Here’s How to Buy Your First Surf / Microfiber Towel
What to look for, what to avoid and how to stop another thick cotton towel from fermenting quietly in the back of your car.
Surfers, we love you. You’re adventurous, determined and always on the lookout for the next epic sesh.
So what if your car reeks of funky-smelling wetsuits and soggy upholstery? Nobody is perfect.
Surfers are a big part of the reason Happy Faced exists, so we are lending a helping hand to anyone buying their first towel made for surfing, saltwater and the general disorder surrounding both.
What Is a Surf Towel?
Picture this: you have just come out of the ocean after a long surf session. You are wet, sandy and salty.
The only bummer after trading barrels or epic rides with your mates? You are about to dry off with a thick cotton towel that is also wet, sandy and salty from the previous session.
Now banish that thought from your mind. This nightmare applies mainly to the old-school cotton beach towel you forgot to remove from the car.
Surf towels are designed for beach and outdoor use. They are usually lightweight, quick-drying and made with a smooth surface that releases dry sand more easily.
In plain English: it dries you, packs without a wrestling match and is less likely to bring the entire beach home inside your vehicle.
Why Does a Surfer Need One?
A Happy Faced surf towel is designed to make life easier after a session.
Microfiber absorbs water while staying thinner and lighter than bulky cotton terry. It is also compact enough to keep in a surf bag, backpack or car without requiring a separate cargo department.
Dry Off
Absorbent fabric gets water off your skin without requiring a full-body sanding operation.
Change Under It
A properly sized towel can prevent a normal wetsuit change from becoming parking-lot theater.
Pack Smaller
Thin microfiber leaves more room for fins, wax, water and the equipment you actually went there to use.
Dry Faster
More exposed surface area and less bulk help the towel dry between sessions when it gets proper airflow.
That means fewer soggy towels stinking up the van and less dirty, damp fabric being rubbed across fresh reef or rock cuts.
Surf Towels vs. Traditional Beach Towels
Look, we are not here to cast unnecessary shade on cotton beach towels. Cotton has feelings too.
We are here to explain why microfiber works better when the towel needs to travel, dry between sessions and coexist with sand.
Weight
Microfiber towels are generally lighter and more compact, making them easier to fit inside an already overburdened surf bag.
Drying Time
Thin fabric dries faster than thick cotton when given airflow, which is useful for back-to-back sessions and long beach days.
Sand Release
Smooth microfiber gives loose, dry sand fewer raised loops to hide inside before attacking your vehicle or post-surf snack.
Nine Questions to Ask Before Buying a Surf Towel
You do not need a degree in towel procurement. You just need to answer nine mildly important questions before giving somebody your hard-earned doll hairs.
What Is Your Budget?
You do not need to mortgage the house to buy a surf towel. You also probably should not choose one solely because it is the cheapest rectangle available online.
Compare materials, dimensions, stitching and features. A premium towel costs more because it should be designed to survive years of washing, sand, travel and disrespect.
The cheapest towel is only a bargain until you have to replace it twice.
Does Size Really Matter?
It is the question that has plagued towel buyers for centuries.
A large towel provides more coverage for drying, changing and lounging. A smaller towel is easier to pack and works well for sweat, hands, face and compact surf kits.
Happy Faced offers a towel size guide for anyone who prefers dimensions over guesswork.
What Is It Made From?
Look for quality microfiber with strong stitching and enough absorbency for actual drying.
Happy Faced towels use recycled microfiber. We are under no illusion that one towel will personally save Earth, but making useful products with recycled materials is better than doing absolutely nothing and writing a motivational caption about it.
Small Brand or Giant Corporation?
Buying from a small brand often means supporting an actual person, a group of independent artists and the slightly irrational dream that inspired the whole operation.
Large companies can make good products too. The question is whether you care where the money goes and who answers when something goes wrong.
Will It Actually Dry You?
A lightweight towel still needs to perform the central task implied by the word “towel.”
Look for fabric that absorbs moisture quickly without becoming excessively heavy. Product reviews can be more useful here than vague claims about revolutionary towel technology.
A towel that packs small but moves water around your body is simply a decorative scarf with ambition.
Is It Easy to Care For?
Your surf towel should not require a private laundry staff.
Wash microfiber with mild detergent, skip fabric softener and avoid excessive heat. Let the towel dry completely before storing it, preferably somewhere that is not the bottom of your surf bag.
Treat it with tender loving care and occasional quiet whispers of greatness.
Read the full Happy Faced towel care guide .
To Artwork or Not to Artwork?
Do you want a plain towel that looks freshly liberated from your nanna’s linen cupboard, or something with a pulse?
A surf towel can be an extension of your personality. Happy Faced towels feature original artwork from independent artists and talented creatives from around the world.
Drying off is necessary. Looking like hotel inventory is not.
Does It Resist Funk?
Surfing involves saltwater, sweat, humid conditions and a widespread refusal to remove damp equipment from vehicles.
Choose a towel that dries quickly and does not hold moisture longer than necessary. Any antimicrobial or odor-resistant treatment should be clearly stated by the manufacturer rather than spiritually implied by the word “microfiber.”
Is Sand Resistance Worth It?
Sand is not humanity’s natural enemy, but it has launched an aggressive campaign against phone ports, vehicle upholstery and living-room carpets.
Smooth microfiber allows loose, dry sand to shake off more easily than thick cotton terry. It is sand-resistant, not protected by ancient beach magic.
Learn more about how sand-resistant towels work .
Happy Faced Surf Towels
Lightweight, quick-drying microfiber towels built for surfing, changing, travel, sand and the damp little ecosystem currently developing in your vehicle.
- Recycled microfiber construction.
- Quick-drying and easy to pack.
- Smooth surface that releases dry sand more easily.
- Multiple sizes for different surf setups.
- Original artwork by independent artists.
Choose the Towel You’ll Actually Use
Buying your first surf towel comes down to your needs, your setup and the amount of room left inside your bag.
Choose the right size. Check the material. Make sure it dries you. Avoid pointless gimmicks. Then find artwork you will still enjoy looking at after several hundred sessions.
The correct towel will not improve your cutback or magically create better waves. It will make the damp, sandy part after surfing considerably less annoying.