Now that we’re preparing to move into our new van setup as we near the end of our second campervan conversion, we’ve been making a list of all the gear we’ll need to take with us. One thing that’s always been missing from our travels is a set of decent lightweight towels. When we started looking, Tesalate immediately came to mind. As one of the most well-known beach towel brands out there, we were curious to see if they actually live up to all the hype.
Tesalate kindly gifted us two of their beach towels to try out but this review is based entirely on our honest opinions. In this Tesalate towel review we put their bold claims to the test, including being sand free, rapid drying, ultra absorbent, compact and lightweight. Beyond that, we also share our thoughts on the designs, sizing, pricing and how easy they are to care for.
Testing Tesalate’s Claims on Their Beach Towels
Tesalate makes some pretty big promises with their towels, so we wanted to put them through real-world testing to see how they hold up. From burying them at the beach and timing how long they take to dry, we tried them in different situations to check if their claims of being sand free, rapid drying, ultra absorbent and lightweight really stack up.
Claim #1: Sand Free
Tesalate’s innovation lies in their Absorblite™ fabric, which they describe as a sand-resistant material. It was purpose-engineered so that sand slips off easily, preventing it from sticking to the towel and ending up everywhere, like with a regular beach towels.
To test this sand free claim, we completely buried our towel in sand at the beach. We went all out, thinking there was no way all the sand would come off. After pulling it out and giving it just three big shakes, every single grain of sand on the main body of the towel fell away. Just a few single grains remained on the edges of the towel and they came off with an extra shake. We were genuinely so impressed by how easily the sand came off.
Claim #2: Rapid Drying
Tesalate claims that their Absorblite™ fabric allows their towels to dry in half the time of a regular beach towel. This is a big selling point for travellers and beachgoers who want a towel that’s ready to use again quickly. Nothing’s worse than hitting the road and having to pack a towel away before it’s fully dry, only to find it damp and smelly later.
To test this, we soaked both a Tesalate towel and a regular cotton towel in the bath, gave them a gentle squeeze and then hung them on a line outside in the shade on a sunny day. After putting the towels out we left for a few hours, expecting them to take ages to dry since they were completely drenched. When we checked back 2.5 hours later, the Tesalate towel was already bone dry, meaning it likely dried even sooner, probably closer to 2 hours. In contrast, the cotton towel was still very wet and didn’t fully dry until around the 7 hour mark. It dried in less than a third of the time compared to the cotton towel, which was a significant difference that we were blown away by.
Claim #3: Ultra Absorbent
According to Tesalate, their beach towels are ultra absorbent and can hold up to one litre of water without dripping. On their website, they explain that the Absorblite™ fabric is 200 times thinner than a single human hair, which allows it to absorb much larger quantities of water compared to a regular beach towel.
To test this claim, we poured a full litre of water onto the towel, trying to spread the pouring across the towel rather than letting it pool in one spot. The towel absorbed the water instantly. When we picked it up and held it vertically, not a single drop of water dripped out. Once again, this is another claim that we were very impressed with.
Claim #4: Compact & Lightweight
Tesalate claims their Absorblite™ fabric makes their towels compact and lightweight, noting that it’s designed for ultimate convenience even when wet. According to their website it can be easily rolled up to fit into a tote, backpack or travel bag, making it simple to take anywhere.
To test this, we first weighed the towel, which came in at 489g compared to the 708g cotton towel we used in our earlier tests. That’s significantly less than standard cotton towels and in line with other lightweight beach towels on the market, many of which can be much heavier as they typically range between 350-800g.
We also tested how compact it was by folding it down and fitting it back into the carry bag it shipped in. Despite battling the wind on the beach, this was easy to do and once packed away, the bag measured roughly 22.5cm x 15cm x 5cm, which is small enough to slip into a backpack without taking up much space. We compared the Tesalate towel packed in its carry case to our cotton towel back home and it was noticeably smaller and far easier to carry around.
We were really happy with the weight and compactness of the towel. It’s the kind of towel we could easily take in our carry-on luggage going forward, without worrying about it taking up too much space or adding unnecessary weight.
Sizing of Tesalate’s Towels
Tesalate offers three options when it comes to sizing, their standard beach towel at 160cm x 80cm, their larger beach blanket at 160cm x 160cm and their kids beach towels at 142cm x 71cm. We tried the regular beach towels which were a great fit for Lydia (156 cm) who could comfortably stretch out on them. For Wehan (185 cm), the towel was a little short, leaving his lower legs and feet off the end but still big enough to use for lounging and drying off. For most people, the standard size will be a comfortable fit, those on the taller side might find it a little short.
Tesalate Beach Towel Designs
Tesalate offers over 60 unique designs, which makes choosing just one a fun but tricky process. All of their designs are bright, colourful and/or patterned. Typically, Wehan and I gravitate towards neutrals that fit the aesthetic of our van and match the rest of our things, so it was new for us to step outside of our usual style and choose a Tesalate design. Others who tend to prefer neutral or minimalist styles might feel the same way when browsing the collection.
We found ourselves liking a lot of the designs, it was hard to decide which one we wanted but we ended up choosing the ‘Into the Wild’ print. We love it, it has an aesthetic indie vibe and looks just as stunning in photos as it does in person. On the reverse side, all of Tesalate’s towels feature their signature black and white triangle print.
Tesalate Towel Pricing
One of the most common reasons people hesitate to buy a Tesalate towel is the price. At the time of writing this (September 2025), a standard beach towel is $79 AUD, a beach blanket is $119 AUD and a kids beach towel is $49. Certain designs can sometimes be slightly cheaper due to overstock or sales.
As budget-conscious travellers (and people in general), Wehan and I understand being careful with spending but we also believe in investing in quality and spending money where it matters. Doing the research to find a product that truly meets your needs and spending a little more upfront for something that will last for years is often far better value than repeatedly buying cheaper items that don’t quite work.
The price also comes with a few extra perks that make it easier to justify the investment. Tesalate includes free shipping, a 30-day money-back guarantee, no customs or import fees and free returns with no questions asked, giving you added peace of mind when purchasing.
Care and Maintenance of Tesalate’s Beach Towels
Tesalate towels are low-maintenance and easy to care for. They can be machine washed in cold water and then simply hung out to dry. When not in use, they can be neatly stored in the handy bag that comes included with each towel. The design also includes a built-in hook, making it easy to hang the towel up anywhere.
Where to Buy Tesalate Beach Towels
Tesalate beach towels are available exclusively through the official Tesalate website, as they don’t have any third-party stockists at the time of writing this (September 2025). Ordering online is straightforward, with free shipping included, though currently delivery is only offered within Australia and the US.
Overall Thoughts on Tesalate’s Beach Towels
Overall, we love Tesalate’s beach towels and can’t wait to keep using them on our travels. They truly live up to the hype, delivering on their claims of being lightweight and compact, fast drying, sand free and ultra absorbent. For us, they’re going to be the perfect travel companion, whether we’re exploring Australia or adventuring internationally.
That brings us to the end of our review. We hope it’s helped show you whether Tesalate beach towels are worth the hype and whether they’re right fit for your needs.
Hey! I’m Lydia and I have been travelling full time with Wehan since 2022. Alongside documenting our travels on YouTube, we put together comprehensive travel guides on the locations we visit here on our website. We also put together guides on other aspects of our travels, such as detailed information on the gear we use, specifics on our van build and tips for van life. Our goal with this website and the guides we write is to help others travel.
At the moment we are currently travelling internationally after doing the big lap of Australia in our self converted Sprinter van. Our goal is to continue to push ourselves outside our comfort zone; seeking new adventures, learning about new cultures and seeing as much of the world as possible.
