Classic beach towel or lightweight beach towel: what's the difference?

Classic beach towel or lightweight beach towel: what's the difference?

At the beach, by the pool, or in the sauna, you want to bring a beach towel that suits your day. Sometimes you primarily want to lie comfortably and be able to dry yourself thoroughly. Other times, you're looking for a lighter beach towel that dries quickly and takes up little space in your bag.

That's why it's useful to know the difference between a classic beach towel and a lightweight beach towel. A lightweight beach towel is also called a beach wrap or hammam towel. The variants are similar, but in use, you'll notice clear differences.

Beach towels are often chosen in a size of 100 x 200 cm. That offers enough space to lie comfortably, without the beach towel becoming unnecessarily large. Also, check out our 100 x 200 cm beach towels. Here you'll find both classic terry beach towels and lightweight variants.

In this article, you'll read when to choose a classic beach towel and when a lightweight beach towel is more practical.

When to choose a classic beach towel?

A classic beach towel works best when comfort is paramount. If you're going to the beach for a whole day or want to lie comfortably on a sun lounger, a full terry beach towel often feels the most pleasant.

A classic beach towel is entirely made of terry cloth, feels fuller, and absorbs moisture well after swimming. This makes it especially suitable when you're staying in one place for a longer time and don't want to compromise on softness, comfort, and absorption.

You choose a classic beach towel if you:

• want to lie comfortably;
• want to dry yourself thoroughly;
• want a fuller and softer terry feel;
• are looking for a beach towel for the beach, pool, sauna, or sun lounger.

When to choose a lightweight beach towel?

A lightweight beach towel is useful when you're looking for something that easily fits in your bag. It's thinner and more compact than a classic terry beach towel and dries faster after use.

SummerGear's lightweight beach towels have two sides: a soft terry side for drying yourself and a smooth woven side for lying on. This way, they combine the airy feel of a hammam towel with the comfort of a soft terry side.

This makes a lightweight beach towel suitable for beach days when you want to travel light, bring multiple beach towels, or want to reuse your beach towel in between.

You choose a lightweight beach towel if you:

• are looking for something lighter and more compact;
• want a beach towel that dries faster;
• want to use less space in your beach bag or suitcase;
• are looking for a beach towel for the sauna, pool, vacation, or travel.

Lightweight beach towel or hammam towel?

A lightweight beach towel resembles a hammam towel, but there's an important difference. Many classic hammam towels are entirely smooth woven. SummerGear's lightweight beach towels also have a soft terry side.

You use the terry side to dry yourself after swimming, showering, or a sauna visit. The smooth woven side is pleasant to lie on at the beach, by the pool, or on a sun lounger.

This gives you the benefits of a hammam towel—light, compact, and quick-drying—with more comfort when drying off.

Lightweight beach towel for sauna and travel

A lightweight beach towel is also practical for sauna and travel. Due to its light structure, it takes up less space than a classic terry beach towel. Additionally, it dries faster, making it pleasant for multiple sauna rounds or when you want to put it back in your bag after use.

For sauna, vacation, or on the go, many people therefore prefer a lightweight beach towel over a thick terry beach towel.

Classic or lightweight beach towel in practice

In practice, it boils down to this:

Classic beach towel: maximum comfort, softness, and absorption
Lightweight beach towel: lighter, more compact, and quicker to dry

During a long beach day, a classic beach towel is often the best choice when you primarily want to lie comfortably. A lightweight beach towel, however, is useful if you want to bring less, go swimming multiple times, or want your beach towel to dry quickly.

Many people use both: a classic beach towel for maximum comfort and a lightweight beach towel for convenience on the go.

What suits your use?

Are you going to the beach with a full beach bag and do you primarily want to lie comfortably and dry off? Then a classic beach towel of 100 x 200 cm is often the best choice.

Do you want something lighter that dries quickly and takes up little space? Then a lightweight beach towel of 100 x 200 cm fits better. You can easily use this for the beach, pool, sauna, vacation, and travel.

In short

Choose a classic beach towel if you want to lie comfortably, seek extra softness, and want to dry yourself thoroughly.

Choose a lightweight beach towel if you want a lighter and more compact version that dries faster and easily fits in your bag.

Still wondering about the difference?

Do you want to know exactly how it works with the size, weight, and material?

View beach towels and lightweight beach towels of 100 x 200 cm

Do you want to choose immediately what suits your use?

Check out our beach towels and lightweight beach towels of 100 x 200 cm made of 100% organic cotton and choose the towel that suits your beach day, sauna visit, or vacation.

Complete your set

Complete your beach day with matching essentials such as a spacious beach bag, flip-flops, and a stainless steel water bottle. This way, you have everything at hand for the beach, pool, sauna, or vacation.