Written by: Sarah Moshontz de la Rocha
When I first began yoga, I was out of shape. I tend to sweat a lot even when I have a rigorous exercise schedule, so imagine me in a heated room, in an advanced yoga class after months without exercise. I was falling all over the place, worrying more about my hands sliding on the mat than my breath. Instead of staying in the moment, I was hoping that the next one wasn’t going to end with me injured. I was so grateful when I discovered yogitoes skidless- the yoga-mat-sized towel that is designed to prevent slipping.
Yoga can be a challenging practice, with the physical stamina and flexibility it takes to maintain poses, the last thing you want to add is fear of falling out of a pose because your mat is too slippery. Even if you do not sweat a lot, mats can degrade with age and loose their traction. If you don’t own a mat, yogitoes is also great because you can place it on top of the community mats without having to worry about other peoples’ bodily fluids that might still be there. It’s easy to wash and comes in different colors and sizes, though I prefer the mat-sized one for its convenience.
A lot of people opt to bring a towel with them to class, but I find that the act of moving out of a posture to search for my towel takes me out of the flow. With yogitoes skidless, I don’t even think about sweating as an issue anymore.
The only hesitation I had when purchasing the product is that it runs on the expensive side. A mat-sized towel will run you $64. That’s a lot to ask for a towel – even if it is an awesome towel that will save your yoga practice. On an experiential level, I can’t stress how great it’s been. I have recommended it to all of my friends and all of them come back thanking me profusely. Additionally, you can feel good spending the money because you’re supporting a sustainable business owned by people who believe in what they are doing. The product has been featured in several magazines from Business 2.0 to Vogue. Yogitoes donates yearly 1% of their profits to several foundations and causes including South American orphans, breast cancer, and the environment.
If you’re considering buying a yogitoes skidless mat, I would say go for it. It’s a decision you won’t regret if you are serious about your practice. Knowing that you won’t be slipping during practice (and I have practiced in Thailand in 100 degree weather with 90% humidity) allows you to really go deeper and focus more on what yoga is all about. If you visit their website, they also have more accessories and tools for yoga which are reasonably priced. I hope you enjoy your yogitoes as much as I have. Namaste!