Why Turkish Towels Are the Best Beach Towel for Paddleboarding (and Every Water Sport)

By Harrison Joyce, NIXY Sports.

You paddle in. Drop the board on the sand. Your hands are wet, salty, and half numb. Your kid is dripping behind you. The car is twenty feet away, and you have fifteen minutes before someone calls shotgun. You reach for the towel. That is the moment a beach towel either earns its place in your kit or gets demoted to the garage rag pile.

Most towel brands miss what water sports actually demand.

The best beach towel for paddleboarding is a flat woven Turkish cotton towel. It packs small, dries fast, shakes off sand, and holds up through repeated saltwater sessions. A standard plush terrycloth towel from a big box store usually does the opposite. It is bulky, slow to dry, and quick to trap sand.

This guide explains what a paddleboarding towel needs to do, why Turkish cotton works so well, and which NIXY towels make the most sense for different paddling days.

Quick answer: what is the best towel for paddleboarding?

The best towel for paddleboarding is a flat woven Turkish towel made from long staple cotton or a cotton bamboo blend. It is easier to pack than terrycloth, dries faster after a session, releases sand with one shake, and can double as a deck cover, picnic blanket, or changing layer.

What a paddleboarding towel needs to do

A towel for the beach is one thing. A towel for paddleboarding, SUP yoga, or a long kayak day has a harder job. Here are the five things that matter most.

• Pack small. Your board bag and dry bag already fill up fast. A good towel needs to fit into the space you have left.
• Dry fast. If the towel is still wet by lunch, it becomes dead weight.
• Shake clean. Sand should brush off easily instead of getting trapped in the fabric.
• Do more than one job. The best towels can work as a deck cover, picnic blanket, changing pad, or seat cover.
• Last through the season. Saltwater, sunscreen, chlorine, and repeated washing should not wear it out after a few weekends.

If a towel cannot do all five, it may be fine for sunbathing, but it is not a great paddler's towel.

Why Turkish towels work so well for paddleboarding

Turkish towels, also called peshtemals, have been woven along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts for centuries. Their construction is very different from looped terrycloth, and that is exactly why they work so well for water sports.

Flat weave construction. Turkish towels have no thick loops, so they fold much smaller than a standard beach towel. That makes them easier to stash in a board bag, dry bag, or trunk bin.

Long staple cotton. High quality Turkish cotton gets softer and more absorbent with use. Instead of matting down like cheap terrycloth, it tends to improve over time with proper care.

Faster drying. A lightweight flat weave dries much faster than a plush towel. That matters when you are paddling more than once in a day or packing up for the drive home.

Better sand release. Sand sits on top of a flat weave instead of burying itself in thick pile loops. One shake usually does the job.

Useful fiber blends. Some Turkish towels use bamboo cotton blends for a softer feel and added odor resistance. That is especially helpful when a damp towel ends up in a board bag overnight.

For paddlers who care about lower impact materials, bamboo blends and recycled cotton options can also support a more thoughtful gear setup.

Best NIXY towels for paddleboarding

NIXY offers a range of Turkish towel styles, but these four are the best starting points for most paddlers.

• Cloud Turkish Beach Towel at $43. A bamboo and cotton blend with a softer, silkier hand feel. Best for frequent SUP use and everyday beach days.
• Mediterranean Oversized Turkish Beach Towel Blanket at $49. Oversized for two adults, family beach setups, or covering more of a paddleboard deck.
• Acelia Turkish Beach Towel at $39. A bamboo cotton blend at the standard towel price. A strong pick for paddlers who want softness and value in one towel.
• Everest Turkish Changing Poncho at $59. Best for changing after a session, extra warmth, and more privacy on crowded beaches.

You can also browse the full Turkish towel collection to compare all styles, including recycled cotton options.

How to match your towel to your paddleboard setup

If you are shopping for a board and towel together, it helps to think in terms of how you paddle.

The Newport G5 All Around is a great fit for family days and casual paddling. Pair it with the Mediterranean towel for beach breaks, snack stops, and post paddle picnics.

The Venice G5 Cruiser Yoga is ideal for stability and fitness sessions. A softer towel like Cloud works well as a deck layer during SUP yoga.

The Monterey G5 Expedition is made for longer outings and touring days. An oversized towel can cover more of the board and adds comfort when you are spending hours on the water.

If you are new to the sport, our step by step paddle boarding guide covers the basics before you dial in your gear setup.

How to care for a Turkish towel

A good Turkish towel can last for years if you take care of it properly.

• Rinse after saltwater use. Salt crystals can wear down fibers over time.
• Wash in cold water. Use mild detergent and skip fabric softener so the towel stays absorbent.
• Line dry when possible. Air drying helps preserve the size, feel, and softness of the cotton.
• Rotate between two towels. That gives each towel more time to dry fully and reduces wash frequency.

For a broader gear refresh, our spring paddleboarding checklist covers towels, boards, paddles, and other essentials.

Frequently asked questions

Are Turkish towels good for paddleboarding?
Yes. Turkish towels are one of the best towel options for paddleboarding because they pack small, dry quickly, release sand easily, and hold up well through repeated water use.

Do Turkish towels dry fast?
Yes. A flat woven Turkish towel usually dries much faster than a thick terrycloth beach towel, especially in the sun or open air.

Can a Turkish towel be used as a paddleboard deck cover?
Yes. Many paddlers use Turkish towels as a temporary deck layer during SUP yoga, as a gear cover, or as a seat cover on a kayak. Oversized styles work especially well for this.

How do you keep sand out of a paddleboarding towel?
Choose a flat woven towel instead of looped terrycloth. Sand sits on the surface and shakes off much more easily.

The bottom line

A towel made for lounging is not always the best towel for paddleboarding. Paddling demands something lighter, faster drying, easier to pack, and easier to clean.

That is why Turkish towels stand out. They fit the realities of beach launches, wet gear, sandy cars, and long days on the water. For most paddlers, they are the better choice over standard terrycloth.

Browse the Turkish towel collection for all fourteen styles, or start with the G5 paddleboard lineup if you are building your full setup from the board up. Either way, see you on the water.