Yoga is a great way to get in touch with the body and mind, but sometimes the practice can have its challenges.
Practitioners often find themselves slipping on a wet mat or having to deal with excess sweat that drips onto their clothes. Thankfully, there are yoga towels available to help make your experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
Everything You Need To Know About Yoga Towels
How to Use a Yoga Towel:
Use a yoga towel to keep your mat clean. This is the most common use for towels, but it's also the most obvious one.
If you're doing a hot vinyasa class, you don't want to be stepping out of your mat and onto the floor only to find that there are sweat stains all over it. You will need somewhere else to put your feet. In general, if you're practicing on hardwood or tile floors and not carpeting, this will be an important consideration.
Use a yoga towel to prevent slipping during practice. Remember: yoga is about being grounded and connected with earth energies—so why would you want to slip around while doing it?
A good non-slip grip surface can help you stay steady during poses like headstands. You should also consider using one during any type of sweaty practice session. That will help keep your body dryer than if it were completely exposed on open ground or cold tile surfaces.
Types of Yoga Towels
Here're six types:
#1 Intention Yoga Towel
This is a high-quality towel made of 100% cotton. It has a non-slip bottom and is machine washable. This towel is available in three sizes: small, medium, and large.
It comes with a stellar grip, made even stronger by the microfibre. The towel is robust, which makes it anti-slip, allowing you to experiment with more advanced positions.
#2 Manduka eQua Mat Towel
If you're looking for a simple, inexpensive, lightweight towel that can get the job done and not take up too much space in your bag, this one is for you.
This towel is lightweight but durable and portable enough to throw in your gym bag or suitcase when traveling. It also dries quickly after a sweaty yoga session. The eQua Mat Towel comes in different colors to fit your personal style and comes with an attached strap so that you can hang it up after class.
The only downside to this towel is that it isn't the greatest at moisture absorption, which means it probably isn't the best option for you if you sweat profusely.
#3 Shandali GoSweat Hot Yoga Towel
The Shandali GoSweat Hot Yoga Towel is made of 100% microfibers. The towel's non-slip surface and lightweight design make it easy to carry around, and it also comes at a great size.
This towel is machine washable, so it’s easy to keep it clean when necessary. It's anti-slip and absorbs all your sweat with ease, making it one of the heavy hitters on this list.
#4 Yoga Towel by Youphoria Yoga
Youphoria Yoga makes a lightweight, durable towel that's made from 100% organic cotton.
It has a non-slip bottom and can be machine-washed, making it easy to maintain. The towel contains no harmful chemicals, so it’s safe for you and the environment. This towel can greatly extend the life of your yoga mat, making it a great option if you're trying to preserve your yoga gear.
#5 Gaiam Thirsty Yoga Towel
If you're a beginner or an advanced yogi, this is a good choice. The towel is made of microfiber, which absorbs sweat and provides traction on your mat. This towel has a non-slip bottom, so it stays in place during practice.
You can also machine wash this towel if it gets dirty or sweaty. Unlike some of the others on this list, this is perfect for those who sweat a lot, as this mat can soak up every bit of sweat, thanks to the microfibers on this mat.
#6 Manduka YogiToes Skidless Towel
The Manduka YogiToes Skidless is a heavyweight towel that's relatively easy to carry.
It’s non-slip and machine washable, so you can use it again and again without worrying about staining or other damage. You can get the towel in a variety of colors, including black, brown, green, and grey.
As its name suggests, this towel uses a trademark skidless technology, which gets even better the more you sweat. That means the towel's performance gets exponentially better as you progress in your session, so you don't have to worry about slipping.
Takeaway
Yoga towels are a great accessory to have for yoga practice. It can help with sweat and moisture, prevent slipping on the mat, and provide comfort when doing poses that require extra support (like the downward dog).
With all these options, it’s difficult to know which one can work best for you. We hope that our reviews have helped you make an informed decision.