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See the 13 tests

1. In the Box
2. Specifications
3. Features
4. Absorbency
5. Wringing
6. Drying Test 1 (After Wringing)
7. Drying Test 2 (100mL/3.4 fl oz)
8. Odor Resistance
9. Grass and Dirt Test
10. Sand Test
11. Portability
12. Comfort
13. Durability

In the Box

I bought mine in the Shower size, not the smaller Trek size. Here’s everything in the package:

• The towel
• A silicone storage pouch
• A small carabiner, attached to the pouch but easy to detach

Specifications

These are my own measurements, for the Shower size:

• Size 46 x 23.5in
• Weight of towel 2.4oz
• Weight of storage pouch 2.6oz
• Packed size 5 x 3 x 2in
• Blend 85% polyester + 15% nylon
• Made in China

Features

• Hanging loop Yes

• Machine washable Yes
• Odor control Antimicrobial coating
• Storage pouch Silicone, vented on one side, with its own hanging loop and carabiner

Absorbency

I measured the water in a bucket, soaked the towel in it, then lifted it out and let it drip until it stopped. Then I measured the water left in the bucket to see how much it had absorbed.

• Water absorbed 5.1fl oz
• Absorbency 2.2 times its own weight
• Cotton towel 3.26 timesFor a towel comparison

That’s one of the lowest absorbencies of all my towels, and it’s because of how thin and minimal the material is. The Sea to Summit AirLite Towel is the only full-size towel that holds as little.

Wringing

After soaking it, I wrung out as much water as I could and weighed it again.

• Weight after wringing 4.7oz
• Water left in the towel 43%
• Cotton towel 46% leftFor a towel comparison

Drying Test 1 (After Wringing)

After a full soak and a hard wring, this test measures how long it takes to dry. It’s to recreate the situation where you’re drying your towel after you wash it at camp.

It dries in just 14 minutes outdoors and 1 hour 45 minutes indoors. The cotton towel took 2 hours 15 minutes outdoors and a whopping 27 hours indoors.

Outdoors	Weight	Dry
0 mins	4.7oz	0%
5 mins	3.9oz	35%
10 mins	2.9oz	77%
14 mins	2.4oz	100%

Indoors	Weight	Dry
0 hours	4.7oz	0%
1 hour	3.3oz	60%
1 hour 45 mins	2.4oz	100%

Drying Test 2 (100mL/3.4 fl oz)

For a fair comparison I add the same 100mL/3.4 fl oz of water to every towel I test. It also recreates drying off after a shower at camp.

That takes it from 2.4oz up to 5.9oz. It dries in 20 minutes outdoors and 2.5 hours indoors, against 40 minutes and 7 hours for the cotton towel.

Outdoors	Weight	Dry
0 mins	5.9oz	0%
10 mins	4.1oz	53%
20 mins	2.4oz	100%

Indoors	Weight	Dry
0 hours	5.9oz	0%
1 hour	4.5oz	41%
2 hours	3.0oz	82%
2.5 hours	2.4oz	100%

That’s 100% faster than a cotton towel outdoors, and the fastest of every towel I own.

Odor Resistance

I ran three odor tests. The Matador is treated with an antimicrobial coating, so that explains why it did so well in all three.

• Soaked in seawater, then bagged 4 days No smell at all
• Showered and dried off, then bagged 4 days No smell
• Used daily for 7 days, hung indoors between uses No smell at all

I could have gone 2 weeks without washing it. The cotton towel smelled like rotten food after the same seawater test.

Grass and Dirt Test

I dragged it along some grass and stepped on it. It picked up no dirt at all, only a little moisture.

I didn’t have to shake it once. The cotton towel picked up plenty, and still had bits stuck when I got home.

Sand Test

I covered it in sand at the beach. Only a little stuck, and you can barely see it.

Note I still wouldn’t use this as a beach towel. It’s so light that it can blow away if you’re not careful.

Portability

Portability is the Matador’s whole selling point. It’s the lightest and most compact towel I own.

• Weight 2.4oz

• Cotton towel 11.9ozA slightly larger one, for a towel comparison
• Packed size 5 x 3 x 2in

• Hanging loops On both the towel and the pouch, and it never drags

The pouch is the one thing I don’t like though. It weighs 2.6oz, which is more than the towel itself.

Comfort

It’s smooth and not stiff, but much thinner than my other camping towels, so it doesn’t feel plush. It takes some getting used to. If you want plush, my PackTowl Luxe is the other end of that scale.

It sticks to my skin so I have to pat rather than wipe, though it doesn’t leave me feeling damp afterwards. Against other backpacking towels, they’re all about this thin.

At 5’3″ and 115lbs it dries me off fine, but share it with someone my size and it’ll need wringing out.

Durability

• After 4 months of light use Same weight, so no material lost

• Material Entirely intact, with no loose threads or fraying
• Edges No visible stitching, yet no fraying at all
• Color Bleeds a lot for the first 4-5 washes, and stains white fabric
• Hanging loop Useful and secure, and the catch isn’t stiff
• Storage pouch High quality and strong

My white tag is now pink, so you might want to wash it a few times before you take it anywhere.

2 Tips for Reducing Weight

First, you could just leave the pouch at home and use a tiny ziplock bag instead. That saves 2.6oz for almost no weight of its own. There’s no ventilation, so dry the towel before you pack it.

Second, for ultra-minimalists there is a smaller version. I review it here: Matador NanoDry Trek Towel Review.

Pros and Cons

Would I recommend the Matador NanoDry?

The lightest and most compact towel I own

2.4oz and 5 x 3 x 2in packed, against 11.9oz for a cotton towel.

My fastest drying towel

Just 14 minutes in the hot sun after a full soak and a wring.

Excellent odor resistance

No smell at all after a seawater soak sealed in a bag for 96 hours.

Nothing sticks to it

It picked up no dirt at all off the grass, the best result of any towel I tested.

High quality and very durable

No material lost and no fraying after 4 months.

The pouch is heavier than the towel

2.6oz of silicone against a 2.4oz towel.

It bleeds and stains

The first 4-5 washes bleed, and it stains white fabric. My tag went from white to pink.

One of my most expensive towels

You’re paying for the weight saving.

Thin, so it is not the most comfortable

Absorbency is 2.2 times, one of my lowest. I got used to the feel after a few days, so just something to keep in mind.

Bonus: Must Read!

Every figure above is from my own testing, measured by hand on gear I bought with my own money.