How to Choose the Best Beach Towel (And Six Options We Love)

Nobody thinks about beach towels until they’re on vacation, packing their bag or suitcase, and realizing they’ve got just that little piece of threadbare fabric they once wore. a colorful print of Mickey Mouse, the shield of a soccer ball. team or the face of Felipe Camiroaga, but today it has a rough and indistinguishable design, more suitable for mopping the floor than lying on the sand.

Sometimes, and if you have the privilege, in hotels they have beach towels, or a friend or relative lends you theirs, however it is not a pleasant feeling: nothing beats having your own towel beach, favorite, soft and compact.

A beach towel is the barrier that will protect your body from the ground, and the most logical thing is that it is made with a good textile, soft and comfortable, so that you feel that in addition to drying you it is taking care of you and shelters you, transforming the experience of the sea or the swimming pool into true relaxation. How to choose beyond color, pattern or price? We looked, found and asked, and came up with four main features:

The textile of the towel is one of the most important points in the choice. Although there are several alternatives, you have to prioritize the type of material according to the function you want to give it – will you be using it to dry yourself or simply to expose your body to the sun? — its versatility and durability. The most common types of materials are:

Opting for a 100% cotton towel is a classic and safe option. They are soft, fluffy and absorbent, and although they dry the body very well, they themselves do not lose their moisture very quickly. This is why it is important to ventilate them well after each use. “The only downside is that regular cotton towels tend to fray much faster than Egyptian and Turkish cotton towels,” they say. sun on a beach . That’s why they are cheaper. One thing for another.

How is traditional cotton different from Egyptian? In short, what the latter has is more delicate. It comes from another type of cotton, hand-picked, and is considered higher quality due to its extra-long fibers and high moisture absorption. Harvested by hand and not by machines, the fibers are also more resistant: with proper care, they could have a longer lifespan. Of course, this is a luxury alternative, considerably more expensive than the previous one, and therefore the favorite of five-star hotels and spas. The great attribute against this is that they take even longer to dry.

Turkish cotton towels, also called foutas, are made from slightly harder and shorter yarns than Egyptian towels. However, they remain a soft, absorbent, lightweight and luxurious alternative. An attribute in favor is its versatility, since the fabric is thick and elegant, so it can be used both for going to the beach and as a shawl or picnic blanket. And another, and perhaps even more important, is that they dry quickly.

Synthetic in origin, microfiber is usually a blend of polyester and polyamide, although the combinations tend to vary. What does not change is that towels made with this material have light, compact and soft threads. Its high absorbency and quick drying, in addition to its low cost, are its great attribute and make it a perfect option for athletes. Its flat weave easily wicks moisture away from the surface, so it can be worn on the back without risking wetting the rest of the bag. The bad? To the touch, the feeling it conveys is artificial, not so soft or comfortable. They are also traveler-friendly, since these towels take up very little space.

The best beach towel is one that makes you feel like you’re on cloud nine, or failing that, somewhere comfortable enough to spend several hours in. This sensation is mainly given by the thickness and weight of the fabric: the more grams it has, the thicker it will be and the more comfort it will provide.

For this reason, on the label or description of a towel, you should look for the acronym GSM —or GRS, in Spanish—, an abbreviation that in English refers to grams per square meter. That is, the grams per square meter of the fabric. This measurement indicates the density of the towel, so as long as the number is low (like 300 or 400), the towel will be light and thinner, while if the GSM is high (600 or 900), the towel will be bulky, more thicker and heavier.

The higher the GSM, the more valuable the towel will be, but also the longer it will last. On the other hand, a medium GSM (between 400 and 600) can be a good alternative for effective absorption, quick drying and an affordable price.

Although it’s hard to imagine, towels are made of yarn. The logic in them works more or less the same as that of sheets: the more threads they have in their fabric, the more luxurious and comfortable they will be.

“A higher thread count towel has a lusher pile, which means the curls on the surface are more efficient and pleasing,” says Deborah Young, a textile science teacher in an article by The strategist . They can be woven in different ways, resulting in different tactile experiences.

Carded spinning, for example, is the least expensive process, but the finish on the towel is often rougher. while on the wire hairstyle (or comb, in English), the texture is softer and more uniform, since short fibers and impurities are eliminated. The tighter the strands, the less likely they are to fray.

When we talk about open yarn, it is a thicker cotton yarn, with loose fibers, being a more voluminous and diffused towel. Whereas Ringspun cotton is an additional step in the manufacturing process, where the material is twisted and thinned. The result is a fine, smooth, soft and more durable fabric.

This item is the easiest to choose, as it clearly depends on what you are looking for and the budget. For many people, the idea of ​​a beach towel is that you can wrap your whole body in it. For this, it must be sufficiently wide and long. The idea is that this rectangular surface can shelter us from head to toe, or at least a good part between one end and the other. The dimension proposed by the specialists, and which can be useful to the greatest number, is 80 cm x 160 cm: the smallest people will wear the whole thing and the tallest will only have part of the legs on the inside. outside. Although this point also depends on the functionality or the circumstances: if you are traveling with a backpack, for example, something compact will be much more useful than a large sheet.

With these four points in mind, we dive into hand towels. These are some alternatives that have caught our attention, taking into account different types of uses, styles and preferences.

This model stands out from the common offer, because it is made from 100% bamboo fibers woven in Turkey. “Silky to the touch and soft on the skin,” says the description from Kmai, the selling store. It also has ultra-absorbent and antibacterial properties. These are white and extra large: 1.00 x 1.80 meters. “I liked it a lot, it’s very sweet. I have long hair and I use it to wrap it when I wash it, I feel it absorbs water well and the weight is light,” Karla wrote in the Comments of this model.

“An ideal size as a beach towel” or “a large towel, easy to store and quick to dry”, are some of the comments received by the following Decathlon microfiber towel, whose particularity is its XL size: it measures 1 10 x 1.75 meters. Its weight is 320 grams and in the product description they specify that “our design teams have developed this bath towel for swimmers and other sportsmen who wish to dry themselves effectively”.

This model of Turkish towel is emerald green in color, loom-woven with 100% cotton fibers, which promise to soften as they are washed. Its dimensions are 1 meter wide x 1.80 m long, and one of its main attributes is its versatility, since it can be a bathing companion for the pool or the beach, as well as a beach blanket. yoga, a shawl, a sarong or a scarf

There are those who never wear their beach towel and always ask their partner for it. While others, having their towel, use yours in the same way. Anyway, this alternative is excellent for sharing, thanks to its square format of 170 x 170 cm. “The quality is very good: it is thick, soft and very, very large,” wrote Michelle in a Falabella comment. Made of 100% cotton and weighing 400 grams.

It is another alternative to 100% cotton towels, with an average weight of 420 grams. With its dimensions of 100 x 180 centimeters, it promises to be the essential companion for pool afternoons and beach days. It currently has a 50% discount, so it’s a good opportunity to buy it without spending too much.

Although it is a bath towel, thanks to its design it can also be used to take it to the beach or to dry off after a dip in the pool. It is made from 600 gram combed organic cotton and has a plush and dense texture, which promises great absorbency. “Very absorbent towel and the hairs do not fall out. very good quality. In case of a cold bath, it is still very hot,” writes Diego in a Falabella review.

*Prices for products in this item are updated as of January 4, 2023. Values ​​and availability are subject to change.