Exercise mats don’t come much thinner that the ultra-portable La Pochette Whenever Wherever Workout Mat…

For a full roundup, check out the best exercise mats for functional fitness

La Pochette Whenever Wherever Workout Mat   

BUY IT NOW: 

From $73.85 / £60, lapochette.co 

PROS: 

  • Very light  
  • 30-degree machine washable  

CONS: 

  • More of a towel than a mat  
  • Thin at just 1.5mm 

Grip: 3/5
Comfort: 2/5
Portability: 5/5
OVERALL: 3/5 

As the name suggests, the Whenever Wherever Workout Mat is an ideal travel companion. It’s super lightweight and easily packable (you can also buy it with a colour-coordinated sweat bag for $116.96 / £95) and at just 1.5mm thick it can pack down incredibly small.

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That 1.5mm thickness may seem a little, well, thin, but it has its advantages. Not only does it make it extremely portable, it also allows it to be machine washed at 30 degrees. This gives you the option to use it as a hygienic top layer for your studio exercise mat, as it has fairly standard dimensions.

Whenever Wherever Workout Mat design

With next to no padding, the Whenever Wherever Workout Mat unsurprisingly offers little protection for your limbs and joints. However, although it looks flimsy it does have a quality, luxurious feel, which goes some way to explaining the £60 price tag.   

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The mat has a natural rubber base and a micro-fibre towelling top layer, which feels soft and plush, though somewhat slippery. The instructions advise you to spray the top with water to improve the grip – though that’s easier said than done mid-downward dog. 

We would like to see a more effective non-slip material on the underside, as the mat can bunch in the middle. A few more millimeters thickness would also stop sharp bits like knees or spines feeling the floor during stretching and mobility sessions, which can be less than comfortable.

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But that would of course make the Whenever Wherever Workout Mat not so ‘whenever’ or ‘wherever’. We do love how easy it is to carry around, and as we say it works well as a surprisingly soft-feeling washable overlay for a studio mat – a bit like a mattress topper.

Of course, it can be used on its own but don’t expect much in the way of cushioning or comfort.