By: Bradley Axmith
We gave our Review Team one job:
Find the best and most popular products and review them. Our review team always considers durability, price, quality, and value in their reviews.
Where to buy:
Amazon
If you’ve ever wondered why the majority of yoga mats look so dull and boring, you’re not alone. Chad, the founder of Yoga Design Lab, didn’t let this thought of his marinate for long though – while attending a yoga class in Bali, he had a lightbulb moment that led to permanently moving to this charming island and changing this narrative once and for all.
This Combo mat has quickly won the hearts of those who were struggling to find a yoga mat that would be grippy enough to withstand sweaty workouts. If ‘the sweatier, the better’ sounds counterintuitive to you, this mat is ready to prove you wrong. Not only does it function better when it’s wet, but it also remains sticky after multiple washes.
Sustainable manufacturing combined with the support for charitable causes providing for youths makes Yoga Design Lab Combo mat an attractive yoga equipment option. Because, well, who doesn’t want to not only help the economy but also those in need?
Carry on reading to discover why this yoga mat could be your next game-changing purchase.
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
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It’s one of the best mats for hot yoga on the market -
The yoga mat is built from sustainable materials and is free of toxic chemicals
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The grip of the mat is easily improved when you work up a sweat
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The mat comes with a carrying strap
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You can wash it in the washing machine with a mild detergent
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There are tons of attractive designs to choose from
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The company gives $1 from every purchase to causes supporting youth charities
Things we don't like:
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Those who prefer thicker mats won’t like it -
For the mat to stick, it has to be wet
Where to buy:
Amazon
Review
- DiveIn Score: 4.9/5
- Quality: 4.8/5
- Comfort: 4.9/5
- Performance: 4.9/5
- Price/Quality: 5/5
There are more reasons to like it than not to like the Yoga Design Lab mat. Intended to be a mat and a towel, it eliminates the chore of bringing both to your gym. This is a win-win in itself.
Once we move beyond the portability, we’ll find that this mat feels like nothing you’ve ever owned before. Its surface is a little fuzzy which makes lying in savasana a real treat. But it’s also sticky and supportive enough to practice your favorite Bikram poses with almost zero slippage.
On top of it all, the mat’s patterns feature water-based ink only. This means that it’s not just the structure of the mat that’s built from environmentally-friendly materials – the designs are created with no harmful toxins too. Talk about reducing your environmental footprint!
- Material: Natural tree rubber, microfiber made from recycled bottles
- Thickness: 1.55 mm
- Length: 70 inches
- Weight: 3.5 lbs.
- Care Instructions: Machine wash in cold water. Hand to dry (do not put it in the dryer). To speed up drying, wrap the yoga mat in a towel and squeeze out the excess water.
- Warranty: Not specified
Quality
And while we’re on the topic of the mat’s construction, it’s worth noting that unlike other sustainably-produced yoga mats, this one easily beats them all. The brand found a way to make use of recycled bottles, creating a thin layer of microfibre that would complement the tree rubber core. This is efficiency at its finest.
There’s more good news. The mat’s natural build doesn’t take away from its durability. Even though it’s not the thickest mat on the market, you can still expect it to last you a good few years with proper care. And this speaks volumes about Yoga Design Lab’s craftsmanship.
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Comfort
You might be thinking – how comfortable can a mat with 1.5mm of thickness be? And we’re here to tell you – very, in fact, comfortable. This isn’t a delusion – the inclusion of a microfibre layer made all the difference to the level of comfort you feel when switching from cobra to camel pose.
This sustainable mat is also available in 3.5mm and 5.5mm sizes of thickness for those who want the intense, sweaty workout, but more cushioning as well. Having tested the 1.5mm, it proved surprisingly comfortable though.
The cushioning is soft to the touch yet secure enough to allow you to maintain balance while sweating your butt off. Granted, you won’t feel as supported if you’re practicing in dry conditions, but there’s nothing a spritz of water can’t fix.
Performance
We’ve found that Yoga Design Lab Combo mat works wonders if you use it as intended. Since it’s designed to operate best when wet, you should either use it for hot yoga or spray it with some water beforehand if practicing Vinyasa or Ashtanga. This way you’ll minimize the possibility of your limbs slipping during the most inappropriate time.
To ensure your mat stays looking (and feeling) new, take good care of it. That is, wash it in suitable settings and make sure air dries until the next time you use it.
Price/Quality
You’re not paying a premium but you’re also not buying a particularly affordable yoga mat. This puts it into the mid-range budget category that justifies the purchase given that its quality is supreme. Luckily, this is the case with Yoga Design Lab Combo mat.
Built from eco-friendly materials that don’t budge, it will pay off sooner than later. You don’t have to purchase a separate bag for it either which makes it a bargain from every standpoint.
This yoga mat checks many boxes. It’s made from sustainable materials, has a good grip when wet, and comes in plenty of unique patterns that will make you stand out in a yoga class. It’s also surprisingly comfortable provided that it doesn’t have a lot of cushioning.
That said, you should get it only if you know that you’ll be doing hot yoga more than regular yoga. Or, in a different case scenario, you should be prepared to wet it before every use to feel stable throughout the entire yoga practice.
Our Overall Review
Things we like:
-
It’s one of the best mats for hot yoga on the market
-
The yoga mat is built from sustainable materials and is free of toxic chemicals
-
The grip of the mat is easily improved when you work up a sweat
-
The mat comes with a carrying strap
-
You can wash it in the washing machine with a mild detergent
-
There are tons of attractive designs to choose from
-
The company gives $1 from every purchase to causes supporting youth charities
Things we don't like:
-
Those who prefer thicker mats won’t like it
-
For the mat to stick, it has to be wet
Frequently asked questions
This Bali-made Yoga Design Lab Mat is built from the combination of natural tree rubber and recycled bottles making it a sustainable alternative to the over-the-counter mats. If you live an eco-conscious lifestyle, this mat will be right up your alley.
Yoga Design mat is as bulletproof as a mat made from natural materials can be. Thanks to the microfibre layer consisting of recycled bottles, the tree rubber is protected and can thus serve you for longer.
This mat is created for every environmentally-friendly fitness enthusiast who takes a special interest in hot yoga. Due to its grippy construction, you’ll never have issues practicing yoga in hot and humid conditions where other yoga mats would fail to deliver.
Yoga Lab Mat doesn’t come with a bag, but it does come with a durable carrying sling/strap that allows you to bring it with you to your local yoga studio. You can also fold it into a yoga prop-type shape and pack it in your suitcase every time you hop on a place to travel to a new destination.
The company recommends washing the yoga mat by hand if you’re using it on a daily basis. A dash of detergent and a washcloth will do the trick. In times when you feel like your mat needs a deeper clean, you can throw it in your washing machine on a delicate cycle and hang dry afterward.
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