Review Wednesday: Make-A-Bolster

MAB

When I traveled to Tucson in June/July I packed my yoga travel mat, strap, Make-A-Bolster, eye pillow (made by my mother-in-law) and yoga blocks (which don’t always make it in the suitcase if there is not enough room).

When I travel I usually pack exercise clothes and tennis shoes to make sure I keep up with my regular exercise routine. Sometimes hitting the gym at the hotel is successful and other times not at all.
Once I started my teacher training last year I developed a home yoga practice. The more I did it the easier it got.
I have a travel yoga mat, which makes practicing at a hotel a lot easier and easy to shove into a suitcase or even a carry on. Towels and blankets can help with other needed props.
In one of my last classes of my teacher training we had a class on props. We all presented different ways to use various props, some typical you would find in a studio or possibly a gym. A few presented props that were quite unique.
One of my fellow teachers in training brought in her Make-A-Bolster.
According to the website, Make-A-Bolster is portable, compact, and flat. A blanket from your hotel room or home is folded to approximate the bolster width, tightly rolled incorporating a sleep pillow, placed in the center and zipped to form the round bolster.
What a brilliant idea! I ordered one for myself and my mom. Soon after I submitted my order I got a personal e-mail from Lerna, who created and invented this cool item. (Because part of my job is looking up patents I had to look hers up.)
Lerna thanked me for my order and wanted to know what colors I wanted. I let her know how I heard about her bolsters. Her return e-mail told me she was happy to hear that her yoga travel bolster was becoming more well-known. She also said the she hoped I found it useful and would recommend it.
Yes, I love it! My mom loves hers! And I do recommend it.
I was recently at Restorative Yoga teacher training in Berkeley and I brought it to class one day to show my fellow students. There were a lot of ooohhhs and aaahhhs.
I have traveled twice since I got the Make-A-Bolster. It stores flat and pretty much takes up no room in your suitcase–it’s like packing a skirt.
My mom can happily and easily practice Queen’s Pose now that she has a bolster.
My only complaint is that it is a little short. But that is so minor. And when looking at Lerna’s site again I realize she has different-sized “bolsters.”

4half

The Make-A-Bolster is a great travel accessory for any yoga practitioner. I give it 4 1/2 dumbbells.