If you are a yoga enthusiast, you would want to always travel with your trusted yoga mat. However, packing your yoga mat may pose some challenges due to its shape, size, and material.
So, how to pack a yoga mat for travel?
You can roll your yoga mat and attach it to your traveling backpack’s strap, or you can get a foldable traveling yoga mat to pack inside your luggage.
Let’s discuss these methods in detail.
Packing Yoga Mat for Traveling
Traveling with a yoga mat can often be a problem for many. It may be okay to skip your yoga routine if you are going on a vacation for a week. However, if you are someone who loves to backpack through continents, it may be a good idea to pack your yoga mat with you to maintain your fitness routine while traveling.
There are two ways you can travel with your yoga mat. You can roll your yoga mat and strap it with your traveling bag. Otherwise, you can get a lightweight traveling yoga mat that can be folded into your luggage.
Let’s discuss these two methods further:
Strapping Yoga Mat with Travel Bag
Most people who love long journeys like to carry a backpack on their back. So, it is wise to choose a backpack that features outside straps. These outside straps are often designed to carry tents and walking poles.
With these straps, it is possible to carry mat outside of the bag vertically along the height of the backpack. These straps are made of compressible elastic material and can hold items from top to bottom of the bag.
You will be able to easily roll up the yoga mat and carry it outside of your backpack. These straps will keep your mat fastened, so it will not consume space inside your bag. It will tightly sit alongside other necessary materials.
However, keeping the mat clean will be challenging if you carry it outside your backpack. This is tremendously true if you are often checking your luggage into the hold on buses or flights.
In such cases, you can get a yoga mat case or bag to avoid your mat getting dirty. Make sure to choose a thin and light bag that can carry your yoga mat rolled tightly. Otherwise, you may struggle to fit tent straps of walking poles outside with the straps.
Also, find a plain yoga mat bag. If your yoga mat bag has fastenings, grips, or clips, it might get caught while your bag is in transit.
If you don’t want to invest in a yoga bag, you can always use plastic wraps to wrap your yoga mat to protect it from dirt. In this case, make sure your mat is perfectly wrapped all around. Otherwise, it will attract dirt which will cost its appearance.
Folding Yoga Mats to Travel
If you are more of a suitcase or small carry-on person, you should get thin yoga mats that can be folded along with your clothes. Thin yoga mats can be folded into neat squares that will not take much space on your luggage.
In such cases, you should invest in travel yoga mats. Some travel yoga mats also come with their own pouch or carry bags. You can simply fold your mat, put it inside the pouch, and carry it in your luggage.
Things to Look for in Travel Yoga Mats
If you are investing in a travel yoga mat, there are lots of options to choose from. Traditionally, yoga mats are made of foam, thick rubber, vinyl, or cork to ensure ultimate comfort. However, most travel yoga mats are made of thin rubber that has a thickness of 2mm.
So, while you are choosing a travel yoga mat, here are the factors you should keep an eye on:
- You will need sufficient padding on your yoga mat to perform yoga comfortably. So get a yoga mat with a comfortable thickness that is still lightweight. Make sure to balance weight and thickness for ultimate comfort.
- When traveling with yoga mats, they will inevitably get dirtier than your home yoga mat. Therefore, it is wise to choose a travel yoga mat that can be cleaned easily too. Also, your travel yoga mat needs to dry faster for better efficiency.
- Choose a thin rubber yoga mat for both easy-to-carry features and better grip. Foam mats are also a good option but will not offer much grip.
- Choose a yoga mat that is synthetic dye and toxin-free. Also, check if your traveling yoga mat can be recycled or biodegradable. It is crucial to consider environmental impacts while taking care of your physical form.
Bottom Line
When you travel with your yoga mat, you will always be reminded to take care of your health and body. With a regular exercising habit, you will also be able to keep a sound mind and get better reflexes. You will feel relaxed and can maintain a balanced mind and body when you are maintaining your yoga routine, even if you are far from your closest ones and comfort zone.
Following this article will give you the most suitable solution: how to pack a yoga mat for Travel? Make sure to give either of the two methods a try. If you have any questions regarding this article, feel free to ask.
