Cooling towels are becoming an increasingly popular running accessory. They’re convenient, compact, lightweight, and depending on which brand you choose, they can really keep you cool for hours at a time. These products have caught on in a big way with many top athletes, who use them during competitive events to keep cool when the temperature soars.
Although High humidity conditions can challenge the performance of a cooling towel, the mechanics and technology within the towels mean that they cool athletes efficiently, especially when the weather is hot and humidity is moderate and uncomfortable.
As interest for using cooling towels increase, the makers have extended more research to find more innovative additions for designing cooling towels which means that the towels on offer should get better and better in terms of performance. We have researched extensively, and we have identified a nice range of towels for you. They range in price, deals, sizes claimed performance capability.
The Original Chill Pal
4.5 out of 5 Our rating
Durable
Price: See Here
Alfamo Cooling Towel
4 out of 5 Our rating
Extra Long
Price: See Here
Frogg Toggs Original Chilly Pad
4 out of 5 Our rating
Sun Protection
Price: See Here
Best Cool Towels
1. The Original Chill Pal PVA Cooling Towel
The Original Chill Pal PVA Cooling Towel is a great way to keep cool during your run or to cool down afterwards. All you have to do is let it soak in cold water, wring it out, snap it, then let it work its magic! Most people wear it draped around their neck, but the options are endless.
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Material This towel is made from high-grade PVA with evaporative technology. This means that the more water it holds, the longer it takes to evaporate, which means the longer it keeps you cool.
Additional Info This towel measures 24 by 16 inches is a bit thicker than most other towels on the market. It comes with a case to store it in to ensure long-lasting durability. A quick and easy solution to overheating, anyone can benefit from the Original Chill Pal towel.
Cost This is one of the most affordable towels on the market.
Pros
Durable
Extra thick
Evaporative technology
Stays cool for hours
Price
High-quality
Cons
Some customers find that the towel is shorter than they’d like
2. Alfamo Cooling Towel
The Alfamo Cooling Towel is one of the most affordable yet highest quality cooling towels available. It stays cool for up to 3 hours, and is capable of reducing your body temperature up to 30 degrees! Its extra-long length makes it extremely versatile.
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Material Hyper-evaporative breathable mesh is what makes this towel so effective. One factor that makes the Alfamo Cooling Towel so unique is that it provides UPF 50 sunscreen protection.
Additional Info This towel measures 40 by 12 inches, making it one of the longest cooling towels on the market. It’s designed to be pliable and extremely soft. A bonus water-resistant anti-bacterial carrying pouch is included with purchase. Simply soak, wring it out, snap it, and let it get to work. To reactivate it, just re-wet it.
Cost The Alfamo Cooling Towel is very affordable. In addition, they offer a 100% money back guarantee if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase.
Pros
Extra-long
Can reduce body temperature up to 30 degrees
Stays cool for 3 hours
UPF 50 protection
Very soft
Comes with anti-bacterial carrying pouch
Breathable
High quality stitching.
Durable.
Cons
Some find that when the towel is washed, the colored dye washes out of it
3. Frogg Toggs The Original Chilly Pad Cooling Towel
The Frogg Toggs Original Chilly Pad is capable of providing hours of cooling relief, even when in direct sunlight. It’s designed to last, and won’t fray or tear at the edges.
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Material Made with hyper-evaporative fabric, polyvinyl alcohol, this towel does a great job of retaining water while still feeling dry to the touch. Polyvinyl alcohol is very similar to a sponge. Additionally, the towel is reinforced with mesh to ensure durability and breathability. Additionally, it provides UPF 50 protection from the sun.
Additional info This towel measures 33 by 13 inches and can reduce your body temperature by up to 30 degrees. It’s machine washable, which is great for after long periods of storage when it may become stiff. The hot water of the washing machine will make it pliable again. You can even put in in the refrigerator to ensure it stays damp.
Cost The Original Chilly Pad is an affordable towel.
To activate the Way 2 Cool Mesh Towel, simply soak it, wring it out, and use. It’s guaranteed to dry soft, so unlike other towels you never have to worry about it getting stiff or inflexible.
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Material Made of super absorbent microfiber material, this towel can help you stay up to 30 degrees cooler. Additionally, it has built in UPF 50 protection, so you won’t have to worry about getting sunburnt on those hot days.
Additional info The Way 2 Cool Mesh Cooling Towel measures 12 by 33 inches. To reactivate the cooling relief, all you have to do is re-wet the towel. It stays dry to the touch, so you don’t have to worry about it getting your clothes wet.
Cost This towel is very affordable. In addition, a 100% money back guarantee is offered.
Pros
Wide variety of colors to choose from
UPF 50 UV protection
Can cool up to 30 degrees
Visually appealing
Price
Dries soft
Machine washable
Cons
Some find that the fabric frays easily
Tough Outdoors Instant Cooling
This towel will continue to give a cooling relief for up to two hours and run water over it, wring it out and you get another two hours. This product does perform to the expectations of users but it sits close to a budget level price. You even get a durable pouch to carry the towel.
Read on and see if this is the cooler towel you need
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Features/Performance
Hyper evaporation performance blended with the right level of absorbance to ensure these cooling towel can perform cooling duties for you.
While ensuring you stay cool with a comfortably regulated temperature on those hot runs/walks/hikes this product will also give you very good protection from the damage which can be caused by UV. UPF protection level is at 50 which is very impressive.
A nice feature is that as the towel dries out it stays soft rather than stiffening and feeling uncomfortable.
Cost
High performance, good quality, nice budget cost.
Pros
Up to two hours protection
UV protection-level 50
Stay soft while drying
A nice affordable price tag
Cons
Yes the cost is low but this works well
5. Mission Enduracool Microfiber Cooling Towel
This towel is designed for extra-long cooling relief. Its unique performance fabric makes it durable, flexible, and effective.
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Material This completely chemical free cooling towel is made from a proprietary performance fabric designed to instantly cool when soaked, wrung out, and then snapped.
Additional Info The dimensions of the towel are 12 by 33 inches.
Cost This towel is affordable.
Pros
Dries soft
Chemical-free
Cools up to 30 degrees
Machine washable
UPF 50 protection
Various colors and prints
Stays cool for long periods of time
Durable
Proprietary performance fabric
Price
Cons
Some find that it does not cool as much as expected
6. Frogg Toggs Chilly Sport Cooling Towel
This high-quality towel is perfect for use both outdoors and indoors. When wet, the Frogg Toggs Chilly Sport Cooling Towel begins to evaporate and cool, which comfortably cools you down during your run.
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Material This towel is made from hyper-evaporative material that’s specifically designed to retain water. Even when it’s wet, it remains dry to the touch, so you have no need to worry about your clothes getting wet or uncomfortable.
Additional Info This towel remains cool for about 2 hours. To reactivate, simply re-wet it and wring it out. You’ll receive a durable storage container with your towel upon purchase.
Cost The Frogg Toggs Chilly Sport Cooling Towel is very affordable.
Pros
Price
Stays dry to the touch
Machine washable
Comes with storage container
Comfortable
Soft
Cons
Some customers find that the towel does not stay cool for very long
This cooling towel is brilliantly designed and incredibly effective. Even when wet, it feels dry to the touch!
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Material Made of advanced PVA cooling fabric with polyester yarn, you can rest assured knowing that you’re getting top-of-the-line quality here. It’s also moisture-wicking, so you don’t need to worry about it getting soaked with sweat.
Additional Info The towel is designed to stay cool for hours at a time. To reactivate, simply re-wet it. In addition, a hygienic plastic container comes with the towel, so you can carry it to and from the gym or the trail without worrying about bacteria.
Cost This is one of the more expensive towels on this list, but it’s still quite affordable.
Pros
Cools up to 30 degrees
Works for hours
Durable material
Hygienic container included with purchase
Moisture-wicking
Cons
Some find the fabric to be too stiff
Only comes in one color
8. Syourself Cooling Towel
The eco-friendly Syourself Cooing Towel is designed to be extra-long, meaning it’s very versatile. Wear it as a scarf, headband, or bandana to keep you nice and cool on your run.
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Material Made with soft, breathable Softcool Extreme fabric, this towel dries soft, won’t become inflexible even after multiple uses, and doesn’t drip water. Extra strong stitching along the edges ensure that the corners of the fabric won’t unravel.
Additional Info The Syourself Cooling Towel measures 40 by 12 inches. Simply soak it, wring it out, snap it, and enjoy long-lasting coolness. Along with your purchase you’ll receive a bonus waterproof carrying pouch.
Cost This is one of the least expensive towels on the list.
Pros
Price
Extra-long
Lightweight
Machine washable
Absorbs sweat
Doesn’t drip water
Coolness can last up to several hours
Reinforced stitching
Durable
Comes with carrying pouch
Cons
Some find that it doesn’t stay cool for very long or get as cold as expected
9. U-Are Cooling Towel
The U-Are Cooling Towel is designed to dry soft and remain flexible, so you won’t have to worry about it becoming stiff after multiple uses. Simply wet, wring, and you’re all ready to go.
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Material This towel is chemical-free, which means it will never lose its cooling abilities. Its unique cooling system works to draw the sweat away from your skin, keeping your comfortable throughout your whole run. It’s made of 90% polyester and 10% nylon.
Additional This towel measures 13 by 33 inches.
Cost The U-Are Cooling Towel is one of the most affordable cooling towels on the market today. In addition, it comes with a lifetime 100% money back guarantee, no questions asked.
Pros
Dries soft
Machine washable
Chemical-free
Comfortable fabric
Price
Flexible.
Cons
Some find that it dries out too quickly
Only a few colors to choose from
10. Polar Pad Cooling Towel
The Polar Pad Cooling Towel is capable of keeping you cool up to twice as long as microfiber towels!
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Material This towel is made of top-of-the-line hyper-evaporative materials and even has UPF 50 UV protection built in.
Additional Info This towel measures 33 by 13 inches. To use it, first rinse with warm water, then soak in cold water, then wrap around your neck and shoulders and let it work its magic!
Cost The Polar Pad Cooling Towel is quite affordable.
Pros
Cools up to 30 degrees
UPF 50 UV protection
Machine washable
Durable
Price
Cons
Some customers don’t like the feel of the material
Only available in a few colors
11. Your Choice Cooling Towel
A nice towel with instant cooling capability, soak it, give it a good firm wring out and use it for cooling down for a few hours if you need longer cooling repeat the procedure.
This towel is good for runners, cyclists, other outdoor sports and even use it to cool down during a fever. Wear it on the head, wrap the neck or as a cooling bandana.
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Material
Made with Polyester-Cooling-Fabric, very absorbent, free of chemicals, nice and light while providing UPF level sun-screen protection. can reduce the bodies temperature by up to 30-degrees.
The material is premium quality and made under eco-friendly conditions, you get dense mesh fiber with high cooling characteristics, the fibers are very absorbent, have good breath-ability and evaporative to a hyper level.
Additional Info
The towel is on offer in a choice of ten nice colors and in 3 sizes, extra large, large or medium and come with a mesh style carrying bag which has a carabiner clip for convenient ease of hooking it up.
Cost
Nice price, affordable and functional
Pros
Instant cooling capability
Breathable
Effective level of cooling capability
Nice range of colors
Mesh carry bag
Good for all sports
Soft comfortable material
Cons
No real cons reported
12. N-One 4pack Evaporative Cooling Towels
Let's round off your choices with an affordable deal.
You get good performing towels with a mixture of appealing colors, soak and wring out and wear around the neck or over the head for fast cooling down.
On those hot summer days during or after a run for a nice cooling down effect, these towels are up to the job, they cool you down but you don't get wet.
Soft and comfortable with a good degree of durability, the towel is light and easy to transport and will fold away into a small carry bag.
Is this the towel deal for you? read our review and decide.
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Material
The material has high absorbency, soft on the skin and drapes comfortably around the neck, you get a cooling sensation without getting wet, the material has breath-ability and good evaporation.
Additional Info
Nice light-weight towel and perfect for using on humid and hot days when you need that extra something to help you cool off. You get four towels so you can have a good reserve set of towels if you need them or if you want to share with others. Very easy to stow away in a carry bag.
Cost
Offered as a value for money deal, affordable
Pros
Nice level of cooling capability
Nice price deal
Light-weight
Breathable
Cons
Some people prefer to buy an individual one-off towel
The Criteria That We Used While Choosing The Best Cooling Towels
Picking up a simple accessory like a cooling towel certainly won’t be the biggest challenge you’ll face, but why not at least know what your buying, and whether it will work or not. Here are a few things you might want to pay attention to before going ahead with your purchase. Simply look at the points which are most important to you, then make you decision from there.
Material
When we’re talking about towels, the material they are made from matters a bit. It must be able to effectively evaporate, in order to actually be useful. These particular products are a little different though, as their purpose is to provide a cooling effect. If you sweat a lot, it should definitely help you, as most towels will absorb sweat well. Those products made from materials that are dry to touch, even if it is holding moisture show their quality and effectiveness. A special mesh may be also needed to make the product more breathable. The towels are sometimes colored chemically.
This means that this chemical paints can get on your clothes and change their colors. That’s a thing that makes every runner angry. There is also the risk that the towel will blanch. The good material should be soft in touch and you shouldn’t feel discomfort while wearing it. Some cheap towels are made of materials that are very rigid and even if they work a little, you won’t be able to put it for more than one minute on your body. The best option would be to visit the local store and touch the chosen material. Remember that if you look for a towel on the Internet, don’t look at the pictures, rather try to find what’s the material name and then you will know is it worth buying.
How long does it stay cool and does it work?
This is one of the most important questions while searching for the best product. Every runner has different needs, some use the towels for about 30 minutes, they feel very refreshed and that’s enough for them. There are also people that 2 hours cooling down is not enough. The one thing that is less important is how long does it take to activate. Always check this information as not every cold towel is ready after getting wet. Well, the cooling towel has one main task- to cool down the body. Even if it is only for a few minutes, it can really help the runner to survive the hardest moments when he or she really needs to get some icy product on the body. Many companies offer the products that are much cheaper than those on our list. It doesn’t mean of course that we have only expensive towels, that’s really untrue. We provide products which can be available for people who need to tighten the budget. Those very cheap ones usually cool for about two minutes and then, they stop. The other bad thing that happens to them is that they don’t give enough amount of cold. Let’s be clear, you want a good, real cooling staff.
What about dripping of the water?
This is the most common problems when it comes to poorly made towels. You have already finished the race, you want to cool down a little bit so you take your new cooling towel. Maybe it’s very refreshing for the first time but then you feel like there is a water on your clothes. This is because the water is dripping. It’s similar to melting of the ice. However, it shouldn’t happen. This may result in discomfort and if there is a dripping of water, the product will not be very useful for you.
Additional convenience
Above cooling down the whole body, these towels may have any other interesting functions and additional conveniences. How many times you had the feeling of the sunburn? If you had it many times, what you need is a cooling towel. Most companies that produce cooling towels make sure that the buyers will be less prone to burns and they create towels with UPF sunscreen protection. With this, you have a bigger chance to protect yourself from the strong sun rays and perhaps you won’t have any blisters. Of course, it won’t take the place of a real cream or balsam protection but it’s a good helper. Producers are also aware that buyers, especially runners want to look stylish even while cooling down so you can choose to form the wide range of colors. The way of washing the products is important, especially for those who don’t have time for hand washing. Check if the product can be washed in washing machine. Many of the towels can be washed only in hand. Be careful, because putting the towel with the other clothes may result that they will be dyed with the color of the towel. The last additional convenience is a bag or some kind of pouch to keep your towel. This is perfect and it won’t take too much place. You will be able to take a towel anywhere with you and it will be easier to find it.
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Other Important Factors To Consider When Choosing The Best Cooling Towels
Here are the factors that are not less important but they are less obvious. It’s good to evaluate them, as many runners may find these factors the most important. The best solution is to read all the factors of the criteria and adjust them to your needs. This means that for example if you are a professional runner that really needs a good cooling towel, you are ready to pay a higher price for the towel. Or if you suffer from any allergies and you often have problems with allergic reaction while using normal towels, the allergies section will be best for you. Enjoy!
Size
Next factor that you should evaluate carefully. What is your dream size.? Do you need it to only cool down the neck or you want to cool down the whole body? We would recommend buying the bigger towel if you’re hesitating between two sizes. Why? Because many companies inform you that you can cut the towel in order to fit it to your needs. The bigger size is really better because, with the big one, you can use it not only for a neck but also for a leg. The small one won’t be large enough to cover the whole leg area. However, not every towel can be cut so better check the description of the product first. You should also check the measurements because some towels are very long but not very wide. As we know from our experience, this is often a big problem for many buyers. The best solution is to find the towel in the shape of a square. It is very easy to roll and you can easily cover the whole area of your body.
Weight
This is something that may be funny for some runners is that we need also to evaluate the weight of the product. Let’s be clear, it’s not a normal towel, it is a cooling towel. It may be much heavier than the normal one. But that’s not a problem when it comes to putting it on your body. the problems appear if the towel is so bulky that you can’t put in any bag, as it’s not as flexible as the normal one. If you don’t need more a cold towel but it’s still very cold, it’s much more difficult to carry it. The storage is not so simple. If you put it in the bag with your other clothes, they may easily get wet and that is not what you want.
Durability
You know the feeling that one day you’ve bought a towel and the other day the one thing that you can do with it is to throw out? The big test of the durability of the product is washing it, usually in the washing machine. If the towel is pliable and flexible, it will stay with you for a longer period of time. However, if it’s very stiff and rough, that won’t be a long cooperation. It’s really unfair, but this is the sad truth- we can’t check the durability before purchasing the product. Although there’s no possibility to check the durability, we have one solution for you that will help you to get more information about how long will the product last. What we recommend is to look for buyers’ opinion and review on a particular product. It is a very good solution as many people share their experience with products online and they can prevent the others from purchasing the bad product. Of course, you can check the material but you can’t check the sewing, thickness and all this stuff. this is why we recommend searching for online reviews, like this one above 🙂
Price
Besides evaluating the factors like material or additional conveniences, most runners usually check the price of the product. Many buyers find cooling towels less important than the other running staff and they don’t want to spend too much money on it. Although running towel isn’t a must-have for a runner, it usually makes the big difference in a runner’s life, especially for those running in hot climates. Buying a cooling towel is a good investment. As we suggested in the point above, buying a cheap product is not a good solution. Have you ever wondered why there are so many cheap, really inexpensive things on the market but still people choose those that aren’t expensive but not very cheap as these very cheap ones? It’s because they won’t qualify, they won’t give comfort. What’s the sense in saving a few dollars on the product if you don’t have the results you want to have? We advise you to spend a few dollars more and enjoy the comfort. It’s obvious that you don’t need a very expensive device if you’re not going to use it every day but let yourself get some comfort and let your body cool down.
Allergies
Here comes the part that is hated by the runners who are prone to have allergies and their skin or body reacts on this. At first, most of us wouldn’t think that the cooling towel would make somebody feel bad. Sadly, it is a true story. Some of our readers complain that they have skin irritation when they use some kinds of cold towels. This is horrible to hear as you don’t purchase the product to make you feel worse than before but it happens. People who are prone to any kinds of skin allergies, should go to the local store and ask to try the product for a moment. Even a few seconds can expose the skin rash or something worse. Maybe you’re allergic to the material, maybe to something else but one thing is sure- don’t use the towel if it irritates your skin.
Online or in the local store
Where to buy the towel? This is the question that many runners ask. It is much more complicated than it seems. When you search for the best product online, you can admire the pictures, but only the pictures. You are not able to touch, to smell. Touching is one of the most effective techniques for selling the products. Salesmen let customers touch the products. Why? Because it is more likely that the customer will buy it. This is why there are so many stores with running devices. As when you are in a shop, you do the shopping on impulse. you see something and it may seem to you the best product. When you are surfing online, you are more prone to analyze the price, the quality and it is more reasonable purchase. However, there are many cases when the product in the picture wasn’t the product you have been delivered. We mean that it looked very nice in the picture but in reality, it’s a very cheap towel. What we recommend is to search for the towel online and if you find one, go to the local store, check if it is worth your money and choose whether a local store or online shopping is cheaper. Remember that when it comes to online shopping, the product may not cost a lot of money, but the cost of the delivery may be very discouraging.
Guarantees
Many people complain that there are not many guarantees when it comes to cool towels. Usually, you can return the product if it was damaged during the delivery or it was badly produced. It is rather obvious that you can’t get your money back if you have used it several times. This is why you should carefully evaluate all the factors and consider what is the best product for you. If you need to get back your towel as something went wrong in the factory and it doesn’t work, you must do it very quickly. It really depends on the company, but sometimes procedures are very long that people resign. We hope that with our list you won’t need to worry about giving back your product.
Style
Let’s not forget about the thing that for some may be a first, not the last factor. We don’t consider the look to be the most important as it’s only a towel. However, runners who are really into fashion, want to keep their style and have stylish additional devices. This is why producers offer towels in many sizes and shapes. The big thing about the look is that it is very helpful to have a towel that is different from the others. You may ask, why? During the different type of competitions, cooling towels are very popular, especially in areas where it’s extremely hot. It’s simple – you don’t want anybody to take your towel.
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FAQ
Here are some questions that we have received from our readers. Check if you are able to answer them. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Q. How to use the cooling towel?
A. The methodology for using this product is consistent, put the two towel in or under cool running water, a tap is fine. Wring it out using your hands and then snap it in the air the way you might use a whip. The cool water activates the mechanics within the towel to create a cold feel or sensation to the human and this will, in turn, cool down the circulation of blood and regulate or balance the body temperature. The benefits go beyond cooling down the body temperature, most towels include cloth tech which gives very convincing and beneficial protection from the sun rays which are known to cause skin damage. Drap the towel around strategic parts of the body especially areas which tend to be exposed to the sun, such as our necks, shoulders, and heads. Using the product this way will provide maximum benefits.
Q. Why should I use a cooling towel?
A. As we’ve already said, a cooling towel isn’t always a must-have for a runner but we would highly recommend it. You must beware how dangerous a heat stroke can be. You may think that it’s only a Sun and this excessive hit won’t be harmful to you. Don’t ignore it as the heat stroke kills many people every year. Excessive heat may also have an impact on your running performance and makes muscle soreness last longer than usual or expected. These products also give good protection against strong UV waves and this means that your skin will retain its healthy condition, not excessively dry out and this reduces the chance of developing skin wrinkles, skin cancer, and other unwanted skin problems. So much can be prevented by simply employing the use of a towel not for only regulating your personal body temperature but also giving seriously good protection for skin areas which are commonly exposed to prolonged damaging sunlight.
Q. I’ve got a very sensitive skin. Should I buy this towel?
A. You may try to purchase the cool cloths. Some towels may absorb the water from your skin and this is why the skin rash happens. You should search for products which were tested and they’re non-allergic. If you have a rash, stop using the towel for 2 or 3 days and then start again. If there’s still a rash, you should stop using it. Search only for high-quality towels.
Sensitive skin can be prone to prolonged UV from the sun and the sensitivity may be to an extreme that your skin might react seriously if you have any form over sensitive skin problems you should be protecting the skin when you are out in the very hot sunny weather and also in cold weather or even windy. There is a good range of skin protection creams which you can use and they will all push up the level of protection needed for sensitive skin conditions. Using a cool towel when you have sensitive skin is a very good practice to try out because this product regulates your body/skin temperature, reduces evaporation from the covered areas and gives good protection from the stronger elements of the sun rays and/or other types of weather.
Q. What about dehydration? Will my towel help me to get more hydrated?
A. No, it won’t in the perceptional sense of providing water and minerals to your body. The task of the towel is to cool down the body, to provide some cold to boost body working process. If you want to stay hydrated, you should use hydration tablets or gels.
However, dehydration occurs because we lose a lot of moisture through the skin when our bodies are active and being pushed to perform, we can lose a lot of moisture especially through sweat and evaporation during hot conditions and in cold conditions through the head. A strategically places towel on the head, shoulders or the usually exposed neck area will serve towards a block for water evaporation reducing at those areas of the body. How much body moisture they will help you retain through blocking the speed of evaporation from the skin is currently unknown because there is no evidence for any in-depth research to this in terms of the benefits of using these products.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, the list above has given you some insight as to what you want to look for when choosing a cooling cloth. While the products mentioned above are only a fraction of the cool towels on the market that are worthwhile, they are ones that customers rate as the best options. We hope that with our list, choosing the best product won’t be hard. We hope that is FAQ section will help to give the answers to your questions if not, you can ask us anytime. Have you used a cooling towel before? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
By Abbie Copeland 
11
149.2k
