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At 58 inches wide and 68 inches long, this beach blanket—which is made out of an absorbent towel fabric—provides plenty of space for you and a friend. At 70 inches long and 35 inches wide, this one gives you lots of coverage on the sand and extra fabric to wrap around your body at the end of a pool or beach day. One side is made from a soft velour material that will pick up minimal sand, while the other is a cozy woven terry material that’s absorbent after a day in the water. The towel is quick-drying (without fading) and a little under six feet long, so it’s longer than traditional options. This quick-drying towel is just under six feet, making it a longer option than standard picks, and it repels sand more than other fabrics (though sand might cling to the fringes).

First, we’re breaking down everything you should think about before choosing your go-to summer towel. Depending on your intended use, it’s important to consider all of these factors. This will ensure it will withstand multiple beach outings and provide long-term value. Weight isn’t a huge concern for most, but if you’re looking for a travel towel we suggest keeping your eye on the product weight.

Beach towels are made with a variety of materials in a variety of styles, some of which are better suited for some activities than others. This suggests that the towels may require frequent replacements, undercutting any perceived value to the alluring $15 price point. Its softness adds an extra level of comfort, making it a pleasure to curl up with a book or take a little catnap by the pool or on the beach. If you’re looking for something super lightweight and soft on a budget, this is a great towel for you. While there’s a lot to love about these towels, what really sold us was the price point.

You’ll want to be careful not to pack this towel next to any sharp or pointy items, as we did notice that a brush with a spikey plant created a noticeable cluster of pulled threads. That said, we found it was still lightweight and dried reasonably quickly despite its plushness. Pottery Barn’s Classic Awning Striped Towel feels as comfortable as it looks.

It is essential to have a checklist of all the beach items you’ll need. Jasmine Grant is a senior editor at Travel + Leisure and a frequent beachgoer. We also like that they’re more sand-resistant since they don’t have small loops that trap in particles. We’ll continue testing to see how they hold up after regular use at the beach.

If you want a thick and fluffy towel, this may not be the one for you. We were also pleasantly surprised at how absorbent it was during testing. The towel has no holes or bald spots, but it looks slightly less fluffy than when we first purchased it. This towel dried us off quickly and efficiently in just one or two passes.

The brand recommends washing the towels before using them for a softer and fluffier feel, and online reviewers agree that the towels feel and look better post-laundering. Because of its absorbent design, this towel will take longer to dry compared to a microfiber option. When your average beach towel doesn’t cut it, this XL option from Lands’ End is ideal. And don’t forget to pair your new beach towel with comfy flip-flops and a stylish swimsuit. If wedding gift prefer a more luxurious and fluffy beach towel, look for one with a higher GSM. They can have varying degrees of thickness, but usually aren’t as soft and plush as cotton towels.

The price range for beach towels can vary widely depending on factors such as brand, material, size, design, and overall quality. Perfect to bring on a trip or to a music festival, this beach towel is made of a polyester/nylon blend that (unlike most microfiber beach towels) has short loops to be softer and more absorbent. The towel is on the thinner side, and according to some online reviewers, the material doesn’t feel as comfortable to dry off with as other plush beach towels. These cotton terrycloth beach towels are plush and absorbent and available for just a fraction of the price of most other towels.

A high-quality beach towel needs to be soft, comfortable to lie on, absorbent and easy to carry. Finally, we shared beach towels with consumer testers who brought them to pools and beaches across the globe. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab put beach towels to the test — both in our Lab and at the beach to evaluate if the towels held onto sand.

That’s what makes Turkish towels thinner and lighter than your standard cotton towel. But the tradeoff here is that they’ll be less absorbent than a towel made with 100 percent cotton. We then folded the towel and brought it with us to a pool or beach destination in order to evaluate its portability.