Beach towels are great for drying off after a dip in the waves. But they also act as a barrier between you and the hot sand. To help you plan for the next sunny day, we’ve rounded up and tested some of the best options around, from quick-drying microfiber towels to huge circular ones that can fit the whole crew.
Best Overall
Clowood Plush Bamboo Cotton Beach Towel
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Super soft and comfortable to lay on
Nice cushion when laying on sand
A bit more durable than others in the same price range
What We Don't Like
A little heavy and less absorbent after washing
Clowood's oversized bamboo beach towel earned top marks from our testers. The large beach towel, made of combed cotton and a touch of bamboo fiber, had excellent softness and cushion when our testers put it on the sand. This beach towel is made by the same textile company that supplies towels to Hilton, Sheraton, and Ritz-Carlton hotel chains. Our testers had two nitpicks. First, while super soft and plush, the material makes the towel a bit heavy. Second, it lost some absorbency after being washed. But, for the price, our testers thought this towel had the best durability and overall quality.
Price at time of publish: $39
Dimensions: 72 x 40 inches | Material(s): 94 percent combed cotton, 6 percent bamboo fiber
Best Value
NovForth Oversized Microfiber Sand-Free Beach Towel
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Repels and shakes off sand easily
Great absorbency, before and after washing
What We Don't Like
One tester said the towel felt a little thin
This 100 percent microfiber towel impressed our testers with its softness, absorbency, and ability to repel and shake off sand. They also liked how comfortable it felt, even if it felt a bit thin. "The towel dried my hands very quickly and easily," one tester noted. "I was able to dry them in one spot without going over the same spot." If you're looking for a towel that's quality hits above its price range, this is definitely it. "The price is on the low side," one tester concluded, "and seems like an excellent value for the quality."
Price at time of publish: $18
Size: 73 x 41 and 61 x 30 inches | Materials: 100 percent microfiber
Best Personalized
Mark & Graham Classic Stripe Beach Towel
Mark & Graham
View On Markandgraham.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Soft and very large, like a small blanket
Comfy on the sand
Good absorbency
What We Don't Like
A bit bulky and heavy to fold
The Mark & Graham Classic Stripe Beach Towel can be monogrammed or personalized. Either way, our testers concluded it's a very high-quality beach towel, albeit with a higher price tag. Our testers raved about how the 100 percent Turkish Aerospin cotton felt. "It is very thick and comfortable on the sand," one tester noted. However, that does come with some bulk and heft, making it a bit tougher to fold than other towels we tested. And while the price is more than some of our testers said they'd spend on a beach towel, they noted it does have excellent absorbency. This would be great as a gift or something to keep in a beach home.
Price at time of publish: $59
Size: 72 x 40 inches | Material: 100 percent Turkish cotton
The 9 Best Beach Umbrellas
Most Absorbable
Tesalate The Alchemist Sand-Free Beach Towel
Tesalate
View On Tesalate.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Great design
Loop connected to the towel to hang it
What We Don't Like
Not much comfort with a thin design
Two things stood out about the Tesalate The Alchemist towel. First is the design. "This towel has a beautiful design on the front and a completely different design on the back," one tester noted. Second, how absorbant it is. The towel has a different texture than others tested and is on the thin side, but if you're looking for a towel strictly for absorption (OK, also with a fantastic design), this is the pick for you. We also like the loop on the towel, which makes it easy to hang up. It also folds compactly into a provided pouch.
Price at time of publish: $59
Size: 63 x 31.5 inches | Materials: Absorblite fabric
Best Print
Brooklinen Artist Series Beach Towel
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Eye-catching design
Good absorbency
Plush and comfy
What We Don't Like
Bulky and takes up space when packing for the beach
If you're looking for a fun and stylish design on your towel (or want to support an artist series product), we suggest Brooklinen's Artist Series Beach Towel. Our testers were impressed with this towel's eye-catching design and pop, how absorbent the towel is, and its think and comfy material. "The overall quality is excellent," one tester concluded, noting how heavy it felt. They were a bit thrown off by the towel having different textures on both sides. But, besides that quirk, they gave it top reviews.
Price at time of publish: $75
Size: 70 x 34 inches | Materials: 96 percent cotton, 4 percent other materials
Best for Travel
Venture Large Sand-Free Beach Towel
Amazon
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View On Venture4th.co
Our Ratings
What We Like
Thin and light weight, making it ideal for travel.
Folds easily into a drawstring pouch
What We Don't Like
Testers concerned about the white stripes getting—and staying—dirty
Looking for a towel to take on a plane or throw in a backpack for a road trip? We suggest the Venture Sand-Free Beach Towel. This towel has two distinct features we appreciate for travel. It is sand-free and packs down compactly into a provided drawstring pouch. Our testers also appreciated the towel has a snap loop that can be used to hang the towel from a hook. And while the thinness of the towel didn't provide our testers a ton of comfort, it is absorbent. Bonus: It's one of the least expensive towels on our list, so if you do happen to lose or misplace it while traveling, it's not a huge issue to replace.
Price at time of publish: $21
Size: 78 x 35 or 63 x 31.5 inches | Material: Microfiber
Best for Families
Elite Trend Store Microfiber Towels
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Comes with a mesh, zippered pouch and carry handle
Good barrier from the sand and strong and durable material
What We Don't Like
Lots of white fabric concerned our testers with it staying clean
Overall, our testers concluded that the Elite Trend Store Microfiber Towel is a super high-quality product on this list, especially considering its price. Some popular features stood out about this towel like a mesh, zippered pouch with a carry handle, a loop for hanging from a hook, and superior sand resistance. It did take our testers a few times folding before they figured out the best way to get it into the bag. But once they did, there were no further issues. There wasn't a lot of cushion with this towel, but our testers liked how strong and durable it felt. "This is a great towel to serve as a barrier on the sand," a tester concluded.
Price at time of publish: $28
Size: 72 x 72, 78 x 35, or 63 x 31 inches | Material: Microfiber
Best Multiuse
Rainleaf Microfiber Beach Towel
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Sturdy and lightweight
Sand comes off easily
What We Don't Like
Not the typical fun beach design
The Rainleaf Microfiber Beach Towel comes in six different sizes—more than any other towel on this list—making it ideal for all sorts of outdoor activities on and off the beach. It's sturdy and lightweight, and while the material is extremely soft, it's also very thin. Our testers liked how easily the sand shook off the towel. It was also good at absorbing the water. "It has a very reasonable price for what it does," one tester noted, "I'd definitely use this for a yoga towel."
Price at time of publish: $N/A
Size: 24 x 12 to 74 x 30 inches (six different sizes) | Material: Microfiber
Best Sand-Free
Tesalate Bora Bora Sand-Free Towel
Amazon
View On Tesalate.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Excellent quality, softness, and design
Easy to fold and place in a bag
What We Don't Like
Towel could be a bit bigger
Those who live on or near the beach know how annoying it can be to constantly have sand on your gear and in your house. Enter the Tesalate Bora Bora towel, which has superior sand-repelling chops. While our testers were thoroughly impressed at how easily the sand rolled off this towel, they also loved how soft it was, the towel's color, and how generally excellent the quality is. Now, our testers did wish the towel was a bit bigger. But the other qualities made up for that. "Overall, this towel is great," one tester concluded. "It is strong, absorbent, soft, and has beautiful colors."
Price at time of publish: $59
Size: 63 x 31.5 inches | Material: AbsorbLite Fabric
Best Style
Kassatex Block Pareo Fouta Beach Towels
Kassatex
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View On Kassatex.com
Our Ratings
What We Like
Good sand release
Feels like a luxury towel
Two textures, but both soft, plush, and cozy
What We Don't Like
More expensive than other towels on the list
"I was thoroughly impressed by this towel," one tester raved about the Block Pareo Fouta Beach Towel from Kassatex. "It instantly felt like luxury. It is plush, has two textures, and is incredibly soft on both sides even after soaking it." Constructed with 100 percent zero-twist cotton, the Block Pareo Fouta Beach Towel can also be monogrammed for an extra cost. So, while the style was impressive, this towel also earned top performance marks from our testers. "I think for the quality of this towel, it is perfectly priced," one tester concluded. "I would buy this for my next beach trip."
Price at time of publish: $50
Size: 70 x 40 inches | Material: 100 percent zero twist cotton
Best Microfiber
Wise Owl Outfitters Beach Towel and Yoga Towel
Amazon
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Our Ratings
What We Like
Easy fold and carry
Shakes sand away quickly and easily
Extremely soft and absorbent
What We Don't Like
Nothing yet
Constructed of millions of micro threads, this microfiber towel impressed our testers with its large surface, how easy it is to fold and carry, and its ability to shake free of sand. It was also incredibly soft and absorbed water while holding that softness. "Even after soaking the towel, it holds great structure, and both textures are still soft, and it leaves the hand barely damp," a tester noted. "Great value for the size and absorbency."
Price at time of publish: $30
Size: 74 x 48 inches | Material: Microfiber
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