Camping towels · How-to guide
How to Choose a Camping or Backpacking Towel (I Tested 14!)
I bought and tested 14 camping and backpacking towels with my own money. This guide walks you through the 6 decisions that actually matter, and which of my picks wins each one.
- 14 towels tested
- 6 decisions
- $0 sponsored
- ~5 min read
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Which camper are you?
Step 1 of 6
Start with your trip, not the towel
Every towel is a trade-off, so the first decision is what you’re actually doing. Backpacking? Go ultralight and portable. Car camping or glamping? You can afford something fluffier and comfier. Beach? Go bigger, and skip the featherweights.
Comfort camp
Fluffy & plush
More comfortable and more absorbent, but heavier, slower to dry, and picks up more dirt. Best for car camping and glamping.
Trail camp
Thin & fast
Dries fast, packs tiny, sheds dirt and sand, but less plush and less absorbent. Best for backpacking and hiking.
Then match the size to the job, and always check the exact dimensions, not just “shower” or “beach”:
- Face / hikingA small towel you can clip to your pack to wipe sweat without it dragging.
- ShowerAround 54 × 25 in, like PackTowl. Sea to Summit, Matador, Wise Owl and Rainleaf run a little smaller, but that’s okay for me.
- BeachGo big, like the Nomadix at 71 × 30 in. Avoid ultralight towels here, because they just blow away.
My adviceI think it’s impossible to find a towel that’s super absorbent, super comfortable, super fast-drying and also super portable. Decide which two matter most for your trip, and don’t worry about the rest.
Step 2 of 6
Drying speed: the feature that matters most
Drying is the single most important thing a camp towel does. Thinner towels dry faster: backpacking towels dry 80-100% faster than cotton outdoors, camping towels 30-70% faster. The general trend is that the thinner your towel, the faster it dries.
20 minMy Matador NanoDry dried in 20 minutes outdoors, a full 100% faster than the cotton towel’s 40.
Drying pairs with wringing: the more water you can wring out, the less is left to dry. Thinner, lighter towels wring out more, which is another win for the trail-camp side.
That same thinness drives portability. My towels ranged from 68 g (2.4 oz) to 488 g (17.2 oz); for backpacking I’d stay at or under 100 g (3.5 oz). Fluffy towels pack 5-10× bigger than lightweight ones.
My adviceIf you’re backpacking and weight is the priority, buy the thinnest towel you’ll tolerate. It dries faster, wrings better, and packs smaller.
Step 3 of 6
Absorbency & comfort: the fluffy side
On the flip side, the fluffier your towel, the more absorbent and comfortable it is. But you probably need less absorbency than you think — most people only need to soak up 250-300 mL (8.5-10.1 fl oz) after a shower. At 5’3″ with shoulder-length hair, I need just 50-75 mL (1.7-2.5 fl oz).
Comfort comes down to fluffiness, good sizing (around 54 × 25 in), softness, and as little stickiness as possible. Fluffier towels feel like the cotton one at home; thin towels can feel strange at first. It’s subjective, and the dimensions are the only part you can measure.
My adviceDon’t overbuy absorbency. Unless you’re mopping up the tent or doing dishes, a mid-absorbency towel dries you off fine, and dries itself out far faster.
Step 4 of 6
Staying clean and odor-free
Dirt and sand: thinner, smoother towels with shorter piles pick up far less, and what they do grab shakes right off. Fluffy, long-pile towels trap grass and dirt you’ll be picking out by hand. Sand behaves the same way, though this only matters if you’re headed to the beach.
Odor: the good ones are treated. My PackTowl Personal and Luxe are lined with Polygiene, so there was no smell at all even after I soaked them in seawater and sealed them up for 4 days. Untreated towels can turn sour or smell like food going bad.
My adviceIf odor control matters to you (it should for multi-day trips), buy a towel with a named anti-odor treatment like Polygiene, not just a “quick-dry” claim.
Step 5 of 6
Build quality and the little things
Performance aside, a towel has to last, and a few small features make daily use nicer. Here’s what I check:
- StitchingThe weak point. Once the stitching starts unravelling, it’s only a matter of time before the whole towel falls apart. Check it first.
- BleedingCheaper towels bleed dye, so you’ll wash them a few times before first use.
- MaterialThey’re all microfiber (a polyester + nylon blend), so they’re absorbent, quick-drying and light. It’s what I recommend.
- Blend70/30 is billed as most absorbent, 85/15 as less, but honestly it barely matters. My best towels are 85/15.
- Hanging loopSnap loops clip on with no carabiner; stitched loops need one. Most of mine snap.
- Storage pouchWant it lightweight with a smooth zipper and some ventilation, not heavy Velcro.
- Machine washableNearly all are, but check the tag before you toss it in.
I tested 14 towels for every one of these features. The full results are in my two round-ups: the 10 best camping towels and the 5 best backpacking towels.
My adviceDon’t agonize over the blend percentage. Put your attention on stitching and material quality instead. That’s what actually decides how long the towel survives.
Step 6 of 6
Price: spend where it counts
My towels ran from about $10 to $40. Three things push the price up: better performance, better materials, and bigger sizes.
My adviceCamp rarely? Save your money, and my Best Budget pick is the Wise Owl Towel. Camp often? Spend a little more for performance, like my Best Overall PackTowl Personal.
The winners
What won each of my tests
| My award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Overall | PackTowl Personal |
| Most Absorbent | PackTowl Luxe |
| Best at Wringing | Matador NanoDry |
| Fastest Drying | Matador NanoDry |
| Best Odor Resistance | PackTowl Luxe or PackTowl Personal |
| Best Dirt Repellence | Matador NanoDry |
| Best Sand Repellence | Matador NanoDry |
| Best Portability | Matador NanoDry |
| Most Comfortable | PackTowl Luxe |
| Highest Quality | Nomadix |
| Best Durability | Nomadix |
| Best Design & Colors | Nomadix |
| Most Durable Hanging Loop | Nomadix |
| Best Storage Pouch | Matador NanoDry or Sea to Summit Tek |
| Best Budget Pick | Wise Owl or Rainleaf |
The bottom line
Pick your trip first, then pick your two priorities. You won’t get all four. Backpackers: go thin, light and fast-drying. Car campers: go fluffy, comfy and absorbent. Everyone: check the stitching, the size, and the odor treatment. Want the full test data on all 14? See my camping-towel round-up →
Quick questions
FAQ
What’s the best material for a camping towel?
Microfiber, a polyester and nylon blend. Every towel I tested and recommend is microfiber: absorbent, quick-drying and light. The exact blend (70/30 vs 85/15) barely matters.
How big should a camping towel be?
About 54 × 25 in for a shower towel, bigger (around 71 × 30 in) for the beach, and small enough to clip on your pack for a hiking face towel. Always check the exact dimensions.
Do I need a quick-dry towel for car camping?
Less than for backpacking. If you’re car camping you can trade some drying speed for a fluffier, more comfortable, more absorbent towel, because you’re not carrying it on your back.
Keep going
Where to next
I tested all 14 of these towels myself, and I bought every one of them.
