Sauna towel or bathrobe: do you need both? Jobs, situations, combination
Sauna towel or bathrobe – or do you need both? The short answer: a sauna towel always belongs in the sauna cabin. The bathrobe is a comfort extra for everything around it: relaxation room, sauna garden, restaurant. Whether you really need one depends on where, how long and in which season you use the sauna. In this guide we show which item has which job, when you should pack both and when a large towel can replace the bathrobe.
Contents10
- Sauna towel or bathrobe: their jobs at a glance
- The sauna towel: indispensable in the cabin
- The bathrobe: the comfort extra
- When you need both a sauna towel and a bathrobe
- When a large towel replaces the bathrobe
- Bathrobe with or without a hood?
- Hygiene: using towel and robe the right way
- Our combination for a sauna day
- Conclusion
- Frequently asked questions
We have been running the Meri Sauna at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years and regularly answer this question when someone is planning their first sauna day.
Sauna towel or bathrobe: their jobs at a glance
| Situation | Sauna towel | Bathrobe |
|---|---|---|
| Base in the cabin | yes, a must | no, stays outside |
| Drying off after cooling down | yes (second towel) | partly, it then gets damp |
| Keeping warm in the relaxation room | possible as a wrap | ideal, arms stay free |
| Walking through the sauna garden | possible as a cape | ideal, especially in winter |
| Covering a lounger in the relaxation room | yes | no |
| Restaurant at the thermal spa | often not welcome | required in many places |
| Pack size and weight | small to medium depending on the towel | medium to large |
The sauna towel: indispensable in the cabin
In the cabin you lie or sit completely on the sauna towel – feet included. That protects the untreated wood from sweat and is a matter of hygiene towards other guests. A bathrobe can't take over this job: it doesn't belong in the cabin but hangs outside on a hook. The towel should be as long as you are, so usually 175 × 90 cm or 180 × 100 cm.
For a sauna day you usually need two towels: one as a base in the cabin and one for drying off after the shower or plunge pool. The cabin towel is damp with sweat after each round – better not to wrap yourself up in it.
The bathrobe: the comfort extra
Between rounds, in the relaxation room or on the way through the sauna garden, a bathrobe keeps you warm and leaves your arms free. You can read, have a drink or lie down on the lounger without constantly holding a towel. Especially in autumn and winter, many people wouldn't want to be without one.
Light models that dry quickly and don't overload your bag are well suited to the sauna. The Trimita Barok bathrobe is made of 100 % Turkish cotton in a light quality (not terry), quick-drying, with a tie belt and pockets – in S/M and L/XL, in green, blue and red. If you're at home or travelling by car, you can also choose a heavier, cosier model.
When you need both a sauna towel and a bathrobe
- A whole day at a thermal spa: with several rounds, long breaks and a meal in between, the bathrobe is almost indispensable – in many thermal spas it's even required in the restaurant area.
- Sauna with an outdoor area in winter: on the way to the outdoor sauna or plunge pool, a bathrobe protects you much better from the cold than a towel.
- Relaxation room with loungers: sauna towel on the lounger, bathrobe on – that way you lie warm and hygienically.
- If you get cold easily: after cooling down, a bathrobe keeps the warmth close to your body better than a loosely wrapped towel.
When a large towel replaces the bathrobe
- A short after-work sauna: two rounds, short breaks – an additional large towel to wrap up in is enough.
- Home sauna: the way back to the warmth is short; a towel will do, except for a garden sauna in winter.
- Summer: in warm weather, a bathrobe is often too warm in the sauna garden.
- Little space in your bag: a flat-woven hammam towel is much more compact than a bathrobe.
Instead of a bathrobe, you can wrap yourself in a large hammam towel Ocean (approx. 180 × 100 cm). Then you need three towels: one for the cabin, one for drying off, one to wrap up in. Another alternative for outdoors is a bathing poncho, under which you can also get changed.
Bathrobe with or without a hood?
If you decide on a bathrobe, the next question is: hood or no hood? A hood is particularly practical outdoors. After the sauna session and the cold shower, it keeps your head warm as you walk through the sauna garden – and wet hair doesn't cool down so quickly. In the relaxation room it's more a matter of taste. If you don't want a hood, simply take a small towel for your head on the way outside.
The Trimita hooded bathrobes are made of three-layer muslin, 100 % Turkish cotton and OEKO-TEX certified, in the designs Zebra (grey/white) and Elephant (pink/white). Muslin is airy and light – so they fit well in a sauna bag. The crinkled texture is intentional, so there's no need to iron.
Hygiene: using towel and robe the right way
To keep both fresh, a simple division of labour helps: the bathrobe only goes on dry skin, i.e. after drying off. On the lounger in the relaxation room there's always a towel underneath you, even if you're wearing the robe. After your sauna day, spread out or hang up both as soon as you get home, rather than crumpling them into the laundry basket. That way the bathrobe can stay fresh for several sauna visits, while the cabin towel goes in the wash after every sauna day. How often you wash the robe depends on how often you use the sauna and whether you really only wear it on dry skin.
Our combination for a sauna day
- 1 sauna towel for the cabin: as long as you are.
- 1 light towel for drying off: for example a hammam towel that's dry again by the next round – in our experience it takes about 60 minutes indoors.
- 1 light bathrobe: for the relaxation room, sauna garden and restaurant.
If you want your sauna towel and bathrobe in the same colour, the bathrobe and hammam towel set gives you both, perfectly matched (€85.90). You'll find more models in our sauna towels and bathrobes collections.
What the combination weighs
One point many people underestimate: a sauna towel and a bathrobe together can make your sauna bag heavy. A dense sauna towel like the DOTWAVE Sauna Towel XL alone weighs approx. 900–950 g, the DOTWAVE bathrobe approx. 1.6–1.7 kg. If you come by bus, train or bike, a hammam towel (approx. 400 g for the Ocean) and a light cotton bathrobe are a much better choice.
Related reading: Bathrobe or bathing poncho: which suits your sauna day better? · Sauna robe: how it differs from a bathrobe · How Many Sauna Towels Do You Need? For the Sauna Day and the Household
Conclusion
Sauna towel or bathrobe isn't really an either-or question: the sauna towel is a must because it protects the wood and hygiene in the cabin. The bathrobe is a pleasant extra for everything outside the cabin – often indispensable on long days at a thermal spa, in winter and in the restaurant. For short sauna visits, the home sauna or summer, an additional large towel to wrap up in is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear a bathrobe in the sauna cabin?
No. You leave the bathrobe outside the cabin; inside you lie or sit on your sauna towel.
Do I need a sauna towel and a bathrobe?
You always need a sauna towel. A bathrobe is especially worthwhile on long days at a thermal spa, in winter with an outdoor area and wherever it's required in the restaurant.
Does a bathrobe replace the towel for drying off?
Partly. Many people prefer to dry off with a towel and then put on the bathrobe so it stays dry.
Can I wrap myself in a towel instead of a bathrobe?
Yes. A large towel of about 180 × 100 cm works well. But use a third, dry towel for this – not the damp towel from the cabin.
Which bathrobe is suitable for the sauna?
A light cotton bathrobe that dries quickly and takes up little space in your bag. Heavy models are cosy but impractical to carry.
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.