That first yoga mat purchase for the casual yoga student

I teach a lot of beginners.

I teach a lot of yoga first – timers.

I teach a lot of folks that have not gone to a yoga studio.

Lots of these folks have no idea what a yoga mat is and their first introduction to one is at the place where they take their classes or when they see me for a private.

Most mats that are supplied by a non-yoga studio space where a yoga class is offered are not particularly well kept. I would venture to say that they are more likely than not pretty well worn, and often times have lost their “sticky” appeal.

And people still use them. These mats suffice for the occasional class that they drop into.

And then there is the time when they want to buy their own mat – because of the gross factor of using those provided mats.

And they don’t want to invest a lot of money.

I’m always put in a position where I don’t want to send them to the local drugstore to get a highly toxic $15 mat but also don’t want to tell them to go get my personal choice of rubber yoga mats from Manduka and Jade, simply because of the price points ($69 +) which I know they don’t want to spend.

*Le Sigh*

In comes the Barefoot Yoga Hybrid Eco Mat – 1/8 inch at around $29 or less (at the time of this writing is on sale for $22.95)

This is what the Barefoot Yoga website says about their mat:

Our signature Hybrid mats combine the best of eco-friendly and traditional mats. They are better for the environment and your health than traditional PVC mats with long lasting performance. The mesh scrim (the “skeleton” of the mat) is made from 100% recycled polyester, which contributes to its longevity and strength.

Our Hybrid Mats do not contain phthalates or heavy metals, and the method of production is completely non-toxic and latex free.

A long-lasting, high quality, affordable, and no nonsense yoga mat for every type of yoga.

The folks over at Barefoot Yoga were very kind and sent me a mat so that I could do a test run.

I got a pretty red color called Crimson.

I can say that it does the job 🙂

As most yoga mats it does have a bit of a scent when initially opened and does better with an initial wipe down for better traction.

The Good

• Pretty color – they have tons of great color choices
• Cute little barefoot imprint on the corner of the mat.
• Price
• Light weight

I practiced doing a regular asana practice as well as using the mat as a prop for restorative and therapeutic variations. It did it’s job just fine. It did take a bit of time for the slipperiness to subside but that usually comes with time and usage.

Who is this mat great for?

• An occasional yoga student buying their very own first yoga mat
• Someone that has started their own home practice for the very first time at home and isn’t sure they’ll commit to a consistent practice.
• A person that is concerned about PVC and environmental factors but isn’t totally gun-ho or simply cannot invest on a mat that aligns with their optimal eco-values.
• One that doesn’t need too much padding.
• Someone that has access to non-carpeted area or thin carpet (the mat is not very heavy and when on super thick squashy carpet it buckles a bit.)

This mat will be added to my list of recommendations for casual yoga students that are looking to purchase their very first mat and want to keep a lower price point.

It does the job.

Tagged as: barefoot yoga mat review, hybrid yoga mat review