The Most Absorbent Tennis Towels for Sweaty Matches
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It’s strange to think of a tennis towel contributing to your best match, but for many pros, it’s an integral part of the process — and not just to dry sweat. In a YouTube video, PlayYourCourt.com Director of Content and Community Management Nate Bolling breaks down the mental strategy for handling stress that the International Tennis Federation teaches its junior players. After each and every point, the player moves through four “rooms,” or mindsets, to reset and refocus before starting the next point. These take time, and so using a tennis towel, ostensibly to dry sweat, affords a player precious moments to do the mental work. “It’s a legitimate strategy,” says Winston Du, a popular tennis YouTuber out of Orange County, California. “Take your time, and get back into the game.”
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While these strategies have remained unchanged for decades, tennis towels themselves have evolved significantly. In tournaments, the pros use the option provided: thick cotton terry designed to wick sweat away from the skin at first touch. But for recreational players packing their own, there are a greater number of options, from synthetic microfiber to hemp blends. Some include a clip from which to hang them, too.
Ultimately, tennis towels aren’t the most expensive piece of equipment you’ll buy, but since they’ll be in contact with your skin, it’s worth making a purchase rather than repurposing a beach or bath towel. But you can breathe a sigh of relief: our favorites are from less than $20 to $60, making them the most affordable critical piece of gear in which you’ll invest — and they last a hell of a lot longer.
BEST OVERALL
Lululemon The Towel
Buy Now $38.00
Comparing Lululemon’s The Towel to traditional cotton terry is like comparing a modern graphite racquet to something pulled from your grandparents’ shed. Its yoga mat-sized footprint and ultra-absorbent polyester fabric gobbles sweat fast, while the cut edges won’t fray, regardless of the number of washes.
We also love the ease of care here. Just throw this towel in the wash with your other synthetic fabrics and, after a quick tumble-dry, you’re ready for the next day’s matches. Because of this, we didn’t mind laying it on the court post-match for a clean place to sit while rehashing some of our favorite points.
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
Jungmaven Bath Towel
Buy Now $48.00
Blending hemp with organic French cotton terry, this towel doesn’t quit. Hemp is a remarkable fiber on its own, with myriad beneficial environmental impacts. But it’s also naturally antimicrobial and ani-fungal. “Antimicrobial properties are important to prevent mildew,” says entrepreneur Lavie Sak of ADV Tennis, which means this a great choice for consistent use.
SMALL PACKAGE, BIG PERFORMANCE
Lululemon The (Small) Towel
Buy Now $18.00
Whether you’re a modest sweater or just tight on space, good things come in small packages — like Lululemon’s mini version of our top pick. With all the performance features of its full-size brother, this one is just over a foot wide and two feet long. “If I’m lugging a bunch of demo racquets to the court, space is really important to me,” says Beckett Chung, a tennis gear reviewer out of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
BEST TURKISH TOWEL
Huckberry Mediterranean Turkish Towel
Buy Now $19.00
With its trademark tasseled ends, the Mediterranean Turkish Towel demands a nod from those who know. Its Turkish-grown long-fiber cotton dries quickly, combats mildew, and packs down to the size of a can of balls. Even better, it gets softer with every wash.
HOMETOWN HERO
Fanatics New York Yankees 30" x 60" Personalized Beach Towel
Buy Now $59.99
Want to bring a little bit of home with you on the court? Fanatics has licensing deals with every major league and team for towels like this one, often with customizable options. Get your own name or your favorite players, or psych out your opponent by getting his.
BEST CLIP-ON
Nike Performance Golf Towel
Buy Now $20.00
Ignore the Golf Towel’s name. Instead, notice its reinforced carabiner loop, which allows you to hang it from your court’s chain link fence at head height for extra convenience.
ON THE NOSE
Ame & Lulu Sport Tennis Towel
Buy Now $24.00
Never lose your tennis towel again with this on-the-nose design. Sure, it’s a miniature tennis court, but it’s also cut from super-absorbent microfiber. Not digging it? There are other non-tennis-related patterns available.
BUDGET BUY
REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite
Buy Now $15.95 - $35.95
For those who play often, it’s best to buy several towels to prevent daily laundry trips. For that, we like the affordable REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite. Available in three sizes (“If it keeps you dry, and it’s the right size, it’s great,” says Sak), it’s made in multiple colors, arrives in its own carry sack, and absorbs up to eight times its weight in water. It also has an attachment loop, though you’ll need to buy your own clip.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tennis Towels
Why can’t I just use a beach towel? I’ve already got one of those.
Do you find rubbing sand on your face comfortable? A dedicated tennis towel guarantees it will be free from grit and other contaminants.
I’m already wearing wristbands and a hat. Isn’t a towel just overkill?
Well, besides the previously mentioned mental aspect, a towel will always absorb more than those other two accessories. And when it’s the dog days of summer, you’ll often need all three to work together to keep the sweat out of your eyes. Think of the towel as a transfer station on which you’ll dump the payload dripping from your hat, wristband, and apparel.
I like sweat. Why is it important to be dry in tennis?
There are numerous reasons, including reducing the possibility of blisters and chafing due to excessive moisture, as well as grip security. Do you really want to be the guy whose racquet slips and goes bouncing off the asphalt? Didn’t think so.
Are there other accessories that will help manage sweat, even as I wipe off all I can with a towel?
An overgrip, which wraps over your regular tennis racquet grip and provides both tack and absorption, will help you hold on longer. But keep in mind that they wear out after a few sessions and should be replaced, or you’ll be vulnerable.
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1. Rainleaf Microfiber Towel
The Microfiber Towel by Rainleaf is made using only the highest quality microfiber that will keep your towel fresh and free from germs and mildew. Due to the specialty materials, the towel will dry itself quickly and if needed, can absorb as much as three times its weight in water for a quicker drying experience. Available in six sizes, these compact and ultra-light towels are ideal for everything from travel to the gym, beach, camping, swimming, and backpacking.
Pros: These towels are very soft and feel like suede on your skin.
Cons: It is important to follow washing instructions upon opening as the color may bleed.
Rainleaf Microfiber Towel
2. Utopia Towels Salon Towels
The Salon Towels by Utopia Towels come in a set of 24 towels made from 100 percent soft and durable, ring-spun cotton. Each soft, fluffy towel provides the optimal coverage, absorbency and versatility needed and can be used in your bathroom or salon, as a gym towel or even a quality spa towel to treat yourself at home.
Pros: These towels have a zero-twist construction and shorter fibers which helps reduce shedding and fraying.
Cons: These towels may not be bleach-safe.
Utopia Towels Salon Towels
3. Alfamo Cooling Towels
The Cooling Towels by Alfamo are unique due to their superior material which is made to cool your body quickly, up to 30 degrees below body temperature when wet. Ideal for sports and outdoor workers, these super-absorbent towels provide this cooling effect through the evaporation of absorbed water to keep you comfortable up to several hours. These multipurpose towels also come with a bonus waterproof carrying pouch with a carabiner clip allowing for easy travel.
Pros: These towels are soft and pleasant to the touch and provide UPF 50 sunscreen protection.
Cons: While it cools down quickly, the cooling effect may not last as long as needed.
Alfamo Cooling Towels
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