Some yoga mats get slippery, especially the ones that claim to wick away your sweat. Well, they aren’t lying. They do resist sweat. Unfortunately, that sweat sits there and beads up, making for a slick yoga mat.
Then there is the fact that you will sweat too, and you need a decent towel to dry off. A regular towel is OK, but it’s often a bit much having to drag out your beach towel for a typical yoga session in the living room.
Most yoga towels, at least the better ones, are made out of microfiber, which doesn’t always feel great on the skin but does the job of quickly drying off the mat or your dripping face. But, of course, the last thing you want to do is get into a tight yoga position and slip off your pad like a slip and slide rather than a yoga mat.
Plus, yoga towels are often colorful, and there is nothing like a little splash of positive aesthetics to get you in the mind frame for a yoga workout. Since there are a ton of yoga towels on the market, which ones are the best of the bunch, and are they worth the money?
Our 8 Best Yoga Towels
Not everybody has the time to sit here and dig through the review minutiae for a bunch of microfiber yoga towels. For those of you that are in a rush and want to order something that you know will do the job, here is our quick list to send you on your way.
- Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel
- Yoga Jaci Yoga Mat Towel
- Shandali Hot Yoga Towel
- Healthyoga Non-Slip Yoga Towel
- Iuga Non-Slip Extra Thick Hot Yoga Towel
- Nomadix National Parks All-Purpose Towel
- Yoga Mate Non-Slip Yoga Towel
- Gaiam Yoga Towel
Yoga towels are primarily for keeping your yoga mat from becoming a slippery mess, and the towels are typically designed to not slip out of your hands. However, as we mentioned above, microfiber and human skin don’t get along very well, so most yoga towels have non-slip edges to overcome that.
They also come in various colors and sizes, with some sets shipping with a small hand towel for quick drying and much larger towels for those gigantic yoga mats. Of course, some are also more affordable than others, but everyone will likely find something they prefer on this list.
Why Should You Use a Yoga Towel?
Why can’t you whip out a regular towel and dry the mat or your sweat that way? Because it’s often a good idea to lay the yoga towel down over the mat instead of just trying to wipe the sweat.
Because of their microfiber material, the more sweat there is, the more grip the towel has on the mat, becoming an effective replacement surface for you to finish your work. A regular towel will completely absorb the sweat from your workout and slide right off the mat.
There are also yoga towels that have anti-slip corners, so they hold on to the mat even better, keeping you dry and helping you avoid a super slippery mat at the same time. You can spray a little water on those yoga towels that lack grippy corners or edges, and they will stick to your mat like glue.
Yoga mat towels are great for giving you a non-slip surface or just being there when you need to dry something with them. Microfibers are not as absorbent as regular towels, but they will still do the trick throughout your workout until you are done.
Having a yoga mat absorbs your sweat rather than wicking it away is also beneficial. Mats that absorb your sweat have to be cleaned far more often. A yoga towel will reduce the number of times you have to clean your mat, although you should always give your yoga mat a good wipe down after you’re done.
1. Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel
Some of the most popular yoga mats on the market are manufactured by Manduka, so it stands to reason that they also produce some of the best yoga towels. The Yogitoes towel is one such endeavor from the highly popular Manduka.
It has silicone nubs on the bottom of the towel, so it will have plenty of grip if you lay it over your yoga mat. It sticks well, too, so you can get your stability back and finish your workout without flopping around on your mat in frustration.
It also has a very cushioned feel and is incredibly soft, which is strange considering that it’s a microfiber towel. Don’t take that wrong, as microfiber towels are always soft but feel weird.
The grip on the Manduka Yogitoes is instant, even if the towel is not remotely damp or encountering any sweat on the mat. It’s a quick and easy solution, especially since the towel is portable and has excellent, grippy edges.
As towels go, it’s a little expensive at $32 for a single towel, but that’s part of it when you are a popular manufacturer.
| Pros | Cons |
| Silicone nubs create a grippy surface Edges are grippy, making the towel easy to lay out and handle Manufactured from recycled water bottles Absorbs sweat rapidly | Pricey Colors fade |
2. Yoga Jaci Yoga Mat Towel
The best thing that the Yoga Jaci Yoga Mat Towel has is that it’s probably the softest towel on our list. The material in this towel is 100% microfiber yet manages to feel lush and absorbent, unlike many other microfiber materials on the market.
Despite its softness, it’s also incredibly resilient and will get you through many yoga workouts before you have to toss it for something else. The microfiber material in the Jaci is very absorbent but lacks any grippy nibs as the Yogitoes have.
That means that if you want to start out using the Jaci, you will have to sprinkle some water on it so that it will stick to the mat. It doubles as an excellent towel for wiping the sweat off your face and hands.
It rolls up tight for easy storage and is plenty sizeable for most yoga mats. It also comes in a large variety of colors, so you can enjoy the various aesthetics and choose something that matches well with your yoga mat.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very lightweight One of the softest yoga towels on the market Very durable Portable Plenty of colors to offer Very sweat absorbent | No grip texture (have to wet it beforehand) Very thin |
3. Shandali Hot Yoga Towel
The Shandali Hot Yoga Towel is one of the more popular towels today. They come in various colors, are very lightweight, and surprisingly durable despite their look and feel.
It’s a very soft towel, making for a comfortable mat cover. This is one of the softer microfiber materials on the market, but, like the Jaci, you will have to sprinkle some water on it to make it grip the yoga mat beneath you.
It’s a reasonably large towel, 27″ long, so you should also have enough coverage for your yoga mat. It’s not on the same level as the Jaci in sweat absorption. However, it still absorbs sweat while remaining fresh throughout your workout.
Like some microfibers, the Shandali Hot Yoga Towel tends to get slippery the longer you use it and the more sweat it absorbs. This feature you will often find in cheap, microfiber towels, but it’s only to a small degree with the Shandali.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very easy to wash Fabric is anti-slip so long as you pre-wet it Very durable Lightweight Large size Sweat absorbent | Gets a little slick when it absorbs too much sweat |
4. Healthyoga Non-Slip Yoga Towel
Whether you like or dislike yoga towels, there’s no denying the fact that Healthyoga Non-Slip Yoga Towels look pretty cool. Their aesthetic design choice is to go with wild-colored edges while retaining dark and vibrant colors.
The microfibers in these towels are tightly woven together, and you can genuinely feel the compact threaded design. The dual grip applies to the front; the back and the entire towel are coated in silicone. You would think that would lower its absorbent capabilities. However, it’s still a very absorbent towel.
This is called a “quick dry” towel, and it works remarkably well in practice. The Healthyoga towel absorbs and dries quickly while still providing excellent grip on the mat and doubling as a personal towel for you.
Healthyoga also packed in all of these features and kept the towel very lightweight. While the grid material is a part of the towel and not a different material, it works great when gripping the yoga mat. The trade-off is, this towel smells—as in, it stinks—and don’t put this thing under your nose.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very lightweight Coolest looking towels on our list Absorbs and dries rapidly Grips the mat well Microfiber is tightly woven | It smells bizarre |
5. Iuga Extra Thick Non-Slip Hot Yoga Towel
This one is probably the highest quality microfiber on our list, and, better yet, it comes with two towels. You get your large mat towel, which is pretty typical, with the addition of a smaller hand and face towel made out of the same material and matching color.
It’s also a super soft material with probably the highest quality microfiber on our list today, even more so than the Jaci, which made the number two spot on the list. You get two towels when you order the Iuga, with the primary one 72″ long and 26″ wide and the second one at 69″ long and 24″ wide.
It’s hard to beat a two-for-one towel, and it’s not like the second towel is a lot smaller either. The Iuga is a very thick towel, unlike other yoga towels. So it makes for a very soft mat when you lay it down.
The side pockets are designed to grip your yoga mat and hold on, so you don’t have to worry about slippage. It’s very absorbent and incredibly durable, despite its softness. It does tend to shrink in the wash, so you’ll end up with a size change pretty quickly.
| Pros | Cons |
| Very lightweight, despite its thickness Comes with two towels for one Side pockets grip the mat well Extremely soft . It also comes with a spray bottle. | Shrinks in the washer Smells a little off |
6. Nomadix National Parks All-Purpose Towel
This towel is the only one on the list that isn’t strictly marketed as a yoga towel. However, it is a favorite among yoga enthusiasts because it offers a lot. It is manufactured out of recycled plastic that would have otherwise ended up on the side of the road or in the ocean and is GRS-certified material.
It’s also anti-microbial, which is always a plus with all the sweat it’s likely to absorb in the future. It’s also the only towel on the list that isn’t manufactured with microfibers, yet it still performs the same essential functions as a yoga towel.
It’s resistant to slipping off the mat and is also highly absorbent. It’s a particular favorite amongst those who do hot yoga, which speaks volumes about the effectiveness of the towel. Although it’s 72″ long, it packs down well for excellent portability, especially if you like doing your yoga routine outside.
It’s especially great for outdoor use because it already has an outdoor aesthetic.
| Pros | Cons |
| Thick and highly absorbent Very slip resistant Rapid drying Very portable and lightweight | Not marketed as a yoga towel, so some may miss out. |
7. Yoga Mate Non-Slip Yoga Mat
The Yoga Mate Non-Slip is all about the ie, dye aesthetic, and unlike the tie-dye shirts of the 60s, this one is a lot more technologically advanced. Unfortunately, it lacks any extra gripping materials, so, like some of the towels on this list, you will have to get it a little damp to make it stick to your yoga mat.
Other than that, it’s a very soft material and can easily double as a small blanket or a large beach towel. It’s also highly absorbent, keeping your mat dry throughout your yoga routine. It also provides plenty of stability, so long as it’s damp enough to stick to the mat well.
Even though it’s the size of a beach towel, it packs much tighter than a standard beach towel and is lightweight if you need to pack it in your luggage or a bag for the beach. Since Yoga Mate goes with a tie-dye aesthetic, the number one concern will almost always revolve around fading.
However, these towels aren’t prone to fading, so they won’t lose the original luster and aesthetic that it comes with. In addition, its 100% microfiber, and Yoga Mate sell them with a 100% guarantee that you can get a full refund immediately if you don’t like it.
| Pros | Cons |
| 100% satisfaction guarantee Incredibly soft and highly absorbent Multi-purpose Doesn’t fade Sticks well if you dampen it slightly | It’s not the best towel on the list when it comes to sticking |
8. Gaiam Yoga Towels
The only marketed hypoallergenic towel on our list is the Gaiam Yoga Towel. It may not have made the number one spot on our list, but the Gaiam towel is a very versatile, all-purpose towel that is the most useful on a yoga mat.
It’s a perfectly sized mat that seems to fit just about any yoga mat, and it comes with corner pockets that grip your mat well, holding it in place throughout your workout. You don’t have to dampen it, although that might help a little in the long run.
It has twice the absorption rate of cotton, and the hypoallergenic nature of the material means you won’t come away with itchy hands or itchy skin.
It’s also a rapidly drying towel that will absorb twice the amount of cotton and dry in half the time. But, of course, that’s all marketing but the hundreds of consumer reviews thoroughly back it up.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comes with an additional small hand towel Also comes with a carrying case Sticks well to most standard-size yoga mats Hypoallergenic Microfiber. | It only has two color options. |
Final Thoughts
There you have it, the 8 best yoga mat towels on the market today. The good thing about yoga towels is that they have a vast market; however, that’s also the bad part. That’s why we have lists like this, to help you separate the wheat from the chaff and choose the one that’s best for you.