Why Turkish Towels are the Best Gym Towels
Posted by TANYA VAUGHAN
What is the best gym towel?
You might be a total gym rat or maybe you’re just getting back into the gym. Either way, you need the right gear. Sure, everyone knows how important the right shoes are for the type of workout and also what sweat wicking, quick-drying performance athletic wear to don. But have you thought about what the right gym towel is? Do you carry your own gym towel? If not, read on and see why it’s not only important to bring your own gym towel but also why Turkish towels make the best gym towel.
Why You Need A Towel For The Gym
No gym visit will be complete without packing the right towel. A towel can be useful at the gym for a wide range of reasons. For instance, you might find that you sweat profusely during different activities and sports. You can keep a towel close at hand to wipe the sweat away. This isn’t just about keeping comfortable. Sweat can drip down your face into your eyes. This can be nothing more than a nuisance during activities like lifting weights but can also be dangerous if say you’re on a treadmill going mach 5.
You also want a gym towel for the machines. Whether you want to use the gym towel as a barrier between your skin and the bench or to wipe down equipment after you’ve used it, having your own towel ensures you won’t be left looking for a gym-provided towel only to find they’ve just run out - or don’t offer them to begin with. In fact, many gyms don’t provide towels to guests due to the high cost of laundering them and that many go missing because people mistakenly take them home and fail to bring them back.
Showering at the Gym Requires a Good Towel
You also need a towel at the gym if you want to take a shower post-workout. This is a popular choice because it allows you to reduce inflammation from your workout while also getting rid of the grime and sweat.
You can even use a towel to lay on the changing room floor so it’s easier to keep your feet clean and avoid picking up athlete’s foot or other fungi while you change your clothes.
Some gyms do provide you with free towels to use. Maybe your gym always has a fresh stack. So why should you pack your own? Well gyms use a lot of detergent, water and chemicals - including bleach - to wash those towels. Then they use fabric softeners to try and keep them soft. These things are not only bad for you, they’re bad for the environment. Choosing to bring your own absorbent, quick-drying Turkish towel to the gym takes those negative environmental impacts out of the equation. And if you can reuse your shower towel at least once, you’ve saved a full wash cycle furthering your positive environmental impact.
Why Turkish Towels Make The Best Gym Towels
If you are looking for the best gym towel, you might want to consider packing a Turkish towel. There are various reasons why Turkish towels are the right choice for any gym visit so let us go into that now.
Turkish Towels are Soft
When you use a towel, you don’t want it to feel as though you are drying yourself with sandpaper. A lot of towels have this effect, especially after washing and drying them. Investing in some good quality Turkish towels means you will have constant luxury when you are using them. When you are in the gym getting all sweaty you want to be able to quickly wipe any sweat from your face and body.
Turkish Towels are Highly Absorbent
We’ve all had the issue of using a towel only to find that it doesn’t dry us as well as it should. This is a common problem when you purchase a cheaper towel or a low quality product. These are often made from poor materials that will leave you drenched in sweat after several wipes. Similarly, you might find that they don’t do the job after showing at the gym either. Turkish towels are designed to be highly absorbent. As such, you won’t have any issues with your gym towel not getting you dry.
They’re Fast Drying
Another fantastic benefit of Turkish towels is that they are designed to dry quickly, often in a matter of minutes depending on use. You might find that by the time you back away your towel, it’s already nearly dry. That’s great as it helps to avoid the issue with your gym bag becoming wet or developing a nasty musky stench. Since they are fast drying, it also means that you will always have the towel available when you need it. Whether you plan on heading to the gym, once a day, twice a day, or a couple times each week, your towel will always be ready to use.
You Can Roll up a Turkish Towel to be Very Compact
One of the greatest selling points of Turkish towels is that they fold up small and are barely noticeable. This means you can fit at least two of them in your gym bag. You can have one for working out and then one for the shower afterwards. They also fold up small when they are wet, unlike other towels. When normal towels get wet they feel heavy and excessively damp, this makes it difficult to fold and manage. And if you don't want to put a damp towel in your gym bag, throw it over your shoulder. You'll be well on your way to a dry gym towel before you even get home. And you won't drench your clothes in the process. Turkish towels will take all the work out of packing for the gym.
Turkish Towels Stay Clean Smelling
You may have noticed that when you use normal towels during and after the gym that they become mildew smelly rather quickly in your gym bag. That’s because they don’t dry quickly or wash well. Turkish towels do not retain these smells because of their ability to dry quickly. So, with a Turkish towel, you won’t have to worry about your gym bag stinking up your car or home.
They Don’t Hold Dirt
Have you ever left your Yoga class with dirt and sand ground into your mat? Especially in the winter when people wear their shoes from the inclement weather into the studio, even the cleanest of studios can get dirt and sand buildup on the floor. Take your Turkish towel to the gym and use it in the yoga room. It’ll easily shake off the dirt or sand keeping you and your yoga mat clean of debris. You can also use the towel to carry your loose items.
A Stylish Choice for Toweling Off
Plenty of people feel self conscious when they visit the gym. This is natural and it’s great if you know your accessories are effortlessly stylish. Well, that’s certainly the case with Turkish towels. These towels look great and you won’t have to worry about feeling embarrassed when using one in a public space like the gym. In fact, don’t be surprised if someone asks you where you got it because most people who carry a gym towel are constantly on the hunt for the best one for them. You’ll clearly give off the vibe that you’re a serious gym goer if you roll in rocking your own stylish gym towel versus using what the gym puts out for the less serious, occasional gym visitors.
Perfect For Countless Sports And Activities - In the Gym or Out
Turkish gym towels aren’t just of use in the weight room or yoga studio. They are perfect for a wide range of sports and activities.
They are particularly fantastic for intense fitness activities including crossfit, TRX, HIIT and bootcamp style workouts. These activities are designed to help you build up a sweat and push your body to the limit. That’s why you’ll always be glad to have an absorbent towel available to use whenever you need it.
Let’s get out of the gym for a minute and talk about other sports where a Turkish towel comes in handy.
Turkish Towels for Golf
Golf comes to mind. Surely you have a golf towel hanging from your bag. Is it stylish or did you get some freebie at that last tournament? Hang a Turkish towel from your golf bag and be the envy of your foursome. Use it to wipe your club or golf balls clean and toss it in the wash when you get home. Use it to dry off equipment or the seat of the golf cart off if a sprinkle of rain comes down while you’re playing. Don’t worry, it’ll probably be dry before your round is finished.
Turkish Towels for Tennis and Racquetball
Are you a tennis player? Having a sweat towel handy at tennis is key and most parks and schools don’t offer them. Many clubs only offer the same old bleached white towels the gyms offer. Step up your game and keep a Turkish towel in your tennis bag. You’ll be glad you have one to wipe down a sweaty racket handle, your face or anywhere else your sweat is getting in the way of your game. The same is true for racquetball.
Turkish Towels for Water Sports
Water sports like swimming, water polo and just plain old Camel fights in the pool require a good towel for drying off or sunning on after a session.
Some may not think of boating as a sport but of course stand up paddle (SUP), waterskiing, wakeboarding and surfing are. Bring your Turkish towel along to dry off after a long run. Unlike your life vest, it’ll be dry before your next set.
Did we Convince you that Turkish Towels are the Best Gym Towel?
I honestly can’t think of a sport - in the gym or not - that a Turkish towel wouldn’t come in handy. So what are you waiting for? It’s time to up your gear game and add a Turkish towel to your gym bag. If you decide to try a Turkish towel from The Bali Market, use code GEARUP at checkout to save 20%.