how much your travel mat for yoga weighs dictates how often you’ll actually pack it.

Packing is an art-form and with overweight luggage fees as high as they are, you should first check how much each mat weighs, the lighter the better.

Almost all the mats on this list weigh 2 pounds or less.

Some prefer a little extra weight for the comfort of more thickness (like Liforme mats).

2. Foldable Travel Yoga Mats

How small does the travel yoga mat fold down?

For me, foldability is the most important feature to save valuable suitcase space.

3. Stickiness

Is this mat sticky? Does it offer good grip so you’re not sliding all over the place in Goddess pose?

Or is the non-grip texture so rough that it will irritate you when you’re relaxing in supine positions?

If you’re sensitive to textures (a bit of a Princess and the pea), then you may prefer a smoother mat, like the Mikkoa mat on this list.

Do you practice hot yoga? You’ll need a grippy mat, like Mikkoa or YOGO, for when the sweat inevitably begins to flow.

4. Sustainability

Yoga is more than a workout, it’s a way of life.

One of the main tenants of the philosophy is the concept of ahimsa: practicing a lifestyle of non-harm.

Be mindful when purchasing your yoga mat and consider sustainability.

Is it made of an ecologically friendly material?

Does the company contribute to green causes?

Like this Jade mat, they plant a tree for every mat purchased.

5. Style

This last one may seem less important, but is it?

Your yoga practice is personal and an outlet for self-expression.

Do you want a mat in a color that will calm you or in a bright pattern that will energize you?

If you’re working on a specific chakra, you can search for a mat in its color to help keep you mindful of it.

Some mats are more technical, with markings to help with alignment, like Liforme.

Others are just jaw-droppingly beautiful, like Mikkoa.

You’ll be spending a lot of time on your mat, so be sure to find one you love.

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