Gaiam yoga bolster review
Cotton batting, a carry handle and a washable cover, doing four jobs.
A cotton-batting filled bolster with a sturdy carry handle and a removable machine washable cover.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Filling | Natural cotton batting |
| Cover | Removable and machine washable |
| Handle | Built-in sturdy carry handle on the pillow case |
| Uses | Support during yoga, meditation and general relaxation, plus neck and leg support |
| Colours | Multiple |
Specifications above come from Gaiam's published product specifications. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- One object doing four jobs. Sat astride it as a bench, under the knees in a restorative pose, behind the back in a chair, or under the ankles in cross-legged sitting.
- The carry handle is the reason it moves around the house and therefore gets used, which is not a small thing for a piece of soft equipment.
- Cotton batting is firm enough to support and soft enough to lie on, which is the balance a restorative prop needs and a buckwheat cushion does not have.
- The cover is removable and machine washable, which a bolster genuinely needs since it spends its life on a floor.
- It works straight away with no adjustment, no fill to add and nothing to learn.
Where it falls short
- Cotton batting compresses. Over months of daily sitting it flattens, and unlike buckwheat you cannot top it up. For a daily sitting seat, a zafu holds its height for years and this will not.
- It is soft. If you sit on it cross-legged you will sink into it, which changes your pelvic angle and can undo the reason you sat on something in the first place.
- There is no stated dimension in the specification. Bolster sizes vary a lot, so check the current listing measurements against your body and your space.
- Cotton absorbs moisture and holds it, which matters if it lives in a damp room or gets used for hot practice.
- A bolster is a prop, not a practice. Restorative poses supported by props are pleasant, and nothing about a cushion is therapeutic in itself.
What owners report
Owners consistently describe it as the piece of equipment that gets used most and consistently mention softening over time. Reports of the handle being genuinely sturdy rather than decorative are common. Restorative yoga practitioners rate it well; daily cross-legged sitters generally end up with a buckwheat cushion as well, which is the honest pattern.
Bolster or cushion is the decision, and our bolster vs cushion comparison covers it directly. If it is knees and hips rather than support you are dealing with, meditation cushion vs bench is the more useful read. Never practise breath holds in or near water.
Who it suits
- Restorative yoga practitioners.
- Anyone who wants one prop rather than three.
- People who use a cushion in several positions and places.
- Households where a cushion has to be moved and stored often.
Who should skip it
- Daily cross-legged sitters who need a firm fixed height.
- Anyone who wants an adjustable fill.
- Damp rooms, since cotton holds moisture.
Alternatives worth considering
Buckwheat hulls hold their shape and the fill is adjustable, which is what a daily sitting seat needs and cotton batting does not give you.
Check price on AmazonCushion plus padded mat, which is the combination that makes long cross-legged sittings on a hard floor possible.
Check price on AmazonIf the appeal is the restorative, lying-down half of a practice, a weighted blanket is the other object people find they use most.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
What is a yoga bolster for?
Supporting the body in restorative positions so muscles can release rather than hold. Under the knees in a reclined pose, along the spine in a supported backbend, or under the ankles or hips when sitting. It removes the effort from a position so you can stay in it.
Can you meditate sitting on a bolster?
Yes, and the usual way is to straddle it like a bench rather than sit on top of it cross-legged, because a soft cushion under crossed legs lets you sink and lose the pelvic tilt. Straddled, it works much like a meditation bench with more give.
Does the filling flatten over time?
Cotton batting compresses with use, which is normal for the material. A bolster used for restorative poses a few times a week lasts a long time. A bolster sat on daily will soften noticeably within months, which is why daily sitters usually end up with buckwheat as well.
Bolster or meditation cushion?
A bolster is more versatile and softer. A cushion is firmer, holds its height and is usually adjustable. If you sit every day, buy the cushion. If you do restorative work and sit occasionally, buy the bolster. Our comparison covers the overlap.
Keep reading
- Bolster vs cushion
- Meditation cushion vs bench
- Types of meditation
- Retrospec Sedona cushion review
- Zafu and zabuton set review
- YnM weighted blanket review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.