Wrapping a sauna towel: 4 techniques for women and men that really hold

On the way from the cabin to the shower, into the relaxation room or through the sauna garden, most people wrap themselves in a towel. But nothing is more annoying than a towel that slips after three steps. Wrapping a sauna towel so that it really stays put isn't difficult – once you know a few moves. In this guide we show you four techniques for women and men step by step, explain why towels slip and which towel is easiest to wrap.

Contents10

1. First: which sauna towel to wrap?
2. The four techniques at a glance
3. 1. Wrapping a sauna towel around the hips
4. 2. Wrapping a sauna towel under the arms
5. 3. Over one shoulder: the knotted version
6. 4. As a cape
7. Why your sauna towel slips – and what helps
8. Which sauna towel is easiest to wrap
9. Conclusion
10. Frequently asked questions

We have been running the Meri Sauna at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years. The techniques here are the ones that have generally proven themselves in everyday sauna use.

First: which sauna towel to wrap?

Before you start, one important point: the towel you lay on in the cabin is damp with sweat after the round. For wrapping up, it's better to use a second, dry towel – or the towel you dried yourself with after cooling down, if it's only slightly damp. For a sauna day that means packing at least two towels. A hook outside the cabin is handy, where the dry wrapping towel can wait during your session. That way you don't have to walk to your locker after cooling down.

The four techniques at a glance

Technique	Typical for	Covers	Hold
Around the hips	men, women with a second towel on top	waist to knee	very good with a rolled edge
Under the arms	women	chest to thigh/knee	good with a firm tuck
Over one shoulder	women and men	upper body and hips	very good with a knot
As a cape	everyone, in the sauna garden	shoulders and back	medium, hands needed

1. Wrapping a sauna towel around the hips

The classic version used by many men – but also by women if they wear a second towel or a bathrobe on top.

1. If the towel is very wide, fold it once lengthwise so it reaches roughly to the knee.
2. Place it behind your back and bring both ends to the front.
3. Pull the left end tightly across your hip and hold it.
4. Lay the right end tightly over it.
5. Roll the top edge outwards two or three times. This roll is the secret: it clamps the towel in place and stops it coming undone.

Tip: wrap the towel slightly above your hip bones. The roll holds better there than at the narrowest part of the waist.

2. Wrapping a sauna towel under the arms

This version covers the upper body and hips at the same time and is mainly used by women.

1. Place the towel crosswise behind your back, with the top edge at armpit height.
2. Pull the left end tightly to the front and take it under your right arm.
3. Lay the right end over it so that it ends on the left side.
4. Tuck the corner firmly between towel and body at the chest – preferably at the side, not in the middle.
5. For more hold, roll the top edge outwards once.

Tip: if the towel comes undone when you walk, it usually wasn't wrapped tightly enough. Breathe in calmly while wrapping – then it will still sit firmly after you breathe out.

3. Over one shoulder: the knotted version

This technique holds without tucking and is ideal if you move around a lot or lie down in the relaxation room.

1. Hold the towel lengthwise behind your back, with one top corner over your left shoulder.
2. Bring the other end forward under your right arm and diagonally across your upper body.
3. Take it to your left shoulder and knot it there with the corner.
4. Smooth out the lower part of the towel at the hips – done.

This version needs a large towel, about 180 × 100 cm. You'll find more tying styles for the beach in our article on the hammam towel as a sarong.

4. As a cape

In the sauna garden or on cool days, the cape is the most comfortable solution because it warms your shoulders and back.

1. Lay the towel lengthwise over your shoulders.
2. Hold it together at the front with your hands or loosely knot the corners. In windy weather, knot the two top corners in front of your chest and press the towel against your body with one arm.
3. If you want your hands free, take a light bathrobe or a bathing poncho instead.

Why your sauna towel slips – and what helps

If you want to wrap your sauna towel and still have to hold on to it all the time, you're usually making one of these mistakes:

• Wrapped too loosely: wrap tightly and roll the edge.
• Towel too thick: with very dense towels the roll becomes so thick that it opens again. Flat towels hold better.
• Too short: if the ends barely overlap, there's no tension. For the hips and under the arms, you usually need a towel about 180 cm long.
• Damp, smooth skin: dry off well first, then wrap – the towel grips better on dry skin.
• Movement: if you sit down and get up a lot, the knotted shoulder version works best.

Which sauna towel is easiest to wrap

The lighter and flatter the towel, the better the roll holds. Flat-woven hammam towels are particularly easy to fold over and aren't bulky. The hammam towel Ocean, approx. 180 × 100 cm and approx. 400 g, has enough fabric for all four techniques. Even lighter is the hammam towel SULTAN at approx. 270 g.

Dense sauna towels like the DOTWAVE Sauna Towel XL (approx. 900–950 g) are ideal as a base in the cabin and for snuggling up on the lounger, but rather bulky as a wrap for walking around. That's why many people combine them: a dense towel for the bench, a light hammam towel for wrapping.

Wrapping a sauna towel with dignity: brief etiquette

In textile-free saunas, the towel on the way between cabin, shower and relaxation room is a matter of comfort for many people. Wrap yourself calmly and not in the middle of a walkway, and don't leave the wet cabin towel lying in the relaxation room. In the relaxation room, an extra towel belongs on the lounger underneath you.

Related reading: How to tie a hammam towel as a sarong: 6 styles step by step · Textile-free sauna: why, which rules and what your sauna towel does · Sauna towel or bathrobe: do you need both? Jobs, situations, combination

Conclusion

Whether around the hips, under the arms, over one shoulder or as a cape: what matters is wrapping the sauna towel tightly and rolling or knotting the edge. It works best with a light, flat-woven towel of about 180 × 100 cm. And remember: use a dry towel for wrapping, not the damp one from the cabin.

Frequently asked questions

How do you wrap a sauna towel so it stays put?

Wrap it tightly, lay the top end firmly over the bottom one and roll the edge outwards two or three times. The roll clamps the towel in place.

How should women wrap their sauna towel?

Usually under the arms: place the towel crosswise behind your back, bring both ends tightly to the front, tuck the corner in at the side of the chest and roll the edge once.

How should men wrap their sauna towel?

Usually around the hips: place the towel behind your back, lay the ends tightly over each other and roll the top edge. It holds best slightly above the hip bones.

Why does my sauna towel keep slipping?

Usually it's wrapped too loosely, too thick or too short. Wrapping tightly, rolling the edge and using a flat towel about 180 cm long helps.

Should I wrap myself in the towel from the cabin?

Better not, it's damp with sweat. Use a second, dry towel for wrapping up.

Hammam towels for wrapping

Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam and sauna operator at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.