Quick answer

If your hands slip mainly because of sweat during hot yoga or vigorous flows, a non-slip yoga towel laid over your mat absorbs moisture and restores grip. If you need direct contact with the mat for poses that rely on feeling the surface, yoga gloves give you a secure hold without shifting fabric. Many practitioners keep both: gloves for precise hand placement and a towel for heavy sweat sessions.

How each grip aid actually works

Yoga gloves fit snugly around your hands, often with silicone or rubberized palms that create friction against your mat. They stay in place as you move, so you feel the floor directly through the glove. A non-slip yoga towel, by contrast, lies on top of your mat. Its surface grips when dry but becomes traction-ready as it dampens, wicking sweat away from your palms. The towel covers more surface area, which helps in poses where your forearms, knees, or feet also slide.

Sweat volume and practice style decide the winner

For hot yoga or a fast vinyasa where you sweat heavily, a towel is usually the more practical choice because it manages moisture across a larger area. Gloves can become saturated and may need adjusting mid-flow. In a slower hatha or alignment-focused class where sweat is moderate, gloves offer consistent grip without the bulk of a towel under your hands. If you practice both, rotate: gloves for precision work, towel for sweat-heavy sessions.

Mat compatibility and fit matter more than brand

A towel needs a mat with enough texture to hold it in place; on a very smooth mat, look for a towel with corner pockets or a grippy underside. Gloves must fit tightly—loose fabric bunches and reduces contact. Check the thickness option on your mat: a thicker mat may cushion but can make standing poses feel less stable, which affects how much grip you need from either aid. Neither gloves nor towels replace a mat that is fundamentally too slippery when wet; if your mat becomes slick with sweat, a towel can buy time, but a mat designed for moisture management is the longer-term fix.

What to look for when buying

For gloves, prioritize palm material that stays tacky when damp and a wrist closure that does not dig in. For towels, check the dimensions against your mat and whether it has a stay-put backing. If you often practice both hot and restorative styles, a set that includes both a towel and gloves—or gloves and a mat—can cover more of your week than a single item. The Push Further Set pairs a yoga towel with blocks and cuffs for sweaty strength work, while The Practice Anywhere Set includes gloves, socks, a belt, blocks, and an aromatherapy kit for grip and alignment in one package.

Trade-offs: gloves vs towel

  • Coverage: A towel covers your entire mat surface, protecting hands, feet, and forearms; gloves protect only your hands. Choose a towel if multiple contact points slip.
  • Feel and precision: Gloves keep you in direct contact with the mat, which many practitioners prefer for balance and alignment; a towel adds a layer that can shift underfoot. Choose gloves if you want a barefoot-like feel with added grip.
  • Maintenance: Gloves are small and easy to wash frequently; towels are larger and may need a more frequent laundry cycle if you sweat heavily. Consider how often you are willing to launder each item.

Products that address grip and sweat

Which should you choose?

Best for

  • Hot yoga or vigorous vinyasa practitioners who sweat heavily and need full-mat coverage
  • Those who want a quick, portable solution that also protects the mat from moisture
  • Practitioners who prefer to feel the mat directly and need grip only at the hands

Not for

  • Anyone who practices mainly restorative or yin yoga with minimal sweating
  • Those who already own a mat with excellent wet grip and do not slip
  • Practitioners who dislike wearing anything on their hands during flow