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Quick answer: Will and Wind makes hooded beach towels for adults and children from 200 GSM rPET microfibre. Adult hooded towels are made from 22 recycled plastic bottles, kids hooded towels from 20. All are GRS 4.0 certified, sand free and dry in one to two hours. Designs are original Australian underwater photography from Ningaloo Reef and the Queensland coast. Rated 4.9 stars. Shop at willandwind.com.au/collections/hooded-towels and /collections/kids-hooded-towels. |
A hooded beach towel does something a regular towel cannot: it keeps you warm, covers your head and lets you change underneath all at once. Once you use one for a beach day, the idea of going back to juggling a standard towel while getting changed in a car park or at the water's edge makes very little sense.
This guide covers the full hooded towel category for Australia: adult hooded towels, kids hooded beach towels, sizing, what to look for and how Will and Wind compares. Use the navigation below to jump to the section most relevant to you.
Jump to: Adult hooded towels | Kids hooded beach towels | Sizing guide | What to look for | FAQ
What is a hooded towel and why do adults use them?
Hooded towels started as a kids' product: the little ear-shaped ones for toddlers after bath time. The adult version is a different proposition: a full-size towel with a functional hood designed for beach, surf and pool use where you want to dry off, warm up and change without exposing yourself or fighting with a towel that keeps slipping.
The hood serves two practical purposes beyond warmth. First, it keeps wet hair contained rather than dripping down your back. Second, it gives you a reference point for the towel: with a hood you always know which way the towel faces, which matters when you are trying to change quickly in a car park or at a crowded beach.
For surfers and cold water swimmers the hooded towel has largely replaced the post-swim routine of standing shivering while trying to wrap a regular towel around yourself. The hood traps heat at the head and the wrap-style body covers the torso while you get your bearings after a cold session.
Adult hooded beach towels
Will and Wind adult hooded towels are made from 200 GSM rPET suede microfibre: the same material as the travel towel range: using 22 recycled post-consumer plastic bottles per towel. The hood is designed to fit comfortably over wet hair for adults of all sizes. The body is generously proportioned for comfortable changing underneath without the towel slipping.
The designs carry original Australian underwater photography from photographers Chris Burnham and Brooke Pyke. The whale shark designs came from fieldwork at Ningaloo Reef. The humpback designs came from time on the Queensland coast during the annual whale migration. These are specific photographs of specific places rather than generic ocean-themed graphics.
Dry time: one to two hours. Weight: approximately 400g. Material: 200 GSM rPET microfibre, GRS 4.0 certified. Bottles: 22 per towel. Guarantee: 60-day money back.
Shop the adult hooded towel range at willandwind.com.au/collections/hooded-towels. The five reasons to make the switch are covered in full in the adult hooded towels guide.
Kids hooded beach towels
Will and Wind kids hooded beach towels use the same 200 GSM rPET microfibre and original Australian photography as the adult range, sized specifically for children. Each kids hooded towel uses 20 recycled plastic bottles. The hood sits proportionally on a child's head rather than being a scaled-down adult hood: a genuine size design for kids rather than just a smaller version of the adult product.
The mini size fits children up to approximately 5 to 6 years. The medium size is designed for older children, tweens and smaller teenagers. Many families use the adult hooded towel for older teenagers and adults who want matching designs across the family: the full range shares design prints between the adult and kids collections for exactly this reason.
Why kids specifically benefit from a hooded towel: children swim and then immediately want to run, get a snack, explore or do something other than stand still while a parent towels them down. A hooded towel goes over the head in one motion and keeps them warm while they move. It takes less than three seconds to put on a child who is cooperating and about ten seconds to put on one who is not, which is still faster than the alternative.
The full kids hooded beach towel buying guide is at hooded childrens beach towels: what makes a good one. Shop the range at willandwind.com.au/collections/kids-hooded-towels.
Hooded towels vs adult beach ponchos
Hooded towels and beach ponchos are related products that serve slightly different purposes. A hooded towel is primarily a towel that happens to have a hood: it dries you and warms you simultaneously. A beach poncho is primarily a changing garment that also dries: it is designed for getting changed inside rather than just warming up.
For surfers and wetsuits wearers, a poncho is often preferable because it gives more room for getting a wetsuit off and on. For swimmers, beach-goers and families, a hooded towel is more practical because it is lighter, packs smaller and handles all the everyday post-swim jobs without the full poncho bulk.
The Will and Wind adult beach poncho is covered in full in the adult beach poncho guide.
Sizing guide
|
Size |
Suits |
Hood fit |
What it covers |
|
Mini (kids) |
Children up to age 5 to 6 |
Proportioned for young children |
Full body coverage for small children |
|
Medium (kids) |
Older children, tweens, smaller teens |
Fits older children and tweens comfortably |
Full body coverage for children and smaller adults |
|
Adult |
Adults and larger teenagers |
Designed for adult head and hair volume |
Full torso coverage for adults, room to change underneath |
Note: Will and Wind adult hooded towels are designed to fit adults of all sizes comfortably. If you are between sizes or buying for a child close to the upper end of the mini size, the medium will last longer. Check the specific product dimensions on the hooded towels collection page for confirmed measurements.
What to look for in a hooded beach towel
Material grade. 200 GSM microfibre is the standard for a quality hooded towel that will hold its performance through regular season use. Lower GSM hooded towels feel light initially but thin out through repeated washing. Budget options are often 120 to 150 GSM and the difference in durability is noticeable within a summer.
Hood design. A functional hood sits over the head without flopping forward or sliding back. It should be proportioned for the size it is sold as: a medium kids hood on an adult-sized towel is a common quality shortcut. Will and Wind hoods are sized appropriately for each product in the range.
Sustainability credentials. Will and Wind hooded towels are made from rPET under GRS 4.0 certified manufacturing. The recycled content claim is independently verified annually. For a product category where 'eco-friendly' claims are common but certification is rare, this distinction matters.
Designs. Will and Wind hooded towels carry original Australian underwater photography. The designs are specific to real photographs of real places: Ningaloo whale sharks, Queensland humpbacks, leopard sharks. They look like something rather than generically coastal because they are based on genuine images rather than stock ocean patterns.
Guarantee. Will and Wind offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on the hooded towel range. This is twice the standard 30-day return window in the Australian towel market and means you can use the towel at the beach across several sessions before deciding whether to keep it.
Hooded towels for the gym, pool and everyday use
The hooded beach towel is not beach-only. The post-gym shower, the indoor pool, the school swimming carnival and the outdoor shower at a holiday park all benefit from the same qualities that make hooded towels useful at the beach. The speed of getting a hood on over wet hair, the hands-free warmth and the ability to change without standing in a changing room holding a towel in both hands while you try to get dressed.
Will and Wind hooded towels handle all of these contexts. The 200 GSM microfibre dries post-pool chlorinated water as effectively as saltwater. The fast dry time means a Monday gym swim is ready for the Tuesday morning session. The compact pack size means it goes in the gym bag alongside the travel towel and the gym towel without adding significant bulk.
Are hooded towels good for children with sensory sensitivities?
The smooth suede surface of 200 GSM rPET microfibre is generally well tolerated by children who find the looped texture of cotton terry uncomfortable. The lack of loops means nothing catches on skin or hair. The suede finish feels soft and consistent rather than the variable texture of cotton loops at different wear stages. As with any new material, a trial period is the practical recommendation: which is why the 60-day guarantee exists.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hooded Towels in Australia
What is the best hooded beach towel in Australia?
Will and Wind adult and kids hooded towels are 200 GSM rPET microfibre, GRS 4.0 certified, made from 22 recycled plastic bottles (adult) or 20 (kids), rated 4.9 stars from Australian customers and backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee. Based on material quality, sustainability credentials and customer rating, they are the benchmark in the Australian hooded towel market.
Are adult hooded beach towels worth it?
Yes, particularly for anyone who swims regularly at the beach, pool or ocean. A hooded towel replaces the post-swim juggling act with something that goes on in one motion and keeps you warm while you change. Once you use one, the idea of going back to a standard towel for beach use seems unnecessarily complicated.
What size hooded beach towel does my child need?
Mini size for children up to approximately 5 to 6 years. Medium for older children, tweens and smaller teenagers. The medium also works well for teenagers who want a hooded towel that will last across several years without being outgrown. Check the sizing guide above and the product dimensions on the kids hooded towels page.
How do you wash a hooded beach towel?
Cold machine wash with a small amount of mild detergent. No fabric softener: it coats the microfibre and reduces absorbency over time. Line dry. The hood can be reshaped while damp if needed. Will and Wind hooded towels hold their shape through regular washing.
Can adults use kids hooded towels?
Not comfortably: the hood and body proportions in the kids range are sized for children. Adults should use the adult hooded towel range where the hood, body length and coverage are sized for adult use. The medium kids size suits smaller teenagers and is occasionally used by petite adults but the adult range is the correct choice for full-size coverage.
How are hooded towels different from changing robes?
A hooded towel is primarily a towel that dries and warms you simultaneously. A changing robe is primarily a garment that keeps you dry and private while changing, with less focus on drying. For beach and pool use where the priority is drying off quickly and staying warm, a hooded towel is lighter and more practical. For surf and cold water swimming where the priority is getting a wetsuit off in the wind, a changing robe often makes more sense. See the adult beach poncho guide for the full comparison.
Do Will and Wind hooded towels match across adults and kids?
Yes. Many designs are available across both the adult and kids hooded ranges, allowing coordinated family sets. Check both the adult hooded towels and kids hooded towels pages for current matching designs.
Are Will and Wind hooded towels sand free?
Yes. The 200 GSM microfibre uses a loopless weave construction. Sand sits on the surface rather than embedding in fibres. One shake removes most of it. This is the same sand-free property as the travel towel range: the material construction is identical.
What is the difference between a hooded towel and a hooded beach towel?
The terms are used interchangeably. A hooded beach towel is a hooded towel designed primarily for outdoor beach use. Both refer to the same product category: a full-size towel with an integrated hood.
Shop Adult Hooded Towels | Shop Kids Hooded Towels | Adult Beach Ponchos | Hooded Childrens Beach Towels Guide