fbpx

Ultimate Review of the Best Yoga Bolsters in 2023

Best Yoga Bolster

Sitting in the same position for long is taxing – just ask office workers. Yoga and meditation are not any different.

Now, if you’re often distracted by discomfort during your yoga, it’s difficult to get the best from your sessions.

In particular, if you’ve done a class requiring a few “advanced” positions, you’ll quickly understand how nice it would be if you had some support.

In my case, starting on yoga was arduous, and I could barely touch my toes, and always felt like my hammies were going to burst like a rubber band.

Needless to say, I quickly learned that kitting oneself with a block or yoga bolster is a sure-fire way to getting the most out of your yoga practices.

Yoga bolsters are designed to help you get the right amount of support needed to stay comfortable during your yoga poses.

They offer pacifying relief from pain, lessen stiffness and improve the overall comfort, especially when performing the especially challenging yoga moves and postures.

Sometimes, the yoga bolsters are also quite invaluable options to pregnant women, persons with physical limitations, folks feeling sore, and those who need support when performing certain poses.

This article aims to bring you the best yoga bolsters in the market, and hopefully, you’ll find one to improve and add comfort to your yoga sessions.

Quick Comparison Table!

ForPro Full Round Bolster

4.8

4.8/5
Brentwood Home Crystal Cove Meditation Cushion

4.6

4.6/5
Yoga Accessories Supportive Round Cotton Yoga Bolster

4.5

4.5/5
EARTHLITE Bolster Pillow Jumbo

4.3

4.3/5
Seat Of Your Soul Meditation Cushion

 

4.0

4/5
Bean Products Yoga Bolster

 

4.0

4/5

The Best Yoga Bolsters For The Money

The Best Yoga Bolsters For The Money

#1 ForPro Full Round Bolster

4.7/5
4.2/5
4.8/5

The ForPro Bolster excels in simplicity. It’s a lightweight option and weighing only 1 pound; it’s ideal for carrying around almost anywhere.

It’s quite large, and with a dimension of 26 inches long and 6 inches in diameter, it offers a large base for performing yoga.

Made from high-density foam and vinyl, this yoga bolster adds comfort during your yoga sessions.

The vinyl coating isn’t by accident. The polyurethane (PU) vinyl cover is light and pliable. It’s also easy to clean, making the bolster easy to maintain even after sweaty sessions in the studio.

The sleek vinyl coating also adds to the bolster’s overall aesthetics, making it among the best-looking options in the market.

The outer fabric is also oil and stain-resistance, so you can continually use the bolster without being concerned about the overall durability or dirt accumulation. So, it’s a great option for practicing yoga even on the outdoors, considering it doesn’t show the dirt too easily.

The fill material, high-density foam core, is superb, offering firm support, and reliable performance. Despite the firm support, we love how it easily conforms to the curves of your body. This way, the bolster excels at relieving strains from your lower back during massage sessions or therapeutic yoga sessions.

The core materials also resist the pressure of your body weight, and even better, it returns to the original shape after repeated use. However, after years of use, it’s likely to lose some of its shapes.

Speaking of shape, ForPro is a round bolster, a feature that makes it quite ideal for offering excellent knee and ankle support. The round shape, alongside the flexible cover and high-density foam, makes the bolster quite a versatile option.

 The yoga prop also incorporates a carry handle, easing the overall portability. It’s easier to transport, move, and shift the bolster and can carry it almost anywhere.

Overall, ForPro Bolster is a wonderful option, especially for yoga users with back pain. It’s an encompassing solution, well-suited for offering back, neck, and knee support in a general sense. 

It’s also a multi-purpose tool, offering the perfect shape and size for massage.

Pros

Cons

#2 Brentwood Cove Meditation Cushion - Premium Option

4.6/5
4.3/5
4.6/5

Brentwood Meditation Cushion is yet another attractive yoga prop. The wave cloud design is candy to the eye.  Aesthetics are further complimented by the beige gray color on the outer, complimenting your household décor.

It’s filled with buckwheat, so it easily conforms to your body shape while retaining its form and structure.

Yet, it’s a rugged option and one that you can easily take with to the outdoors without compromising its integrity.

The natural buckwheat filling material is firm and the perfect solution for anyone who needs to alleviate pain, pressure, or stress on their body and joints.

It’s easy to clean the bolster since the outside cover is removable and machine washable. This way, you can always keep your bolster fresh and clean, though you should avoid putting it in a dryer.

It’s also possible to adjust the level of support offered by the cushion. Here, you simply need to unzip the liner and remove or add the inner foam until you achieve your desired comfort and support level.

Brentwood Meditation Cushion goes beyond aesthetics, but it’s equally a performance-oriented yoga prop, especially durability. It’s a sturdy option that doesn’t wear out easily. You can take it anywhere, even on the outdoors.

Of note, avoid making the buckwheat wet as they can ruin. For the cover, use an air-dryer to prevent it from shrinking.

Brentwood Meditation Cushion is also reasonably priced t’s not the least expensive on our list, but compared with other options in its class, you’ll see it a value option, well-worth of every penny.

Overall, this yoga prop is built with comfort and practicality in mind. It’s durable and attractive, too, adding to the already wonderful list of features.

We can also not forget that a yoga instructor designed it.

Pros

Cons

#3 Yoga Accessories Supportive Round Cotton Yoga Bolster - Budget Option

4.4/5
4.5/5
4.5/5

Yoga Accessories is a wonderful entry-level and rounded bolsters for the yogis looking for a budget-friendly yoga bolster.

It’s a cotton-stuffed option, and softer than a majority of other options on our list. The cotton construction also makes it quite a comfortable bolster, even when doing various advanced yoga poses.

The downside of cotton construction is the lack of firmness and support. Of course, it has some firmness level, but not enough to pull off some of the advanced yoga poses.

It has a large platform, coming in at 28 inches in length and 10 inches in diameter. The platform is large enough for users to enjoy their yoga sessions.

However, it’s a bit bulky, coming in at 6 pounds. It might be the perfect option for those who need a bolster lying in the studio or at home, but not traveling around with. The folks at Yoga Accessories seem to understand this and probably why they fitted the bolster with carrying handles for easier transportation.

Another nifty feature on the Yoga Accessories bolster is a removable zippered case, which eases the maintenance process. Its machine washable, but ensure to clean it using a cold, gentle cycle, otherwise it gets deformed.

Yoga Accessories Bolster doesn’t come with the whistles and bells of some of our premium options. It’s an inexpensive option that doesn’t sacrifice on quality. In particular, it appeals to yogis performing prenatal or restorative yoga.

Pros

Cons

#4 EARTHLITE Bolster Pillow Jumbo - Best for Big Guys

4.3/5
4.5/5
4.3/5

Aptly named the Earthlite Jumbo Pillow, this yoga prop is a huge bolster and the perfect option for the tall and broad-shouldered guys.

Its appeal goes beyond accommodating the big guys, but also extends to its remarkable firmness and guaranteed stability to users.

Like the FoPro, Earthlite Jumbo Pillow is filled with foam at its core. The foam easily takes the shape of your body contours, relieving you the strain during massage therapy and adding comfort to your yoga classes.

On the other hand, the outer is designed with eco-friendly and luxurious Natursoft polyurethane (PU) upholstery.

Altogether, the quality material fabrics on this option are durable and enhance the bolster’s overall reliability.

Cleaning this bolster is also a cinch, thanks to the zippered vinyl cover. It’s a removable and machine washable cover, easing the maintenance.

However, PU is an extremely sensitive fabric, and we recommend cleaning it with a simple wipe of cloth dipped in mild soap.

Portability should be the least of your worries with this option, thanks to the sewn handle, making the bolster portable and easy to store anywhere.

The main appeal of the Earthlite Jumbo Pillow is perhaps the multi-purpose nature. This option is a versatile bolster and can be used in various applications ranging from yoga practice to sleep to massage therapy.

And for whatever application, it offers unmatched comfort allowing you to get the best experience possible.

And as we had mentioned earlier, Earthlite Jumbo Pillow is quite large, coming in at 26 inches in length and 8 inches in diameter. It offers the perfect platform for relieving the stress on your muscles.

Overall, the Earthlite Jumbo Pillow has a lot to offer, especially for the big guys requiring additional support. It’s also a multi-purpose option doubling up as massage therapy and sleep pillow.

Pros

Cons

#5 Seat Of Your Soul Meditation Cushion - Best for Meditation and Yoga

4.2/5
4.6/5
4/5

The Seat of Your Meditation Cushion is a premium bolster available in a round design and various color options.

It’s not exactly a lightweight option, but I would say it weighs decent compared to other cushions within its class.

However, it’s an attractive and durable cushion that will easily last for long without compromising its integrity.

The Seat Meditation Cushion is also easy on the pocket, and despite the budget tag, it doesn’t sacrifice on the overall quality.

Both the cover and the interiors lining holding the filling are made from organic comfort, so a great option for the environmentalists. The cotton is ultra-smooth, soft, and comfortable. The folks at the Seat of your Meditation claim it’s GOTS-certified, meaning it’s sourced from an ecologically sustainable, and socially ethical source.

The cushion uses natural buckwheat as the filling material. Now, if you know anything about materials, you understand that the buckwheat doesn’t compress or flatten even after repeated use and will stay comfortable and supportive for years to come. The filling material offers great support while at the same time conforming to your shape.

Even better, it’s easy to adjust the level of firmness or comfort on the cushion. You can either add more filling material for a firmer experience or remove some hulls for a softer experience. The hulls are stored in a second inner pouch for easier retrieval.

The Seat Meditation Cushion is also quite large, coming with a decent dimension of 5″ to 5.5″ depending on the style.

The bolster offers solid comfort when in use, which is a great solution for extended meditation or long yoga sessions.

These yoga props are also versatile, with many users finding them comfortable that they can’t stop sitting on them. The bolster usage goes beyond meditation and yoga sessions, but can also be used when crouching on the floor to play with kids, and simply sitting to catch your favorite TV show.

However, they’re tailored for the yoga sessions and are firm enough to replace the yoga blocks, especially during the challenging asana.

The bolsters are also easy to use and maintain. First, they feature a handle, easing the portability. The cover on them is also removable and machine washable, so maintenance should be a cinch.

Generally, Seat of Your Meditation Cushion is an awesome cushion, especially for the price. They’re a solid purchase, coming in with plenty of desirable features and a reasonable price.

Pros

Cons

#6 Bean Products Yoga Bolster - Best Commercial-Grade Option

4.2/5
4.6/5
4/5

Bean Product Bolster is the perfect option for yogis looking for a heavy-duty bolster.

This bolster is uniquely handcrafted into four layers, offering an amazing quality construction. It utilizes a premium fabric cover, cotton muslin line, latex foam core, and organic cotton batting.

The fabrics are also available in a range of colors, with the bolster offering up to 33 different shades. So, yes, there’s always a bolster to complement your décor style.

Bean Product Bolster can be a versatile and multi-purpose bolter for a deep-supported chest opener or a more gently supported forward bend. The bolster also appeals to both the beginner as well as the advanced users.

It’s a comfortable option too, and more importantly, it provides the much-needed support, especially for the back, tailbone, and neck during grueling pranayama sessions.

It’s easy to use, and as a majority of the bolster options on our list, it features a zippered cover, which is easily removable for machine washing.

However, the biggest appeal is the flexibility I offer, giving you the freedom to choose the shape, size, and material you need for your yoga prop.

Pros

Cons

Best Yoga Bolster Buying Guide

Best Yoga Bolster BUYING GUIDE

In the text below, we shall share everything you need to know about selecting the best yoga bolster for your fitness and meditation needs.

But before I share the tips with you, let’s first look at the different types of yoga bolsters in the market.

Types of Yoga Bolsters

There’re numerous types of yoga bolsters, but we shall look at the five common types here.

Rectangular

The rectangular-shaped bolsters are among the most popular accessories in the yoga community.

Aptly named the rectangular bolsters, these accessories make a rectangle shape, and they’re longer and flatter than any other bolster.

Round-shaped Bolster

The round-shaped bolsters take a round shape and offer excellent support to knee and ankle joints. When placed under the knee joints, the bolster relieves stress generated in the lower back region.

They’re particularly suitable for the yoga enthusiasts requiring a yogi to lie on their back.

Breathing Style Pranayama 

Pranayama is a tad longer than both the rectangular and round bolster. However, it’s also narrower.

The bolsters support the back, from tailbone to neck.

Jumbo Bolster

The jumbo bolsters are similarly-shaped to the round-shaped bolsters, but with varying diameters.

Zafu Bolsters

A zafu bolster is round, helping to offer stability for your hips. They’re also made for sitting.

How to Choose a Yoga Bolster- Factors to Consider

The shape of the Yoga

Yoga bolsters are broadly categorized in rectangular and round. The shape you choose depends on your yoga practice.

The rectangular yoga bolsters are suitable for those who practice restorative yoga. The wide base and top give users the stability needed for performing different several restorative yoga poses.

On the other hand, the round yoga bolsters are suitable for those who need to perform the legs-up-the-wall pose or Viparita Karani.

A round bolster is a more comfortable option than having the edge of a rectangular bolster pressed in your back.

Size and Weight

Both size and weight are essential for the yoga bolsters, with regards to comfort and support.

Generally, large and heavy bolsters offer extensive coverage and firm support. They’re suitable for use in the studio or home as opposed to traveling.

On the other hand, small and lightweight bolsters are suitable for smaller yogis and kids. They offer fantastic support under the neck, thighs, and knees. They’re also portable enough for easy travel.

Weight and Filling Material

Weight and filling materials are two separate things, but they’re closely linked in a yoga bolster.

For instance, certain fillings are heavier and dense than others, so the choice of filling affects the weight of your bolster and firmness.

Two of the popular filling materials are high-density foam and cotton batting. Cotton batting is heavier, while the foam is relatively bulky and firm, dense and good. But again, it all depends on the traits of the material.

Other common materials for the yoga bolsters are buckwheat, recron, and kapok fiber.

 Material

The bolster cover may come in different materials like vinyl and cotton.

Cotton is soft but shrinks after washing. On the other hand, vinyl is durable but requires spot cleaning.

If you’re environment-conscious, you should then choose an environmental-friendly material such as organic cotton.

Firm or Soft

The choice of whether to go firm or soft is a personal preference. It also depends on what you’ll be using the bolster for.

Nonetheless, most of the yoga teachers recommend the firm bolsters as they offer more support and less likely to lose shape when weight is exerted onto them.

Easy Cleaning

You’ll be using your yoga bolster often, so it’s always good to ensure it clean easily.

Consider what the manufacturer says about maintaining the bolster condition.

For instance, you can pick those with removable and machine washable covers to ease the overall cleaning.

Avoid sponge bolsters as they’re usually only spot cleaned using mild detergents.

Fabric

Yoga bolsters come in stylish and fashionable designs, but a crucial element to look out for is the durability.

Inspect the seams of the cover to make sure there’re no weak points or even poor stitching.

Handles

If you need a portable yoga bolster, you’ll need to pick a lightweight and small option.

In addition, you can pick one with handles to ease the overall portability.

Price

You get what you pay for, and this is true with the yoga bolsters.

But that doesn’t mean you should break the bank.

Compare the different bolsters in different price ranges and select the better one.

You might even be surprised to find out that sometimes, the more affordable option fits all your requirements.

Conclusion

Kitting yourself with the right yoga bolster will make your yoga sessions more comfortable and enjoyable.

It will also remove the discomfort that comes with bearing with the naked floor.

And now that we’ve provided you with the best options and offered a handy buying guide, choosing the best yoga bolsters should be easy.

Sharing is caring!

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

Lisa Hayden-Matthews

An avid Skier, bike rider, triathlon enthusiast, amateurish beach volleyball player and nature lover who has never lost a dare! I manage the overall Editorial section for the magazine here and occasionally chip in with my own nature photographs, when required.

Related Posts

Subscribe To Our NewsLetter!

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x