Yoga mats are bulky, awkward, and prone to unraveling. So toting one around can be tough—unless you have a yoga mat bag. “A yoga bag can be handy if you’re on the go,” Monisha Bhanote, MD, Yoga Medicine therapeutic specialist, says. “Plus, some yoga mat bags are great not only for your yoga mat, but also for other yoga accessories, such as straps, blocks, and towels,” she adds.
When shopping for a yoga mat bag, consider size, style, and weight. Small bags are easier to carry, but they won’t hold many accessories. Big bags can hold more equipment, but they’re heavier and harder to carry. Other features —like comfort, ventilation, and convenience—are also worth considering. “The yoga bag should provide you with both support and comfort when you’re wearing it, be machine-washable, and provide ventilation for your rolled-up mat,” Bhanote says.
Reviewed & Approved
Our top pick, Kindfolk’s Yoga Mat Duffle Bag can hold multiple mats and double as a weekender bag. We also like Zodaca’s Lightweight, Full-Zip Yoga Mat Bag because it’s affordable and lightweight.
To help you find the best yoga mat bag, we spent hours researching-top rated options, assessing them for size, comfort, capacity, and style. For expert advice on what to look for in a yoga mat bag, we turned to Bhanote, a yoga teacher and wellness expert.
According to our research, here are the best yoga mat bags on the market.
We chose Kindfolk’s Yoga Mat Duffle Bag as our top pick because it has a large main compartment with space for multiple yoga mats, sneakers, a change of clothes, and more. Oversized and compartmentalized, the chic duffel can double as a weekender for longer trips and traveling.
Best Overall
Kindfolk Yoga Mat Duffle Bag
Made of durable, breathable canvas
Lined with pockets
Available in 5 colorways
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Less spacious than other big bags
Thanks to its canvas exterior, this bag is easy to wash—simply use a washcloth, cold water, and dish soap. However, we think the highlight of the brand is that for each bag sold, Kindfolk donates $1 to one of three non-profits—A21, Girls Empowerment Network, or Nicole’s Place—which are focused on human trafficking, empowerment, and safe havens, respectively.
Price at time of publication: $40
Style: Duffel bag | Dimensions: 27.6 x 7.9 x 7.9 inches | Weight: 1.3 pounds | Room for Other Items: Yes
If you’re tired of fumbling to get your mat in your bag after class, we recommend this Lightweight Full-Zip Yoga Mat Bag from Zodaca. Available in multiple patterns, the bag features a handy full-zip opening. And it provides enough room for you to stow a standard-size yoga mat and a yoga towel.
Best Budget
Zodaca Lightweight Full-Zip Yoga Mat Bag
Made of durable microfiber
One small pocket for valuables
Available in 4 colorways
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Limited space for accessories
The bag also comes with an adjustable shoulder strap and an outer pocket that’s large enough for a smartphone and other small essentials. New yogis will appreciate the hassle-free design and the budget-friendly price of this bag.
Style: Over-the-shoulder duffel bag | Dimensions: 25 x 6 x 6 inches | Weight: Not listed | Room for Other Items: Yes (limited)
Bucket bags aren’t just trendy—they’re also great for carrying yoga mats. Like all bucket bags, this Ewedoos Yoga Mat Bag features a wide, round opening that makes storing and carrying a yoga mat a breeze.
Best Style
Ewedoos Yoga Mat Bag
Made of durable, breathable canvas
Two small pockets for valuables
Available in 7 colorways
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Open design doesn’t keep equipment very secure
We also love that the bag is equipped with two front pockets—a large, deep one for a water bottle and towel, and a more secure, zippered one for essentials like cash, an ID, and keys. Its wide strap is designed to comfortably sit on your shoulder. And its canvas exterior comes in six vibrant hues—one of which is sure to fit your personal style.
Price at time of publication: $24
Style: Over-the-shoulder bucket bag | Dimensions: 35 x 13.5 x 13.5 inches | Weight: Not listed | Room for Other Items: Yes (limited)
ELENTURE’s Large Yoga Mat Bag is an oversized duffel that can hold a yoga mat, yoga accessories, and other small essentials. The bag’s spacious main compartment can hold a standard or extra-thick yoga mat—up to 26 inches wide and 0.5 inches thick. We also love that it’s roomy enough for other accessories, like yoga blocks, yoga blankets, yoga towels, or a change of clothes.
Best for BYOYA (Bring Your Own Yoga Accessories)
ELENTURE Large Yoga Mat Bag
Made of durable, breathable canvas
Lined with pockets
Available in 4 colorways
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Hand-wash-only
Inside the bag, you’ll find two small zipper pockets, which are perfect for securing phones, wallets, and other valuables. And outside the bag, you’ll find a large zipper pocket, which is big enough for a book or tablet. Though the bag is made from durable canvas, it’s hand-wash-only. And it’s available in four striking colorways.
Price at time of publication: $36
Style: Duffel bag | Dimensions: 27 x 7 x 12 inches | Weight: 1.3 pounds | Room for Other Items: Yes
A classic backpack that’s equipped to hold a yoga mat, Alo Yoga’s Stow Backpack is one of the most versatile yoga mat bags on our list. The standard-sized backpack is lined with compartments. Inside the bag, you’ll find a laptop sleeve, an interior pocket, and a removable pouch. Outside it, you’ll find three zipper pockets, a water bottle holder, and two bungee straps you can use to attach your yoga mat to the bottom of the bag.
Best Backpack
Alo Yoga Stow Backpack
Made from water-resistant neoprene, the bag is remarkably durable. And when worn on your back, it can carry up to 75 pounds of weight at a time.
Price at time of publication: $128
Style: Backpack | Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 5 inches | Weight: Not listed | Room for Other Items: Yes (limited)
Most yoga mat straps can only hold a yoga mat. But because Manduka’s Go Play Yoga Mat Carrier is lined with a zipper, weather-resistant pouch, it can also hold everyday staples—like a phone, keys, money, and a pair of sunglasses.
Best Strap
Manduka Go Play Yoga Mat Carrier
Made of durable, water-resistant polyester
One small pocket for valuables
Easy to carry
Can’t hold accessories
Spot-clean-only
Made of water-resistant polyester, we love that the bag is durable and easy to clean—though the brand recommends spot-cleaning over machine-washing. And thanks to its quick-release buckles and adjustable straps, it’s designed to hold mats of any size.
Price at time of publication: $35
Style: Strap | Dimensions: 7.87 x 7.87 x 1.14 inches | Weight: 0.7 ounces | Room for Other Items: Yes (very limited)
Convenient to carry and easy to pack, Aurora’s Yoga Mat Bag is a great option for commuters. The sling backpack has a large inner compartment, a small zipper pocket, a mesh water bottle holder, and a mesh yoga mat holder. This yoga mat holder is tucked underneath two adjustable straps, which you can use to keep your yoga mat secure while on-the-go.
Best Commuter
Aurorae Yoga Mat Bag
Made of heavy-duty polyester
Lined with pockets and compartments
Available in 6 colorways
Side zipper is tough to navigate
Mesh pockets are prone to tears
We love that the bag’s crossbody strap is double-reinforced for comfort. And it’s lined with helpful storage features, like a built-in key ring and smartphone-friendly mesh pocket. The durable bag is made of heavy-duty polyester, and it’s currently available in six colorways.
Style: Crossbody backpack | Dimensions: 19 x 12 x 7 inches | Weight: 1.4 pounds | Room for Other Items: Yes (limited)
Uhawi’s Yoga Mat Sling Carrier is a spacious bag and a yoga mat strap in one. The tote’s roomy center compartment can hold two yoga mats, plus a handful of other accessories. The bag also comes with two open pockets, two zipper pockets, and a cinched water bottle sleeve—all of which are great for small essentials.
Best Convertible
Uhawi Yoga Mat Sling Carrier
Made of durable, machine-washable canvas
Features pockets, compartments, and a yoga mat strap
Available in 4 colorways
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Bulky
The bag also comes with a yoga mat strap, which you can tuck inside the tote or use on its own. And because it’s made of durable, high-quality canvas, we love that you can toss it in the washing machine without giving it a second thought.
Price at time of publication: $28
Style: Over-the-shoulder tote bag (plus yoga mat strap) | Dimensions: 30 x 14 inches (no width listed) | Weight: 0.9 pounds | Room for Other Items: Yes
If you’re a gym-goer who hits the yoga mat from time to time, we recommend this multitasking Studio to Street Yoga Mat Bag from Gaiam. With a silhouette that combines the structure of a duffel with the ease of a tote, the sturdy nylon bag is spacious enough to hold lots of workout essentials. The bag is also fitted with two exterior straps, which you can use to secure your yoga mat to the base of the bag.
Best Gym Bag With Holder
Gaiam Studio to Street Yoga Mat Bag
Made of durable nylon
Lined with pockets and compartments
Detachable shoulder strap
Over-the-shoulder design unevenly disperses weight
Spot-clean-only
Packed with pockets and compartments, the bag makes it easy to organize your stuff. Keep bigger essentials inside the bag’s roomy main compartment. And store small must-haves inside the many pockets lining the inside and outside of the bag.
Price at time of publication: $46
Style: Over-the-shoulder gym bag | Dimensions: 17 x 13 x 9 inches | Weight: Not listed | Room for Other Items: Yes
YogaAddict’s Supreme Yoga Mat Tote Bag is an oversized bag equipped to hold extra-large mats. Thanks to its 30-inch zipper opening, the bag is long enough for most extra-wide mats. And its roomy main compartment is both wide enough and deep enough for extra-long mats, which demand lots of space when rolled up.
Best for Large Mats
YogaAddict “Supreme” Yoga Mat Tote Bag
- Made of durable polyester
- Lined with pockets
- Available in 6 colorways
We love that the bag is also lined with four exterior compartments—three yoga block pockets and a water bottle holder. And its interior is designed with a small zipper pocket, which is perfect for phones, keys, and other small essentials.
Price at time of publication: $29
Style: Over-the-shoulder tote bag | Dimensions: 30 inches long (width and depth not listed) | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Room for Other Items: Yes
How We Selected the Best Yoga Mat Bags
Before settling on our top picks, we spent hours researching top-rated yoga mat bags, assessing them for capacity, style, and comfort. We also consulted a yoga expert—Monisha Bhanote, MD, a yoga medicine therapeutic specialist—on what to look for when buying a yoga mat bag.
Final Verdict
The Kindfolk Yoga Mat Duffle Bag is our top choice for those who want a mat carrier that’s versatile, stylish, and spacious enough to house additional yoga accessories.
If you are looking for a no-frills yoga mat carrier at a budget-friendly price point, we recommend Zodaca’s Lightweight, Full-Zip Yoga Mat Bag. It even comes with a pocket for storage.
To ensure you’d find a yoga mat bag you love, we featured a range of different styles. Some of our top picks win on capacity, offering enough storage space for multiple yoga mats and accessories. Others win on convenience, offering an easy way to get your yoga mat from point A to point B.
What to Look for in a Yoga Mat Bag
Capacity
The job of a yoga mat bag is to hold your yoga mat—plus any accessories you want to bring with you. So start by assessing the size of your yoga mat and the amount of equipment you plan to carry. A yoga mat bag should be long enough to hold your yoga mat (typically, the bag’s length or height should be greater than your yoga mat’s width). And it should also be wide enough and deep enough to accommodate your go-to accessories.
Just remember that capacity often comes at the cost of convenience. Big, roomy yoga mat bags are harder to carry than small ones with less storage space.
Style
Yoga mat bags are available as backpacks, tote bags, duffel bags, bucket bags, and more. And there are pros and cons to each style. Bags with two straps, like backpacks, are more comfortable to carry, because they evenly disperse weight across both shoulders. But larger bags, like duffels and totes, can typically hold more equipment.
Keep an eye out for pockets and zippers, as well. Bags with lots of pockets make it easy to organize your stuff. And bags with zippers will keep items secure when you’re on-the-go.
Material
Good yoga mat bags are durable, breathable, and easy to clean. Look for sturdy, weather-resistant materials that can hold up to wear and tear. And pay attention to breathability: Proper ventilation will help prevent stinky smells and bacterial growth. Finally, check the care instructions. Workout equipment can get pretty gross, so you’ll want a yoga mat bag that’s either machine-washable or easy to wipe clean.
Comfort
When considering yoga mats, look for something that will be easy to carry. Pay attention to the bag’s silhouette: Is it streamlined or bulky? And take note of the straps: Are there straps for both of your shoulders, and are the straps padded?
Why Trust Verywell Fit
Rozalynn S. Frazier is an award-winning multimedia journalist with more than 20 years of experience reporting on health and fitness. She is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and an avid exerciser, who routinely puts wellness tools and fitness gear through its paces to help assess which products are worthy of praise. She has created content for SELF, Men’s Health, Real Simple, Health, Essence, Cosmopolitan, Livestrong.com, among others.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the best ways to clean a yoga mat bag?
- Some yoga mat bags are machine-washable. Others are hand-wash-only. And others simply need to be spot-cleaned. So check the care instructions for your yoga bag before tossing it in the laundry.If your yoga mat bag has a water-resistant liner, you can likely wipe it clean with a damp cloth and mild liquid soap. And if your yoga bag is made of a softer material, like cotton, you may be able to machine-wash and air dry it.
- How do you remove odors from a yoga mat bag?
- One easy way to prevent and remove odors? Clean your yoga mat bag frequently. But if your bag has started to smell and traditional cleaning doesn’t help, you do have options. “You can use white vinegar and water to remove smells from your yoga bag,” Bhanote says. Simply spray the mixture on a cleaning cloth, and give your bag a good scrub. “Alternatively, add baking soda to an empty yoga bag, let it soak up odors overnight, then shake it out the next day,” she adds.
- Should you store your yoga mat in the bag?
- It’s OK to store your yoga mat inside your yoga bag—but only if you’ve cleaned and sanitized both. “Yoga mats should generally be cleaned following every practice,” Bhanote says. So wipe down your mat and bag before storage, and be sure that both are completely dry to avoid mildew growth.
Some yoga mat bags are machine-washable. Others are hand-wash-only. And others simply need to be spot-cleaned. So check the care instructions for your yoga bag before tossing it in the laundry.
One easy way to prevent and remove odors? Clean your yoga mat bag frequently. But if your bag has started to smell and traditional cleaning doesn’t help, you do have options. “You can use white vinegar and water to remove smells from your yoga bag,” Bhanote says. Simply spray the mixture on a cleaning cloth, and give your bag a good scrub. “Alternatively, add baking soda to an empty yoga bag, let it soak up odors overnight, then shake it out the next day,” she adds.
It’s OK to store your yoga mat inside your yoga bag—but only if you’ve cleaned and sanitized both. “Yoga mats should generally be cleaned following every practice,” Bhanote says. So wipe down your mat and bag before storage, and be sure that both are completely dry to avoid mildew growth.
Additional reporting by Lindsey Lanquist
As a seasoned health and fitness writer, Lindsey Lanquist understands how vital quality product recommendations can be. She is careful to recommend products that are reliable, comfortable, and genuinely well-reviewed by those who’ve tried them.
