Yoga is an exercise and practice that, in theory, can be practiced anywhere. It’s what has helped it become one of the most popular forms of exercise on the planet.
However, when practicing yoga in a spot that isn’t ideal, you’ll often need the right tools to help you out and maximize your effective workout. After all, you can’t perform a cobra pose on rocky terrain, can you?
So, this means having your yoga essential items handy for when you’re doing yoga away from your home or a studio. And that means having a good bag that can carry all of your items wherever you go.
The market for yoga bags, especially yoga mat bags, has exploded in the last few years, as people start to take their yoga practice on their road with them.
This can leave consumers pretty confused, and struggling to find the right bag for them.
Luckily, we’ve done the tricky part of the job for you, and collected some of the best yoga bags that you can find out there for you in this guide!
What Makes A Good Yoga Bag?
So, when looking for a good yoga bag for all of your essentials, what were the most important things that we thought a good version of this product would include?
Well, these were the most important factors that we considered when finding a good yoga bag. You may have slightly different standards that you judge them by, but make sure that whatever product you pick has the following qualities:
- The bag is made of a material that is durable or can survive repeated use (bags made of cotton, nylon, linen, hemp, or canvas would be the best for a yoga bag).
- The size of the bag. Make sure that the dimensions are large enough to accommodate not just your yoga mat, but any other items that you may need (towel, sportswear, fluids, laptop, among other items).
- The amount of value the yoga bag offers. Is the bag at a reasonable price, or does the bag have enough utility outside of yoga to justify a higher price tag?
- How practical is the bag? Does the construction make for easy use?
So, with those factors to consider, let us take you through our favorite yoga bags that meet these requirements.
Ewedoos Yoga Mat Bag
Starting our yoga bag search with a strong contender, we have Ewedoo’s over-the-shoulder mat bag. Comfortable and streamlined, this is a bag that sets a great standard for other bags to need to meet.
Already, we’re off to a strong start, with an equally strong material being used to make this shoulder bag.
The canvas is tough, and unlikely to buckle (or rather tear) from being overstuffed, or carrying around your yoga essentials all day.
Of course, the bag has plenty of room for putting rolled-up yoga mats into it, with the front packet adding a little extra storage space for things such as your workout water bottle, or other smaller items in the front pocket.
Add to that some great print designs that the bag comes in, and you have a very solid yoga bag that you can buy here.
It’s a product that couldn’t be used for much else. It’s not wide enough to carry items like a laptop, and you may find that the single-shoulder design can rub a little on your clothes, especially if you’re constantly overfilling the bag.
However, it’s a bag for a yoga mat and a water bottle. Chances are that you’re not going to need to overfill it that often. So, it’s a solid yoga bag in our eyes!
Elenture Yoga Mat Bag
Elenture is a name that many people will associate with good-quality yoga bags, so it should be no surprise that one of their bags made it onto the list.
This bag is a decent size that can house pretty much any kind of yoga mat, being a nice 26 inches long, and 6 inches diameter for fitting a rolled mat into it. Plus, the front pocket of the bag can fit a few other items too.
Add to that an adjustable shoulder strap, and this is one of the most comfortable single-shoulder bags to carry on your person.
When we were testing this bag for ourselves, we did notice that it didn’t stand up to being thrown around carelessly.
After a while, frayed edges started appearing around the edges of this bag, so you may want to handle it with care if you want to get your full money’s worth out of this bag.
Aside from that, however, it is a very solid bag that we can recommend for your yoga mat and other key essentials.
Wllwoo Wllwoo Yoga Bag
The long, single-shoulder yoga bags that we’ve covered so far are great for carrying yoga mats, no doubt about it. But if you’re looking to have a little extra storage space beside the bag, then they also tend to be a little on the smaller side of things.
Outside of a pocket for a water bottle, there usually isn’t much space for other everyday items, not great if you need to freshen up or bring a change of clothes.
Well, that’s where Wlloo Wlloo’s yoga bag comes into the picture!
The front flap of the bag offers plenty of room for most rolled-up yoga mats to be fitted into, making it great for freeing up the main compartment of the bag for… well, anything!
There’s plenty of room in here for any fluids you’re carrying, but also a fresh change of clothes, or even a towel. That extra storage space is what helps sell this bag, making it a versatile bag for both yoga and non-yoga needs.
Plus, with a range of different colors and patterns to choose from, there’s a version here for everyone’s tastes.
The only thing that we would point out is that some thicker and bulkier yoga mats that we tried to fit through the strap didn’t quite fit, meaning that you’ll probably want to stick with thinner yoga mats if you’re looking to buy this bag.
Aside from that little detail, however, this has to be one of our favorite products on the market right now!
Iceivy Gym Duffle Bag
Sticking with the bigger yoga bags for a little while longer, the Iceivy gym bag is perfect for keeping up with virtually all of your exercise needs, not just yoga.
When it comes to space, this bag has to be one of the best in this category.
There’s plenty of room for all of your yoga and workout items, from fluids to sportswear to an extra change of clothes. Heck, there’s even room for your workout shoes to be fitted in here, and a zip-up compartment for them to boot!
While the bag is tailored towards a more general gym experience, the inclusion of a strap for yoga mats means that this is still a great bag to use for keeping your mat on hand for those asana/stance needs.
Plus, not only is the shoulder strap comfortable and with ample padding, it’s detachable, so the bag can be carried by its much shorter handles.
There are even vents for better airflow throughout the bag, so you won’t need to worry about constantly cleaning it to avoid that buildup of body odor smell. That’s some clever design work, right there!
These extra features and quality-of-life improvements do come at an extra cost, to be fair. But if you can afford it, it’s worth that extra penny spent on it!
Gaiam Full-Zip
Sometimes, you’re looking for a yoga bag that you can trust to do everything, from holding on to mats to carrying your gym wear, or even taking on a plane as hand luggage.
But sometimes, all you need are just the essentials. A good, reliable bag that can fit your yoga mat, and stand up to a ton of use.
For those needs, it’s hard to go wrong with Gaiam’s full zip bag.
Right from just looking at this, you can tell that this is a quality item.
This cotton yoga mat is made to be both comfortable to sling over your shoulder, and able to handle a ton of use. It doesn’t feel like a super-cheap and thin nylon bag that could tear if you jostle around in the wrong way. It’s the real deal here.
Plus, this bag is plenty big enough to fit your yoga mat inside, and the shoulder strap means carrying this bag, even at full capacity, won’t wear on your clothes or shoulder.
Are you sacrificing some of that extra space luxury that you get from some of the other yoga bag designs that we cover? A little, so you may want to check out those options if that is the most important feature for you.
If you need a bag that you can rely on, however, Gaiam’s zip bag won’t let you down.
Final Notes
So, as you can see, we were spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out great bags that you can use to keep your yoga essentials on hand at all times.
From thin yoga mat sleeves to full-shoulder gym bags, they’ll all do their job well.
So, which will you buy for yourself?
I created this website to help newcomers to yoga and enthusiasts alike, and to share our common passions for yoga.
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