To help beat the heat while spending time outside or working out , many people turn to portable fans to provide a cool breeze. Those devices, however, can be cumbersome to carry around and run out of battery fairly quickly. Cooling towels, however, provide quick relief and only need water to work.
After dampening the cloth (about the size of a hand towel) and draping it across your skin, a cooling towel transfers heat away from your body into the air. The towels, which are cold to the touch, offer a refreshing chill that lasts for hours. They roll up or fold up when not in use, making them easy to throw in your bag, whether you’re headed to the gym, a holiday party or elsewhere.
SKIP AHEAD How I picked the best cooling towels | Best cooling towels | Why trust NBC Select? I talked to experts about the science behind cooling towels and their effectiveness, plus rounded up highly rated options I think you should know about. When shopping for cooling towels, experts recommend considering the following factors: Most cooling towels look and function the same — though they’ll stay cool for varying amounts of time. They also come in different sizes and colors, and some are available in multipacks or with carrying cases.
Based on expert guidance, I rounded up a handful of highly rated cooling towels below. All options I recommend are made from PVA or microfibers, and some are also made of polyester, which experts say is commonly used to produce microfiber. Best multi-pack: Sukee.