For every yoga mat, there is a bag that can hold it in high fashion. A yoga mat bag can be an essential accessory to yoga enthusiasts on the move. Those who do yoga tend to have an intimate relationship with their mats. A lot of the time, you will be very close to your yoga mat, and the last thing you will need is dust or germs from the floor and other spaces getting you sick. Carrying a yoga mat will also free your hands; causing less frustration due to carrying multiple items at one time. Having a yoga mat bag will protect you and your mat; keeping the mat clean and secure.
Top Yoga Bag Comparison Chart
What to Look For
The ideal yoga mat bag is made of a lightweight breathable material that will keep your yoga mat safe from dirt, bacteria, or other nuisances from the outside. A yoga bag is much more than a bag that you carry something around in. If you wanted a standard bag you would have probably gone to the store and bought a regular duffle bag right? When looking for the “right” yoga bag, people tend to follow their spirit. They grab something that accurately describes their attitude, something that spills over into yoga. While some people have mats with handles attached to them, having a yoga mat bag is a much more efficient way to keep your mat secured and protected from minuscule materials.
Durability
Durability is a very important factor when considering a yoga mat bag, especially if the bag is high priced. Having a long lasting yoga mat bag will assure you that you will be getting your money’s worth. Yoga is an ongoing practice. Those who participate can do it as often as they would like. With that being said, if your bag is made with strong material, you will also be able to throw in extra accessories such as weights, yoga blocks, and water bottles. Another reason why it’s good to have a durable bag is because of where your store your bag. So you’re done with your class, you go home, and you throw your bag on the ground in the closet. Depending on the next time you utilize your yoga mat, the bag you have could potentially gain abrasions due to friction from other items in your closet such as sneakers, nails, or other random items. Having a durable bag will overall prolong it’s use, providing you with more value than a bag that will last a week, month, and even a year,
Style
It would be extremely bland if everyone walked around with the same color yoga bag. Being able to choose a particular color with a specific design on it is a form of self-expression; something people need to feel unique. This section is completely optional and is purely preference. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind a regular bag with any extraordinary gadgets or designs, by all means, shoot for that. But if you want to get creative and personalize your bag so that it matches your spirit, there are also options for that route. Some designs are truly unique, whereas others provide more of a customizable experience, but style generally matters to those looking to stand out from the crowd.
Convenience
One of the best parts about bags (yoga mat bags in particular) is that they help you carry over a handful of items while keeping your hands free. Let’s be real, no one wants to walk to his or her yoga class eight blocks away with an mp3 player, cell phone, water bottle, and yoga mat all having to be carried. Instead of making things difficult, the yoga mat bag will be able to properly place your mat and other items inside. Some bags contain more surface area than others. Some will be an actual bag, and others look more like a holster but are still considered a bag. Everybody loves convenience. They want to be the most comfortable at all times, which means keeping their hands free while on the go in this case. Whether the yoga bags offer a shoulder strap or basic handles, they provide you with this type of convenience.
Best Yoga Bag Reviews
10. Gaiam On-The-Go Mat Carrier Bag
This yoga bag from Gaiam is a condensed bag that stabilizes your yoga mat using quick release snaps. This feature offers an easy user experience that can be useful when attending yoga classes or going out to the park. The Gaiam Mat Carrier Bag has a sleek and open design that can essentially hold any size yoga mat. This bag also provides the user with convenience; it has an outer pocket where you store your belongings. No need to get yourself frustrated by struggling to keep track of your keys, phone, wallet, and any other item that you would bring to a yoga session. The Gaiam Mat Carrier Bag comes in a handful of interesting colors. Buyers can choose from Sparkling Grape, Fuchsia Sky, to Granite. This carrier bag from Gaiam looks more like a “holder” rather than a traditional bag, but it provides the user with a simple way to carry their mat without any difficulty due to their mat’s width or the overall size of the bag.
Pros
- Quick and easy to use
- Internal strap properly secures your yoga mat
Cons
- Not enough surface area; mat is exposed
- Wears down easy
9. Adriene’s Choice Extra Large Canvas Yoga Mat Bag
This bag is quite literally a signature mat bag (much like Air Jordan shoes are signature shoes for Michael Jordan). Adriene Mishler is a well-known yoga instructor based in Austin, Texas and she has a wide following of students and a youtube audience of over 5.5 million subscribers!
This bag was made to fill a need with qualities and specifications seen as important by Adriene. For example, the size of 26″ x 9″ x9″ was determined to fit extra thick and wide mats. You can even chuck your personal items into it including yoga blocks, towels, straps and more. The bag material is a tough canvas and it’s meant for long-term durability – like 10 years or more!
Mesh pockets on the inside and zippered pockets on the outside offer ample storage. The exterior design and printing are environmentally conscious since they use Azo free dyeing and printing processes. The color is long-lasting and retains its near-original color after over 50 washes. It’s also passed Oeko-tex® standard 100 certifications!
Pros
- Meets Oeko-tex® standard 100 certification
- Has a lot of room
- Great looking design (fabrics)
Cons
- Lacks an adjustable shoulder strap
8. Peace Yoga Tote Bag
Be at peace with this fashionable tote bag. The Peace Yoga brand has a unique line of yoga bags available. There are two shoulder straps supported with metal rings that help you keep your hands free during your commute. The inside of the bag is made of soft cotton that doesn’t irritate your belongings. The downside to the material is that it deteriorates in the wash and subsequently loses the bag’s shape. It has also been reported that the Peace Yoga tote bag is too small for certain yoga mats; something to consider before buying. The bag is available in six colors; each with a different design printed on the front. If you’re into a fashionable bag that dons a special design, this bag might be for you. If you are looking for quality, there are likely other options available. If one were to point out any negative features, the first would probably be bag size. Next would be the lack of support. While the handles on this bag serve their purpose, it would be more beneficial for certain people to have a shoulder strap. Some people might not be strong enough to carry based on their strength, while others may have a large torso which would make it difficult to wrap around their shoulder.
Pros
- Offers a handful of colors and designs
- Durable
- Plenty of carrying support
Cons
- Doesn’t do well in the wash
- Smaller sized bag
7. BalanceFrom Yoga Mat Bag
Made with 100% cotton, the BalanceFrom Yoga Bag is lightweight and durable; a great fit for yoga followers of all levels. You will be able to fit all your belongings and accessories in the large expandable pouch outside of the bag. Whether it’s a book, iPad, or water bottle, the expandable pocket will be able to help you store whatever you need. If you’re a bigger person or someone who wants sustainable shoulder support, the BalanceFrom bag has an adjustable shoulder strap that decreases the pressure of the bag’s weight. The bag perfectly fits yoga mats from the BalanceFrom brand in addition to any mats measured at ¼ inch or ½ inch thick. The price of this page is relatively cheap, but that isn’t necessarily a reflection of quality. The BalanceFrom brand provides all its customers with a 2-year warranty, so if they are not satisfied with the product they are free to return it.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Large outside pocket has a lot of room.
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Seems “short” and small
- Difficult to handle when on the go
6. Deco Athletic Yoga Mat Bag
This yoga bag from Deco Athletic is actually an improved and upgraded version from their previous offering. Let’s look at some of the great features! There is a new larger interior pocket (6″x7.5″) for extra storage of items and it features another 2 large storage pockets for cell phones, keys, etc. (just keep it close to you during your session – or in a locker!). The exterior mesh pocket is perfect for an extra shirt or water bottle, etc. Like some other bags, there is an interior lining that keeps moisture and odors away from the main bag material because it’s totally waterproof! Plus, there’s a mesh strip to help vent air to the outside of the bag.
The full-length zipper allows for more efficient and easier access, and the bag material itself is a heavier-duty fabric that is also moisture-resistant.
The bag itself measures 25 inches by 7 inches. One other neat thing is the washing instructions. It’s true that the official instructions tell you to do the standard “cold-water wash and let air dry”, but further testing has revealed that a 35-minute wash with warm water and detergent, followed by a 30-minute low heat dry cycle produces a cleaner bag with no shrinkage or other undesirable side effects!
Finally, the 1-year warranty is not too shabby either!
So, is the bag perfect? I’d say not, and in doing our research, we found that people who purchased this mat had a few problems with it, but let’s just say the keyword here is “FEW” (problems and people with those problems!). One issue is that the quality of the bag was as good as advertised, but the price point was higher than it was worth. I’d say that’s not such a bad criticism and as far as value, I think that’s a personal opinion.
Pros
- Made with a durable canvas material
- Tweaked and upgraded version of previous model
- Adjustable shoulder strap increases support
Cons
- Might be considered too expensive for some who considered it a $15 or $20 bag
5. Kindfolk Yoga Mat Bag
The Kindfolk yoga bag is a little different than the other bags on the list. The biggest difference with this bag is the material. The Kindfolk yoga bag is completely vegan/ environmentally friendly. It is equipped with manmade leather, which is considered animal-friendly. The versatility of this bag is quite impressive. Measured up to 26 inches, you can fit up to a 24” mat inside this bag. If you have a lot of accessories, you could put them inside the bag and attach the wide mat on the outside. This strategy could potentially help you carry more items with you on your way to yoga. There is a long pocket on the side of the bag where you can store a variety of items; such as a cell phone. The design on the Kindfolk bag is unique, but the only downside is that it doesn’t come in different color combinations.
Pros:
- Constructed of manmade leather
- Versatile
Cons
- Lacks color options
- Slightly high price
4. YogiiiTote Yoga Mat Bag
YogiiiTote has 3 bags in its line of offerings. There’s the YogiiiTotePRO, the YogiiiToteGO, and plain and simple YogiiiTote. We’re talking about the regular YogiiiTote here. Most mats will fit into this bag since it’s 30″ long and 13″ wide. The YogiiiTote brand is big on simplicity and this bag delivers if that’s the goal. It’s relatively nice in its design with no buckles or fasteners.
1/2″ mats fit best in the bag while thicker ones will work but the fit will be noticeably tighter. It does contain 2 pockets. A larger one for things like water bottle, towel and/or sandals, and a smaller zippered pocket for keys/wallet/phone. The other excellent thing about this bag is that because of its design, it wouldn’t be out of place while being used for grocery shopping or a trip to the beach! And, in case it matters to you, this bag has about the highest rating by a high number of users on Amazon that we’ve seen.
Pros
- Beautifully simple design
- Versatile for multiple uses (grocery bag, beach bag, etc.)
- Comes in a choice of 3 colors
Cons
- Really not much room in the bag for anything but a thin mat
- The strap is too short for some
3. Gaiam Top-Loading Yoga Mat Bag
This lightweight bag works almost like a sock. It is so light and sleek; you can easily slip it onto your bag and go about your day. The Gaiam Top-Loading bag boasts it’s durability. It can handle almost any fitness environment, as well as your daily commute, regardless of the travel time. Since this bag is made with 100% cotton, it is very thin and soft, with the ability to adapt to most yoga mats. Since the material is very sensitive, it is important to machine-wash this bag in cold water and dry it flat. If you do not, there is a strong chance that the bag will deteriorate. After you place your mat inside the bag, you can secure it by pulling on the drawstring around the opening. This will close out any dirt or germs from the outside. Just like many other yoga bags, the Gaiam bag has a front pocket that can hold your stuff and secure it using a zipper opening.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Adjustable shoulder strap improves comfort
- Embroidered design enhances style
Cons
- Users complain that the bag is not wide enough
- The fabric sometimes conflicts with the incoming mat
2. Fit Spirit Yoga Mat Bag
If you’re thinking “isn’t the same as the Gaiam zip bag?”, don’t worry. These bags may be similar in style, but they have different characteristics that set them apart. One good thing about this bag is that it’s made of 100% canvas. This type of material makes it easier to rid the bag of dirt, dust, and other annoying particles. It will also be very difficult to rip the bag since canvas is a particularly strong material. You can find the Fit Spirit Yoga Mat bag comes in pink, purple, black, green, and blue, so you’ll have plenty of options when selecting your bag. Each color bag has a printout of a tree on it as well as the Fit Spirit logo stitched in. You can easily access the inside of this bag thanks to the full zipper design that goes from the top of the bag up until the bottom. This wide opening will allow some of the longer yoga mats.
Pros
- Canvas material is durable
- Easy access
- Cargo pocket has plenty of storage
Cons
- Doesn’t fit substantially wide yoga mats
- Pockets are hard to access when holding mat
1. Gaiam Full-Zip Yoga Mat Bag
At #1 on the list, the Gaiam Full Zip Yoga bag has the essentials needed for the committed individual that participates in yoga. First off, this bag has a lot of color options such as purple, green, black, navy, camouflage, and the black bag with “breathe” printed across from it. If you carry a lot of accessories with you to yoga, the cargo pocket in the front of the bag will be of great use to you. The bag also has an adjustable shoulder strap that can be used for carrying support and decreasing pressure. The Gaiam Yoga Mat Bag might not be as big as a few other options, but overall it has the durability, style, and price range that is more appealing to the masses. It accurately represents the value of a yoga bag. The color options also play a factor as buyers typically prefer choice to personalize their item.
Pros
- A lot of colors available
- Extra storage pocket
- Reasonable price
- Sturdy
Cons
- Not as big as other bags on the market
- Bag is very snug
Conclusion & Bottom Line
Everybody wants a bag that has some style to it…something they can rely on to carry their yoga mat while on the move. All ten of the bags listed have supportive features as well as things that could be improved. Overall, the Gaiam Full Zip yoga bag has the best combination of style, durability, and convenience. There are plenty of similar bags out there, most of them on this list, but the Gaiam brand delivers a top-quality product for those who practice yoga. If you’re looking for more of a carrier bag that offers easier access while providing space to place your belongings, the Kindfolk Mat bag and the Gaiam carrier bag serve that purpose very well.
The yoga mat bag is much more than a bag. It defines spirit, offers convenience, and becomes a regular part of the user’s life over time. Some bags have stronger features than others. Some have great material and average style. Others have great style and poor durability. Then others have both. Whether you decide to go with a carrier bag or a tote bag, just contemplate what you value most when it comes to your mat. If you’re self-conscious about germs, go with the bag. Want a bag to put your mat and other items in? Check out the tote bags. In the end, the yoga bag is primarily used to simplify the day-to-day motions of people who practice yoga, and these ten best describe the journey of finding the “right fit.”
