Gaiam offers eco-friendly luxury equipment for yoga and meditation. The brand’s comfortable, high-quality equipment helps people to calm down again. It ranges from yoga mats and weights to boxing gloves for adults and children.
The brand, which is known for its high-quality equipment made from environmentally and user-friendly materials, has been included in the “Best Of” lists of renowned publications such as Glamour and USA Today. The brand currently has a sizable following of 165k on Instagram.
In this Gaiam review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the brand and its bestsellers, let you know what customers are saying about it, provide information on promotions and more to help you decide if this collection is right for your lifestyle.
Overview of Gaiam
Gaiam was founded in 1988 by Jirka Rysavy. At the time, however, the company not only sold yoga equipment, but also functioned as an alternative media video service that streamed yoga tutorials and preached pseudoscientific topics.
In 2016, the retail division was sold to Sequential Brands Group, while the information division became Gaia Inc. Today, the two companies have nothing to do with each other, except that they support the common goal of bringing humanity back to peace.
Gaiam, the yoga accessory company, is based in Denver, Colorado. Customers can find its products in over 38k stores.
Before we look at the brand’s bestsellers, we will briefly highlight the highlights in this Gaiam test.
Highlights
- Large selection of equipment and accessories for yoga, fitness and meditation
- Clothing also available
- Departments for adults and children
- Price range; many affordable options
- Available in many stores in the USA
- Positive customer reviews
“Gaiam”, a combination of the ancient Greek word for ‘mother earth’ and the expression ‘I am’, combines functional, high-quality yoga equipment with inspiring prints and comfortable materials. You could say that this combination symbolizes the connection between the spiritual and natural worlds, but perhaps we are reading too much into it.
With the aim of restoring calm and balance, the brand’s fitness equipment and accessories do not skimp on comfort. After all, comfort is a by-product of serenity, and it’s only logical that Gaiam prioritizes this aspect in its products.
The next section of this Gaiam review will take you through the brand’s yoga mats, ball chairs, Restorative Collection and hand weights, all of which are designed for support, relief and ease of use.
Gaiam Yoga Review
Practicing yoga without a mat or block is possible, but not ideal. The soft foam surface of the mats and blocks provides cushioning between your body and the hard floor, allowing you to stretch further, perform the exercises correctly and stay in the poses for longer.
Find out more about the brand’s best-selling yoga mats and blocks below.
Gaiam Ball Chairs Review
Over the past 30 years, trendy offices around the globe have replaced their regular chairs with exercise balls – a great practice to keep staff healthy and improve posture. While these effects are certainly possible, rolling the balls around can be a bit distracting in most cases.
Keyword: ball chairs. Below we present the bestsellers from Gaiam. Read on to find out exactly what these products are all about.
Gaiam Restore Review
The way you recover is just as important as the way you train. The Gaiam Restore collection is full of effective tools that take the strain off your muscles so you can keep going.
Find out more about four of the brand’s most popular massage, rolling and support devices below.
Gaiam Weights Review
Weights are an important part of your fitness program. If you leave them out, you may not get the results you want. The best-selling Gaiam dumbbells come in different sizes, which we would like to introduce to you below.
Is Gaiam An Ethical Brand?
Some sources state that the brand is ethical, but during our research for this Gaiam review we were unable to verify this. Many articles state that the brand is committed to helping people maintain a healthy routine, and therefore it is considered an ethical brand in terms of how it wants to treat others.
Who Is Gaiam For?
Gaiam is aimed at active people who want to get more out of their workouts, yoga sessions or meditation. From fitness equipment to meditation aids such as eye pillows and blankets, the brand offers a comprehensive range of products designed to improve your practice and bring you inner peace.
The company also offers a children’s line. Here you’ll find items to help little ones get into yoga, as well as accessories to help them stay active.
Comparison: Gaiam vs. Beyond Yoga
If you’ve made it this far in our Gaiam review, then you may be wondering how the brand compares to the competition. Well, you’re in luck, because we’re going to compare it to Beyond Yoga to see exactly what makes it unique.
Although these two brands focus on yoga, they are incredibly different. Beyond Yoga is focused on apparel for the practice, while our featured brand is all about gear and tools.
Beyond Yoga’s collection includes everything from small t-shirts to maternity wear, but there isn’t a single piece of equipment in sight. The more we think about it, the more we realize that these two brands are a match made in heaven – one provides the equipment, the other the clothing.
Gaiam and Beyond Yoga are not really competitors, they are rather best friends.
However, our featured brand only offers a few garments (the bra collection only includes one model and there’s only one pair of Gaiam leggings), but if you’re interested in variety, look to Beyond Yoga.
Out of interest, we took a look at the specs of a similar style that each of the brands carries.
- Beyond Yoga Spacedye Slim Racerback:
- XXS-2XL
- Made in the USA
- Blend of polyester and lycra
- 8 colors
- $59
- Gaiam Shine Bra:
- XS-XL
- Polyester & spandex
- 3 colors
- $30
Our featured brand’s bra is much more affordable, but we can see Beyond Yoga’s bra coming out on top in terms of manufacturing and materials. Again, we don’t see the two brands as competitors, so it may be worth buying both for your yoga needs.
Gaiam Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
Now that you have an idea of what sets this brand apart from others on the market, it’s important to find out what the products are actually like. In this Gaiam review, we rely on feedback from our customers, of which we have scoured the internet for the most helpful sources.
Below you’ll find a collection of reviews that mention the brand’s quality and comfort, but let’s start with a small selection of Gaiam.com’s best sellers.
- Gaiam Neoprene Hand Weight Blue 10lb: average 4.9/5 stars out of 313 reviews
- Restore Muscle Therapy Foam Roller: average 4.4/5 stars from 44 reviews
- Classic Gaiam Balance Ball Chair: 4.4/5 stars on average from 1,533 reviews
- Yoga Essentials Block: 4.8/5 stars on average from 180 reviews
- Premium 2-Color Gaiam Yoga Mat: an average of 4.3/5 stars out of 161 reviews
We decided to take a closer look at the Classic Balance Ball Chair because it is the brand’s most popular product. The most common opinion about this chair is that it is very comfortable.
One Gaiam review said: “This chair… Has seriously reduced my back pain…. My injuries kind of suck, so I just want to say that while the chair isn’t perfect, it’s pretty darn close.” All in all, it’s a reasonably priced chair, and considering what it is, it’s not going to be perfect, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great find.
The most common problem users have had with the Gaiam ball chair is that it’s too short. Apparently, some shorter women find that it’s not suitable for their desks. Upon further investigation, we found that the ball section can be inflated even further, making it a few inches longer for those who need it.
The next product we looked into was the Classic Yoga Mat – 4mm Printed on Amazon. More than 7.6K customers have rated the mat with 4.6/5 stars, which shows us how popular the brand is with yogis.
We’ve included the snapshot of the review below if you’d like to know how the overall rating was arrived at:
- 5 stars: 76%
- 4 stars: 14%
- 3 stars: 5%
- 2 stars: 2%
- 1 star: 2%
‘Comfortable’ seems to be the word of choice when it comes to Gaiam gear. Users speak of ‘plenty of cushioning’ and a durable, sturdy construction that makes it a pleasure to roll out the mat day after day. Reports like these tell us that with proper care, this quality mat will last for years.
But while durability is certainly not a problem, slipping is. One Gaiam review states, ‘It is terribly sweaty, and if you are serious about your practice, you will slip.’ This is typical of yoga mats in general, not just this brand, and if you want a non-slip mat, Gaiam has a special mat for that – it’s the one we’ll discuss next.
If you want non-slip, you should try the Performance Dry Grip Yoga Mat. A yogi on Very Well Fit tested it and gave it an overall rating of 3.9/5 stars.
The Gaiam review noted that the mat ‘has better traction when it gets wet,’ which comes in handy during hot yoga sessions or challenging sequences during a desert retreat.
The reviewer noted the same cushioning comfort that is typical of the brand’s equipment, revealing that after a month of regular practice it ‘works wonderfully’. This is certainly in line with what we’ve heard about the longevity of Gaiam gear, and it’s always good when a brand releases more than one type of product for different needs.
Overall, we were very pleased with what we found out about the brand. We know that everything Gaiam makes is certainly comfortable, and while some products seem to hold up better than others, we can also attest to the brand’s longevity on the whole.
Is Gaiam Worth It?
Speaking of associations: Gaiam is a brand known for its luxury yoga and fitness equipment, and yet it offers some products at extremely affordable prices.
The product range is certainly a plus, as is the price range, and we respect that the brand uses eco-friendly materials and prioritises customer satisfaction. Whilst the brand doesn’t particularly stand out, it does offer clothing such as yoga pants, bras and socks from Gaiam to support you in your practice.
With all that in mind, and the fact that we couldn’t find fault with the brand, we think Gaiam is worth a purchase.
Gaiam Promotions & Discounts
Quality products are usually sold at top prices, so a discount is always welcome. In this Gaiam review, we’ve discovered a few ways the brand helps its customers save. Check them out below:
- Free standard shipping on orders over $125
- 20% discount on the entire sale
Where to Buy Gaiam
You can find Gaiam in some shops in the US, but to get access to the offers and return policies, we always recommend buying directly from the brand’s website.
Go to Gaiam.com if you want to simplify the process. Or buy the collection from retailers like:
- Amazon,
- Target
- Walmart
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Kohl’s
FAQ
What is Gaiam’s shipping policy?
Gaiam only ships within the US, including PO Boxes and military addresses. Orders are typically shipped within 2-3 business days and are usually shipped via freight carrier.
It can take up to 14 days for an order to arrive, so be prepared for long shipping times. The carrier will contact you prior to delivery to find a date that suits your schedule. Freight deliveries can be either:
Liftgate / kerbside – you will need to bring the goods into the house yourself, but they will be delivered directly to your front door
Tailgate – the delivery vehicle will be parked at the nearest junction and you will need to collect the goods from the lorry yourself.
Delivery prices vary depending on location and the service you choose.
What is Gaiam’s return policy?
Customer satisfaction is very important to Gaiam. That’s why the company offers a 30-day return policy on all of its devices. If an item does not meet your expectations, simply get in touch with the brand and let the team know.
The company will offer to replace or exchange the item or, if you prefer, refund the amount.
Returning an item is really easy, as you will see in the following two steps:
Find your order form and fill in the back.
Send it back with a trackable service to: Gaiam, Attention: Returns, 9107 Meridian Way, West Chester, OH 45069
How to contact Gaiam
If you need more information beyond the content of this Gaiam review, you can always contact the brand:
- Email: customerservice@gaiam.com
- Phone: (877)989-6321
