Whether you are a newbie to yoga or a veteran yogi, a yoga towel is a must for you to add to your yoga gear collection. During an intense, hot, and sweaty yoga session, most of us really struggle to prevent slippage and skidding. Oftentimes, a yoga mat is not enough or sufficient to do that. A handy, good-quality yoga towel can make all the difference in the world in helping you keep your hands and feet in place.
Yoga towels are extremely versatile and multi-purpose so it is entirely up to you whether you want to substitute your yoga mat with a soft and highly absorbent yoga towel, use it as an exercise towel, or cover your yoga mat with it.
However, there are a few key characteristics and features you need to seriously keep in mind when buying a yoga towel.
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Things to Consider When Buying a Yoga Towel
A lot of detail and analysis goes into buying a yoga towel. Just like you would normally spend a great amount of time examining the color, style, and quality of the material when buying a dress for yourself, a yoga towel also requires a similar kind of concentration and attention to detail.
You must consider some of these essential characteristics when buying a yoga towel for yourself.
Material
This is obviously the most important thing to consider when it comes to deciding on a yoga towel. Microfiber is the most popular material used in the production of yoga towels given how soft and durable it is. Make sure that the yoga towel you wish to buy consists of microfiber blends.
Absorbing Qualities
The main purpose of yoga towels is to absorb sweat and moisture which is why you need one that has the ability to absorb more than its weight in water. Towels with thin materials are ideal for low to moderate amounts of sweat, while thicker ones are more suited for heavy sweating. This entirely rests on your tendency to sweat and the intensity of your yoga sessions.
Durability
Yoga mats and yoga towels aren’t the types of things that you buy every month, and you really don’t want to find yourself in a yoga-gear shop every now and then. If you are spending so much on a good quality yoga towel, it should definitely last you for a very long time. If you do yoga frequently, perhaps go for a towel that is made from a thicker material.
Price
You don’t want to burn a hole in your pocket and you also don’t want to get a very cheap-quality yoga towel that you will regret later. While the price may not be the primary driver for many people, it is still important to keep the price in mind.
Size
If you already own a yoga mat, you should get a towel that fits the size of your mat. Most yoga towels are designed in ways and different sizes that can help them sit easily on the top of your mat. Measure the dimensions of your yoga mat before buying a yoga towel to help make things easy for you.
Types of Yoga Towels
Once you know what features to look for in a nice, good-quality yoga towel, it is now time to learn about the different types and varieties of yoga towels that are available out there.
The Manduka YogiToes Skidless Towel
This is a super stylish, heavy-duty towel that comes with the ultimate promise to its users, which says you won’t slip. It actually delivers on that promise and lives up to the users’ expectations.
An interesting feature of this yoga towel is that it works even better the sweatier you get. Regardless of how frequently you use it, this yoga towel will never bunch up or slide around.
As the name suggests, this amazing yoga towel uses Patented Skidless Technology which means that the bottom of the towel is covered with hundreds of little silicon modules. These silicon grips greatly prevent the towel from bunching up.
Another great characteristic of these towels is that they are made from recycled bottles that are then transformed into yarn. This process takes almost 66% less energy to produce the towel.
On the downside though, the silicone grips in the bottom of the towel aren’t for everyone and some people may find them uncomfortable and irritating. Secondly, this type of yoga towel is not exactly ideal for Vinyasa yoga poses because the towel tends to bunch up when you shift from one position to the other
The Intention Yoga Towel
Made from 100% plush microfiber, the Intention Yoga Towel is incredibly lightweight, highly absorbent, and easy to carry. The microfibers also help the towel dry up quickly, and provide it with an extremely solid, stable grip. This allows the towel stay put during complex yoga poses as well as in super sweaty classes.
The towel has really well-stitched edges that prevent it from fraying and tearing regardless of how many times you wash it. Aside from offering great portability, this feature offers great protection and prevents the towel from bunching and slipping. This allows you to perform advanced yoga poses without having to worry about the towel moving from its place.
This towel is best described as a non-slip, skid,-less, and non-bunching, promising to provide you with the best and most stress-free yoga experience.
The Manduka eQua Mat Towel
This is a less expensive version of the YogiToes Skidless Towel and it also comes without the silicone nodules. The towel is best for absorbing light to moderate amounts of sweat. This is due to the fact that it is made from recycled materials that provide the towel with suede-like feels.
The towel offers an exceptional kind of durability and is super lightweight in usage. The tightly woven fibers of the towel combined with the split microfiber technology pave the way towards maximum moisture absorption and a strong wet grip.
Like many other yoga towels, the Manduka eQua Mat Towel is also non-slip, non-bunching, and has the great ability to stay put in its place. On the downside, this towel is not the best choice for heavy sweaters. Also, these towels are colored using natural dyes and colors that can easily run off. This means that frequent washing can result in faded towels so you must be extra careful when washing these towels.
The Gaiam Thirsty Yoga Towels
If you are one of those people who tend to sweat a lot, this yoga towel is ideal for you. It consists of hypoallergenic and non-permeable qualities that greatly help keep you and your mat super dry. It is an excellent option for hot yoga since it dries in almost half the time as compared to a standard cotton towel.
This towel consists of superabsorbent micro-fibers that help in absorbing a large amount of moisture and then even dry off very quickly. The materials used in the production of these towels are polyester and nylon blend that give it an ultimate softness that doesn’t feel hard on the skin at all.
The towel is available in a wide range of sizes and colors so you can pick one that best fits your needs and requirements. It is also machine washable so you can easily clean it by simply popping it in the washing machine after a sweaty hot yoga session.
The Yoga Towel by Youphoria Yoga
This is quite a popular yoga towel that has the ability to dry up very quickly and can also hold seven times its actual weight in liquid. It is non-slip and skid-less which means that they have a very solid grip that helps keep them grounded in place, and allow you to adopt the perfect balance during your yoga sessions.
The yoga towel consists of tiny microfibers that are ultra-absorbent, making them able to quickly absorb all the sweat and moisture. It is also really lightweight which makes it very easy for the users to carry the towel around.
These towels extend the life of your yoga mat and also greatly reduce the risk of bacteria by adding a hygienic layer between you and your mat. The silicon-free technology used in these towels prevents dangerous slipping by tightly gripping the yoga mat to your skin. In order to obtain the best results from these towels, it is best to lightly mist the towel with water before your yoga session begins.
The Shandali GoSweat Hot Yoga Towel
This is an excellent yoga towel that helps you perfect all those yoga postures, whether easy or complex. It helps create a sweat-free, stable, and super solid foundation to let you begin with your yoga practice and session.
The Shandali hot yoga towels are made from 100% microfibers that provide them with ultimate softness and also make them non-slip and skid-less. They are perfectly sized for yoga mats. This means that you can easily extend the life of your yoga mat by encasing it within the towel.
This type of yoga towel is super moisture-absorbent and wicks all the moisture away by maintaining proper traction with your yoga mat. So this towel will come to your rescue during a super hot and sweaty yoga session after which all you need to do is dump the towel in the laundry!
Check out these incredible yoga towels and have the smoothest and the most hassle-free yoga experience ever!