The 5 Best Beach Towels, Tested by BHG

Top Picks at a Glance

• Best Overall: Weezie Beach Towel (plush, absorbent, oversized)
• Best Budget: Better Homes & Gardens Coastal Tropez Cotton-Blend Beach Towel (value + smart details)
• Softest Feel: Mark & Graham Cabana Stripe Beach Towel (cloud-like terry comfort)
• Best Oversized: Frontgate Grenada Beach Towel (big enough to “borrow” as a picnic blanket)
• Best for Travel: The Company Store Hammam Cotton Beach Towel (packs small, dries fast)

How BHG Tested Beach Towels (And What That Means for You)

BHG’s testing didn’t stop at “looks cute on a lounge chair.” Testers evaluated beach towels in
multiple real-life scenarios and scored them on categories that matter once you’re actually wet:
absorbency, drying speed, comfort/texture, durability after washing, and how easily sand shakes off.
They also noted whether a towel fit different body heights for wrapping up and whether it packed
down easily for travel.

This matters because beach towels are not one-size-fits-alleven when they’re literally oversized.
A towel that’s perfect for “one big dip, then nap for two hours” can be the wrong choice for
“in-and-out-of-the-ocean every 20 minutes” (hello, never-ending dampness).

The quick “towel math” BHG used

• Absorbency + Dry Time: Does it drink up water quickly, then dry before it turns musty?
• Texture + Comfort: Is it soft enough to lie on, and does it stay that way after washes?
• Sand Resistance: Does sand cling like glitteror shake off with a couple of good snaps?
• Durability: Any fraying, fading, snags, or weird stiffness after repeated laundering?
• Carry/Packability: Can you fit it in a beach bag without sacrificing snacks?

What to Know Before Shopping for a Beach Towel

1) Size: bigger is usually better (until you have to carry it)

Beach towels are typically larger than bath towels so you can lie on them comfortably or wrap them
all the way around your body. If you’re tall, pay attention to length first. If you’re mostly
poolside-lounging, width matters toobecause elbows deserve sun protection, apparently.

2) Material: cotton comfort vs. travel-friendly blends

Cotton terry (those classic loops) is plush and absorbent, but the looped pile can grab sand and
hold onto water longer. Turkish cotton is often praised for long fibers that feel soft while drying
faster than very dense towels. Cotton blends can cut drying time and improve durability. And
hammam-style towels (a flatter weave) are the “packs small, dries fast” optionless lounge-fluffy,
more suitcase-smart.

3) GSM: the “weight class” of towels

GSM (grams per square meter) helps describe a towel’s density and feel. Lower GSM tends to be lighter
and quicker-drying; higher GSM tends to feel plush and spa-like but may dry more slowly. For beach
towels, many shoppers prefer the middle ground: substantial enough to be comfy, but not so thick it
stays damp until Labor Day.

4) Features that sound extra… until you own them

• Hanging loop: Surprisingly useful for drying in a hotel bathroom or on a deck rail.
• Reinforced hems: Small detail, big impact on fraying and long-term durability.
• Two-sided construction: Often means “one side for lounging, one side for drying.”
• Certifications: Labels like OEKO-TEX Standard 100 indicate the textile has been tested for certain harmful substances.

The 5 Best Beach Towels (BHG-Tested Reviews)

How to Make Your Beach Towels Last Longer (And Smell Like Summer, Not a Gym Bag)

The fastest way to turn a great towel into a scratchy, less-absorbent one is to “over-love” it in the laundry
room. You want clean, fluffy, absorbent towelsnot towels coated in residue that repel water like they’ve
joined a waterproofing cult.

Skip fabric softener (seriously)

Many cleaning experts warn that fabric softener can coat towel fibers and reduce absorbency over time. If your
towel feels soft but suddenly stops drying you, it may be wearing a film of buildup. Instead, focus on proper
washing, thorough rinsing, and full drying.

Simple towel-care habits that pay off

• Wash new towels before first use to remove finishes that can affect absorbency.
• Don’t overload the washertowels need room to rinse clean.
• Use the right amount of detergent; too much can leave residue and cause stiffness.
• Dry completely before folding or packing to prevent musty odors.
• Let them breathe between useshang fully open, not scrunched in a ball.

Beach-specific pro move: “shake and air” before you wash

Before a towel goes in the hamper, take it outside and give it a couple of firm snaps to release sand. Less
sand in the wash means less abrasion, fewer clogged filters, and fewer tiny “why is my washer crunchy?” mysteries.

Your Questions, Answered

What’s the difference between a bath towel and a beach towel?

Bath towels are designed to be super absorbent after a shower, often using looped terry construction. Beach
towels tend to be larger and may use smoother, lower-pile, or mixed constructions that dry faster and don’t
trap sand as easily. Translation: your bath towel is great at drying you; it’s also great at collecting half
the shoreline.

Should I buy one “nice” towel or multiple mid-priced towels?

If you go to the beach or pool a lot, having multiple towels is practicalone can be drying while another is
in use. If you’re more of an occasional beachgoer, one premium towel you love using (and will actually take
care of) might bring you more joy per square inch.

How many beach towels do I need for a trip?

A safe rule: one per person, plus one extra for the group. The extra becomes the backup for wet
days, the towel you sit on at sunset, or the one your friend “borrows” and then forgets exists.

Beach Towel Field Notes: of Real-World Experience (So You Don’t Learn the Hard Way)

After enough beach days, you realize a towel isn’t just a towelit’s your portable “home base.” It’s the thing you
sit on, wrap up in, use as a shade drape over your shoulders, and occasionally wave like a flag when your friend
can’t find you (“I’m next to the cooler that looks exactly like every other coolerhelp!”). So here are the practical,
lived-in lessons that matter more than a perfect product photo.

First: sand management is a lifestyle. Plush terry feels incredible… until sand gets cozy in those loops.
That’s why BHG’s testing notes about sand shake-off are gold. If you’re mostly lounging, plush is worth it. If you’re in
the water every 15 minutes, a towel that dries faster and doesn’t trap sand will make you happier by hour two.
(That’s the hour when everyone starts asking, “Why is everything gritty?”)

Second: dry time decides your whole day. A towel that stays damp turns into a musty backpack situation fast.
Midweight towels can be the sweet spotsoft enough to enjoy, light enough to dry before sunset. If you’re traveling,
hammam-style towels earn their keep. They pack small, dry quickly, and won’t take over your suitcase like a cotton
comforter pretending it’s a towel.

Third: size is emotional support. Oversized towels aren’t just for tall peoplethey’re for anyone who wants options:
lying down without feet in the sand, wrapping fully after a swim, or turning your chair into a cushioned nest. The catch?
Big towels take longer to dry. So if your day includes “swim, dry, pack, go,” don’t assume bigger is always better. If your
day includes “swim, snack, nap, repeat,” bigger is basically a love language.

Fourth: little features become big deals. The sewn-in loop on a budget towel sounds minoruntil you’re in a hotel with
exactly one hook and a towel that refuses to stay put. Reinforced hems matter when towels get dragged across pool decks,
shoved into bags, and washed nonstop. And two-sided towels are underrated: one side to lie on, one side to dry off, and you
feel weirdly organized for someone wearing flip-flops and sunscreen.

Finally: laundry is where good towels become greator tragic. Skip fabric softener if you want absorbency to last.
Don’t overdose detergent. Dry thoroughly. And for the love of summer, don’t pack a wet towel in a sealed bag “just for a minute.”
That minute becomes an hour, the hour becomes a science experiment, and suddenly your towel smells like regret.

The takeaway: pick a towel based on how you actually beachlounger, swimmer, traveler, or all three. The five BHG-tested winners
cover those lifestyles beautifully. Choose your lane, then enjoy the part of summer that matters: the water, the sun, and the
snacks that taste 40% better because you’re outside.

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