Where to Find Affordable and Accessible Yoga Gear
I took my first yoga class in 2011 at my college’s recreational center. Mats were provided and I remember the teacher making the most out of almost no equipment. Those first few classes led me toward the path of making the practice of yoga, on and off the mat, an integral part of my daily life.
Attending classes and practicing on my own at home eventually became a regular occurrence, which led to a new desire: I wanted my own yoga mat. I was a young college student, the first in my family to attend a four-year university, living with roommates and making minimum wage. I couldn’t afford to shell out upwards of fifty or sixty dollars for a yoga mat. Looking in stores and online at mats felt discouraging – everything was so expensive and again, I was just starting out on my yoga journey.
You don’t need an expensive, fancy mat to get started. Honestly, you could just practice on a carpeted area of your home to begin with. I admit, now that I’ve been practicing the physical aspect of yoga, the asanas, for over ten years, I now own multiple mats that are nowhere near cheap. My current favorite mat, and this is not sponsored, is the Manduka eQua Hot Yoga Mat that is essentially a towel built into the top layer of a mat to prevent slipping and sliding when things get sweaty. Is this mat crucial to my yoga practice? No.
Do I like how pretty my current favorite mat is and that it helps me get a grip with my sweaty palms? Yes, but it’s not a necessity.
The first yoga mat I bought was from a thrift store for three dollars.
Three dollars! Not only was it just three dollars, it was still in its original packaging. The mat, a Gaiam, similar to this one, lasted me the rest of my college years and well beyond. Eventually, I gifted the mat to someone who was just beginning to practice yoga and in doing so, it became someone else’s first yoga mat.
In addition to seeking out my first yoga mat all those years ago when I decided, Hey, this yoga thing is something I want to do more of, I also sought yoga or workout attire that made me feel good about myself. Essentially, I wanted something cute and comfortable, but again without spending an entire paycheck.
Yoga clothes – leggings, sports bras, and tops – are another layer of unnecessary items, but are undoubtedly nice to own. I’ve been wearing Fabletics leggings since my college days, and have always been blown away by the quality of every clothing item I’ve purchased from them. Are these items necessary? Absolutely not. You can practice yoga in your sweatpants, your pajamas, a t-shirt, or tank top. You don’t need leggings that cost $68 or more to practice yoga. These clothing items don’t make you any “better” at yoga.
You can start with where you are and with what you have.
From the title of this post, though, you know this isn’t a post about the fact that you don’t need a mat or yoga clothes to begin your yoga journey. In this post I’m sharing the top places to purchase affordable yoga gear that is accessible for all. I’ve purchased gear from each of the places I am going to share and can attest to the quality received. This is not a post about which mats or clothing items are the most sustainable for the environment or your own health – that’s for another post another time. With this post, I hope to encourage you to begin with where you’re at and use what you have, as well as to provide options for places to purchase items that are nice quality and won’t break the bank.
Top 3 Places to easily find affordable yoga gear:
1. Thrift stores are a great place to find new and used mats, yoga props like blocks, and yoga clothes.
As I mentioned earlier, the first yoga mat I purchased was for three dollars at a thrift store. The time of year I’ve seen the most yoga mats and clothes available to purchase is following the New Year, New Me gusto of the beginning of any year. Check out your local thrift shop around March and April for an abundance of lightly used and new items. Worried about germs? By now, we’re all likely masters at disinfecting anything we bring home. You got this.
2. Retail chains like Ross, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls.
I’ve seen and purchased nice quality mats with fun designs for just a few dollars from stores like those mentioned above. By opting to purchase clothing or other gear for your practice from stores like these, you are guaranteed new items that haven’t been broken in by someone else. I have even seen nicer, higher quality brands available for purchase at a fraction of the cost the items are typically sold for. Gearing up for January, items for any yoga practice are overflowing from the shelves of these retail chains December through January.
3. Everyday Yoga online, previously known as Yoga Outlet.
If you don’t live near the widespread retail chains mentioned above, shopping online might serve as a better option. Everyday Yoga offers affordable to moderately priced to pricey yoga mat, prop, and clothing items. I’ve often used it as a source to buy mats in bulk for the yoga studio I currently help to manage and even with hundreds of people using these mats every single day, the mats still last for years. I’ve seen really nice mats on sale upwards of 80 percent off, as well as leggings and more.
I hope this post helped to provide you with some guidance as to where to easily find affordable yoga gear. Please remember, you don’t have to have expensive yoga mats and clothes to practice yoga. Start where you are and with what you have. Nothing is required to start, you just have to choose to start somewhere.
I’m curious, where did you get your first yoga mat? Share in the comments below!
