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This summer may look slightly different from last year, as some people are already preparing for so-called "vacations", overnight outings and other travel plans. According to data from hotel price comparison website Trivago, beach destinations including Myrtle Beach and Miami Beach have always been the top choices of travelers. If you plan to be by the water this summer, you can also look for a beach towel to take with you.

Unlike other towels you might use at home, beach towels must be able to withstand the heat, so to speak. "A beach towel has gone through a lot of wear and tear. Johanna Lundgren, product and design director of hotel technology company Jurny, said: "It will be stepped on, exposed to sunlight, salt water, and chlorine-combined use Make tanning beds, covers and blankets. "

"Although our instinct is to want a large, soft and fluffy towel, it is important to find a sturdy towel that is not too thick, otherwise it will take a long time to dry," Lundgren added. To help you find beach towels suitable for summer, we discussed with experts the common types of towels you will see and collected some of the best beach towels based on their guidance.

Skip the best beach towels

In short, experts say that beach towels tend to be larger than bath towels. The size of a standard beach towel varies from retailer to retailer—popular brands such as Brooklinen and Parachute offer sizes of 30 inches x 58 inches and 30 inches x 56 inches, respectively. Generally, the size of most bath towels is approximately 27 inches x 52 inches.

Part of the reason why beach towels are bigger is practical: extra-large towels are more suitable for lying on the beach or covering clothes, explains Lundgren, who is responsible for interior design and room furnishings at Jurny. She added that bath towels are usually thicker than beach towels in order to absorb more moisture-but this thickness also means that bath towels may take longer to dry, which is not ideal on the beach.

Susan Tosches, a towel textile expert for The Company Store products, said that in terms of style, the two are not very similar-the bath towel may be a solid color instead of a beach towel, which may have more colorful prints and patterns. Development team. You can see this shift in companies that provide both towels-for example, LL Bean's cotton bath towels are in colors such as "Bluestone", while this beach towel is covered with red lobster. This may be more about aesthetics than anything—just like white towels look classic in many bathrooms.

The feel, dryness and dryness of beach towels: These are important considerations when buying beach towels. Mohan Koka, general manager of the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel in South Beach, Miami, said: “People may end up in trouble when buying/choosing towels.” “As a first step, it’s important to consider your budget, whether you want one. Lighter weight towels (and may not be as durable over time), or are you willing to invest more and have a longer shelf life of quality and comfort.” Although you may think you need to feel a towel yourself To judge whether it is suitable for swimming pools or beaches, but experts emphasized the importance of checking the material types of beach towels and the grams per square meter (GSM) when shopping online.

When it comes to beach towels, the three most common fabrics you will see are cotton, microfiber, and terry cloth (also known as terry cloth). "Towels are woven in different ways, and different methods produce different feelings," Lundgren explains. All the experts we consulted agree that cotton is the best beach towel fabric, and they recommend using a fabric made of 100% cotton.

Koka explained that you can think of GSM as the number of towels. Lundgren said that this is how to measure the weight of a beach towel. Just like the traditional thread count on a bed sheet, a higher GSM may bring some warnings. Tosches tells us that heavier weight can help beach towels be more absorbent, but it may mean that it takes longer to dry out.

Koka recommends choosing a GSM of 500 or more for "hotel quality beach towels", but also mentioned that for people on a budget, a medium weight may be an option. "A mid-range GSM of about 400 to 500 will ensure that the towel is thicker and more absorbent, but not too thick to dry out," Lundgren suggests.

Given the expert guidance we received, we collected some of the best beach towels from retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Wayfair. Some previously appeared in our guide to the most affordable beach towels.

In terms of economy, absorbency and average star rating, the Amazon Basics beach towel set is the best overall beach towel. Each towel is made of 100% cotton. This cotton is ring-spun—Lundgren recommends looking for ring-spun cotton, because ring spinning can make yarn from twisted and thinned cotton threads—which can help towels last longer. The size of the two towels is 30 inches x 60 inches, and they are available in sky blue and navy blue. It has an average 4.5-star rating out of more than 6,200 reviews.

This highly rated four-piece beach towel is made entirely of cotton recommended to us by experts. Although the suit is currently listed as the top three best-selling beach towels on Amazon, it is the highest rated among the 50 selected products. It has a 4.4-star average of more than 6,300 reviews. The size of each towel is 30 x 60 inches, including ring spun cotton. You can choose colors such as green and plum to match the suit.

This towel is made of 100% pure cotton and has passed the OEKO-TEX certification, which means it has been tested for harmful substances. We introduced it earlier in our guide to affordable beach towels. Although the towel does not specify its specific GSM, it is described as being in the range of 300 to 450. The towel has contrasting stripes when it is turned over. There are currently four colors: black/gray, mint/pink, pink/orange and green/navy.

Another most acclaimed choice, this beach towel from Wayfair’s internal product line, called Wayfair Basics, has an average rating of 4.7 stars out of more than 1,800 reviews. The towel is made of 100% cotton and is woven with absorbent terry cloth. The brand stated that the GSM of this towel is 450. Although many colors are currently sold out, coral, green and orange tones are still in stock.

Parachute's beach towels are slightly more expensive than the Brooklinen or Ban.do beach towels below-its design is a mix of beach blankets and Turkish towels. The fringed towel is made of 100% long-staple Turkish cotton and has a 380 GSM standard with a light feel. Its dimensions are 57 inches x 70 inches. You can choose two colors: white and clay and putty and white.

The brand stated that the 600 GSM of this towel is slightly thicker than the classic towel. The towel is mainly made of cotton, with a terry cloth on the back that should absorb water. Its towel size is 34 inches x 70 inches. Brooklinen's beach towels are also designed with three color patterns similar to waves. There are three types of prints to choose from: Cabana, Sunset and Wave Runner. Its dimensions are 34 inches x 70 inches.

Another option in our review of affordable beach towels is that this beach towel is made of microfiber, a blend of polyester and polyamide. According to the brand, the fabric is designed to help towels resist sand and dry quickly. You have two size options-large (63 inches x 35 inches) and extra large (78 inches x 35 inches). You can also choose Cayman Khaki and Waikiki Coral as the stripes on this towel. It has an average rating of 4.6 stars out of nearly 1,500 reviews.

This novel towel is made of terry cloth with cotton fringe trim on the edges. It is designed to be oversized, with a total size of 60 inches x 60 inches. It has three different designs-including a slice of orange, a daisy, and a design with the words "with the sun" printed on it. Among the three, orange slices seem to be the most popular among Ban.do shoppers, with an average 5-star rating and more than 100 reviews.

We introduced this top beach towel and other affordable beach towels before. The company claims that this towel has 630 GSM. It measures 70 inches x 35 inches and is suitable for lounging by the pool or staying on the land at the beach. 100% cotton towels are currently available in six colors, including black and gray, as well as ocean blue and ocean glass green. It has an average rating of 4.6 stars out of more than 1,400 reviews.

With this beach towel, you can choose to use a combination of letters or use a phrase or name to personalize it, but at an additional cost. The towels are made of Turkish cotton, which the brand claims is treated with spinning technology to make it softer and more absorbent. This towel measures 40 inches x 72 inches with tassels at the bottom. It has five colors: orchid, red, turquoise, sky blue and yellow.

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Ambar Pardilla is a former reporter for NBC News Select. 

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