Yoga is awesome training, either by itself or as cross-training for climbing and all other outdoor pursuits. Developing strength, flexibility and breath control combined with the beneficial aspects of moving meditation if you choose to do it that way is a powerful combination. Anyone who thinks otherwise has never tried Forrest yoga – take it from me, who used to make merciless fun of the the whole industry. In my defense, when you see yoga pants as the default wardrobe for so many people, it's kind of easy to poke fun…
You don't need much to do yoga, in fact you don't need anything, but most people do it in a class, and the room usually has hard floors, and if you're only going to own one piece of gear for yoga a mat is the ticket. T MAT PRO (yes, all caps…) is the company that makes a very cool little triathlon transition mat of the same name, and they've now got a yoga mat named – wait for it – the YMAT PRO. It's a neoprene mat, a little less than 1/8 inch thick, with a nonslip back. The YMAT PRO is 25 inches wide and available in a travel length of 48 inches and a full length of 75 inches.
The YMAT PRO is just enough cushion for most people, and it rolls up nice and tight with the included velcro strap. The neoprene absorbs water and limits slip, perfect for warm/hot yoga or the simply sweaty among us. You know who you are. The travel size will go into a roll-aboard no problem, and it rolls out nice and flat and stays in place. If you're looking for a light-is-right yoga mat take a look at the YMAT PRO.
25×48 travel size, $44.95 at Amazon
25×75 full size, $54.95 at Amazon