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Yoga is meant to be a meditative exercise, but that doesn't mean that you won't work up a sweat. In fact, some of the hot yoga classes I've experienced have left me dripping more than any gym workout I've ever done. But if you don't have proper equipment, trust, you will definitely find yourself slipping all over your mat. Enter: the yoga towel. Smart Dumbbells
"If people are doing a yoga class that elicits sweat, a yoga towel will take their practice to the next level," says Charlotte Muller, a registered yoga teacher and founder of Breathe Strength. The best yoga towel will help you keep stable no matter how sweaty your workout gets.
This tool is designed to provide you with grip and support as you move in and out of your favorite poses. The best part? The wetter they get, the more grippy they become. And if you don't want to clean your yoga mat on the reg, yoga towels are an ideal buffer between your sweaty palms and it.
If you're ready to get a grip on one for your home yoga practice, or need one to cover the mats at your local hot yoga studio, you're in luck! Below, we've rounded up the seven best yoga towels for everything from Vinyasa to hot yoga, according to user reviews, Women's Health editors, and yoga instructors. So grab your workout set, yoga block, towel, and get your flow on.
This yoga towel is ideal for hot yoga. It's designed with silicone nubs on the bottom, making for a slip-free and stable workout. Our fitness editor Jennifer Nied has given this her seal of approval." I sweat profusely in normal temperature yoga classes, so a towel/mat combo is a must for me," she says. "I've relied on this grippy and absorbent Manduka one for years for CorePower's sweatiest classes." Plus, Nied says it stays pretty clean as long as it's hung between classes. "It doesn't get smelly and can be used a few times between washes," she says.
Rave Review: "This towel has grip like no other. I was astonished! I have never had a mat have such instant grip before! I have even washed the towel according to the wash instructions, and it has not faded. I am very, very impressed."
The web of silicone backings on this yoga towel are designed to do away with one of the most annoying parts of practicing with a towel—the annoying bunching. While Ryzhova doesn't recommend only only using a towel in place of a mat (they're too thin), this one's sticky bottom does make that an option if you need to.
It's also super easy to clean. You can just throw it in the washer. Reviewers say the Stickbyfiber Yoga Towel's best feature, though, is its absorbency. "I do hot yoga and this towel has saved me! This towel is so absorbent and grippy so I don’t slip and fall," one customer says.
Rave Review: "Fantastic yoga mat with a sticky side that prevents your feet from sliding when you are sweating up a storm. I use it for Bikram and I can't rate this highly enough."
Although Muller has tried other yoga towels, she loyally uses the Lululemon towels—including this one and its smaller counterpart—in her yoga practice. "Lululemon is such a quality-driven company," she says. "The big one literally covers your whole mat, stops you from slipping, and absorbs every bead of sweat that drops off your body." The most unique quality of this Lululemon mat might be its corner pockets that roll over your mat.
Rave Review: "This is by far my favorite yoga mat towel. The grips on the edges ensure that the towel won't move while you're working out. I use these towels daily for hot power yoga. They are the best!"
Yoga Mate's Perfect Yoga Towel lives up to its name. The cover fits on top of any regular or extra long yoga mat and can be folded up quickly to go from home to outdoor sessions. Another plus? Its plush design can totally double as a beach towel. Reviews tout the Perfect Yoga Towel for its super absorbent material, too.
Reviewers say it may not be the best for extra sweaty sessions, since it's more prone to slipping than other options on this list, but the Perfect Yoga Towel is great for quick yoga sessions on the road.
Rave Review: "I bought this towel because the beach towels just weren't working. They didn't fit correctly and they would always bunch up. Then I tried this Yoga Mate towel and I'm in love! It absorbs all of the sweat, it fits my mat perfectly, I love the color, and it's actually affordable."
Looking for a towel you can use for more than just yoga? Nomadix's all-purpose towel is slip-resistant and quick-drying. Its terry cloth material also makes it super comfortable and absorbent. The Nomadix folds down into a super compact size, which makes it ideal for traveling, too.
It's a great option for seaside yoga sessions. Plus, its nature-inspired pattern will remind you of the beautiful outdoors, even when you're practicing inside. Reviewers say that it feels like plastic at first, but softens up as you use it.
Rave Review: "I really loved this product. This shammy towel is lightweight and heavier duty than others I've had in the past. It packs down small, is effective, and it's attractive."
Got slippery hands? This towel from Gaiam is made with hypoallergenic microfiber and absorbs twice as much as cotton. It's also a highly recommended brand by yoga instructor Julia Ryzhova. She loves the Gaiam's quality material.
The towel was made to stay put using corner pockets that keep your mat in place through any and every pose. Our testers say the length of the towel is also great if you're just looking for some extra cushioning on your regular yoga mat. We also love its budget-friendly price point.
Rave Review: "This towel is perfect. It fits well, and it's easy to get the corners on the side of the mat. It felt fairly moisture-wicking as well, so I didn’t notice a lot of build-up of sweat on the towel during the workout. I'd highly recommend this to anyone doing hot yoga, or anyone who wants to add extra padding to their mat!"
Ryzhova also loves the quality of this JadeYoga towel and—because she prefers her towels to be slightly smaller than her mat—she also likes it for its size. This one is a little fluffier than other options on this list, but it still has great microfiber absorbency.
Our testers love how soft the Great Grip Yoga Towels feels as you hit your Shavasana. JadeYoga also deliver one day of clean drinking water to a person in need for every purchase, per their website. You really can't go wrong with this one.
Rave Review: "I couldn't be happier with it! It's so soft and soaks up sweat in no time! I'm amazed at how well it grips the mat! All in all, I absolutely love my new yoga mat towel, and now I'm so excited to go to hot yoga to use it!"
For the past few months, Women’s Health editors, including fitness editor Jennifer Nied and editorial assistant Olivia Evans, have been researching the bestselling, most popular, and top-rated yoga towels. Our team consulted two yoga instructors for opinions, and then evaluated thousands of customer reviews and ratings to narrow down the best yoga towels for a wide range of needs and preferences.
You should purchase a yoga towel that best fits your needs for the kind of yoga you normally pursue. Some things to consider while shopping are its moisture-wicking quality, its size, and its surface-feel.
According to Muller and Ryzhova, the size of your towel should correspond to the kind of yoga you're doing. A full-length towel provides an extra layer on your mat—so it's especially great for Bikram classes. "You should use [a full-length] towel when you attend hot [yoga] classes," Ryzhova explains.
However, if you're looking for something to provide cushioning to your hands or knees while hitting poses, Ryzhova recommends a slightly smaller version. "I like to use them in any inversion, [like] a handstand or forearm stand," she says.
Muller also prefers to keep a smaller yoga towel nearby during any yoga class to wipe away sweat.
Most yoga towels on this list are made of microfiber, which is one of the most absorbent materials, Ryzhova. Cotton is also a safe bet, but overall you want a yoga towel with at least some microfiber material to absorb sweat well.
The surface feel is entirely a personal preference. Typically, you want something soft, but with a lot of grip to keep you from slipping.
A yoga towel can be used in a few ways. You can purchase a smaller yoga towel to keep it nearby to wipe away sweat during your practice, or you can fold it up to act as a cushion for your knees or head.
A more common use for a yoga towel is to lay it over your mat during hot yoga classes. During these kinds of practices, a yoga mat can get slippery. A towel provides absorbency and keeps you in your yoga flow.
The biggest difference between a regular towel and a yoga towel is its thickness, Muller says. "A towel you'd use when you're showering or at the beach is a lot thicker," she explains. "It's a lot more material, where as a yoga towel is very, very thin." Yoga towels also tend to be made of microfiber, which is a different fabric than a typical bath or beach towel.
It depends on where you'll be practicing, but typically you'd want to opt for a travel mat if you're going to pick one or the other, both Muller and Ryzhova recommend.
However, if you are practicing outside on a softer ground—such as the beach or a patch of grass at the park, a towel can be a good alternative for a mat.
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Olivia Evans (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Her work has previously appeared in The Cut and Teen Vogue. She loves covering topics where culture and wellness intersect. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and watching rom-coms.
Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.com, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, lives in Brooklyn, and proudly detests avocados.
Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.
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Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.
Olivia Evans (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. Her work has previously appeared in The Cut and Teen Vogue. She loves covering topics where culture and wellness intersect. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and watching rom-coms.
Bar Lifting Weights Alexis Jones is an assistant editor at Women's Health where she writes across several verticals on WomensHealthmag.com, including life, health, sex and love, relationships and fitness, while also contributing to the print magazine. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University, lives in Brooklyn, and proudly detests avocados.