You’ll never have to deal with schlepping a clunky and heavy mat around again.
From compact slings to roomy duffles and backpacks, we’ve rounded up the top yoga mat bags suitable for a variety of lifestyles, budgets and fashion preferences.
Lugging a bulky and heavy yoga mat to and from class is never fun. Why should you have to worry about an unruly mat unravelling as you commute on the train while trying to juggle a handful of other belongings? And why stress about how you’re going to get all your gear safely to a class that’s supposed to mentally and physically restore you? It just doesn’t make sense, right? That’s why yoga mat bags exist.
The best yoga mat bags are protective, spacious, comfortable to carry, actually stylish and won’t let your mat unfurl while you’re hauling it through a crowd of commuters.
Here, we’ve rounded up the best yoga mat bags to suit a variety of different lifestyles, budgets and fashion preferences. Whether you’re looking for a simple strap design, one made with durable and machine washable materials or a roomy backpack that’s big enough to store all your other gym essentials, you’ll find your perfect fit here.
Warrior2 Yoga Mat Bag Carrier, $39.99 at Amazon
This sleek black bag is made with durable and tear-resistant fabric to hold all your essentials. Aside from the roomy main pocket for your mat, you’ll also find additional pockets all over — two front ones large enough to fit towels, two mesh pockets for water bottles and one mini pocket on the shoulder strap for smaller items like cash and cards.
One Amazon reviewer summed up the bag, saying: “Due to Covid I bought my own mat to use in the gym. This bag has plenty of pockets and room to hold my workout gloves, headbands, huge wallet, iPhone, 32 oz. water bottle, keys, towels and change of clothes. It's well made and lightweight. What impressed me the most is how smooth and easy the zippers work. I highly recommend this bag to everyone!”
It also comes with a bonus sling strap, which will come in handy for those times you don’t need to carry anything but your mat to class.
Adidas Mat Bag Grey, $100 at Myer
This Adidas bag is perfect for those who are after something more compact in size and don’t need as many pockets as found on the Warrior2. It’s made from a premium sturdy material, has a small external pocket to stow your phone and keys, and a woven adjustable carry strap.
Adjustable Yoga Mat Bag, from $54 at Lululemon
You know you can leave it to Lululemon to craft the most perfectly functional and aesthetic yoga mat bag. It’s made from a water-repellent fabric (which may we add, is also buttery-soft), has an exterior water bottle pocket and another easy-access pocket for other essentials. It comes in a few different colourways that’ll complement the rest of your chic Lululemon yoga outfit.
Zenifit Yoga Mat Long Tote, $43.33 at Amazon
With no strings or zippers, you can literally throw your mat into this bag as you’re running out the door. The main compartment is also roomy enough to stash other gear like yoga blocks, resistance bands, weights, a water bottle and so much more. In fact, the bag claims to carry up to 9kg of goods. As for your other valuables like your phone and keys, there’s a neat exterior zipped pocket that’ll keep everything safe and sound. It also comes with mat straps to keep your mat tightly rolled up in the bag.
One reviewer on Amazon also pointed out it’s the only bag that fits their extra large and thick yoga mat: “I really like this bag. It's deep enough to hold my mat without it feeling like it's going to topple out while walking to class. I can also carry a drink, my Pound sticks and sometimes my kettlebell although that makes the bag feel fairly heavy. The long strap slides easily over one shoulder and doesn't slip. The zippered pouches holds everything perfectly.”
P.E Nation Goal Side Yoga Bag, $199 at The Iconic
Image: The Iconic.Source:BodyAndSoul
Fashion meets function with this ultra-luxe tote bag from the athleisure powerhouse P.E Nation. Its genius design features zip closure side pockets to the front of the bag to secure your items, which also doubles up as a compartment to slide your mat through. See, genius! The main (and oh, so spacious) pocket also has a zip closure to keep your belongings safe. And can we talk about that padded style? P.E. Nation, you’ve done it again.
Nike One Club Women’s Training Duffel Bag, $75 at Nike
This 24L bag is another example of why I - and billions of people around the world - have a love affair with Nike. Not only does it look great but there are small details to its design that makes it a superior sports bag. For instance, it has a vented compartment that keeps your shoes and sweaty clothes separate from the rest of your belongings, internal mesh pockets to secure your smaller valuables, and additional external zip, snap and magnetic pockets for other essentials. Last but definitely not least, the elasticised straps on the side will hold a yoga mat in place. It’s just done right.
Luckaya Yoga Mat Backpack, $72.61 at Amazon
Can’t decide whether you want a tote style yoga mat bag or a backpack? Well, why not get both with this one from Luckaya? If there was a prize for the most multifunctional carry-all bags, this best-selling one from Amazon would win first place. There are literally pockets everywhere — one large zippered main compartment, two open side pockets and a handy padded compartment located on the bottom of the bag. Outer adjustable straps are there to hold a yoga mat or towel and it also comes with a metal ring for attaching accessories like a keychain or that much-needed hand sanitiser.
One reviewer commented on how it doubles as their work bag: “This bag is great! It's a regular tote bag with adjustable straps. Omg, it also turns into backpack which is very helpful when I'm on a bike or have my hands busy with groceries. I've been looking for a bag which I could take to work and carry my yoga mat. So this one is perfect! My 15" laptop fits in there. I carry a yoga block, thick towel and yoga mat in mine. There's plenty of room left if I wanted to add a light jacket and a pair of shoes. There is a pocket on each side and they are big enough to hold a water bottle or your cell phone. It's made well. The colour is great. The exterior and interior material is of great quality.”
Aurorae Yoga Mat Bag With Strap, $86.84 at Amazon
This backpack-style bag features a fun print and a specialised mat-locker system to secure even the largest of yoga mats. Your mat will be kept in place with the wide, easily adjustable and double reinforced straps, while all your other exercise (and work) belongings can be stored in the main compartment.
As one reviewer summed it up: “It's perfect for loading up my yoga gear and hopping on my bike to the gym. It's also perfect as a laptop bag. Well made, big enough to hold my yoga block, towel, water bottles but small enough that it feel comfortable while I'm pedaling. Having the mat holder is also a nice feature and, when I'm not using it, neatly folds away.”
Gaiam Performance Hold Everything Yoga Backpack, $59.99 at Myer
Gaiam makes a range of great yoga mat bags but this one has to be one of our favourites. For an affordable price, you get the perfect on-the-go companion made with durable woven fabric that’ll last years. The zippered exterior sleeve secures a yoga mat of most sizes and doubles as a pocket when not carrying a mat. The extra-large main compartment will hold all your gear and there’s also an internal hidden laptop sleeve so you can pack all your work and gym gear into the one bag.
Cosmos Exercise Yoga Mat Carrying Shoulder Strap Bag, $40.55 at Amazon
While most yoga mat sling straps only hold a mat and nothing else, this one features a decent-sized interior and exterior pocket so you can actually store a few essentials. In fact, some reviewers even noted that the inner pocket is large enough to store a towel and other clothes.
As one person said: “I've never had a yoga mat bag before but I came across this in my attempt to find some straps just to help keep it rolled up when not in use. I love this thing! The pocket on the inside is substantial — I can fit my towel, spray bottle, and then some in it, and still have room to roll up my yoga mat.”
Chuchka Leather Carry Strap, $24.95 at The Iconic
Image: The Iconic.Source:BodyAndSoul
This chic leather carry strap will keep your yoga mat or beach towel together and the adjustable straps mean mats of any size and thickness will slide in seamlessly. It’s really the no-fuss, no-frills and budget-friendly option for neatly transporting your mat to and from the studio.
Camilla Yoga Mat With Strap, $119 at The Iconic
Image: The Iconic.Source:BodyAndSoul
If you’re looking for both a mat and sling strap, this 2-in-1 bundle from one of Australia’s leading fashion brands Camilla, is your perfect pick. Featuring an iconic Camilla print, the slimline mat features a luxurious microfibre suede and flexible rubber base.
What are the different types of yoga mat bags?
Yoga mat bags come in a range of builds to suit each individual’s preferences and lifestyle.
Sling strap: These feature the most simplistic design with only two straps (or ropes) that wrap around the bag. It carries your mat and nothing else.
Sling bag: A sling bag is like a sling strap but a piece of material covers the entire mat and normally features a drawstring at the top. This type allows you to throw in a few small belongings like your phone or keys, which can sit inside the main compartment pressed up against the mat or in exterior pockets.
Tote: For those looking to carry much more than just a few small essentials, a yoga tote (or duffle) offers plenty of room, hidden pockets and compartments. The yoga mat can sit inside the bag or is strapped to the outside, depending on the design.
Backpack: This is essentially a backpack but features straps beneath where the yoga mat sits. It’s easy to carry and stash all your belongings in.
Is a yoga mat bag necessary?
While a yoga mat bag isn’t necessary, use one once and you’ll never go without it again. Not only does it make it incredibly easy to transport your mat to and from places (seriously, juggling an unravelling mat whilst holding other accessories and belongings is one of life’s greatest challenges), but it will also protect your mat, enhance its durability and some even double up as gym bags to store all your gear. What’s more, yoga mat bags come in a variety of patterns and colours because working out in style is just as important.
How do I choose a yoga mat bag?
There are a lot of different types of yoga mats available so you need to consider a few factors in order to select the perfect one for you. Some of these include:
If you’ve ever shopped for a yoga mat, you’ll know they come in a range of sizes. Most yoga mat bags are designed to fit a standard mat size (172 x 61 centimetres) so any bigger and you may have trouble squeezing yours in the majority of bags.
What material do you want your bag to be? The most common come in cotton, polyester, canvas and neoprene. The material will affect how easy it is to clean, how well it protects your mat and how well it prevents a buildup of bacteria. For example, mats made from eco-friendly materials require better ‘breathing’ to avoid bacterial growth so you definitely wouldn’t want to place this in a bag that provides little to no circulation.
Are you after a sling strap, sling bag, tote or backpack? While it might be tempting to opt for the one that’s most appealing, you’ll definitely want to consider which build will best complement your lifestyle. For example, if you tend to go to class after work, you might want one that has a lot of extra room and pockets to store all your other belongings. On the other hand, if yoga is a weekend hobby and you find all you carry to and from class is a mat, phone and keys, a simple strap design would probably be sufficient.
Can’t get enough of yoga? We’ve got you covered. Here are 12 of the best yoga shorts that are so comfy, you’ll never want to take them off. Plus, we’ve also rounded up the 10 best yoga and Pilates grip socks to help hold your balance and find your flow. For all the best shopping deals, you’ll want to check out our coupons page.
Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.
Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.
A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Find out about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out.
bodyandsoul.com.au may receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Learn more
Nationwide News Pty Ltd Copyright © 2022. All times on this site are AEDT ().
Powered by WordPress.com VIP