8 best sand-free beach towels in Australia in 2024
Sick of carrying the beach home with you? These towels will solve one of the few downsides of a day at the beach.
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Beach days are essential in the Aussie summer, filled with saltwater, sun and sand.
And while it’s fun to take the memories of those surf-soaked days home with you, one thing you don’t want is a whole towel’s worth of sand.
RELATED: Perfect Australian swimwear brands to shop this summer
If you’re sick of finding your car filled with half the beach after every dip, you need to get yourself a sand-free towel. They are the ultimate summer hack and are especially good for parents with children who never seem to be able to wash the sand off. Honestly, if you're still using a regular towel at this point you are committing the ultimate beach sin.
We’ve rounded up the best options to help make your search for the right one easier including one that five-star reviewers call "a game changer".
OUR TOP PICKS
EDITOR’S PICKS: BEST SAND-FREE BEACH TOWELS
Sky Gazer Sand Free Towel, from $49.99 at THE ICONIC
What You Need To Know
Ultra-absorbent and quick drying, this towel is ideal for not only the beach but also for travel and the gym. Made from 350gsm sand resist fabric which repels sand and prevents odour, your towel game will never be the same. As an added bonus, it also comes with its own pouch.
One five-star review on the Sky Gazer website called the towel a "game changer" and said it's "super absorbent and fast drying".
Lazy Days Sand Free Beach Towel Makena, $39.95 at Myer
Lazy Days Sand Free Beach Towel Makena
What You Need To Know
We stan a beach towel that both repels sand and is stylish. Made in a geometric design in absorbilite microfibre, this towel won’t just avoid taking half the beach home with you but it will also help wipe any stray sand off your body.
Tesalate Sand Free Beach Towel, $79 at Amazon
What you need to know
Created by a couple of Aussies who were sick of carrying around soggy, sandy towels, the towels are lightweight and fast-drying towels. They take up less space in your beach bag, dry fast between uses and come in 20 great designs. The standard beach towel is 160 cm x 78 cm but if you prefer more space or need something for the family, there are also beach blankets that measure 160cm by 160cm
BEST AFFORDABLE SAND-FREE BEACH TOWELS
Dock & Bay Beach Towel, $44.99 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
The Dock & Bay Beach Towel is super light, so easy to pack whether for travel or simply just in your beach bag. Made from super absorbent fibres, this towel dries three times faster than your average towel. And of course the best part? You won’t be taking the beach with you when you leave. As an added bonus, it is also made from 100 per cent recycled materials.
“I have lots of microfibre towels for camping and I love them. However, this is better than all of the others for several reasons. It is much larger, although it is obviously the XL so that’s not exactly surprising – but it also comes in a really nice carrying bag. Finally, the material just seems a better quality that the other ones I have,” said one five-star review.
Others love how well it folds. One five-star review said, “Folds up small in your suitcase when in the cover and was super light. Brilliant if you want a big towel on holiday but want to save space in your luggage.”
Sorrentina Velour Beach Towel, $24.99 (down from $59.99) at Canningvale
What You Need To Know
We love this striped towel – it just screams summer. Made from 100 per cent combed cotton, the velour side repels sand while the terry side is absorbent to help you dry off after a dip.
On the Canningvale's website, 92 per cent of reviews of the same towel in a different colourway give this towel five stars. “Great experience, the towel is soft and feels great when drying yourself,” says one five-star review.
Canningvale also offers a 100-day free trial and five-year warranty as well as free shipping on orders over $150.
BEST LARGE SAND-FREE BEACH TOWELS
Sand Society Zebra Sand Free Beach Towel, $83.96 (down from $119.95) at THE ICONIC
What You Need To Know
This sustainably made towel from Sand Society features a chic brown-toned zebra print and can absorb up to a litre of water.
Based on 91 reviews of Sand Society on Google Reviews, the brand currently sits at 4.9 stars. You can’t get better than that, can you? One reviewer says, “It dries super fast and I never have sand in my car anymore. It also rolls to become compact, making it easy to fit in my bag for a beach day or hike.”
SummerSand Microfiber Beach Towel, $92.79 at Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
This towel is super lightweight and dry three times faster than the average towel, making them perfect for travel.
It also has over 170 five-star reviews on Amazon. One reviewer said, “The material is really soft and smooth, and I am blown away by how quickly they dry! I took them to the beach on a sunny winter day and they repelled the sand and didn’t wrinkle.”
Others also loved the cotton bag the towel comes in which is “quite handy for both storing it away and carrying it in bags” according to one five-star review.
BEST UNIQUE SAND-FREE BEACH TOWELS
Sand Society Zebra Sand Free Beach Towel, $83.96 (down from $119.95) at THE ICONIC
What You Need To Know
How fun is this sushi-inspired towel by Mosmann? It comes in a convenient carry case, and when you roll it up it looks just like a sushi roll – too cute. Made from microfibre, it’s quick-drying, absorbent, and sand-free. Run, don’t walk.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A SAND-FREE TOWEL
When choosing sand-free towels to include in our list, we evaluated several factors:
Absorbency: In general the thicker the towel, the more absorbent it will be. However, in general, sand-free towels are thinner than regular towels but it's worth keeping in mind that the more plush the towel is the high its absorbency is likely to be.
Drying: This is one of the best features of sand-free towels. As they are thinner, they dry a lot faster than thick, heavy towels.
Durability: Towels are washed regularly so it's important to buy a sand-free towel that will last for years.
Feel: Ultimately, we all want to wrap ourselves in a soft towel that feels nice against the skin. However, keep in mind that some towels are often made with a fabric softener that will feel soft when you first buy but will wear off after a few washes. Look for towels made with quality materials that get softer with each wash, not the opposite.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
Our team of experienced writers spend hours researching products to include in articles. We find out what factors make a good product by talking to experts, reviewing test results and analysing thousands of customer reviews.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT ARE SAND-FREE TOWELS?
Sand-free towels are made from materials like velour or microfibre which have fine, loop-free fibres that prevent sand from being collected between them – it simply slides right off so you don’t have to stress about whipping out the car vacuum.
HOW DO SAND-RESISTANT TOWELS WORK?
It’s all about the material – sand-repellent towels are made from materials with short fibres and no loops, so there’s no place for sand to get itself stuck in – it just slips right off.
ARE SAND-FREE TOWELS WORTH IT?
For the mess they prevent, they’re absolutely worth it, according to plenty of enthusiastic buyers.
If you prefer a fluffy or heavier-weight towel to dry off with after swimming, some sand-free towels will feel different to a traditional style beach towel.
Looking for more must-have beach gear? Check out our guides to the best Turkish towels, the best beach accessories and the best beach tents.
Make sure you get the best deal on every purchase by visiting news.com.au Coupons, where you’ll find great offers on brands from ASOS to General Pants.
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