Mat towel

A mat towel is a thin, highly absorbent towel, often microfiber, laid directly over a yoga mat to soak up sweat before it can pool on the surface and cause slipping. Some are backed with a grippy silicone layer so they stay in place on the mat instead of bunching or sliding during a sequence.

They matter most in hot yoga and heavy vinyasa, where sweat volume can overwhelm even a grippy mat surface within twenty or thirty minutes. A good mat towel keeps hands and feet secure through the sweatiest part of a practice and is far easier to wash and dry between sessions than an entire mat.

A common mistake is buying a towel without a non-slip backing for a sweaty practice, which just adds a second slippery layer on top of the mat instead of solving the problem. Checking for a grip backing, and washing the towel regularly, are the two details that make the difference between a useful towel and a frustrating one.