My wife and I avidly practice Bikram yoga, sometimes as often as 6 classes a week. We started our practice using bath towels and quickly moved to yoga towels for the added slip-free design, sweat-wicking and fast drying composition of the Gaiam towels.
Briefly, my PROS and CONS;
PROS
- Once slightly damp provide a very slip-free surface
- bunches only slightly, I usually have no issues in Bikram but my towel moves a bit during active Vinyasa sessions.
- Wash them and hang to dry, they are often completely dry in a few hours
- Hold up fairly well after washing (which you need to do after every class)
CONS
- We now have purchased 6 of these towels since we started in January 2011. We needed at least 4 (2 towels each) to rotate every other day or for when we do double classes on weekends.
- After 3 months the towels pick up a mildew smell that is impossible to remove. I have washed with baking soda, vinegar, hung out in the sun, tossed the older ones in a dryer, but the smell is horrible.
-After 3 months of regular use and maybe 30-40 washings, I've had to throw out 2 of the towels.
I am going to try the Yogitoes towel that is a little more expensive, to see if the towels hold up a little longer. I will update this review once I have tried the other brand. Gaiam Thirsty Yoga Towel, Dark Blue
I own two of these yoga towels, and I have found them to be durable, highly absorbent, and an overall great value. I can't believe people actually spend 2-3 times as much on other brands! I practice yoga 5-6 times per week, so I need a towel that will stand up to lots of use and washing.This is a perfectly good towel that fulfils my needs: a non-slip, absorbent surface that completely covers my yoga mat. I have used this towel for both Bikram-style hot yoga classes as well as Vinyasa flow classes, and it works well for both. It's lightweight and dries really quickly too. This towel doesn't shrink or fade either, even after dozens of washings, unlike the shrunken Yogitoes towels I see others using in my yoga classes. I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4, but it sometimes doesn't stay put perfectly - I've found that I may have to straighten it once during an especially active flowing class. Overall, I'm satisfied with this yoga towel, and I see no need to waste money on the pricier brands.
I am brand new to yoga and enrolled in a hot yoga class. I learned that I should pick a mat that is not slippery or sleak - so I picked an Atlus mat which has small grips (so the towel does not slip). I can easily spin around on the towel and it does not bunch up. The only challenge is in the warrior pose; the wider the feet, you have to really dig your heels in so that you don't slip - but any towel without grips would have the same issue. The towel dries quickly and washes up nicely.
I have two of these towels and do Bikram 5-7 days a week. It works as well as a more expensive yoga towel. I wash it after each class and since I rotate towels, I really didn't want to pay the money for more expensive towels. I've used mine for six months and it smells clean after I wash it and lay it out to dry. I put it outside as much as possible. I sweat like a river and it does a good job. Ok so once in awhile it does a minor bunch, but a quick flick of my toe and it is fine. I don't find that it slips at all, but maybe that is more muscle use than trying to push into the towel.
I purchased this mat to use in a hot yoga class and I was disappointed with how it worked. While the texture was nice and washes well, it did not stay put during my yoga practice and i had to keep straightening it out. It would recommend getting a mat towel with grip on the bottom if you are doing a faster paced practice.
Towel is great for my hot yoga class. Exactly what I needed to keep me from soaking my mat. It is not completely slid free, however...soemtimes I have to move it out of the way for real deep leg poses.
Considering the price, this towel isn't too bad. But if you do hotyoga you Will slip on it. It helps to splash water on it before you practice. And I still like the towel. The color is nice, and it deals easily with a lot of water/sweat.
I just love this towel. Small profile, and soaks up a ton. Much more comfortable than using a beach towel or a bath towel. Not sure why some reviews are saying it bunches up. I have not experienced excessive movement. And besides, you move around a bit with Bikram....even a normal towel can move around a bit. This towel seems to stay where I put it. Don't spend a ton of $$ on a different towel. This one is perfect!'
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