Stay Cool and Dry With Our Top Picks for Best Gym Towels (2024)

Whether you’re a gym rat or an athlete, when you sweat from exercise, you lose both water and electrolytes¹. While we can’t help you stop the sweat, we’ve found ways to make sweating more comfortable. And if you’ve trusted our Garage Gym Reviews experts to find the best electrolyte drink to help you rehydrate, you can absolutely trust us to keep you dry with the best gym towels on the market. 

Sure, you can grab a washcloth out of your linen closet, but a synthetic microfiber towel can absorb more moisture and dry faster than cotton. If your goal is staying dry during your workout, let us help you find the best sports towel based on our hands-on experience. 

Our GGR experts have over two decades of collective fitness industry experience, ranging from certified personal trainers to Olympic-level athletes. We used our in-depth fitness equipment testing methodology to score a variety of categories on a scale of 1 to 5, which gave us an average rating for each towel. Among other factors, our testers had to consider the materials of the towel, durability after use and washing, and how well the towel absorbed moisture.

Best Gym Towels 

• Best Gym Towel Overall: OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towel
• Best Budget Gym Towel: The Rag Company Sport and Workout Towel
• Best Sweat-Wicking Gym Towel: Gatorade Premium Sideline Towel
• Best Compact Gym Towel: Matador Nanodry Towel
• Best Quick-Drying Gym Towel: Acteon Microfiber Towel 5-pack
• Best Gym Towel for Yoga: Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Towel
• Best Cooling Gym Towel: Sukeen Cooling Towels
• Best Gym Towel for Classes: lululemon The Small Towel

Best Gym Towel Overall: OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towel

Good for: Folks who are looking for a great value and a variety of sizes 

OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towel

GGR Score: 4.4

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Product Highlights

* Set of 3 microfiber towels in face, head, and body towel sizes  * Available in 8 colors  * Features: Quick drying, odor-blocking, and absorbs 4x its own weight

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Set of 3 towels in different sizes
• Free mesh carrying bag included
• 8 different colors
• Includes elastic band to pack towels
• Machine washable

Cons

• Pricing varies by color
• Some customers only received 2 towels
• Customers reported colors bleeding in first wash

Bottom Line

OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towels include three different-sized towels and a carrying case. Customers liked that it included 3 different-sized towels. However, some customers only received two towels when ordering from Amazon and had difficulty with customer service. Some customers disliked the microfiber texture.

The OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towels are our top pick for the best gym towels because they’re reasonably priced, ultra-packable, dry quickly, and come in a set of three different sizes. The largest towel in the set can replace your bulky cotton towel for locker room showering, while you can use the two smaller towels to dry your hair or wipe sweat from your face while working out. 

GGR Senior Editor Amanda Dvorak, ISSA-CPT, tested this three-pack of gym towels for her workouts and found the whole set can be loaded into the small mesh carrying case and tossed into your gym bag without sacrificing any space for your favorite weightlifting belt or shoes. 

Amanda also appreciated the super-soft microfiber texture and scored the OlimpiaFit towels 4 out of 5 stars for materials. “These towels didn’t scratch or irritate my skin at all. I have rosacea, and certain materials can irritate my skin, but I haven’t had any issues with these towels.” 

Plus, she thought the three-pack of towels held up well to regular use and machine washing. “For how thin and inexpensive these towels are, they’re pretty durable even after about a dozen washes,” says Amanda. 

She hasn’t noticed any wear or tear and finds the microfiber just as soft as the first use. For durability, she scored the towels 4 out of 5 stars.

Best Budget Gym Towel: The Rag Company Sport and Workout Towel

Good for: Anyone looking for absorbent gym towels on a budget 

The Rag Company Sport and Workout Towel

GGR Score: 3.8

Product Highlights

* 320 gsm microfiber gym towel * Pack of 3 towels  * Rounded corners and overlock stitch edge   * Small business based in Idaho

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 320 gsm more durable than most competitors
• Available in 8 colors
• More affordable than competitors

Cons

• Only available in 1 size
• Rag Company primarily creates products for car detailing
• Mixed reviews on absorbency of towels

Bottom Line

The Rag Company is a small business that is known for making microfiber towels for car detailing. However, this towel was designed for exercise. Customers found the towel high quality and durable, sharing it held up well in the wash. Customers disagreed on how absorbent the towel was, with some stating it merely moved their sweat around.

While The Rag Company may not be a gym-oriented brand, it’s a small business known for high-quality microfiber towels—specifically for car detailing. The Sport & Workout Towel from The Rag Company offers a highly absorbent towel for wiping away sweat and keeping you cool during home workouts. 

RELATED: How to Program Home Your Own Home Workouts

You may also like the reasonable price of these towels, which is around $10 for a three-pack on Amazon. The Rag Company towels aren’t intended to replace your bath towel at the gym, but they’ll be able to keep you dry during your toughest workouts. 

GGR Staff Writer Matt Dustin, CES, P1-NC, says the microfiber towels were super absorbent during his garage workouts in the middle of summer. He scored the moisture absorbency a 4 out of 5 stars. 

“These were super absorbent and the perfect size for me,” says Matt. However, he notes if you sweat a ton in the summer, this towel may not be big enough. It’s about the size of a hand towel at 16 inches wide and 27 inches long. 

As for the material, Matt scored The Rag Company towels 3 out of 5 stars. Matt wasn’t a huge fan of the terry cloth-style weave of these microfiber towels. “This may be a personal preference, but I can’t stand when microfiber towels have a thick pile because it ends up sticking to the calluses on my hands,” he explains.  

For folks who like the soft feeling of microfiber, Matt says you’ll like these towels. Plus, he rated them as super durable and gave them a 4-out-of-5-star rating after a half dozen washes and uses. 

Best Sweat-Wicking Gym Towel: Gatorade Premium Sideline Towel 

Good for: Anyone looking for a cotton blend towel from a classic sports brand 

Gatorade Premium Sideline Towel

GGR Score: 3.77

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Product Highlights

* Gatorade cotton sideline towel with repeating Gatorade logo pattern   * Features: Used by professional athletes, lightweight cotton, absorbent, and ideal size for draping around neck  * Large workout towel at 22” x 42”

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Made in the United States
• Also available as Pro towel with colors and branding of favorite NFL team
• Machine washable

Cons

• Only available in 1 size
• More expensive than competitors
• Some customers found towel too large

Bottom Line

You will recognize the Gatorade sideline towel from the sidelines of your favorite sporting events. The larger towel is designed to be hung around your neck and features a repeating Gatorade logo. Customers disagreed on the utility of the towel size, some found it too large and unwieldy while others thought it was perfect. Multiple reviewers appreciated that the towel was cotton rather than microfiber.

If you’re a sports fan, you’ll recognize the classic Gatorade Premium Sideline Towel being touted on athletes’ shoulders in nearly every broadcasted sport. While the Gatorade logo is intriguing, does this towel hold a candle to its competitors? 

We asked GGR Senior Staff Writer Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1, to find out. Caine isn’t just an expert product tester; he’s an Olympic-level weightlifting athlete and a former gym owner and coach. Needless to say, he knows a thing or two about big brands like Gatorade. 

RELATED: Guide to Equipment for Olympic Weightlifting

The Gatorade Premium Sideline Towel is a 100% cotton towel, which makes it highly absorbent. Cotton blends tend to absorb even more moisture, but Caine said this towel did an excellent job. For sweat absorption, Caine scored the Gatorade towel 5 out of 5 stars. “I sweat quite a bit, and this towel lasted me through the entirety of my workout,” he says. 

Caine adds that not just the material but the 22-inch by 24-inch size of the towel make it ideal for anyone who sweats a lot. It’s a bit larger than a hand towel but smaller than a bath towel, so you’ll have plenty of space for dabbing sweat or wiping down equipment (Ed note: Please wipe down your equipment). And in a pinch, it can work as a bath towel for a post-workout shower.  

When it comes to durability and construction, Caine notes the printed Gatorade logo stiffened up after several uses, so he docked a point in this category for a score of 4 out of 5 points. “The towel is thick and feels very comfortable on one side. The other side has a feel a bit more comparable to a bath towel—it’s a little stiff but not egregious,” he says. 

Best Compact Gym Towel: Matador Nanodry Towel

Good for: Post-workout showers or outdoor adventures 

Matador Nanodry Towel

GGR Score: 3.88

Product Highlights

* Full sized towel designed for camping and travel  * Absorbs 2.3 time its weight in water  * Features: Full sized towel, front release buckle for easy hanging, and included travel case

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Includes silicone travel case with carabiner
• Machine washable
• Included buckle to hang dry

Cons

• Much more expensive than competitors
• Only available in two colors
• Limited customer reviews
• Only available as full sized towel

Bottom Line

Matador Nanodry Towel is a lightweight full sized towel with a carrying case designed for camping and travel. It features an integrated buckle to easily hang to dry. There are limited customer reviews. Generally customers found it absorbent and lightweight, However, they disagreed on the dry time of the towel and some thought the towel was too thin.

The Matador Nanodry Towel is your ideal choice for showering at the gym or taking with you for travel or camping. It dries super fast, has a drying hook, and you can pack it away into a small carrying case. 

I personally tested the Matador Nanodry Towel and immediately knew this would make it into my toolbox of summertime camping gear. The thin polyester isn’t super soft or especially nice on the skin—which is why I scored this towel 3.5 out of 5 stars for materials—but the super compact nature of the material and the ability to pack it down into a small fist-size carrying case makes it worth it for me. The carrying case also has a carabiner, so you can clip it to the outside of your gym bag or to one of the best running backpacks. 

While this towel isn’t quite as big as a cotton bath towel, it’s pretty much full-size as far as quick-drying towels go. You’ll be able to dry off from a post-workout shower or after taking a dip in a swimming hole on your favorite hike. 

For moisture absorption, I scored this towel 4 out of 5 stars. It’s very thin and doesn’t totally absorb all the moisture from my body (you’re not going to feel bone dry after a shower), but I think it’s an excellent compact option and functions pretty well. 

For camping and hiking, I think the $35 is totally worth it. For post-workout showers, if you need something that is super compact, this is your best bet. However, if you have room in your gym bag for a bigger towel, you might want to go with something a little softer to the touch. 

Best Quick-Drying Gym Towel: Acteon Microfiber Towel 5-pack 

Good for: Anyone looking for a fast-drying microfiber towel with an integrated snap closure 

Acteon Microfiber Quick Dry Gym Towel

GGR Score: 4.3

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Product Highlights

* Microfiber gym towels  * Set of 3 or 5 towels  * The towel absorbs 5x its weight  * Features: Integrated snap strap, odor elimination, and quick drying

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Rolls up to fit in a pocket with integrated snap
• Reinforced border stitching
• Available in 4 sizes: small, medium, large, x-large

Cons

• Only 4 colors
• Customers complained towel stuck to skin when wiping sweat
• some customers wish the snap strap was not integrated into the towel

Bottom Line

The Acteon Microfiber Quick Dry Towel is a microfiber workout towel with an integrated snap strap. Customers disagreed on whether the strap was helpful or a hindrance. Customers found the towel soft but some complained that it tended to stick to their skin.

The Acteon Microfiber Quick Dry Towel comes in a five-pack with a few color options, including gray, pink, and navy blue. These towels are made from synthetic microfiber, which makes them wick moisture away from your body and dry fast. 

My husband (a competitive powerlifter) and I tested the five-pack of gym towels in the peak of sweltering summer heat. The gym we train at is a no-frills facility without air conditioning and these towels actually made our workouts more enjoyable, so I scored these towels 4 out of 5 stars for their sweat absorption capabilities. 

RELATED: Best Powerlifting Workouts

I found that wiping away moisture from my face and neck helped me feel cooler and more comfortable. A good gym towel won’t change the air temperature, but a towel that can absorb sweat and dry fast will make your skin feel dryer, which in turn can help you beat the heat. 

You’ll also like knowing the material is soft to the touch and is durable. I noticed right away that there is a heavy-duty double stitch around the edges of the towel, which will keep fraying and damage to a minimum. These towels have also held up to dozens of washes and uses, so I gave the Acteon Microfiber towels a 4.5-star rating. 

It’s also worth noting there’s an integrated strap that allows you to fold and roll the towel and snap it closed. At first, I thought it was a little annoying to have the strap flapping around while using the towel, but I just snapped it closed (while unfolded), and voila, I had a drying hook. 

Best Gym Towel for Yoga: Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Towel

Good for: Folks looking for a yoga mat topper to absorb sweat during hot yoga sessions 

Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel

GGR Score: 3.37

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Product Highlights

* Yoga mat towel available in standard and long sizes   * Features Skidless technology to keep towel in place throughout your practice  * Available in 23 colors and prints

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Silicone grips (skidless technology) to keep towel in place
• Made from recycled plastic bottles
• No AZO, lead, or heavy metals
• Vegan-friendly

Cons

• Very limited colorways in long
• The towels stain things according to customer reviews
• Mixed reviews on the grip
• Expensive at over $65

Bottom Line

The Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel is designed to fit on top of your yoga mat. It features silicone grippers to help the mat stay in place. Customer reviews found the towel absorbent but there were mixed reviews on how well the silicone grips performed. Customers also complained that the towels tended to stain things. Manduka recommends washing separately prior to use to remove extra dye, possibly multiple times for darker colors.

The Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel is a great fit for hot yoga enthusiasts or folks who want something easy to throw in their bag after yoga classes. This towel comes in tons of colors and is offered in two different lengths (71 or 79 inches) to fit over your yoga mat. It features silicone grips on the bottom to prevent slipping while you practice your warrior pose. 

RELATED: 14 Best Yoga Poses

It’s made from recycled water bottles, polyester, and nylon, which earns this yoga towel 4 out of 5 stars. As for durability, GGR Editor Frieda Johnson, ISSA-SET, gave the Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel 3.5 out of 5 stars. “The color faded a bit in the wash, and the corners are starting to fray a tiny bit, but overall, it’s holding up pretty well,” she says. 

It’s worth noting the brand recommends washing the yoga towel separately at least once (and multiple times for darker colors) to remove extra dye and prevent staining your clothes. You’ll also need to set your dryer to low heat or hang dry your towel. 

While this towel may need extra care for long-lasting durability, Frieda appreciates how much moisture it can absorb. “This towel can absorb quite a lot. I don’t typically do hot yoga, but I do like to do yoga outside in the sunshine, which gets pretty sweaty,” she says. 

She notes that her outdoor yoga sessions felt dry and pleasant while using the Manduka Yogitoes Yoga Mat Towel and scored the absorbency 4 out of 5 stars. The one drawback to this towel is the $65 price tag, which is similar to some of the best yoga mats we’ve tested. 

Best Cooling Gym Towel: Sukeen Cooling Towels 

Good for: Folks who need cooling solutions who their workouts 

Sukeen Cooling Gym Towel

GGR Score: 4.38

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Product Highlights

* Cooling microfiber towel  * Sold in 4 pack  * Features: Up to 3 hours of cooling, included waterproof carrying bag with carabiner,  * Instructions: Soak in water, wring it out, shake it 3-5 times, and wear around neck

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Included carrying bag with carabiner
• Machine washable
• Simple process to activate cooling

Cons

• Customers reviews mixed on how long the towel stays cool
• Carrying bags are not durable according to reviews

Bottom Line

Sukeen Cooling Towels are sold in 4 packs with a waterproof carrying case and carabiner. To activate the cooling properties just soak the towel in water, wring it out, and shake 3-5 times. Customer reviews for the towel disagree on how long the towel stays cold. Some said it was cold for hours while others said it was very brief.

The Sukeen Cooling Towels promise chilling benefits, so we had to get our hands on this type of towel to see if it really works. Essentially, you soak a towel in cold water, wring it out, shake it a few times, and wear it around your neck. The brand claims these towels can provide up to three hours of cooling. 

GGR Senior Staff Writer Caine Wilkes is an Olympic-level weightlifting athlete who trains in a gym without climate control. We thought he was the best fit to put the cooling towels to the test. 

“This type of towel was recommended to me for my competition in Thailand since the climate control in the training hall was limited. It absolutely helped me stay cool,” says Caine. 

Caine notes that when you feel like the coolness is wearing off, giving it a quick shake can help rejuvenate the chilling effect. He’s also worn the towel around his neck for mowing the lawn in the middle of the summer. 

RELATED: Best AC for Garage Gyms

During the testing process, Caine was tasked with rating the sweat absorbency, which he gave a middle-of-the-road 3-star rating. “Technically, this towel holds moisture really well and is very good at its intended purpose. It can keep you cool for a long time,” he says. “However, it’s not intended to absorb additional sweat.”  

For durability, Caine gave this cooling towel 5 stars. He found that with repeated use and dozens of washes, the towels haven’t experienced any fraying or excessive wear. He also scored the price a 5 out of 5 stars, noting these towels come in a four-pack for about $27 on Amazon, with frequent markdowns as low as $15. 

Best Gym Towel for Classes: lululemon The Small Towel

Good for: Folks who enjoy yoga classes or studio group training

lululemon the Small Towel

GGR Score: 3.8

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Product Highlights

* Microfibre towel designed for hot yoga, indoor cycling, and other gym activities  * Hand towel sized  * Available in 2 colors

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Absorbs sweat well according to reviews
• Design and aesthetics well-reviewed by customers

Cons

• Sold out on Lululemon store online
• Available in limited colors – customers want more
• Expensive at over $15 for one towel
• Customer reviews complained it didn’t hold up well in the wash

Bottom Line

The Lululemon Small Towel is a hand towel sized gym towel made of microfibre material. Customer reviews were generally positive; they liked the soft texture and absorbency. However, some customers found it did not hold up well. Others disliked the microfiber texture.

The Small Towel from lululemon is a small but sturdy towel made from a 100% polyester microfiber material, featuring clean-cut edges to prevent fraying. It absorbs sweat, it’s soft on the skin, and its small footprint won’t cramp your style during hot yoga classes or HIIT workouts. 

GGR Senior Editor Erin Chancer, ISSA-CPT,  used the lululemon Small Towel for interval training sessions on her Nordictrack S22i exercise bike. Erin admits she was not raining with sweat but reports that this towel helped her stay dry around her neck, back, and hairline. She scored the absorbency 4 out of 5 stars. 

RELATED: NordicTrack S22i Exercise Bike Review

Erin’s experience with the texture of the lululemon Small Towel was different than a traditional bath towel or a terry cloth-style microfiber towel. “The material is thick and takes some getting used to. I’d liken it to suede or animal hide even though it’s 100% polyester,” she says.  

“While I found it soft, I lent it to my husband for his HIIT workouts, and he wasn’t as sold. He has very sensitive skin and said it felt scratchy and could potentially set off his dermatitis,”  she added. For this reason, she didn’t give this towel a perfect score for materials and landed on a 4-out-of-5-star rating. 

The biggest downside of Erin’s experience was the price. The small 16-inch by 26-inch towel was priced at a whopping $18 for one towel. “This is a little steep for a towel without any bells and whistles aside from the lululemon branding,” says Erin. 

Other Gym Towels We Researched

• Rainleaf Microfiber Towel Perfect Travel: This gym towel is highly rated on Amazon, but we didn’t select it for our hands-on testing because multiple customer reviews mention that it shows wear and tear after a handful of washes. 
• Desired body gym towels: Prior to ordering the best gym towels on the market, these came up in our online research. We ultimately decided not to go forward with hands-on testing because it’s nearly identical to the Sukeen Cooling towels, which had a slightly higher customer rating and more reviews. 
• Utopia Towels Salon Towel Pack of 24: Although the item is a best-selling product on Amazon, we decided not to test these traditional cotton towels for this roundup due to the inability of cotton to dry quickly like synthetic fibers. 

How We Tested Gym Towels 

Our GGR experts use a detailed testing methodology for every type of product we test. To discover which brand offers the best gym towels, we scored each product on a scale of 1 to 5 in the following categories: 

• Materials: For a high-quality gym towel, our testers were mainly looking for non-cotton materials because while cotton holds water well, it takes longer to dry. For that reason, higher scores were reserved for synthetic blends of polyester and nylon, which is typically what microfiber towels are made from. However, cotton towels were considered and during testing if it performed particularly well. 
• Construction and durability: We considered not just what each towel is made from but the quality of the stitching, how it handles the washing machine, and if the fabric changes shape or feel after washing. 
• Sweat absorption: Our testers put each towel through sweaty workouts to see if the towel absorbs moisture, dries quickly, and can be used through an entire workout. 
• Comfort and feel: Towels that feel soft to the touch (including on the face) earned our highest scores in this category. 
• Price and value: While our testers used gym towels costing upward of $30, the highest scores were given to ones priced under $10 per towel. 
• Extra features: If a towel offered a sew-in dry hook, carrying case, or cooling features, it earned higher scores in this category. 
• Customer experience: Our testers gave higher scores to companies that offered a minimum of 30 days to return products and multiple options to reach customer service. 
• Customer rating: The average rating from customer reviews was factored into our overall score for each gym towel product. 

Benefits of the Best Gym Towels 

Sweating is a natural consequence of exercise, and if a relatively small investment makes you feel dry and comfortable, we think it’s a worthy price to pay. Plus, a quality gym towel can also be used as a way to prevent sweat from dripping on (and potentially staining) your favorite home gym equipment. 

What To Look For In A Gym Towel

Before you head to checkout, there are a few specs you may want to double-check to ensure you know what to expect when your gym towel arrives at your door. Here are our recommendations: 

• Size: Verify the size of the towel you’re ordering. If you want a packable bath towel so you can shower in the locker room, make sure you’re not accidentally ordering something that’s the size of a golf towel. The same goes for wanting a towel for dabbing off sweat during workouts—you don’t want to get stuck with something the size of a beach towel. 
• Materials: Cotton makes for a very absorbent towel but doesn’t have the same fast-drying properties as microfiber, which is made from synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon. Synthetic materials are a better choice for gym-goers because they will dry quickly and not feel abrasive on your skin. 
• Care instructions: We recommend following the care instructions on the label. Some towels we tested faded in the wash or got beat up in the dryer. Many of the microfiber towels we tried recommend hanging to dry or tumbling with low heat. 

Best Gym Towels: FAQs

References 

1. Baker L. B. (2017). Sweating Rate and Sweat Sodium Concentration in Athletes: A Review of Methodology and Intra/Interindividual Variability. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 47(Suppl 1), 111–128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0691-5 

Lauren Strong, CPT

Lauren is an NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer working with clients of all ages and skill levels. She specializes in coaching the squat, bench, and deadlift and enjoys introducing beginners to barbell training. Before becoming certified, she worked in marketing roles after graduating from the University of Maine with a BA in Journalism. Writing for Garage Gym Reviews blends her two passions: writing and lifting. Lauren spends her leisure time in the kitchen, reading fiction, and taking nature walks. She's also an avid downhill skier, learning how to ski when she was just two years old. She lives in Maine with her husband and two cats.

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