If you have a yoga lover in your life, the holidays are a great opportunity to gift them something that can help take their practice to the next level. But unless you're a regular on the yoga mat yourself, you could probably use some recommendations on what to get.
Yoga by itself can be totally product-free, but certain items like yoga mats, blocks and straps can make a flow more enjoyable. Here are our expert-approved picks.
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The Best Gifts for Yoga Lovers
- Best for Beginners: Gaiam Yoga for Beginners Kit ($29.98, Gaiam)
- Best Basic: Lululemon The Mat 5mm ($98, Lululemon)
- Best Apparel: Beyond Yoga Spacedye Uplevel Midi Jumpsuit ($135, Beyond Yoga)
- Best for Hot Yogis: Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel ($60, Manduka)
- Best for the Yogi Who Has It All: Bala Bangles (from $55, Bala)
- Best for At-Home Practicers: WorkoutLabs Yoga Cards - Beginner ($24.95, Amazon)
- Best Splurge: Crystal Cove Home Yoga Pillow Bundle ($178.88, Walmart)
- Best Stocking Stuffer: Saje Natural Wellness Yoga Transition Face and Body Mist ($16, Saje)
- Best Must-Have: MyBevi 20-Ounce Quatro Slim Tumbler ($18, MyBevi)
How We Chose
Five yoga instructors clued us in on the items that would make any dedicated yogi happy. We narrowed down their picks based on the below criteria. Be sure to check out their recommendations before making your holiday shopping plans.
- Features
- Price
- Quality
- Ease of use
- User reviews
1. Best for Beginners: Gaiam Yoga for Beginners Kit
Has your loved one talked all year about wanting to start a yoga practice? Gift them this Gaiam beginner's kit. "It's a simple set with the most helpful props for someone getting started," says Joanna Rajendran, a certified yoga teacher and meditation instructor.
The kit comes with everything a newbie needs for daily practice: a non-slip yoga mat (available in several different colors), six-foot strap and block. Plus, the price is friendlier to your holiday budget than many other options.
Buy it: Gaiam.com ($29.98); Amazon.com (from $21.49)
2. Best Basic: Lululemon The Mat 5mm
If your yogi's mat is in need of an upgrade, you can't go wrong with this Lululemon pick. "It's a top choice among yoga lovers," says Ashley Iwanicki, a yoga instructor and the founder of yoga studio The Collective Studios.
It's a pricey pick, but it made the list for a few good reasons. For one, the mat comes in several colors and prints. It also features antimicrobial additives that help prevent mold and mildew from breeding on the surface. The mat is also reversible.
"The rubberized side keeps you firmly planted during sweaty, hot Vinyasa classes, while the cushioned, natural rubber side is ideal for gentler forms of yoga, like yin or restorative," Iwanicki says.
She suggests pairing the mat with the brand's Loop It Up Mat Strap ($24) for ease of transport in and out of the studio.
Buy it: Lululemon.com; Price: $98
3. Best Apparel: Beyond Yoga Spacedye Uplevel Midi Jumpsuit
Every yogi's workout wardrobe could use a performance jumpsuit — and this one offers comfort and style. "It's flattering on nearly every body type and shape," Iwanicki says.
Made with the buttery-soft performance fabric the brand is known for, this Beyond Yoga onesie feels like second skin. Plus, it provides full-body coverage and light, all-over compression for a fitted-but-comfortable fit.
"This jumpsuit can also easily be layered with a sweater or tee and shacket — that's a shirt-jacket — to easily take you from studio to street," Iwanicki says.
Buy it: BeyondYoga.com ($135); Saks Fifth Avenue ($135)
4. Best for Hot Yogis: Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel
Extra-sweaty yogis will appreciate the added grip this Manduka yoga mat towel provides. These towels feature silicone nubs that grip your mat and keep you from slipping — no matter how much you move or sweat.
"I cannot emphasize enough how much I love these towels," says Claire Larson, E-RYT 200, a private yoga instructor in Chandler, Arizona. "They're super durable and totally worth the investment."
They're also ultra absorbent, lightweight and quick-drying, making them a great gift for hot yoga lovers. And they're eco-friendly: Every towel is made with from least four recycled plastic bottles.
Buy it: Manduka.com ($60); Amazon.com ($49.19 to $66.80)
5. Best for the Yogi Who Has It All: Bala Bangles
"Bala's chic and stylish wrist and ankle weights are the perfect up-level to any yoga lover's practice," Iwanicki says. They're available in a variety of fun colors and made of recycled steel wrapped in super-soft silicone.
"The bangles add just the right amount of resistance to find even greater strength in your practice," Iwanicki says. Select from one- or two-pound weights (per piece).
Buy it: ShopBala.com; Price: $55 to $65 per pair
6. Best for At-Home Practicers: WorkoutLabs Yoga Cards - Beginner
These WorkoutLabs yoga cards are perfect for developing a home practice, "especially for the student who prefers unplugged learning," says Catherine Tingey, E-RYT 200, a private yoga instructor in Los Angeles, California.
Each card outlines a yoga posture (47 in total) with easy-to-follow illustrations, alignment cues and benefits. The cards are color-coded and grouped by category (dynamic warm-ups, standing, forward bends, back bends, inversions, seated, supine and breathing). This makes it easy to find specific poses.
Pick a few cards to create a short sequence or follow one of five suggested sequences, such as a dynamic warm-up or a de-stressing session.
Buy it: WorkoutLabs.Shop ($24.95); Amazon.com ($24.95)
7. Best Splurge: Crystal Cove Home Yoga Pillow Bundle
Treat your loved one to a luxurious pillow bundle that will take their meditation and restorative yoga sessions to a deeper level of relaxation.
"The cushions are great for a comfortable seated meditation or to place behind your knees when lying on your back for more comfort," Larson says.
Each Crystal Cove Home pillow bundle includes a yoga bolster, meditation cushion and Pranayama pillow filled with sustainable buckwheat hulls and made with organic, soft-to-the-touch cotton.
Buy it: Walmart.com; Price: $178.88
8. Best Stocking Stuffer: Saje Natural Wellness Yoga Transition Face and Body Mist
Need a stocking stuffer? Go for this Saje face and body mist. Made with a blend of patchouli, orange and neroli essential oils, this spray offers a fantastic way to get grounded before yoga class. "The scent is earthy and citrusy, providing a meditative sensation," Iwanicki says.
Buy it: Saje.com; Price: $16
9. Best Must-Have: MyBevi 20-Ounce Quatro Slim Tumbler
Give your loved one the gift of hydration. "I love this tumbler for keeping drinks hot or cold, because it has all the same features as some of the more popular tumbler brands, but it's more affordable," says Michelle Polizzi, RYT-500, a registered yoga teacher in Denver.
Like other MyBevi products, this tumbler is vacuum-insulated to keep tea, coffee or water at the right temperature. It doesn't matter how long the yoga session goes or how heated the room gets.
Buy it: MyBevi.com; Price: $18