Staff
Summer is right around the corner, and with the weather warming up, beach visits are all we can think about. One of the core essentials is the beach towel, and you know the options are endless out there!
We’ve compiled a list of the best beach towels in 2022. If you’re looking for the best quick dry beach towel, best microfiber beach towel, or best round beach towel, we’ve got you covered. No pun intended!
Top 5 Beach Towel Reviews
Here are our top picks for beach towels in 2022. We’ve included classic cotton, extra wide, as well as microfiber, quick-dry, and round beach towels. So, you’ve got options depending on the style you prefer.
Best Quick Dry Beach Towel: PackTowl Personal Quick Dry Microfiber Towel for Camping, Yoga, and Sports
PackTowl offers a product that solves the usual towel-related problems many of us face. They created a terry cloth cotton towel that’s so lightweight you’ll forget that it’s even packed! Not to mention, it holds four times its weight in water and dries 70% faster than any other towel.
The “Beach” size is 36 x 59 inches, which is more than enough as a one-person beach blanket and towel. The best part is that it packs really small and comes with its own pouch. Finally, you won’t have to lug around a water-soaked brick at the end of the day!
Product specs
- 36 x 59 inches
- Comes in 15 different colors and prints
- Comes with a storage pouch
Feature Highlights
- Polygiene technology guarantees odor-free use for a long time
- A snap to hold it in place after folding
Pros
- Lightweight
- Holds four times its weight in water
- Dries 70% faster than normal towels
Cons
- The storage pouch can be lost because it’s not connected to the towel
- The edges opposite the snap can fray
Best Microfiber Beach Towel: Easthills Outdoors Microfiber Beach Towel
This vibrant, lightweight microfiber towel from Easthills is perfect for a fuss-free vacation. The microfiber surface is woven in such a way as to prevent sand from getting stuck to the towel. So at the end of the day, you’ll leave the beach at the beach, and not in all of your stuff.
What’s great about this towel, besides the cool designs, is how absorbent it is. It holds three times its weight in water and dries three times as fast as a normal terry cloth towel. You can also easily wring it out and get rid of the water to expedite the drying process.
Product specs
- 30 x 60 inches
- Comes in 14 different colors and prints
- Spa-like soft feel
Feature Highlights
- Sand-free surface weave
- A snap for easy packing and a mesh pouch for storage
Pros
- Very affordable compared to other products
- Holds three times its weight in water
- Dries three times faster than terry cloth towels
Cons
- Too thin compared to other products
- The edges aren’t finished with bias tape
Best Round Beach Towel: Dawhud Direct Microfiber Round Large Plush Beach Towel Blanket, 60″ D with Fringe (Turtles on The Beach)
This gorgeous round beach towel and blanket from Dowhud Direct is a bestseller for a reason.
Aside from the beautiful designs that pop, you also get a 60-inch wide diameter that fits all your belongings. This round towel also comes with a pretty fringe detail that makes it all the more special.
You also don’t need to fuss too much about this towel, as it’s sand-free and machine washable. The material is relatively thick, warm, and large enough to be wrapped around after a dip in the ocean or the pool. It’s also affordable and can be a great gift to your summer-loving friend!
Product specs
- 60-inch diameter
- Comes in five different breath-taking designs
- Microfiber material with a plush feel
Feature Highlights
- Vibrant designs with popping colors
- Machine washable
Pros
- An affordable option for a large-sized towel
- Highly absorbent
- Ultra-fast-drying
Cons
- The fringe can unravel if not sewn properly
- Can feel odd against the skin
Best Cotton Beach Towel: Pendleton Over-sized Cotton Beach Towel, Chief Joseph Aqua
This 100% cotton beach towel from Pendleton is a classic choice for an old-fashion terry cloth towel. It comes in an array of beautiful tribal designs with slightly oversized dimensions for a comfortable, luxurious experience.
The cotton velour is sheared on one side for softness and looped on the other for ultra-absorption. The care for it is easy, as well. All you need to do is machine wash it before first use and then every time using the cold cycle with similar colors.
Product specs
- 40 x 70 inches
- Comes in 18 different colors and patterns
- 100% cotton
Feature Highlights
- Cotton velour that’s sheared on one side and looped on the other
- Machine washable
- Climate Pledge friendly company
Pros
- Extra-absorbent and skin-friendly material
- Unique tribal designs
- Oversized for a larger sitting and drying surface area
Cons
- Much more expensive than the other options
- Some sellers are selling a knock-off version instead of the original
Best Extra Wide Beach Towel: COTTON CRAFT Summer of Siam Extra Wide Beach Towel for Two
This extra-wide, fun-colored beach towel for two from Cotton Craft is a life-saver if you want a practical blanket and towel duo. The towel is made from 450 GSM 100% cotton with a double jacquard weave, ensuring a soft feel and great absorption.
These big boys are a whopping 58 x 68 inches, almost double as wide as a regular beach towel. They’re machine washable and dryer safe. You also don’t have to worry about them fading, as they’re made using a special yarn-dye technique to ensure vibrant, long-lasting colors on both sides.
Product specs
- 58 x 68 inches
- Comes in 5 different colors and patterns
- 450 GSM 100% cotton
Feature Highlights
- Extra-wide, fit for two people
- Double jacquard weave for softness and absorption
- Yarn-dyed, not printed
Pros
- Thick, soft material
- Super absorbent
- Affordable compared to the quality
Cons
- Some customers noticed unraveling after washing
- A seller sent two small towels instead of one large towel to some customers
Features to Consider When Buying a Beach Towel
There are some things to consider when choosing a beach towel. After all, you buy these things to use a few summers in a row and not worry about repurchasing every so often. Here are the features to look for:
Types of Towels
Beach towels can come in many weaves, like terry, waffle, gauze, damask, and herringbone. Terry cloth is the most common type, simply because it has the largest surface area. The loops in the cloth allow for more absorption compared to other weaves of the same towel size.
Microfiber towels are modeled after terry cloth, but with a slightly tweaked design. They pack in more loops per-square-inch than regular terry cloth, exponentially multiplying the surface area. This makes for a much larger absorption capacity, as well as other beneficial features.
Microfiber towels also have the benefit of being more hygienic, since their small loops don’t hold on to dirt and grime as much. What’s more, if you take good care of your microfiber towels, they can last you a long time before having to replace them.
Beach Towel Materials
We talked about weaves, now let’s talk about materials. Towels are either made of cotton, synthetic fibers, or a mixture of both. A 100% cotton towel will have a very high absorption capacity, but it tends to hold onto moisture for a long time.
On the other hand, synthetic fibers like polyester and polypropylene can have a smaller capacity for absorbing water. However, this can be advantageous when it comes to wicking the moisture away and wringing it out of the towel. Fast-drying towels will usually benefit from this property.
Keep in mind that cotton and synthetic fibers can be weaved into any of the aforementioned patterns. So you can have cotton microfiber or polyester terry cloth.
Beach Towel Sizes
Last but not least, size, which does matter! If you’re on your own, it’s easy to grab an individual-size beach towel and call it a day. However, a family could benefit from an extra-wide towel on hand, just in case something happens to the backups.
Beach towels can get sopping wet or dirty with sand and food-related accidents. That’s why a large towel can come in handy when you’re drying multiple people.
Just keep in mind that the larger the towel is, the less portable it becomes, especially if it’s traditional and not the fast-drying kind. You don’t want to enter a weight-lifting championship while packing to get home by the end of the day!
Conclusion
Beach towels come in many shapes, colors, and materials, so it can be confusing to pick the best one. Luckily, we found the best quick dry beach towel, which is the PackTowl Personal Quick Dry Microfiber Towel.
If you want the best microfiber beach towel, look no further than the Easthills Outdoors Microfiber Beach Towel. As for the best round beach towel, we recommend the Dawhud Direct Microfiber Round Large Plush Beach Towel Blanket.
