Question: Yoga Mats

[MissySki]

I have a Manduka mat that I love love love, and I paid a good amount of money for it a couple of years ago to use during inside yoga and barre classes. Fast forward to this summer, and I have started doing a bunch of outdoor yoga classes each week where the surfaces I need to place my mat vary greatly, cement with lots of pebbles, grass, astro turf, just this morning a dock near the water, and soon the beach on sand. It's started to make me worry a little that a) my mat is going to be filthy on the bottom which wraps all around and I can clean it, but the dock kind of grossed me out today.. and b) sharp pebbly objects underneath could damage the mat?

Soooooo do those of you who do a lot of yoga in different places have multiple mats? I was thinking of getting a cheapo mat for the rough or dirty ground places, either as the one to use there in general, or even to just put underneath my mat as a sacrificial one. I really like the thickness and density of my current mat for my knees and comfort so I don't want a total throw away if I use it individually, but some sort of in between I guess.. Am I being silly and I should just use the mat I have for its intended purpose without worrying about it so much? If you do advocate for a separate one to play on outside in the summer, any specific suggestions on one that is cheap but not horrible quality and still has good bone cushioning qualities?

 

[newboots]

I vote for cheap mat under the mat. It will protect the mat you love, and you can find them very cheap. Assuming it doesn't somehow diminish your slipping protection, but I wouldn't think so.

 

[VickiK]

I'd get a 2nd Manduka and use either a towel beneath the mat or a sticky towel beneath me.

 

[MissySki]

I'd get a 2nd Manduka and use either a towel beneath the mat or a sticky towel beneath me.

Interesting, I had thought about this as an option as well but I wasn't sure I wanted to spend eighty something dollars on another mat that will only get used a few months per year when the outdoor stuff is going on.. It IS hard to imagine going on a crummy mat now because I just absolutely love everything about my current mat. I've been reading reviews on Amazon for the cheap ones and everyone's complaints are things I don't ever have an issue with so that is a bit off-putting.

 

[Jenny]

FWIW I've always had cheap ones and not had any real issues. I suppose it gets a little slippery eventually, but I get tired of the color anyway and so I just order a new one then. IIRC they're only $15 and I can get one that's long enough for me that way, too.

I'd try just putting a beach towel down under it and see what happens. Are those Manduka ones not sticky enough on the bottom to stay put on a towel?

 

[altagirl]

I kind of lean that way too. Having a nice second mat also means you can leave in in the house/ garage and keep the clean one in the car for indoor classes. Or maybe that just reflects that is a pain you get the dog footprints and fur off my home mat every time I go to class....

 

[MissySki]

FWIW I've always had cheap ones and not had any real issues. I suppose it gets a little slippery eventually, but I get tired of the color anyway and so I just order a new one then. IIRC they're only $15 and I can get one that's long enough for me that way, too.

I'd try just putting a beach towel down under it and see what happens. Are those Manduka ones not sticky enough on the bottom to stay put on a towel?

Most of the complaints I see are slipperiness and that the density isn't there as when people are kneeling they feel the ground still. I know when I was picking my mat I knelt/laid on many mats in the store and most I could still feel the ground so that was my deciding factor. In regular yoga it's not as big of a deal for most poses I don't think, at least it hasn't seemed that way so far, but when I was doing barre we would do these exercises on our stomachs where my hip bones are so pointy that they were really really digging into the ground through the mats they provided and were hurting for days after class, the Manduka completely eliminated that problem. I guess it's probably not as big of a concern currently though since I'm not doing that type of thing outside. As for the towel underneath, I'm not sure if that would make things too slippery under the mat or not, I've never used anything under it. It doesn't move on any surface I've used it on so far though, but I imagine a towel could cause some movement..

 

[MissySki]

I kind of lean that way too. Having a nice second mat also means you can leave in in the house/ garage and keep the clean one in the car for indoor classes. Or maybe that just reflects that is a pain you get the dog footprints and fur off my home mat every time I go to class....

And then I was looking at the Manduka site and there are some Prolites on sale and I have a 10% discount code too, tempting.. lol

 

[bounceswoosh]

I guess I would also wonder if the yoga studio wants you to use a mat that has been out in the dirt ... or, I imagine on a dock, bird poop, fish guts, etc ... yum!

I like the idea of layering a cheapo mat under the good one, if they don't slide apart. Also gives you some extra cushioning against the uneven surface, pebbles, etc.

My MIL is accustomed to doing yoga with her mat on top of one of those thick tri-fold fitness mats ... with her medical issues, a plain yoga mat doesn't cut it.

Honestly, from what I've seen you do have been doing a TON of yoga - even buying a second expensive mat does not seem like a lot of money when amortized.

(This is, of course, a dangerous path to go down ...)

 

[Pequenita]

I've been working with a non-profit that provides yoga in the parks, and some of the best setups I've seen include a large beach towel or an old sheet under a mat of whatever thickness you like. Jade makes really durable mats of various thickness that I've liked previously, and I think they are a little less expensive than Manduka. Since you're in the NE, I'd also have a hot yoga mat towel (the kind that extends the length of the mat) for the super humid days. I've found that even my stickiest mats do not work when I and the air are totally saturated.

I really only have a mat in the car and a mat at home/office.

 

[MissySki]

I guess I would also wonder if the yoga studio wants you to use a mat that has been out in the dirt ... or, I imagine on a dock, bird poop, fish guts, etc ... yum!

I like the idea of layering a cheapo mat under the good one, if they don't slide apart. Also gives you some extra cushioning against the uneven surface, pebbles, etc.

My MIL is accustomed to doing yoga with her mat on top of one of those thick tri-fold fitness mats ... with her medical issues, a plain yoga mat doesn't cut it.

Honestly, from what I've seen you do have been doing a TON of yoga - even buying a second expensive mat does not seem like a lot of money when amortized.

(This is, of course, a dangerous path to go down ...)

That is a good point on bringing it inside for classes and even in my house dirty.. Considering the studios for yoga and barre that I frequent don't even let you wear shoes past the very front entrance.. I came right to work after class this morning and it's kind of driving me crazy because I want to go home and scrub the dock off of it! lol That surface kind of skeeves me out, which makes the thought of putting a towel down underneath not so appealing either because that's such an absorbent material. My mat is at least closed cell so it is not supposed to absorb sweat and other fun things into it to breed and fester. The bottom looked visibly dirty when I flipped it to roll today so tonight it's definitely getting a thorough scrubbing.

It is also true that I have been doing a lot lately, and they have all been FREE outdoor classes for the summer, so I guess that's something to take into account also!

 

[MissySki]

I've been working with a non-profit that provides yoga in the parks, and some of the best setups I've seen include a large beach towel or an old sheet under a mat of whatever thickness you like. Jade makes really durable mats of various thickness that I've liked previously, and I think they are a little less expensive than Manduka. Since you're in the NE, I'd also have a hot yoga mat towel (the kind that extends the length of the mat) for the super humid days. I've found that even my stickiest mats do not work when I and the air are totally saturated.

I really only have a mat in the car and a mat at home/office.

I do have a towel for hot yoga to put on top, though I haven't found that I've needed it as slipping has never been an issue on this mat for me yet. I sweat, but not usually in such a way that my hands or feet have a hard time getting purchase. Luckily the mornings have been nice and cool since the classes are at 6:30am for the most part so this hasn't been a concern, but as the summer goes on this could definitely become an issue.. Monday afternoon I did a class outside and the sun was HOT, but luckily the humidity was quite low. I kept telling myself it was like hot yoga and would make me more limber, but the sun beating on you is definitely different from a hot room.

I'm kind of surprised the towel underneath is such a popular idea. I guess for the concrete, sand, and grass areas that'd work, but the dock seems gross for me to want to use a towel on. Although I guess you can then just dump it in the wash unlike your mat!

No one else in the classes appears to use anything besides their mats, so I keep thinking that maybe I'm too anal about it too lol.

 

[bounceswoosh]

No one else in the classes appears to use anything besides their mats, so I keep thinking that maybe I'm too anal about it too lol.

They're a little TOO comfortable with nature!

Although given what I've done hiking, biking, and camping, I can't throw stones.

 

[VickiK]

I don't like the idea of yoga in the park on grass, so the dock yoga would def not be my thing.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I liked yoga in the grass during a mountain bike clinic better than yoga on a conference room floor (ew!) for an avalanche clinic. At least the grass gets sunshine and rain to "clean" it!

 

[Jenny]

I don't like the idea of yoga in the park on grass, so the dock yoga would def not be my thing.

I don't like the idea of yoga where the general public could wander by and watch.

 

[MissySki]

I don't like the idea of yoga in the park on grass, so the dock yoga would def not be my thing.

I am finding that I absolutely love yoga outside, in fact I'd like to put some sequences together for myself so I can do it on my own in my yard too. Being near the water is the best though, I find that really peaceful in general, I can just stare at the water and listen to it lapping all day, so add in yoga and I'm pretty much in heaven. I'm so excited for a full moon class on the beach I'm going to do in July.. the ocean really calls to me.

 

[bounceswoosh]

In my own yard, I'm hyper aware that it's my dogs' bathroom!

 

[MissySki]

I don't like the idea of yoga where the general public could wander by and watch.

For the 6:30 am classes, there aren't many people around. If there are any they are running or boating etc., so they might glance over but they are pretty wrapped up in their own thing. When I did an after work one the other day right outside of the Patriots' stadium there was a significant amount of foot traffic and this did make me a little uneasy. I gave up caring pretty quickly, but the early morning classes in more desolate locations are definitely preferred. I do like the bird company we get. Last Friday we were in tree pose and this little bird landed on a tall plant in front of me and was just sitting there singing away, that was pretty wonderful. I also love when we are on our backs and the clouds are moving by over head and birds soaring are pretty awesome as well, it's an added element that really does it for me that you definitely can't get inside.

 

[MissySki]

In my own yard, I'm hyper aware that it's my dogs' bathroom!

Lol!