This page contains affiliate links, and that means that I may earn a commission if you buy something, at no extra cost to you. You can find my full disclosure policy here.

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

You get a storage pouch, the towel, and a thank you card with short care instructions.

Specifications

These are my own measurements, which differ a little from the marketed dimensions on Amazon:

• Size 46 x 23in
• Weight of towel 5.5oz
• Weight of storage pouch 0.4oz
• Packed size 8.5 x 6 x 1in
• Blend 85% polyester + 15% polyamide/nylon
• Made in China

Features

• Hanging loop Yes

• Machine washable Yes, on a gentle cycle
• Storage pouch Mesh front for ventilation, lightweight back
• Pouch hanging loop Yes, for a 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.

• Water absorbed 13.5fl oz
• Absorbency 2.6 times its own weight
• Cotton towel 3.26 timesFor a towel comparison

A cotton towel holds noticeably more, relative to its own weight.

Wringing

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

• Weight after wringing 10.9oz
• Water left in the towel 39%
• Cotton towel 46% leftFor a towel comparison

Drying Test 1 (After Wringing)

This test measures how long it takes to dry after a full soak and a hard wring, which is what happens when you wash it at camp.

It dries in 43 minutes outdoors and 6 hours indoors. The cotton towel took 2 hours 15 minutes outdoors and a whopping 27 hours indoors.

Outdoors	Weight	Dry
0 mins	10.9oz	0%
15 mins	8.9oz	38%
30 mins	7.0oz	73%
43 mins	5.5oz	100%

Indoors	Weight	Dry
0 hours	10.9oz	0%
1 hour	10.1oz	15%
2 hours	9.1oz	34%
3 hours	8.1oz	52%
4 hours	7.0oz	73%
5 hours	6.1oz	88%
6 hours	5.5oz	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 5.5oz up to 9oz. It dries in 28 minutes outdoors and 4 hours indoors, against 40 minutes and 7 hours for the cotton towel.

Outdoors	Weight	Dry
0 mins	9oz	0%
10 mins	7.7oz	39%
20 mins	6.4oz	74%
28 mins	5.5oz	100%

Indoors	Weight	Dry
0 hours	9oz	0%
1 hour	7.9oz	33%
2 hours	6.9oz	61%
3 hours	6.2oz	81%
4 hours	5.5oz	100%

Odor Resistance

I soaked it in seawater at the beach, wrung it out, and sealed it in a plastic bag for 4 days (96 hours).

It came out with a damp sea smell, but it wasn’t sour or musky, and not really unpleasant at all. The Rainleaf is treated with an antibacterial coating, which stops foul smells from developing.

Grass and Dirt Test

I dragged it along some grass and stepped on it. It picked up a few specks of dirt.

Everything came off when I shook it, and the towel was clean afterwards.

The cotton towel picked up more, and that dirt wouldn’t shake off, so pieces were still stuck when I got home.

Sand Test

I covered it in sand at the beach, the same way I did the grass test. Some of it wouldn’t come off even after shaking.

So I wouldn’t pick this one as a beach towel. The cotton towel shook completely clean, which surprised me.

Portability

• Weight 5.5oz

• Cotton towel 11.9ozA similar size, for a towel comparison
• Packed size 8.5 x 6 x 1in
• Folding Thirds, then keep halving it until it fits

Both the towel and the pouch have hanging loops. I am not tall, so the towel drags on the ground when I hang it off my pack.

You can stuff it back in without folding, but then the pouch won’t close and some of the towel sticks out.

Comfort

It’s smooth to the touch but feels quite stiff. It also sticks to my skin, so I have to pat down instead of wiping.

After drying off, my skin would still feel a little damp. The Large size is also a bit smaller than a regular bath towel.

Durability

The stitching is consistent with no gaps, but one corner has started to fray. The body of the towel is still intact with no loose threads.

• After 4 months of light use Same weight, so no material lost
• Color Bleeds a bit, especially on the first wash

• Hanging loop Secure, but the catch is stiff and feels cheap
• Storage pouch Loose threads and a little fraying on the inside

I would also prefer a zippered opening, so the towel doesn’t stick out when I stuff it in without folding.

Pros and Cons

Would I recommend the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel?

My most inexpensive camping towel

It costs less than half my PackTowl Personal and less than a third of my Nomadix Original Towel.

Decently compact and lightweight

It’s 5.5oz and packs to 8.5 x 6 x 1in, though most camping towels are only a few ounces heavier.

Good odor resistance

An antibacterial coating meant four days sealed in a bag after seawater left only a damp sea smell.

Lower than average absorbency

It holds 13.5fl oz, or 2.6 times its weight, less than the cotton towel’s 3.26 times.

A corner has started fraying

The body is still intact, but the stitching on one corner has gone and the pouch has loose threads inside. You do get what you pay for.

It is not sand repellent

Some sand stayed on even after shaking, while the cotton towel shook completely clean.

It sticks to your skin

You have to pat down instead of wiping, and my skin still felt a little damp afterward.

On drying, wringing, odor resistance, sand and dirt repellence, comfort and quality the Rainleaf was average against the other camping towels I bought, so those are neither a pro nor a con.

Bonus – MUST Read!

I measured every number on this page myself.