Yoga can be found in cities all around the globe, but it’s not easy to travel with a yoga mat. Yoga mats generally fold or roll up into a large object that would be quite awkward inside your suitcase or backpack. There’s no way around it – if you’re traveling light, then traveling with a yoga mat is difficult.

Now, many yoga studios will let you borrow a mat, but that means paying for a class or a monthly membership. And most of the time, yoga is a bit pricey. Even in “third world” countries, you’ll struggle to find a yoga studio that offers unlimited yoga for less than $75 USD a month. Classes often run $8-10 USD.

Some gyms have yoga classes a few times a week in many countries, but most gyms don’t. Yoga isn’t nearly as popular as spinning or Zumba in many countries. Plus, the quality of yoga instructors you’ll find at gyms outside the United States varies wildly. I haven’t been impressed. You’re unlikely to locate the quality of Lifetime Fitness yoga teachers at a traditional gym class outside the U.S.

Enter Traveling With a Yoga Mat

My options were limited. I needed to find a way to travel with a yoga mat. I like to stretch and do morning yoga. It’s a part of my morning routine when possible. Yoga is an excellent way to get the blood flowing, wake the mind up for the day, and offers a myriad of health benefits. All you need is a mat and a computer, as YouTube provides many great 20-30 minute yoga workout videos.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Morning Yoga Workout #1
• Yoga Workout #2
• Morning Yoga Workout #3

By doing yoga at home, you save time and money. No need to search for a studio. Definitely no need to pay a hefty fee. No need to only join gyms that offer yoga. YouTube yoga is absolutely free. Just roll out your mat and press play.

How to Travel With a Yoga Mat

Luckily, I figured out how to travel with a yoga mat. It’s actually incredibly easy to travel with a yoga mat – if you have the right type of yoga mat. A typical yoga mat cannot be folded up. You have to roll it up, and the end result is an object that would take up a lot of space.

The Manduka eKO SuperLite Rational Travel Yoga Mat is not your typical mat. Instead of rolling the SuperLite, you fold it up. Once folded, the mat is small enough to fit inside the computer sleeve of a backpack. It’s that small! The travel backpack I use offers enough space in the laptop compartment for my MacBook and my traveling yoga mat.

How Does a Traveling Yoga Mat Feel?

Now, the Manduka eKO SuperLite Rational Travel Yoga Mat is not perfect. The SuperLite is made of super-thin materials that do not provide as much cushion as a typical yoga mat. This is a rarely an issue. All poses on your feet, back, and stomach are not a problem with the Manduka. The only comfort issue comes when doing poses on your knees.

When you’re performing poses on your knees using the Manduka eKO SuperLite Rational Travel Yoga Mat just grab a small pillow and place it below your knees. The extra cushioning will soften and eliminate any discomfort from the minor cushioning differences. And for the space saving size of the SuperLite, you’ll find the minor inconvenience to be of little importance.

Makes Travel With a Yoga Mat Easy

Traveling with a yoga mat has never been easier. Just grab a Manduka eKO SuperLite Rational Travel Yoga Mat and fold it up. Then place it in the laptop compartment of your backpack and hit the road. No more rolled yoga mats taking up a lot of space in your luggage. If you’re traveling light with a focus on staying fit while on the road, the SuperLite is essential.

P.S.: I chose the Manduka eKO SuperLite Rational Travel Yoga Mat because it was built to last and offered enough cushioning for my needs. While there are a few other traveling yoga mats on the market, these didn’t seem to be as high quality as the SuperLite.