It wasn’t too many summers ago when my friend Catherine and I were stepping onto the beach and a pair of mothers looked at us and said, “Remember when we headed to the beach with just a towel and iced coffee?” Little kids ran circles around them as the moms struggled with tons of beach gear.

Fast forward, and now I’m that mother weighed down with chairs, towels, a play dome, an umbrella, a cooler, extra clothes, toys, etc. All of that baggage is heavy and cumbersome, so I’m always on the lookout for functional items that can also lighten the load.

That’s where the Sand Cloud Towel enters the picture. I stumbled upon this towel after I heard it's sand-resistant (yes, really) for folks like us who don’t want to bring the sand home. I was eager to see if this towel could live up to its lightweight, compact and sand-resistant promise. After a day at the beach and a trip to the park, I can give the towel the mom's stamp of approval.

Sand Cloud Towel

Shades: Multiple patterns and colors | Material: 100% Turkish organic cotton | Size: 37” x 66;" other sizes available

What is the Sand Cloud Towel?

Sand Cloud is a San Diego-based company dedicated to helping marine life. The company was founded by three friends who were on a mission to make the best beach towel on the market. The result is their most popular product today — a sand-resistant, ultra absorbent Turkish towel. Sand Cloud’s products have now expanded to tote bags, blankets, bath towels, skin care products and more.

The towel also comes in multiple prints. Although the colorways I bought are currently sold out, the towel also comes in Sun Burst (pictured above), Sunrise Navy, Patriot Stripe and many more.

My experience

While I love the beach, the sandy mess that comes along with it tends to be another story. Even after vigorously wiping away the sand from our summer essentials, sand appears unexpectedly everywhere and it can feel like a never-ending clean-up — but not with this towel. Sand and other debris easily shook off, saving me the post-beach mess that I usually have to deal with.

My son also used the towel to dry off after a swim in the ocean and I used it after a dip in the pool. Because it is so lightweight, it dried off very fast, and sand never clung to it.

Why I like it

Sand and other messes are easy to clean off

Earlier this summer I had to vacuum out my washing machine after a trip to the beach because of all the sand caught in our towels. I can happily say that after this beach trip with my Sand Cloud towel, there was no sand in my washer. I’m also here to report that the cheese doodle dust and freeze dried strawberry residue from my four year old’s snacks washed right out, too!

It's great to use in a variety of places other than the beach, too

Although it’s called a towel, it’s not just for drying off. I used it as a sarong and as a blanket for a picnic in the park. The Sand Cloud towel is very soft; even before I washed it the first time, it already had that smooth worn-in feel. The towel is noticeably light and hardly takes up any room, so it’s easy to throw in any bag and go! I took a picture to compare its size to a standard beach towel, and there’s no way I would go back to using a traditional heavy towel, especially when packing for a day at the beach for a family of four.

What to consider

The Sand Cloud Turkish Towel comes in two different sizes. The first size is regular (38” x 64”) which sells for $54, and the second is XL (60” x 68”) which sells for $78. You can purchase the towels from Sand Cloud’s website and feel good about doing so because 10% of all profits go towards marine life conservation!

Sand Cloud also does collaborations with popular brands such as Disney, Harry Potter, Star Wars and Hello Kitty. I’ve noticed that certain prints tend to sell out fast, so if you see something you like, grab it before it’s gone.

Who is the Sand Cloud Towel best for?

I think these towels make for a great gift, especially for someone who travels because of the many functions (towel, scarf, blanket, sarong). The website also offers bundles if you are looking to stock up for your beach trip or maybe provide a welcome gift for a bachelorette party!

Why trust Shop TODAY?

The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources and use our own personal experiences with the product and brand to make shopping easier for our readers.

Hannah Hynes is a freelance writer who frequently contributes to Shop TODAY. She describes herself as a millennium mom who enjoys reading, Jersey’s local summer, and spending time with family and friends.