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yogo travel mat review

Yogo Travel Mat Reviewed in 2025 | A Yogi’s New Best Friend

If you’re an avid traveler, whether it’s world travel or hiking, lugging around a heavy natural rubber mat isn’t the best use of resources. For this reason we’re reviewing the Yogo travel mat which is an ultra light, sustainably harvested rubber mat that folds into a tiny newspaper sized companion. 


Quick Version

Our Rating

5/5

We took a deep look at the Yogo Travel mat in all its glory – and we like what we found. The mat’s folding design keeps the top of your mat from ever touching the bottom so germs and dirt don’t reach. It folds up to the size of a newspaper and weighs almost nothing so it’s a breeze for travel. We like that it’s super sticky and works for both hot and non-heated yoga’s. And the integrated straps / clips keep it in place when folded while doubling to hang your mat up for drying after cleaning. The only down side is that it’s thin (1/16″ or 1.5 mm) but its a necessary trade off for a lightweight travel mat. 


Things to Consider When Choosing a Travel Mat

Choosing the best travel mat for you depends on a number of factors: The material and durability, the thickness, stickiness, convenience and weight.

Ultimately you’ll have to make certain sacrifices when buying a travel mat vs something you keep at home. Just like you don’t bring your full sized shampoo and conditioner on the road, you’ll want something that’s ultralight and still provides all the necessary functions.

I’ll admit we were initially skeptical about the Yogo mat but after all the positive feedback from other wanderlust stricken yogis we were intrigued. While the overwhelming majority were positive, the two primary complaints are that it’s too thin and can be slippery.

It is very thin at about 1/16” (1.5 mm) but most travel mats are about this thick. It comes back to the fact that a travel mat is built to be ultralight and compact so it’s going to be thinner than your average home yoga mat

The surface of the Yogo mat is textured while the other side is sticky so it can perform well in both hot and non-heated environments. One thing to note is that it’s not designed specifically for hot yoga so some slipping may occur. However, there were only a few people who found it slippery and, admittedly, they said they had slippery hands and feet already.

If you are buying this as your primary mat, consider getting a yoga towel for the top or a cheap yoga mat to lay this over if you want more cushioning. 

About the Yogo Travel Mat 

Quick synopsis of the general specs of the Yogo Travel mat and the company as a whole. The Yogo company is a mission driven business that supports impoverished countries in African and Latin America.

For each mat you purchase, they plant a food bearing tree and employ local workers to plant the tree’s, thus providing jobs. Now for the mat…

Yogo Travel Mat Specs:

  • Each mat features a minimalist folding design which can be rolled up to about the size of a newspaper and packed into almost any bag
  • Made from eco-friendly, sustainably harvested rubber with a heat bound cotton mesh on the top
  • Integrated buckles and straps which keep the mat folded and they can be used to hang dry your mat after washing 
  • Textured to be extra grippy 
  • The patented folding origami design and keeps dirt from the ground off the top of your mat – also great for germs / hygiene
  • Offered in several great colors (see below)
  • It’s 68 x 24 inches in length / width (the size of a standard yoga mat)  
  • Weighs only 2.5 pounds 
  • The Yogo Ultra Travel mat is the same mat but larger: 29 x 72 inches & 2mm thick. Specifically for people about 6′ and above.

Yogo Travel Mat Review 

Our Rating

5/5

The Yogo mat is intentionally designed to be lightweight and compact without compromising too much on comfort. Yogo accomplished this by creating their travel mat out of dense natural tree rubber and then heat bonding a grippy cotton mesh over the top while leaving the bottom sticky. The combination of the two makes this mat versatile enough to be used in almost any environment you’ll encounter (at the beach, on grass, on carpet, wood floors, etc.) as well as easy to clean.

However, if you’re pregnant or have joint issues you will find this mat is too thin. If you need something with more cushioning for travel you might consider getting a yoga towel to go on top of your mat (most cushioning & easy to pack) or getting a mat like the Lifeform Mat which is slightly thicker (about 2 mm). 

Beyond the mat being thin, it’s a very high quality travel mat. Natural tree rubber is extremely durable, recyclable and has a nice level of springiness. The mat is easy to clean and hang dry, the two sides make it versatile enough to work in both hot and non-heated yoga, and its stylishly designed. Overall it’s going to last you for many fun years of traveling.

Pros

  • Several nice colors to choose from 
  • Natural rubber that’s sustainably harvested 
  • Patented folding design keeps dirt & grime off the top of your mat  
  • Integrated straps for keeping the mat closed and hang drying after cleaning 
  • Lightweight – 2.5 lbs 
  • 68 x 24 inches 
  • A tree is planted for every mat you purchase

Cons

  • May be too thin for some people 

Who is The Yogo Ultralight Mat For?

The Yogo mat is great if you desire a compact, ultralight mat for hiking and vacations. Because it’s both lightweight and compact it can fit in most bags or be latched onto any backpack with the included clips and you won’t even notice the weight. 

There are several other options for travel mats available as well but most don’t fold up as small as the Yogo and also don’t have the built in clips. So the Yogo is more ideal for longer trips and hikes while a mat like the Lifeform Travel mat would probably be more ideal for shorter trips since it rolls up rather than folding. 

The Yogo is not designed to be an everyday mat although its durable enough. However, some people do use it as a daily mat if their studios have softer floors. If you also decide to use this as a daily mat, you may want a thick yoga towel to put on top for extra cushioning. 

How The Yogo Mat Differs From Others?

There are a few key differences between the Yogo travel mat and other mats for traveling. For one, it’s made from sustainably harvested rubber.

While more and more companies are moving towards earth conscious practices, this is still not the case for everyone. The company also plants a tree for every mat purchased; Which doesn’t necessarily add to the mat but we like supporting conscious capitalism.

The mat itself differs in a few other, unique ways. It’s “origami” folding design is patented and intended to keep the bottom of the mat from ever touching the top part (as opposed to rolling a mat up). Thus keeping dirt from the ground off the side you’re laying on.

Another key difference is the handy integrated straps. Each strap has a plastic buckle on the end which clips your mat in place once it’s rolled up. While you could buy an extra yoga strap to accomplish this same purpose, it’s nice to have it built in. The straps can also be used to hang dry your mat after washing which is a convenient little bonus.  

How to Clean Your Yogo Travel Mat 

The Yogo mat is easily cleanable with a simple soap and water solution. We recommend a natural soap but as long as you keep away from soaps with softening and conditioning agents you’ll be fine (they can make your mat slick).

For a deep clean using soap, lay your mat in the bathtub or hang it outside, mix a soap and water solution and scrub the mat using a brush or sponge. Then use the straps to hang it over your shower rod and let it dry.

For quick cleans, you can use a simple mixture of water with a few drops of lemon essential oil (here’s a good recipe). The lemon kills bacteria and smells lively. If you’re not a fan of lemon, you could also add a few drops of lavender or another oil to offset the scent.   

Conclusion 

The Yogo Travel mat is a rather new addition to the travel industry but it’s entered with a bang. The patented folding design and integrated straps / clips make it ideal for a space saving travel mat. The natural rubber provide the right amount of cushioning for most surfaces you’ll encounter while keeping the mat ultralight and barely noticeable in your bags. Overall we love this mat so it’ll be joining us on our next trip abroad. 

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