travel bath towel lightweight

Advertisement

The Best Packable Travel Towels

By Ebony Roberts

We love a plush, thirsty bath towel , but a campsite or suitcase just isn’t the place for one—there, we want a quick-drying, packable travel towel.

After putting 20 such towels through 60 hours of testing—including an intense day of sand and surf at the beach—we’ve concluded the PackTowl Personal offers the best balance of drying time, packability, and odor resistance without compromising comfort and design.

A good option for nearly every towel-related scenario, it’s lightweight, extra-large, and supersoft, making it usable for both car camping and travel into the backcountry.

Everything we recommend

PackTowl Personal

The best packable camp towel.

Whether used for camping, hiking, traveling, or general outdoor adventuring, this towel is durable enough to handle extended abuse while remaining soft and comfortable.

Buying Options

With store pickup or REI membership (limited patterns)

Budget pick

Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

An inexpensive towel that gets the job done.

Good-enough absorbency and drying time for those on a budget.

PackTowl Luxe

A plush, comfortable towel.

Good for car camping, day trips, and hanging at the beach, this towel is made of an incredibly soft fabric that also repels dirt.

Scoring well in nearly every performance category, the PackTowl Personal towel consistently surprised us with its ability to handle the elements. It has an antibacterial treatment to help prevent odor, the “body” size (25 by 54 inches) is large enough to wrap around most folks, and it feels soft against the skin. It’s made of a tear-resistant fabric and was the best towel we tested at absorbing water and repelling dirt. Better still, sand from the beach remained on the towel’s surface so it was easy to shake off, leaving the towel clean after multiple uses. Its drying time was faster than most of the towels we tested and it packs down to a small size in a zippered breathable pouch, making it convenient for travel or camping.

The Rainleaf Microfiber Towel was nearly identical in design to many of the pricier models and scored just as well in our field tests. The only downsides are that its size large is smaller than most other large towels we tested, and it has lighter-feeling fabric. It didn’t handle our day at the beach quite as well and took a little longer to dry, but otherwise it’s comparable in comfort and packability. And, because it’s treated with an antibacterial coating—something not standard on budget (or even some pricey) towels—it passed our smell test with a perfect score. At just a fraction of the price of our top choice, it’s a good pick if you’re the kind of person who goes camping a few times a year and needs something affordable that works well.

If packing your towel down into a tiny space isn’t a concern for you, the PackTowl Luxe is about as comfortable as a towel can get. Although it does take up a bit more room and takes significantly longer to dry, its “body” size has the same dimensions as our top pick but has a plusher feel against the skin. Unlike similar big and luxurious camp towels, it didn’t smell after being put away wet. It absorbed water off the skin without trapping in the dirt and sand, which left it surprisingly clean for a towel with such a high pile. As it was easy to shake off, we enjoyed having it as a wrap and beach blanket, too.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked, how we tested, our pick: packtowl personal, how the packtowl has held up, flaws but not dealbreakers, an inexpensive towel that works fine: rainleaf microfiber towel, a plush, comfortable towel: packtowl luxe, microfibers and the environment, the competition, care and maintenance.

We spoke with three experts to get their takes on what we should look for in a good towel. Mark Knight, a product designer currently with Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) , has designed a number of outdoor products, including packable towels, and gave us a breakdown on what he considers to be important when creating products like these.

We spoke via email with Georgia Newsome, owner and operator of Coastal Bliss Adventures , who has worked as a backpacking, camping, and canoeing guide for the past 15 years.

And we spoke with Craig Oliver, product manager for health and safety at MEC. He was able to tell us what’s important from a consumer perspective. In addition to these interviews, we read a number of online reviews, pored over camping and backpacking forums, researched microfiber fabrics, and then selected and tested the towels we think cover most activities to determine which one was best overall.

Why doesn’t a regular, everyday cotton towel cut it for most outdoor activities? Knight offered us five reasons your cotton towel isn’t ideal: it’s too big, too heavy, might get damaged or stained, doesn’t get washed at the same frequency it would at home, therefore causing it to smell, and lastly, it’s not always used in the same manner as it would be at home. He added, “As a travel towel, there is also the added functional requirement of being quick-dry. When traveling, you can move around a lot, and a packed wet towel generally means a stinky towel.”

Packable towels are usually made from microfiber , although a few of the ones we tested are made from other materials (which didn’t end up performing as well). These materials are typically a blend of polyester and polyamide, aka nylon, and depending on the blend will produce a towel that feels more suede-like and slick to one that feels more plush like your average cotton towel. There are also packable towels made of nanofabric, which is composed of tiny nanoscopic fibers woven together—think the width of a human hair (or even smaller)—to create a fabric that is incredibly lightweight and small. Though they do the trick, nanofiber towels tend to have a slicker surface, which means they don’t feel much like the towel you’re used to.

According to Oliver, the most popular camp towel size is roughly equivalent to a standard household bath towel—about 26 by 52 inches after washing. Some towels were slightly smaller or larger, but we tried to stay within what would seem like regulation size for most people.

All the experts we talked to shared the opinion that the type of towel you’ll want to purchase depends on the activity you’re using it for. For backpacking or kayaking trips, Newsome told us that “lightweight, small packability and quick drying are the most important factors.” For car camping or other adventures, where weight isn’t an issue, she opts for a larger microfiber towel, and one with an antimicrobial coating, “which means for those longer road trips and tours this towel stays fresh smelling.” Knight’s opinion aligned with Newsome’s: “Some of the lightest towels don’t feel that great against your skin, but the weight means you will actually bring it in your backpack when on a long hike. If you are traveling around the world, weight might not be your primary concern, but comfort will factor highly, as you will be using the towel each day—unless you are a soap dodger ! So, a softer, slightly heavier towel may be the way to go.”

Just as important as how much water a towel can absorb—in other words, how well it dries you—is how well the towel dries after you’re dry. “Nobody wants to put a wet towel into their backpack,” Oliver said.

After surveying online reviews, forums, and user ratings, and asking people what type of towel they preferred for their own outdoor activities, we narrowed our field to 19 packable towels, then threw in a standard cotton towel as a plush baseline. We then tested the towels using seven criteria: price, comfort, design, wicking, drying time, odor resistance, and packability.

We washed and dried all of the towels, giving them all an equal starting point, then we scored them in each category. We didn’t score weight or size, but we did make note of whether these features made a difference when comparing similar options.

Comfort: This was a tough one because of the people we asked, some preferred a more textured fabric and others liked the smooth feel of the microsuede towels. We asked individuals to feel each towel against their skin, asked for their comments, and then asked what their overall top picks were.

Design: Here, we looked at how well the towel is made, and whether there were any particular features—good or bad—that made drying off more or less of a pleasure. Key among them was fabric quality, stitching, and what kind of hanging loop—essential!—the towel came with. We also looked at texture, an important attribute for both water absorption and grabbing dirt and grime, rather than just pushing it around. A too-slick towel won’t do much of anything except leave your skin feeling yucky and wet.

Wicking: One of the most important tests we conducted was how well the towel could wick away water and leave the skin feeling dry. When we took our test towels to the beach, we wanted to see how they performed against sandy salt water and whether they were able to clean the skin in addition to drying it.

Drying time: To determine which towel dried the fastest, we applied the same amount of water to each towel and then timed how long it took for them to dry. But how much water to use, and how dry is dry, exactly? We used 4 ounces of water, a quantity we settled on after having multiple testers shower and weigh their towels before and after use. Once the person was dry enough to feel comfortable putting their clothes on, we called that “dry.” We did this a couple of times with each person and used a couple types of cotton towels to get a base number. The average amount of water people removed from their bodies after showering was a ½ cup, or about 225 milliliters. We hung our entire assortment of high-tech, portable towels on the same line and recorded the time it took to leave each one dry to the touch.

Odor resistance: Another important criterion is how the towel smells after multiple uses. “An antimicrobial finish helps with odor management and decreases the frequency you need to wash the towel,” Knight told us. A towel may be used a dozen times before it gets properly washed, and if a towel smells musty or dirty after a couple of uses, it probably is. Many of the towels advertise a protective antibacterial coating and we wanted to see if these coatings actually made a difference.

Our test involved taking the towels to the beach, soaking them in 16 ounces of ocean water, wringing out the excess water as best as we could, and then placing each towel in a sealed plastic bag for 48 hours. After that, we opened the bags and took a whiff. Though most remained odor-free (especially those coated with an antimicrobial treatment), we were taken aback by how seriously a few of them reeked.

Packability: As important as drying you—and drying out—are, the other key thing a camp towel has to do is pack small for travel. Some towels came with cases, some didn’t. Our focus was simply how tiny a towel could get.

Price: More expensive doesn’t really seem like a good thing when it comes to something like a packable travel towel, given that there’s such a variance in price and that most towels pretty much claim to do the same thing.

The PackTowl Personal is our top choice because it handled every test we put it through. It’s the perfect option for nearly any outdoor activity that requires a towel. It’s large and durable while still being comfortable and comes with an antimicrobial treatment, which means it won’t smell after multiple uses. Its snap loop for hanging was one of the easiest to use, and the towel packs down to a small size, making it easy to travel with. Its drying time was comparable with that of the fastest-drying towels we tested, and it didn’t absorb dirt or sand into its fabric, an essential feature if you’re taking a towel into the backcountry.

Made of a soft microsuede, this towel was consistently chosen as a top pick by those we asked to rate its comfort. It is soft and light, but still has a bit of texture, so it doesn’t feel slick against your skin the way a nanofiber towel like the Matador NanoDry Shower Towel does. The PackTowl seems built to last, with a nicely seamed edge that should hold up over time. On top of feeling soft, it dried our skin much more readily than the non-microfiber towels we tested, like the Coleman or Outlier. It even dried a bit more quickly than other microfiber products in our test group. We were impressed by how well it repelled sand and dirt from being absorbed into its fabric. The sand that did stick to the towel was easy to shake off—which wasn’t the case of some of the other models we tested that looked like dirty rags after just a short time at the beach.

In our drying-time test, the PackTowl dried much faster than most, with the exception of the linen towel and the Biospired Footprint, which beat the PackTowl’s dry time by 30 minutes. (The towels we tested dried in a range from 1 hour, 45 minutes to nearly 4 hours.) We noticed that the towels with an additional antimicrobial coating took a little longer to dry. We think the extra odor protection is worth the few extra minutes of drying time. As the PackTowl dried, some water initially beaded on the surface, but was then absorbed, compared with towels that still had visible water beads after almost an hour of drying. (Beads of water were a good indication of extended drying times.) Water also dispersed evenly through the towel rather than leaving wet spots, which likely contributed to its fast drying time. We dried the towels in overcast conditions, and noticed that at just over 1 hour, 30 minutes the PackTowl was only minimally damp, and could be packed back into its carrying case if you were in a rush to pack up and go.

We tested the PackTowl’s “body” size, which weighed 6.7 ounces, fairly average compared with the other suede-type towels, and measured 25 by 54 inches, just shy of being the same size as our standard bath towel, and larger than many of the towels in our testing pool.

Wirecutter staffers have owned this towel for multiple seasons and it continues to hold up, with no loose threads or unraveled seams after use.

We didn’t love the PackTowl’s pouch: it doesn’t attach easily to a backpack, and the zipper seemed flimsy. But the pouch is made of breathable fabric, so it won’t trap moisture the way a plastic bag or pouch might. Although the PackTowl is antimicrobial, it did have the slightest ocean water odor to it after our 48-hour smell test, which is not something we noticed in previous tests.

Costing about half the price of our top pick, the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is a great choice for those that don’t want to shell out almost $30 for a towel. A major bonus is that unlike most of the inexpensive towels we considered, this one actually comes with an antimicrobial treatment and passed the smell test after being sealed up wet for two days. It’s also comfortable, easy to dry off with, and just as packable as the PackTowl.

It didn’t dry quite as fast as our top pick and that may be due to the fact that some of the water beaded off and remained on the surface before being absorbed directly into the towel. The size we tested (L) is also slightly smaller than some of the pricier options but still big enough to wrap around the average person’s body.

Because it is so inexpensive, there’s the option of upgrading to the XL or XXL sizes for just a few bucks more and still have it come in well below price of most other towels. On top of that, it has a functional carrying pouch that is both breathable and easy to fasten onto a backpack so you can pack the towel damp and hang it to dry when it’s time to hit the road.

That said, though it did well drying our testers at the beach, it didn’t handle sand as well as our top pick, leaving a good amount behind on both their skin and the towel itself. If you’re a serious outdoor adventurer who’s going to be putting it to work against the elements, we recommend a towel that can handle gritty, sticky stuff a bit better.

If size and volume aren’t issues and you’re looking for something more soft and comfortable, the PackTowl Luxe performed the best of the plush cotton-like microfiber towels. Not only did it dry the quickest of these towels, it was good at removing sand from the skin and didn’t absorb dirt and mud into the fabric. It also didn’t have any odor after the smell test. A few of the other thicker towels we tested simply reeked—testers used the term “rotten fish”—after a couple days crunched into a ball, but not the Luxe.

If comfort is a primary concern, this towel feels much closer to cotton, avoiding the slick skin-feel common to many microsuedes and nanofibers. As we did with our pick, the PackTowl Personal, we tested the extra-large “Body” size. Also like our pick, at this size the Luxe is a few inches larger than the others we tested of the same type, measuring 25 by 54 inches, offering that extra little bit of coverage.

It does come with a carrying pouch, and though not as stylish or durable as the Sea to Summit Pocket Towel ’s silicone carrying case, it’s adequate for what it needs to do. We consider this towel a solid option for car camping and day trips, when taking up a little extra space won’t matter.

Although durable and light, there’s an environmental downside to microsynthetic fibers: Every time you wash that gear, small quantities of its fibers are shed, ending up in our waterways and oceans. (Here’s a study from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management on the issue.) For more about the problem and some advice on combating it, see our article Your Laundry Sheds Harmful Microfibers. Here’s What You Can Do About It.

We tested a standard white bath towel—the Fieldcrest Luxury Solid Towel, which has since been discontinued—that was the same size as the majority of the towels we tested. It performed as expected: It was great at drying skin and was comfortable, but it didn’t pack down and had a bit of a funky smell after our odor test. Surprisingly, it didn’t take that much longer to dry than some of the plusher microfiber models we tested and actually outperformed a few of the towels that are marketed specifically for camping.

Biospired Footprint Towel: This had been our runner-up pick, but the size we tested has cycled in and out of stock. If you do happen to run across one, it’s still a good towel, though. We had also tested, and dismissed, the Biospired Endurance Camping & Fitness Towel and the Biospired Trek Pack Towel; for what it’s worth, those towels also tend to have stock problems.

Matador NanoDry Shower Towel : For backcountry campers and hikers that are concerned about weight, this is by far the lightest towel we tested (2.4 ounces). It performed well, but it is very thin and not as comfortable as the others. We decided it was too specialized to be best for most people.

Outlier Grid Linen Towel : Made of a natural linen fabric, this towel was the fastest-drying towel, and it performed well at the beach. But it doesn’t pack down very small, doesn’t come with a carrying case but rather a thick elastic band, and had a faint smell after our odor test. Those drawbacks made it hard to justify its high price.

Sunland Microfiber Towel  (currently unavailable): One of the least expensive microfiber towels, but no antimicrobial treatment and very average performance.

Sea to Summit DryLite Towel : One of the slowest to dry. Another note of caution, many online reviews have reported a problem with the cobalt blue dye running. We didn’t run into this problem, but we tested an orange towel, so it’s likely the issue is with only the darker-colored towels. Another drawback is that the carrying case comes with a Velcro closure, making it possible to snag the fabric when maneuvering the towel into and out of the case.

Shandali Yoga Travel Towel  (currently unavailable): Average performance, no carrying case, and though it does have a little loop for hanging to dry, most of the towels we tested had a loop with a snap, making them more versatile.

YogaRat SportLite Sport + Bath Towel  (currently unavailable): Though this towel did dry quite quickly and was resistant to odor during our 48-hour test, the lack of an antibacterial treatment gave us odor concerns for people taking it on longer trips. And with no carrying case and a snapless loop, this towel was a few steps below our top choices in convenience.

Sea to Summit Tek Towel : Sand stuck to the towel, leaving it quite dirty. Drying time was slow.

REI Co-op Multi Towel  (currently unavailable, but we're looking into a possible new version): Everything stuck to this towel: dryer lint, grass, sand, and dirt, and even though we tested a darker color, it looked dirty after our day at the beach. It also didn’t smell great after our odor test, and it took over four hours to dry.

Lightload Towel : Not really built to be used multiple times, this towel is made of an almost paperlike viscose material, and although very small, once unpackaged it can’t be squished down to its original size (although it does fit in a smaller Ziploc bag). It is incredibly large though, dried quickly, and would probably perform as an ad-hoc firestarter or outdoor survival tool (non-cleanliness-oriented usage scenarios suggested by the manufacturer). Whether being able to set the world on fire is a worthwhile trade-off with this towel’s lack of odor resistance—it was the worst performer in our stink trial—is something we hope we’ll never have to decide.

Coghlan’s Deluxe Camp Towel (currently unavailable): This is the classic outdoor towel that’s been around campsites for years. Some backcountry campers still prefer these towels because they’re small, lightweight, and cheap, but they didn’t perform as well as the microfiber towels that we tested. They dry very slowly, stink up easily, and don’t feel good against the skin.

Coleman Camp Towel  (currently unavailable): Similar in nearly every aspect to the Coghlan’s towel, just with slightly different dimensions—neither is big enough to really function as a full-body wrap—this model also had the drawbacks of rough fabric, odor retention, and delayed drying. (It appears to have been discontinued.)

Most packable towels are designed to repel dirt and bacteria, so they don’t need to be cleaned after every use. Excessive washing can also break down the fabric and any additional antimicrobial technology the towel might be treated with. So, wash only when dirty and don’t dry your towel on high heat unless absolutely necessary; way better to hang it when you can and let the air take care of it.

This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan.

Nicholas J. Bruce, Niko L. Hartline, Stephanie N. Karba, Elizabeth O. Ruff, Shreya U. Sonar, and Patricia A. Holden, Microfiber Pollution and the Apparel Industry , Bren School of Environmental Science and Management , September 30, 2016

Mark Knight, product designer for Mountain Equipment Co-opand member of the Outdoor Industry Association , email interview , April 21, 2017

Georgia Newsome, owner and operator of Coastal Bliss Adventure and Kilimanjaro Bliss , email interview , March 31, 2017

Craig Oliver, product manager for health and safety at Mountain Equipment Co-op , phone interview , March 29, 2017

What Are The Coolest New Small Gear Companies? , Outside , January 15, 2016

Anne Trafton, Tiny particles may pose big risk , MIT News , April 8, 2014

Meet your guide

Ebony Roberts

Further reading

The Best Gear for Travel

by Wirecutter Staff

We put in another year and tens of thousands more miles of travel to test the best travel gear—and we stand by last year’s choices alongside a few new picks.

Essential Gear for Traveling Solo

by Ria Misra

Traveling solo is freeing but poses some unique challenges. Wirecutter’s picks help you travel comfortably and securely—and bring home great pictures too.

The Best Duffle Bags

by Kit Dillon

After lugging 34 duffles through airports, to beaches, and on weekend trips, we chose seven bags that’ll carry what you need carried in a range of scenarios.

The Best Beach and Surf Gear: Towels, Totes, Coolers, and More

After seven years of relaxing in the sand and playing in the surf, we’ve chosen the best picks to help you enjoy a perfect beach day.

• Meet the Team
• Work with Us
• Czech Republic
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• Scandinavia
• Philippines
• South Korea
• New Zealand
• South Africa
• Budget Travel
• Work & Travel
• The Broke Backpacker Manifesto
• Travel Resources
• How to Travel on $10/day

Home » Gear » microfiber travel towel

The Best Microfiber Travel Towel for your Next Adventure

Whilst most backpackers might fall short of the average of one shower a day, it doesn’t mean we don’t want or need a good wash! Ok scratch that, us vagabonds are in serious need of a good shower but taking one on the road isn’t always as straight forward as it is back home. Once you’ve negotiated the hostel shower, the local river or a bucket surrounded by bamboo in a Burmese village (yes, that was me) you’ve got to get dry.

Unfortunately those comfortable but heavy Egyptian cotton towels aren’t exactly backpacker friendly. Whilst I fully acknowledge that discussing towels might not be the most thrilling topic when you’ve got an endless array of adventures to plan. But trust me, your shoulders understand the importance!

The solution: a microfiber travel towel. They’re made with quick-dry material, they pack super small, and they are relatively inexpensive… a travellers’ dreams. In a nutshell – microfiber towels were literally made for backpackers and travellers.

However, as with most things, not all towels are created equally. Some don’t wash well or pick up an unpleasant odour. So I’ve done the hard yards for you and wrote this epic guide so you can quickly and easily find which microfiber travel towel best suits your needs.

Let’s get this party started!

Quick Answer: What are the best towels to take traveling?

• Sea to Summit Drylite Towel – Best Backpacking Towel
• Matador Ultralight Travel Towel – Most Compact Travel Towel
• Youphoria Sport Microfiber Travel Towel – Best Towel for Traveling Yogis
• Nomadix Towel – Best Non-Microfiber Towel for Travel 
• ECCOSOPHY TRAVEL TOWEL – Honorary Mention
• Jump to –> Travel Towel Reviews

Real Quick – What is Microfiber Material?

Ok, so before we crack on with showing you what the best backpacking towel is, we need to explain what one is first.

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber, usually made out of polyesters, polyamides, or blends. The grabby texture of the microfiber makes the towel more absorbent which, in turn, makes it great for swimming, traveling, exercising, any activity that makes you wet.

Right then, let’s get this microfiber towel review going!

The Broke Backpacker is supported by you . Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more .

Microfiber Travel Towel Reviews

Best towel for backpacking – sea to summit drylite towel, most compact travel towel – matador ultralight.

• Best Travel Towel for Yogis – Youphoria Sport

Best Non-Microfiber Towel for Travel – Nomadix

• Honorable Mention – ECCOSOPHY Microfiber Towel
• Best Microfiber Beach Towel – OCOOPA Microfiber Beach Towel

Why Invest in a Travel Towel?

How we tested the best microfiber travel towel, faq about the best microfiber travel towel, conclusion: the best microfiber towels for travel.

Check out our extensive review on our top four favorite quick-drying microfiber travel towels reviews below…

REI is one of America’s biggest and most-loved outdoor gear retailers.

Now, for just $30, get a lifetime membership that entitles you to 10% OFF on most items, access to their trade-in scheme and discount rentals .

• Comes in multiple sizes
• Very lightweight
• A bit more expensive

Sea to Summit is known for making ultralight camping and backpacking gear, so it makes sense that they make a lightweight backpacking towel. The soft, quick-drying towel is compact and comes in three sizes. The small towel is 32” by 16”, the large is 48” by 24” and the extra large is 60” by 30”. All these towel sizes weigh under 7 ounces. This is a good choice for the traveler constantly on the trail when every oz makes a difference. We also rated it as the best microfiber travel towel due to the fact that it came in different sizes meaning you can pick the right one for your trip.

The drawback? The XL is expensive for a microfiber towel and is pricier than the other towels on this travel towel review.

Our team felt this was the best microfiber towel for travel particularly because it worked well in damp and humid environments which is ideal for places like Southeast Asia. On top of that the actual towel itself dries quickly after usage too. They also loved how well it packed down and fit easily inside their bags, in fact, it’s that small it could easily fit inside a jacket pocket!

• Super small and compact
• Lightweight nanofiber material
• Comes in powermesh storage bag

In case space in your backpack is really at a premium, then check out the mini Ultralight travel towel by Matador. Measuring 15″ x 15″ (or 39cm x 39cm) it quite literally fits inside your pocket. It is of course smaller than other towels if this list and it will take some time to fully dry your body using this. However, it absorbs 2.3 times its own weight so with a little patience you can work your way around your whole body.

Both the towel itself and its bag have buckle attachments so you can fasten to your bag or jacket and really maximise storage space. Made from an ultralight (25g) Nano Fibre material it is also fully machine washable and will hardly even fade.

Our team felt this was the best compact microfiber towel on the market because, well, it’s super compact, like, insanely compact! This towel could fit inside your pants pocket it’s that tiny! Our team were realists and felt being so small that it had a certain purpose and it wasn’t the easiest to dry their whole body with … but at a push it wasn’t impossible and for the ultralight packer they felt that bit of extra effort was worth the space saved.

Best Travel Towel for Yogis –  Youphoria Sport

• Holds moisture well
• Softer + more comfortable than others
• Bit heavier than others

This is a yoga-specific towel, but I think it makes great use as a backpacking towel as well because it’s highly absorbent and can hold up to 5X its weight in water. I also find yoga towels to have an extra soft feel and are less likely to attract lint.

They also tend to pack down even smaller than other backpacking towels. The downside is that its largest size weighs more than the other choices on this list. However, for all the yogis out there who plan to travel with a yoga mat anyway, this is a great choice.

Our team picked this as their best microfibre towel for yogis because of how comfortable it was not just to dry themselves with but to us on top of their yoga mats. The team also felt the towel was light, and compact but ultimately super durable, especially when used for both general drying purposes but for yoga and after the gym too.

Do You Want to Travel FOREVER??

Pop your email in below to get a FREE copy of ‘How to Travel the World on $10 a Day!’.

• Made from recycled materials
• Very expensive for a towel

For the environmentally-conscious traveler, the Nomadix travel towel is about as ideal as it gets. This towel is made of 100% recycled materials – fibers from plastic bottles are processed into effective and comfortable nylon and polyester threads. These towels do not involve any sort of polymer-based microfiber yet they are still very good at what they do.

Nomadix towels are quick-drying, tough, and very packable. Coming in at a very reasonable 1 lb, these make for great towels to take traveling. Thanks to it’s anti-microbial and non-slip qualities, the Nomadix is very popular at yoga retreats and camping but you could conceivably use this towel anywhere: at the beach, gym, kitchen, and more.

The Nomadix is a bit more expensive than other towels and quite larger as well. That being said, the larger price tag is more than justifiable – this towel will last longer than most and you will definitely get more use out of it.

Our team were pretty interested in how this towel compared to microfibre as several members expressed that they would prefer something more environmentally friendly. Firstly they just loved the different colours and designs that the towels come in, something many of the other towels are lacking, which makes it look better when taken to the beach. In terms of usage, they felt it was just as absorbent as the microfibre towels and literally dried them in one swipe!

Honorable Mention –  ECCOSOPHY Microfiber Towel

• Very cool designs
• Double-sided
• Much larger than other beach towels

I’d give this beach towel props just for being so damn good lookin’! Look at those patterns! So bold and colorful! Who says a microfiber travel towel has to be flat-colored and boring, anways?

But it’s not just beautiful; the ECCOSOHPY beach towel is also useful, of course. Since it’s made of microfiber, you’ll get the absorptive qualities as well as the quick drying. It packs well enough although, given it’s size, it’s going to be much larger in your bag than most other towels.

I would also like to add that this towel would be fine for both sexes. ECCOOPHY markets it has a lady’s towel on their Amazon page but, honestly, I’d rock this anytime and anywhere in the world.

When it came to design our team just fell in love with the awesome patterns these towels came in, they felt they really created that backpacker vibe instead of looking a bit geeky like some of the other towels. our team just loved how lightweight and thin these towels were meaning they rolled down super small and took up almost no room or weight in their bags. They felt it absorbed water instantly and on top of that was ideal for people with longer hair.

Best Microfiber Beach Towel –  OCOOPA Microfiber Beach Towel

• Better than a typical cotton beach towel
• Very packable
• Perfect size

I like this towel because it’s big (80×57 inches), but because of the lightweight microfiber material, it packs down much better than a normal beach towel. Not only that but it does come in some smaller sizes too if you don’t need something that massive!

This is a great towel for lounging beachside. While not as lightweight as the Active Roots or Sea to Summit, the OCOOPA has large dimensions and is still a great choice for a quick-drying towel for travel, and an easy pick for the best travel beach towel.

Our team loved the slightly thicker profile of this towel which is what made it stand out as their best beach towel. Rather than just being used for drying themselves down after a swim, which it did an awesome job of, it was comfortable to lie down and lay on all day too. The durable material was also great given the extra abrasions using the towel on the beach results in.

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

It may seem like an insignificant item to pack, but a good towel will be one of the most useful items in your backpacker arsenal.

In our normal lives, we use towels on a daily basis, really; to wash the dishes, ourselves, the car, when cleaning the house. Yet, we take them from granted because they’re always there and in a multitude! Thanks to industrialization, we have a cloth or rag somewhere nearby, buried in an old drawer or conveniently hanging on a hook or rack.

Unfortunately, backpackers usually don’t have this option. Because they are constantly going from place to place and because they are living out of a backpack (finite space), they don’t have the convenience of carrying a lot of towels on them. Hell, most backpackers are grateful just to get a free towel at their hostel!

Having your own towel for traveling the world can be immensely useful. Going to the beach? The towel will keep the sand off your ass and out of your portable speaker. Want to have a spontaneous yoga session? Throwdown your towel and chaturanga away. Need to dry out those hiking boots after a long walk? Use that towel to soak up any leftover moisture in those boots (maybe do that after washing yourself though)

Trust me: you will get a lot of use out of your towel while traveling, more than you might know right now. That means you need to have a good towel – the tougher it is and the better it is at absorbing, the more useful it will be. Luckily, it’s not so difficult to pick out a good one; you just need to refer below for some tips.

What to Look for in a Microfiber Travel Towel

• Lightweight – As with anything in your travel backpack, it’s important to invest in a lightweight travel towel. Less weight = awesome.
• Compact – A microfiber travel towel should take up as little room as possible. They should fold up smaller than a tank-top.
• Well constructed – There is such a thing as a good microfiber and bad microfiber.
• Quick Drying – The best towels for backpacking and traveling must have quick dry material.
• Absorbency – Even if a microfiber travel towel is lightweight and dries quickly, it’s useless if it doesn’t actually absorb liquids.
• Special features –  A loop makes it easy to attach the quick drying towel to your backpack as you hike, or hang it on a clothes hanger at your hostel.
• Additional accessories – A storage pouch for your microfiber towel helps you keep your backpack organized.

Towel Sizes

Quick drying towels range between XS-XL, and the dimensions vary as well! Different brands will have different dimensions of their sizes, so be sure to check the dimensions!

• Small or Medium:  Often used as a washcloth, hand towel, or to bring along for workouts. These make a great addition to your toiletry bag.
• Large:  Hair towel or small bath towel.
• XL:  Best recommendation for a full bath towel.

It’s worth investing in both an XL towel,  and  a small washcloth sized towel for your toiletry bag (washing your face, taking off makeup, etc.).

Sea to Summit DryLite Towel

• Price > $15.95
• Weight > 1.3 – 4 oz.
• Size > XS to XL

OCOOPA Microfiber Beach Towel

• Prize > $25.99
• Weight > ?310 g

• Price > $9.99
• Weight > 2.4 – 12 oz
• Size > 20-40″; 28-56″; 32-72″

Other Travel “Towel” Options

Along with a microfiber towel, it’s totally worth packing a fashion-friendly sarong or large scarf to double as a large beach towel.

My boyfriend uses his scarf for a beach towel, to protect his neck from the sun, warm up in the cold, shield from dust, etc. I always travel to beach destinations with a sarong to double as a towel and beach cover-up.

Middle Eastern style scarves, traditionally referred to as keffiyehs or shemaghs,  are also super adaptable pieces of kit that can be used as a towel. Granted, their primary purpose is more for keeping sand out of one’s eyes and the cold out at night, but many people also use them as beach towels as well.

There is no perfect or exact science when it comes to testing out travel and outdoor gear. However, we feel our years of experience across our team mean we’ve got a good eye for decent gear.

When it came to picking out the best towel for backpacking there were a few different considerations we had. Including how lightweight it was, how easily and well it could compact down, how well it dried us and also, well, the smell test! If you get my drift! We were also concerned with how well it was made and how long-lasting it would be.

Finally, we also take into account how much each microfibre travel towel costs – for example, expensive items that perform averagely will lose points, but budget items may be given more leeway.

Still have some questions about the best travel microfiber towel? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Are microfiber towels good for hiking?

Hell yeah! Microfiber is perfect for hiking and backpacking. It dries fast so you can use it again faste AND you can pack it without worrying that’it will make everything else damp. Having something that is quick drying means it’s much less likely to get smelly or moldy.

What are the best microfiber towels?

We have treid a lot of microfibre towers over the years and can confidently recomened the Matador Nana Dry . Its tiny, ultralight and quick drying.

Are travel towels worth it?

Oh yes. They are a godsend for travelers and hikers as they are quick drying, compact and light. I never travel without one.

Is microfiber environmentally friendly?

Microfiber is not biodegradable like cotton or paper towels but can still be disposed of in an environmentallt concious way.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

Pop your email here & get the original Broke Backpacker Bible for FREE.

Microfiber towels are a more logical alternative to your good old fashion bath-towel for a billion reasons, but all you need to know are these five: they’re compact , lightweight , durable , absorbent , quick-drying towels for travel.

Let us know what you think about our epic review of the best quick dry towels for travel in the comments below! Do you have a favourite microfiber travel towel?

Ana Pereira

Share or save this post

I’m looking for a medium bath towel, wash cloth combo.

I just ordered 2 combo packs for our RV. Bath towels for me and the mister, a small one for the dog and one for the kitchen. A great deal at $18!

Awesome! Enjoy Adriana 🙂

This is awesome! Thanks for the heads up on the Active Roots. I have never heard of this brand and it looks perfect. My friend Brian & I are going to backpack the John Muir part of the PCT during the summer of 2018 for 10 days and I was looking for a new backpacker towel that works but is light and doesnt break the bank!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of followup comments via e-mail.

Pack Hacker is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

13 Best Travel Towels For Any Trip

We’ve compiled a list of our favorite travel towels for your next trip, whether you're looking for a packable quick dry towel, the best camping towel, or everything in between.

Here at Pack Hacker, we review gear of all kinds. From backpacks to tech, we’ve done it all. However, something that we’ve learned while traveling is that a travel towel is a surprisingly helpful tool while on the road.

A travel towel is ideal for adventures where a towel isn’t laid out each morning for you and for trips where you’ll be utilizing Airbnb rentals, hostels, or staying with family and friends. Not having a way to dry off can be uncomfortable, but how do you choose which one to go with?

There are a ton of different materials, models, and sizes out there. Do you go with soft like microfiber or microsuede, or should you opt for a more durable option like linen? What about if you're looking for the best camping towel or a quick dry beach towel? The answer depends on what kind of trip you’re taking and what you’ll do when you get there. In this post, we’ll cover that—and more.

Whether you’re looking for a quick dry towel, something for the beach, or something that can do it all, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive in!

• Matador Ultralight Travel Towel
• Sea to Summit Pocket Towel
• Nomadix Ultralight Towel
• Matador NanoDry Towel
• PackTowl Personal Towel
• Rainleaf Microfiber Towel
• PackTowl Luxe Towel
• Biospired Lightweight Footprint Pack Towel
• Outlier Grid Linen Towel
• Dock & Bay Quick Dry Towels
• Youphoria Microfiber Travel Towel
• REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite
• REI Co-op Multi Towel Mini

Best for: Full-time Travelers

Why We Like It: Best for Saving Space

When you’re heading off the grid, a travel towel is essential to ensure you have a way to dry off after a long day of hiking, a refreshing dip in the lake, or your first shower during camping. The Matador Ultralight Travel Towel is extraordinarily compact, so it can fit into your travel backpack , sling , or hiking daypack when you’re ready to hit the trail.

There are two sizes—a smaller one that’s roughly the size of a handkerchief and a larger one that’s approximately the size of a standard bath towel but skinnier. When compressed in the mesh carrier, the large towel fits into the palm of your hand and can still breathe to air dry while you’re on the go. It takes longer to dry than we’d like, though the size is the most significant factor here. Hypalon tabs on the exterior make it easy to fix it to the outside of your bag when it needs to dry, too.

Why We Like It: Best for Working Out

Whether you’re vacationing for work, play, or something in between, staying in shape while away from home is a great way to stay on your regular routine. Hotel towels can be scratchy and uncomfortable, and not every travel towel is cut from the same cloth (literally or figuratively) to be used in the gym or out on a run. The Sea to Summit Pocket Towel is extremely lightweight once removed from its case, so you don’t need to worry about lugging around a scratchy white rag, and it’s absorbent enough to wipe off sweat after a long workout.

There are four different sizes to choose from, and it’s exceptionally soft, so there’s a model that will be comfortable for everyone. The case is a rectangle, so it’ll pack into your bag easily. It also has quite a bit of branding, which we aren’t the biggest fan of—to each their own. The case isn’t nearly as lightweight as the towel. However, unless you’re a dedicated ultralight one-bagger, this travel towel is a must-add to your Vacation Packing List .

Best for: Relaxed Travelers

Why We Like It: Best for Showing Your Personality

If you’ve been disappointed by the color or design choices so far, look no further than the Nomadix Ultralight Towel. It’s not a very packable travel towel compared to the others on this list, but what it lacks in compressibility, it makes up for in neat designs. With a dozen unique and colorful options to choose from, there’s something for everyone. It’s roughly the same size as your bath towel at home, so you won’t be sacrificing too much surface area for packability. With an 88% recycled polyester and 12% nylon construction, we find the Nomadix is an excellent all-around towel when space isn’t your biggest concern.

Lounge on the beach, have a quick picnic while hiking, or dry off after diving into the lagoon near your Airbnb. Once you’re ready to head out, use the fabric loop to clip it to your pack, so it dries while you walk. One thing is for sure–you’ll have a unique travel towel at the beach!

Why We Like It: Best For Everyday Use

Sometimes you need a travel towel that you can always keep with you. The Matador NanoDry Towel offers just that, with its unique silicone case and carabiner (or a stainless steel key chain on the smaller model) on top, so you can easily take it anywhere. The larger size is similar in size to your bath towel at home but on the thinner side, whereas the smaller model is closer to the size of a bandana.

These travel towels are crafted from nanofiber, Matador’s fancy name for an 85% polyester and 15% polyamide mixture. We’ve found that it isn’t great for drying off entirely after a shower or dip in the hotel pool. Still, it’s a good towel to keep on hand for hikes, long walks across a new city, or for those who don’t mind being a little damp after a swim for the sake of having a minimalistic towel.

Why We Like It: Best For Long Trips

It can be difficult to find a travel towel that can go through multiple uses without being washed, which is essential if you’re one-bag traveling. However, we’ve got a solution for you. The PackTowl Personal Towel has a hook for hanging and utilizes its antimicrobial finish to ensure that microorganisms that cause stinkiness don’t take root within the fibers of your trusty travel towel. It’s crafted from microfiber, so it dries quickly, and you won’t have to wait long before stowing it in your pack.

Coming in at a similar size to what you’re used to at home, it doesn’t feel too small to use as a bathroom towel. Our main issue with the size is that it doesn’t pack down terribly small, but we think that the other features presented by the PackTowl Personal Towel make it a worthy addition to this list.

Why We Like It: Best For Size Variety

At the end of the day, if you bring a travel towel on your next trip, you want to ensure it can handle various tasks. If you fall into this category, the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is for you. It comes in a variety of models, ranging from dish cloth size up to something worthy of sprawling out on at the beach. Plus, there are a ton of fun colorways to choose from.

They’re crafted from microfiber and are pretty absorbent, though we’ve noticed that they can get a little stinky after a few uses, so it’s best to wash them fairly frequently. Whether you’re going to the gym, taking a camping trip, staying at a hostel without towels, or just needing something to pick up messes in between, the Rainleaf Microfiber Towel has you covered!

Why We Like It: Best For Quick Dry

A quick dry towel is a must-have for outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and backpacking. Ensuring your travel towel is dry before departing on your next adventure ensures that it isn’t stinky when you use it in the evening or the following day. The Packtowl Luxe Towel dries exceptionally quickly, so it’s a great call for more adventurous travelers.

It’s crafted from a polyester and nylon mixture, making it incredibly soft and enabling it to dry you off adequately after a long hike, jump in the lake, or trek across a rainy city. Multiple sizes and colors are available, so there’s an option for everyone. It isn’t the most packable option on this list, though its features make it a competent travel towel.

Why We Like It: Best For Lightweight Travel

Not every travel towel needs to feel hefty or dry you off completely. Sometimes you just want something lightweight to have on hand should you get caught in the rain, get too sweaty, or spill something on your shorts after a trip to the local cafe. The Biospired Lightweight Footprint Pack Towel is just that, and it comes in multiple sizes to meet your needs. The towels are crafted from micro suede, which is extremely lightweight in your hand.

In addition to cutting mass out of your pack, they’re exceptionally quick-drying, too, so you don’t have to worry about it getting stinky after you wipe up a coffee spill after thinking you saw Mbappé walking across the Louvre. There aren’t many color options, which is a bummer if you like to add a little flair to your gear, but we think the pros outweigh the cons here.

Why We Like It: Best For Durability

Some trips call for durability at every corner, including when you choose a travel towel. If you want something that can handle the bumps and knocks of a rugged trip, go with the Outlier Grid Linen Towel. As the name suggests, it's made of linen, which is crafted from fibers from the flax plant, making it inherently tough so it doesn’t hold on to sand, dirt, and other tiny particles. Instead, unwanted malicious molecules fly off the fabric when you pick it up off the ground.

The strength of this travel towel has its drawbacks, namely in the softness department. It’s still comfortable, though not as much as the others on this list. There are two sizes to choose from, and no matter which you go with, it’ll handle you’re most durable adventures.

Why We Like It: Best For The Beach

For a lot of folks, travel means vacation. To elaborate further, vacation can sometimes be synonymous with sprawling out on the beach with a book in one hand and a drink in the other. To enure the safety of your book and drink, you’ll need a towel to sit on, and we’re here to help. The Dock & Bay Quick Dry Towel is crafted from 83% Polyester, a common synthetic material, and 17% Polyamide, which is extremely durable. It has a classic styling that looks at home at any beach in any decade.

There are several fun colors to choose from, so you can find something that fits your personality. This travel towel excels for lounging on the beach and will work to dry you off, but it's better at the former more so than the latter. The extra large size is probably larger than the towel you used after your shower this morning, and the large model is bang on with the size you’d normally get at a hotel, so no matter which you choose, you’ll have space to sprawl out. Just remember to put on sunscreen!

Best for: Frugal Travelers

Why We Like It: Best For Simplicity

Some people might say that generic is a bad thing; however, when it comes to a travel towel, sometimes generic is all you need. The Youphoria Microfiber Travel Towel is a standard microfiber towel that comes in many colorways and sizes to ensure you can find a match for your style and size needs. There aren’t any extra features to get in your way, but in terms of use as a travel towel, Youphoria has all the basics covered.

It even comes with a carrying case constructed from mesh, so you can let it dry while you’re en route to your next adventure. Whether you’re going across the globe or on a weekend trip, this towel will have your back and won’t break the bank.

Best for: Sustainable Travelers

So there you have it, 13 travel towels for nearly any trip. Whether you’re crossing the globe, hitting the hotel gym, or just going to the coffee shop, these travel towels will ensure you stay comfortable until you return. Who knows, maybe you’ll start using them at home, too!

August 3, 2022

Author: Eric Hergenreder

Eric has been across the globe, but his favorite place to explore is his home state of Michigan. His love for photography has taken him all around the Great Lake State, often writing about his travels so that others can enjoy them, too. Eric loves messing around with analog photography, watching soccer, and searching for the world’s best burger in his spare time.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Manage Your Subscription
• Give a Gift Subscription
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

• Travel Products

The 10 Best Quick-dry Towels of 2024

You’ll banish your old towels to the closet after trying these quick-dry wonders.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Brian Kopinski

Any good towel has your back — and your front. But for a towel to be considered truly great, it needs to be constructed with quick-dry material, such as cotton loops, finely-weaved microfiber, or waffle weaves. These towels are ultra-absorbent, durable, and as lush on the skin as the towels found at affluent spas or hotel resorts. 

So, we’ve researched the market for the best quick-dry towels. All the towels on our list score high marks on absorbency, durability, portability, and overall value. Some are rated by Grams per Square Meter (GSM) — towels with a low GSM (300-400) are thinner and light, while towels with a GSM of at least 450 are heftier and softer. They also come in a range of sizes and are capable of being used as everyday towels, workout towels, beach towels, and hair-drying towels. Never reach for a damp, smelly towel again with our list of the best quick-dry towels out there.

Best Overall

Everplush diamond jacquard bath towel set 2 pack.

These dual-powered towels have the soft feel of cotton and the super-absorbency of microfiber. 

This particular set is only available in one size. 

The Everplush Diamond Jacquard Towel Set is top-shelf worthy. Made from a combination of microfiber and cotton, this set of two is the ultimate fusion of quick-drying material and ample comfort. Microfiber weaves absorb eight times more water while cotton fibers give it that irresistibly soft feel.

This is the kind of towel you have for life; even after repeated washes, there are no visible signs of wear and tear. With cloud-like softness, you’re always engulfed in fluff. Although, this means the towels can sometimes shed and end up on wet skin, but this should even out after a few washes. There is only one size offered but the company sells other items with the same fabric, like a six-piece set with hand and face towels, so you can fill out your roster. 

The Details: Cotton and microfiber | 30 x 56 inches 

Best for the Beach

Lands' end school uniform beach towel.

The all-cotton velour dries quickly in the sun.

The fabric may pill after a few washes.

The Lands’ End School Uniform Solid Beach Towel is any beachgoer’s dream. Luxe cotton velour fabric dries quickly, so you can focus on more important things, like catching a wave or simply relaxing in the sun. The towel reaches six feet, which is long enough for most to wrap around their body or spread out on comfortably without feet spilling over the edge onto the hot sand (but those who like the space of a beach blanket may wish this towel was available in a larger size). Washing is a breeze thanks to the reinforced flat-weave edges that prevent snags, pills, or frays — perfect for longevity’s sake. And the lightweight material makes it easy to roll or fold up into your tote bag at the end of the day. Soak up the sun — and water — with any of the six colors. 

The Details: 100 percent cotton velour | 30 x 72 inches 

Best for Workouts

Lululemon the towel.

It dries quickly to prevent items in your gym bag from getting soaked. 

After a few washes, some yogis may find the material too slippery for hot yoga classes. 

A quick-dry towel is as essential to a workout as a water bottle or fitness tracker . It sops up moisture on the double to prevent dampness that can harbor unpleasant odors and bacteria. 

We recommend Lululemon’s The Towel (available in three sizes: small, original, and big) since all are made with microfiber fabric that absorbs moisture better than the cotton towels. Plus, having your own workout towel means that you avoid extraneous towel fees. 

While The Towel is most associated with hot yoga (instructions say to lightly spritz water on the top for more grip), functionality isn’t limited to the mat. This versatile pick can be used for any workout that turns you into a human sprinkler. This runs the gamut of wiping away sweaty palms for better grip between weight sets, wiping down machines between exercises, or for golf and yoga. It’s also large enough to be used as a towel for your post-workout shower. It may be generously-sized, but The Towel (available in two colors: black and hail), packs down small so it’s portable and convenient for travel . 

The Details: Polyester | 26 x 71 inches

Best for Showers and Baths

Brooklinen classic bath towels.

The extravagantly plush fabric has been tested for harmful substances, so it’s safe for pets and babies.

It comes in a set of two so it costs more money than most individual towels, and we wish there were more color options.

For a comforting hug every time you step out of the bath or shower, reach for the Brooklinen Classic Bath Towels. Premium Turkish cotton yarn means that the towel dries in a few hours — ideal for those who bathe multiple times per day. The fluffy feel of soft cotton is a nice touch, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself wanting to bury your face in it. The towels come in a set of two, which may be a pain for those on the hunt for a single towel — but they're so durable and elegant that it's hard to be mad about having two. Make the bathroom your sanctuary by choosing from seven eye-catching colors, including eucalyptus, ocean, and classic white. At 30 by 58 inches, they fit around most body types and have 550 GSM, so the towels are neither too thick nor too thin. This is great for when you’re traveling or short on cabinet space. When it comes to laundering, you're not likely to have issues with common problems related to towels, such as color fading, snags, or pills. 

The Details: Turkish cotton | 30 x 58 inches

Best Budget

Rainleaf microfiber towel.

This well-priced pick is a great option for those who live in humid climates.

The hanging snap loop can be flimsy and come undone. 

The Rainleaf Microfiber Towel is a major steal for anyone who’s money-conscious but not about to skimp on quick-drying performance. The suede-like microfiber fabric delivers an impressive drying time: eight hours when hung in the bathroom and two hours in the sun. If you’re away from home and lacking a door hook, you can use the snap-on loop to accelerate drying when hung from something else, like a tree branch. Speaking of traveling with it, the lean, lightweight material makes it easy to bring along for all your adventures, whether that’s to the beach or on a multi-day backpacking excursion. Sand-repellant fabric ensures that the only thing you’re bringing home is good memories. 

There are seven sizes and 10 vibrant colors to choose from. The XXL is the perfect beach towel since it has a zipped corner pocket that lets you discreetly hide keys, cash, or headphones while you take a dip. It’s so useful and convenient, we wish that all the sizes had this. 

The Details: Microfiber | ‎48 x 24 x 0.04 inches | 8 hours to dry in the bathroom and 2 hours in the sun

Cotton Paradise 6 Piece Towel Set

This soft cotton towel set comes with everything you need to elevate your bathroom. 

Traces of lint may come off the towel over time. 

If you’re in the mood to elevate your linen closet, break up with your current towels and replace them with this six-piece set from Cotton Paradise. You’ll receive everything a well-stocked bathroom needs, including two hand towels, two bath towels, and two washcloths. With 18 colors to choose from, including snow white, charcoal gray, and sage green, you’re sure to find a set that upgrades your space. 

The spa-like feel of the 100 percent Turkish cotton fibers will have guests in your home asking where you got these towels. You’ll feel good about sharing since they have an Oeko-tex certification , which means the company tested the fabrics for potentially harmful substances. While the whole set is easy to wash, be on the lookout for fuzzies that could stick to wet skin. It’s also wise to wash the lighter colors separately. 

The Details: Turkish cotton | 27 x 54 inches (bath towels), 16 x 28 inches (hand towels), and 13 x 13 inches (washcloths)

Best Microfiber

Jml microfiber bath towels.

The quick-drying microfiber actually dries your body instead of leaving it slightly damp.

If you’re not used to microfiber, it can take some time to get used to.

Thick, plush towels may be soft against your skin, but the dense loops take a long time to dry. Enter the best solution: the JML Microfiber Bath Towel. It is innately quick-drying thanks to the finely-weaved microfiber that absorbs seven times its weight in water, which leaves your body truly dry. 

Crafted with a high GSM, this Amazon-favorite towel is dense, but not so dense that it can’t be tied around your body. The soft fabric never feels like sandpaper, which is a must for those with sensitive skin. The company does recommend washing with fabric softener to maintain its softness. There are three size options and 20 color options, so you can go as large as a beach towel or as small as a hair towel. You also have the option to purchase a pack of four or six. 

The Details: Microfiber | 30 in x 60 inches

Best Cotton

Parachute waffle towels.

The texture is oh-so-soft like a blanket. 

The stretchy, loose waffle weave design makes it difficult to fold the towel into a square — plus, the fabric may warp when hung. 

Cotton towels are the cream of the crop when it comes to premium towel material. The open honeycomb weaves of this Parachute Waffle Towel (also available as a hand towel ) offer a lightweight, airy feel that streamlines the drying process, so there’s no need to worry about musty towels stinking up your home. 

With a 240 GSM, this lightweight, quick-dry wonder is great to travel with — a welcome feature since you won’t want to leave it behind. The unique texture and design transform any bathroom into a luxury resort spa. Since it’s easy to fall in love with these towels, we wish that they offered more colors and made matching washcloths to complete the set and round out the elevated bathroom aesthetic. 

The Details: Long-staple Turkish cotton | 56 x 30 inches

Best for Hair

Kitsch microfiber hair towel.

Super-absorbent microfiber fabric cuts hair drying time in half.  

Since it’s made with 100 percent rayon, the strict washing and drying instructions can be cumbersome to follow. 

If you’ve been drying your hair with heavy bath towels, it’s time to put a wrap on that. Instead, give your hair the special treatment it needs with this Kitsch Microfiber Hair Wrap. Its gentle weight prevents breakage while the microfiber fabric absorbs excess water to cut drying time in half. This is perfect for days when you’re in a rush and have to air-dry rather than use a blow dryer. Bonus: it’s less damaging to the hair this way. 

Available in several cute designs, the wrap is both comfortable and stylish to wear. You'll use a twisting method to secure each wet strand into the towel while an elastic button loop at the nape of the neck prevents the towel from unraveling and falling off. It also provides the perfect amount of tension, so it’s something you could comfortably sleep with. The hair towel only comes in one size, but it’s large enough to accommodate varying hair lengths and hair textures, including coarse and curly. 

The Details: Microfiber | 5 x 7 inches

Best for Travel

Packtowl luxe towel.

It folds or rolls down to a small, portable size. 

It’s more expensive than other towels on this list. 

A superb travel towel needs to do two things: dry in time for your next flight and boast a lightweight carry. The Packtowel Luxe fits the bill in a way a cotton towel cannot — it dries 30 percent faster and isn’t as heavy to carry around (plus, it folds down to a portable size). The zippered stuff sack offers more convenient packing, while a hang loop is attached for faster drying. Since traveling often means being far away from a washing machine, we appreciate that the fabric has undergone an anti-bacterial treatment to prevent odor. The sand-repellent fabric also prevents you from accidentally taking sand home as a souvenir. We do wish that the fabric better repelled other items you may encounter on your travels, such as grass stems and twigs. The towel comes in five hues and four size options: face, hand, body, and beach.

The Details: Microfiber | 10 x 14 inches (face towel), 16.5 x 36 inches (hand towel), 25 x 54 inches (body towel), 36 x 59 inches (beach towel) 

Tips for Buying a Quick-dry Towel

Consider what you'll use it for.

Quick-dry towels are built to be versatile, but it still helps to narrow down your needs before purchasing. This will help you determine which size, fabric, and absorbency level is best. 

For example, if you’re traveling or working out, opt for a waffle weave or microfiber fabric. Both are absorbent, lightweight, and breathable, meaning they’ll dry quickly and prevent bacteria and odor. 

For everyday towels, you can get away with cotton since it’s still absorbent but provides that extra layer of plush softness on the skin. 

Choose the right size for your needs

For baths and showers, choose a standard bath towel size (either 20 x 40 inches or 28 x 54 inches). These ensure you can dry your whole body and wrap around as needed. Hand towels and washcloths unsurprisingly require less surface area. 

Beach towels are generally oversized (at least 70 inches long) in order to keep your body from touching hot sand or rocks. They also give you more space to relax. A beach towel should also be thinner than a standard bath towel so that it dries quickly and doesn’t hold onto sand. 

Quick-dry towels should be the preferred choice when you don’t have time to wait for a towel to dry — this could be while traveling or following a sweaty workout. 

These towels are also convenient to have on hand if you bathe or shower multiple times per day. Essentially, if you’re fed up with damp towels that harbor odor and bacteria, a quick-dry towel is worth trying.

Cotton quick-dry towels are made from thick, plush fibers that are tightly stitched to prevent unraveling, and they typically last for a long time. While they don’t dry as quickly as microfiber, they do feel exceptionally soft against the skin. 

Microfiber towels excel in absorbency and quick drying because they are made with small fibers. They’re also lightweight to travel with. 

To put it simply, microfiber has superior absorbency and quick-drying power. But cotton towels are softer and tend to be more durable. 

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, Sarah Kester researched dozens of quick-dry towels. To narrow down her selection, she relied on her many years of experience as a shopping and lifestyle writer. She never threw in the towel when it came to finding the very best quick-dry options. 

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.

Related Articles

The Best Travel Towel Styles for Ultra-light Packing

Packing , Packing Tips

Support TFG by using the links in our articles to shop. We receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so we can continue to create helpful free content. We earn from qualifying purchases made to the featured retailers. Thank you, we appreciate your support!

Long-term travelers aren’t the only ones that should pack fast-drying towels. They’re an absolute must-have in my packing list. Find out what’s the best travel towel for you to take on your next trip!

Best Travel Towels

Table of contents.

Many travelers don’t realize how essential a travel towel can be. It comes in handy when hotel towels aren’t up to snuff, or if you take an impromptu trip to a lake or beach. And as they’re quick drying, a travel towel is a must for road trips, camping, and trekking.

We’ve rounded up our favorite travel towels that will work for any traveling situation.

Best Fast Drying Towels for Travel

Venture 4th Microfiber Towel

Venture 4th Microfiber Travel Towel

The travel towel from Venture 4th is lightweight, quick drying, and compact. Whether you’re going to the gym, the beach, or camping, this towel is easy to toss in your bag so you’ll always be prepared for your next adventure. Plus, it comes in an adorable bag.

The high quality microfiber cloth provides an extra soft and gentle feel. Thin and ultra absorbent, this towel will dry you quickly and comfortably without taking up space in your bag or weighing it down.

You’ll want to look your best when you travel! Read my travel tips to Pack Light Stylishly !

Sea to Summit DryLite Towel

Sea to Summit Quick Drying Towel

This DryLite Towel from Sea to Summit is exactly what you want in a travel towel: it’s soft but compact and quick drying. Available in five sizes from hand towel size up to a beach towel size. Ideal for backpacking, travel, boating or camping.

The microfiber has a super soft, ultra suede finish yet is still machine washable and easy to pack. It’s also lighter than your average towel so it won’t add weight to your luggage.

Packing cubes provide the perfect solution to protect your clothing from dirty towels.

OlimpiaFit Quick Dry Towel

OlimpiaFit Ultra Fast-Dry Towel

OlimpiaFit fast-dry towel , is made with premium material that shares the same smooth qualities as satin. They’re also super absorbent, odor-resistant, and won’t smell after drying. If you’re looking for a packable beach towel or swim towel, give this one a go! This towel is available in three sizes. The small is great for using as a hair wrap, while the medium and large can work as a beach towel or airplane blanket.

Turkish Towels are one so versatile for travel, these are TFG’s readers most recommended picks !

Rainleaf Fast Drying Microfiber Towel

Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

This super compact Rainleaf microfiber towel is made of microfibers and is lightweight and compact, making it a must for travelers, backpackers, and hikers. The fabric feels kind of like that suede fabric and can absorb tons of water while promoting rapid evaporation.

It’s amazing how much this small towel can soak up so much water and dry off your body quickly, cutting down your drying time in half.

Youphoria Sport Multi-purpose Travel Towel

Youphoria Outdoors Sport Towel

On the go and need a towel that can keep up? Try this one from  Youphoria Sport . This microfiber towel can dry up to 10X faster than normal terry cloth or cotton towels. Just hang it outside for a few minutes and you can quickly use it again.

Using the finest blend of microfiber, it’s thin, soft, compact and super absorbent, making it the perfect post workout or shower towel because of its unique non-abrasive feel.

Fit Flip Ultra Absorbent Travel Towel

Fit Flip Ultra Soft Travel Towel

Made from an 80/20 blend of polyester and polyamide, this Fit Flip microfiber towel is thirsty, soft, lightweight, compact, quick-drying and easy to clean. It’s compact enough to bring on your travel, hiking or camping without taking up much space in your bag.

It comes with a convenient mesh carry bag and hanging loop for easy and convenient packaging and drying.

Packtowl Personal Ultra-Soft Towel

Packtowl Personal Microfiber Towel

PackTowl’s Personal Towel is a silky-soft hand towel that’s perfect for the face and body with a microfiber blend that offers unmatched softness on your skin. The antimicrobial treatment reduces odor retention and increases the life of your towel.

This towel can soak up four times its weight in water. Just wring it out and it’s nearly completely dry. We love this towel because you can machine wash it and leave it to air dry in a short amount of time.

BOGI Microfiber Quick Dry Towel

Bogi Travel Microfiber Towel

This  lightweight backpacking towel from Bogi  is the perfect travel towel for any type of traveling. Made from microfibers, it absorbs 3 to 6 times its weight in water while providing comfort and durability. Drying quickly, you won’t have to wait around or carry a wet towel with you as you head to your next destination.

Incredibly thin and compact, its light weight makes it easy to take with you anywhere. The medium size is perfect to take with you on a run or hike, as you can fit it into a small day pack.

Gear Aid Quick Dry and Compact Micro-Terry Towel

Gear Aid Compact Micro-Terry Towel

Rigorous, outdoor adventures call for durable supplies, like this McNett Tactical towel . This towel’s high-density microfiber weave is aggressive yet soft enough to comfortably clean off oil, dirt, and perspiration from your face and body. This can easily double as a medical towel, blanket, or wrap.

One of its most unique features is the s ilver treated microfiber. This makes it not only light weight and super absorbent, but it also inhibits the growth of odor causing bacteria, eliminating the need to wash daily.

Wise Owl Microfiber Sports Towel

Wise Owl Microfiber Yoga and Travel Towels

This Wise Owl travel towel is lightweight, compact, quick drying and soft to the skin – everything you want in a travel towel. This makes them superior to regular cotton towels, especially when traveling or going to your sports practice. As these towels take up less than 25% of the space of a regular towel, they are easy to bring everywhere.

Available in five sizes, the smaller size is a perfect compact size to dry your hair, while the larger size can easily wrap around your body as a full-size towel or blanket.

SportLite Microfiber Hand Towel

SportLite Ultra Light Travel Towel

This towel from SportLite is the official towel of the  Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association, so you know it’s a good one! This towel utilizes 100% microfiber technology, making it perfect for the beach, the bath, airplane, or hiking.

People love this towel because it’s light, super absorbent, fast-drying, travel-friendly, and durable.  It comes with a convenient hang-loop sewn in, so you can hang it up anywhere.

4Monsters Microfiber Travel Towel

4Monsters Absorbent Towel

Gone are the days of using hostel towels, or waiting hours for your bath towel to dry. This absorbent, lightweight, quick-drying microfiber travel towel from 4Monsters is the solution to all your problems.

The microfiber cloth is smooth like silk, while the durable material is antibacterial and odorless. It even comes with a snap hook to hang wherever you want. It is a great travel towel for the beach, hiking, or city stays where you want your own towel.

Which of these is the best travel towel for me? The Sea to Summit DryLite Towel in a blue color, size large. (I’m 5’2″ 110lb and a size large just barely fits around my body.)

Here’s a quick review of the best travel towel options. You can read more about each one in the article above!

Why Should You Pack a Fast Drying Towel?

Here are some specific reasons to consider a quick-drying towel when traveling, whether you’re embarking on a short or long-term trip:

• Instead of packing a regular terry cloth towel on your travels, fast-drying towels take up less room and will dry in a fraction of the time.
• If you have a jam-packed itinerary and you plan to be in a new location every 1-2 days, then you need a towel that can dry quickly. The last thing you want is a wet towel in your bag after a morning shower.
• Fast-drying towels are perfect for beach vacations! Leave the thick, space-guzzling beach towel at home and get an extra-large travel towel instead. They don’t absorb as much as regular towels so they’re also easy to wipe and clear any sand.
• They dry your skin faster than regular towels because they easily absorb moisture. Time is valuable when you’re traveling!
• Budget accommodations such as hostels and guesthouses rarely provide towels. Even the odd Airbnb may only provide a limited amount of towels, so it’s best to have your own!
• They’re great for divers! If you’re a scuba diver this is the perfect way to get dry between dives without packing a thick towel. Fast-drying towels dry so quickly that should be nice and dry on back-to-back dives. If you’re interested in picking up any diving gear, check out our section on this fun and challenging activity!
• If you’re going camping, these are the perfect way to freshen up without adding bulk to your gear. If you want some extra packing tips, see our full category to find help with shoes, clothes, or gear

Note: travel towels are small in size because you can use them as a shammy to dry your body easily. However, if you want to wrap them around your body like a regular towel, then choose a size extra large.

What is your favorite travel towel? Share in the comments below!

For more tips and ideas on travel essentials, please read the following:

• Packing Cubes: Are They Really Worth The Money?
• 5 Flight Essentials For International Travel
• 8 Budget Travel Packing Essentials
• Top 10 Hostel Essentials – Don’t Leave these Our of Your Backpacking Checklist!

LIKED THIS POST? PIN THIS PIC TO SAVE IT!

Hope you enjoyed this post on the best travel towels. Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

It would be fabulous ifC this post be updated to 2021 and include dimensions and weight of the towels.

Hi Susan, thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us! ?

The Discovery Trekking towel stays soft and feels lovely on your skin. Unlike the other travel towels it is Not made of microfibre. It also smells fresh even when washed infrequently.

My husband and I both travel with a Turkish hamam style towel, a Pestemal. We’ve used them as floor mats, blankets, picnic blankets, towel-towels, and of course, at the beach. It’s our must have! They dry really quickly and are so soft; I’ve never missed a “regular” towel. I appreciate their generous size when unfolded, wraps around my size 12 frame with ease 🙂

They’re awesome! I just lost mine this weekend so I hope to get a replacement very soon 🙂

One important question that too often gets overlooked is how a towel FEELS on your skin when you use it. Can you honestly say that any of these compact travel towels was nice and comfortable to use? Would you actually use them at home after your trip? I challenge you to try a Snappy Towel and see the difference in how our snappytowels.com/collections/microfiber-travel-towels-sport-swim

That’s a great point. The way a travel towel feels makes all the difference.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Best travel towels 2023: light to carry & quick to dry

If you're traveling, pack the best travel towel that's specifically designed for hoarding in backpacks

T3's top three

• 1. Best overall travel towel
• 2. Best lightweight travel towel
• 3. Best absorbent travel towel
• 4. Best all rounder travel towel
• 5. Best large travel towel
• 6. Best fast drying travel towel
• 7. Best attractive travel towel
• 8. Best compact travel towel

Best carry-on luggage 2024: Jump Menu

00. T3's top 3 ↴ 01. Best overall : Lifeventure Hydro Fibre UltraLite Travel Towel 02. Best lightweight : Matador NanoDry Packable Shower Towel 03. Best absorbent : Trespass Wickerman Bamboo Sports Towel 04. Best all rounder : Sea to Summit Tek Towel 05. Best large : Mountain Warehouse Micro Towelling Travel Towel 06. Best fast drying : Bodhi Microfibre Towel 07. Best attractive : Syourself Microfiber Sports & Travel Towel 08. Best compact : Nike Cooling Towel

Looking for the best travel towel? Well, you've come to the right place! It’s adventure time, and whether you’re going to be battling your way through the Australian Outback, rambling through rural China or ascending the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, there’s one item that you can’t forget to add to your kit, and that’s the best travel towel.

It’s quite an unassuming item, but a necessary piece of equipment that you’ll be thankful for on the rare occasion where you can grab a shower or rinse yourself off in a waterfall (perfectly possible). Whether you’re looking for large, small, soft or one that you can take to the beach, you’ll find your next backpack necessity right here in our list for the best travel towel.

If you're looking into getting the best kit for your next trip, make sure to check out the best suitcases or if you're looking to travel lighter, we suggest the best backpacks and best travel bags . If you're travelling with a baby or toddler then we recommend travelling with the best travel stroller .

Lizzie is T3's Home Staff Writer, also covering style, living and wellness. She works closely with Bethan Girdler-Maslen, T3's Home Editor, ensuring all the latest Home news, trends and recommendations are covered. Outside of T3, Lizzie can be found mooching around Bath, attempting (or at least trying to) a new DIY project or spending time with family and friends.

The best overall travel towel

Hydrofibre is the latest advance in travel towel technology. As we mentioned in the intro, it’s similar in texture to a softfibre towel, but it’s much lighter, so you won’t be lugging around more weight than you need to. For its pure functionality, it’s claimed our first spot as best travel towel. 

Read more below

The best lightweight travel towel

This travel towel is the perfect accessory for people who like to travel light. It weighs a mere 160g and can absorb over twice its weight in water. Better still, the nanofibre material dries super quickly - no one likes carrying wet towels in their bags, after all.  

The best absorbent travel towel

If you get weirded out by the idea of drying yourself off with something that doesn’t remotely resemble the texture you’re familiar with, try this one. It’s made from a mix of bamboo and polyester, so it’s highly absorbent, and despite being much heavier than hydrofibre, it is still technically lightweight.  

Best travel towels 2023 ranking

Why you can trust T3 Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

1. Lifeventure Hydro Fibre UltraLite Travel Towel

Specifications, reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Hydrofibre is the latest advance in travel towel technology. As we mentioned in the intro, it’s similar in texture to a softfibre towel, but it’s much lighter, so you won’t be lugging around more weight than you need to. 

It’s worth mentioning that this travel towel is treated with Polygiene, which prevents a build-up of odour producing bacteria – after all, a smelly towel won’t hang about when it comes to infusing it’s scent into the rest of your backpack contents. It comes with its own carry case, but reviewers say it’s small enough to squeeze into that last remaining space in your backpack if needs be. For its pure functionality, it’s claimed our first spot as best travel towel. 

• Back to the top ⤴

2. Matador NanoDry Packable Shower Towel

High-performance outdoor equipment manufacturer Matador's NanoDry Packable Towel is the perfect accessory for people who like to travel light. It weighs a mere 160g and can absorb over twice its weight in water. Better still, the nanofibre material dries super quickly, which is a boon when you need to make a move in a speedy fashion after you finish skinny-dipping in the lake. No one likes carrying wet towels in their bags, after all. 

3. Trespass Wickerman Bamboo Sports Towel

If you get weirded out by the idea of drying yourself off with something that doesn’t remotely resemble the texture you’re familiar with, try this one. It’s made from a mix of bamboo and polyester, so it’s highly absorbent, and despite being much heavier than hydrofibre, it is still technically lightweight. 

Microfibre towels can get smelly, but because this one’s made from bamboo, it’ll resist turning on you that much longer – it’ll still need washing occasionally to completely prevent it from becoming stinky.  If you’re looking for a towel that you can take to that desert island inspired beach, this one is large enough to lie on, too. 

The best all rounder travel towel

4. Sea to Summit Tek Towel

Thanks to its microfibre composition, this travel towel should feel faintly towel-like. Microfibre creates a large surface area, which means it’s capable of high absorbency and it’s also much quicker at drying than regular towels, too. 

The large towel is similar in sizing to our bamboo selection above, and it’s lighter in weight if you’re conscious that your backpack is starting to feel heavy. The only downside is it doesn’t have antibacterial properties. 

If you know you’ll be passing through some hostels with washing facilities, that’s fine. But you may want to think about the smell-factor if you’re planning on going completely off-grid for a substantial amount of time.

The best large travel towel

5. Mountain Warehouse Micro Towelling Travel Towel

If you’re conscious about covering yourself up in the all-sex showering unit (we don’t blame you), then this towel is pretty substantial in size. Despite being large, it can be compacted into a corner of your rucksack and the weight, too, is fairly light for a towel so hefty. 

Made from microfibre, it’s towel-like in feel, highly absorbent and fast drying, but it doesn’t possess antibacterial properties like our first and second pick, which means it could become smelly after a while. With a variety of colours available, you can make sure yours is easy to spot when it’s on the line. 

Check our Mountain Warehouse discount codes to save on your purchase.

The best fast drying travel towel

6. Bodhi Microfibre Towel

If you can get passed the fact that this towel has a suede-like feel to it, you’ll love that it’s very absorbent and can apparently dry even in the dingiest of hostels. The extra large size is the largest on our list, and with dimensions of 180cmx90cm, should allow you to completely cover up in the shared shower unit. 

It’s also good to know that it has antibacterial properties, so you can get away with not washing it for much longer than a regular softfibre or microfibre towel. It comes in a range of sizes, and can be squashed into your backpack last minute as you leave the hostel for your next destination.

The best attractive travel towel

7. Syourself Microfiber Sports & Travel Towel

Your list of items to purchase for your next trip is probably endless, so it’s good to know that there’s a cheap option when it comes to travel towels. With it’s fleece-like feel, it may be weird using it to begin with, but you’ll soon appreciate its fast drying and fast absorbing properties, thanks to its softfibre composition. 

There’s a range of sizes available, with the substantial extra large size able to compact itself into the smallest corner of your rucksack. If you’re looking to purchase a towel for washing and a towel for beach, this is the perfect towel for sunbathing on icing-sugar sand. 

The best compact travel towel

8. Nike Cooling Towel

If you’re planning on island hopping and hitting the beach, or trekking through the jungle, you’ll want a towel that’s super absorbent, with a cooling effect. Like its name suggests, Nike ’s Cooling Towel does just this. Engineered to lower your temperature and keep you fresh during a workout, it’s brilliant for hotter holidays as the fabric cools when wet to help regulate body temperature, while its woven texture helps sustain the cooling effect for a chemical-free activation. At 91.3 x 45cm it’s a little bit of a sunny shape, but it is machine washable and you’ll be glad you have it if you’re dripping with sweat on your travels.

What is a travel towel?

First-timers may be asking why you can’t just stuff a towel from the airing cupboard into your backpack , carry-on luggage or suitcase . One of today's best bath towels is not a good choice for travel. Regular towels aren’t designed to be used and then crammed immediately into a rucksack. They don’t dry quickly enough for starters, which means they’ll go smelly and mouldy after a while. They’re also big and chunky, so they’ll take up far too much room and weigh you down more than necessary.

Travel towels, on the other hand, are lightweight, fast-drying, and smaller in size. They’re also highly absorbent, with the capacity to soak up water far quicker than a regular towel. Many have antibacterial properties too, so your towel-drying experience will be damp-free, smell-free and as pleasant as showering in the middle of nowhere can be.

The texture of travel towels also takes a variety of forms. Hydrofibre is likely to be fleecy to the touch, but deceives you with its amazing ability to soak up water quickly then dry really fast afterwards. Softfibre is very similar to hydrofibre in the way it feels, but it’s slightly heavier and can absorb more water. Microfibre is popular because it provides the closest texture to a towel out of all three options. It’s the thickest and heaviest and doesn’t have quite the same drying capacity as softfibre, but is still certainly one to consider.

Upgrade to smarter living

Get the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products straight to your inbox.

Lizzie is T3's Home Staff Writer, also covering style, living and wellness. She works closely with Bethan Girdler-Maslen, T3's Home Editor, ensuring all the latest news, trends and recommendations are covered. Outside of T3, Lizzie can be found mooching around Bath, attempting (or at least trying to) a new DIY project or spending time with family and friends.

• Aimée Bradshaw

Our favourite Rolex Submariner killer is back with a classy new look

By Sam Cross Published 31 May 24

Amazon's adding AI smarts to Alexa on your Fire TV to improve your search results

By Carrie Marshall Published 31 May 24

The best travel backpacks for everything from weekends away and business trips to backpacking and hiking

By Jamie Carter Last updated 20 December 23

Whether you’re travelling, commuting or in the office, the best power banks keep your smartphone, laptop and everything recharged and ready to use

By Jamie Carter Last updated 15 March 24

T3’s roundup of the best underwater cameras available to buy right now

By Amy Davies Last updated 2 January 24

These are the best travel tripods – compact and lightweight enough to squeeze into a backpack, suitcase or even a pocket

By Jamie Carter Last updated 2 January 24

The best electric scooter can make getting around more fun

By Matt Kollat Last updated 29 May 24

Easy to use and difficult to break – choose the best camera for kids with our handy guide

By Gavin Stoker Last updated 29 February 24

It's time to grab a pair of the best headphones for travel, for long flights, train journeys, and car rides

By Spencer Hart Last updated 2 January 24

Attempting travel with a baby? The best travel cot will make sure you’re suitably armed, and they’re suitably snuggly

By Spencer Hart Last updated 4 January 23

Useful links

• When is the next Prime Day?
• Best 5G phones
• Best VPN services
• Best laptops
• Best smartphones
• Best mattresses
• Best phone deals
• Best mattress deals
• Best TV deals
• Discount codes

The Best Lightweight Quick-Drying Towels That Won't Weigh Down Your Beach Bag

Staff Writer

From drying you off to creating a nice place to sit, towels are the versatile VIP of summer. While they’re undoubtedly useful, a heavy, wet towel can be cumbersome to carry with you, plus it can end up smelling like mildew if it never properly dries. There’s nothing worse than trying to have a fun day at the beach or lake and being bogged down by a semi-moist towel that never fully dries and starts to develop that “wet towel” smell. You know the one I’m talking about.

So to keep you dry and unencumbered this summer (and frankly, every other season) we rounded up our favorite lightweight quick-drying towels that are perfect for traveling, day trips or just keeping around your car. We threw in a mix of sporty packable towels and more traditional bath towels you’d want to display in your bathroom or linen closet. And while they come in a variety of sizes, colors and materials, they’re all notably quick-drying, airy and absorbent.

HuffPost receives a share from retailers on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Before You Go

The Best Waterproof Picnic Blankets

Popular in the community, from our partner, huffpost shopping’s best finds, more in shopping.

• svg]:stroke-accent-900"> 826K
• svg]:stroke-accent-900"> 622K
• svg]:stroke-accent-900"> 246K
• svg]:stroke-accent-900"> 45K

The Best Hand Towels of 2023

By Jasmine Harding

Updated on May 11, 2023 3:56 PM EDT

13 minute read

Best Overall

Superior Solid Egyptian Cotton Hand Towel Set

Best bang for the buck.

White Classic Wealuxe Home Collection Hand Towels

Best turkish cotton.

Smyrna Turkish Cotton Original Series Hand Towels

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›

Photo: amazon.com Photo: amazon.com

Hand towels are an essential item in any home. As their name suggests, they’re primarily used to dry hands, but they can be used to dry other surfaces or even clean up messes in a pinch.

Since hand towels are often used multiple times a day, it’s worthwhile to buy a set that is durable and feels comfortable to use. Options are available in a range of different materials and styles, ranging from budget-friendly polyester towels to luxurious decorative options. They also range in size; hand towel dimensions usually measure between 18 to 30 inches long by 15 to 25 inches wide. Whether you need to outfit a new home or to upgrade old towels, we’ve rounded up the best hand towels for bathroom use and other household tasks.

• BEST OVERALL: Superior Solid Egyptian Cotton Hand Towel Set
• BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: White Classic Wealuxe Home Collection Hand Towels
• BEST TURKISH COTTON: Smyrna Turkish Cotton Original Series Hand Towels
• BEST QUICK-DRYING: Everplush Diamond Jacquard Hand Towels
• BEST LUXURY: Brooklinen Super-Plush Hand Towels
• BEST DESIGNS: SKL Home Hand Towel Set
• BEST WAFFLE WEAVE: Onsen Waffle Hand Towel
• BEST SET: White Classic Luxury Hotel Collection Hand Towels

How We Chose the Best Hand Towels

As such a high-usage item, quality hand towels are worth the investment. Since there are affordable options, they don’t need to break the bank either. To parse out the best towels from the rest, we considered the hand towel material, construction quality, and price. We also considered the towel’s softness, texture, absorbency, and how quickly it dries, based on both the towel type and shopper reviews.

We prioritized towels made from high-quality 100 percent cotton since it balances softness, affordability, and durability. We did also include some other materials if they had perks, like a faster drying time or a lighter weight. Hand towels can be a lovely decorative accent in a bathroom, so we made sure our top picks look nice as well.

Our Top Picks

A must-have accessory in any bathroom, the best hand towels ahead feel pleasant in hand and are long lasting to hold up to everyday use.

Irresistibly plush is one way to describe the Superior Solid Egyptian cotton hand towel set. This set includes four thick hand towels made of 100 percent Egyptian cotton that is soft and pleasant to touch. Each towel measures 30 inches long by 20 inches wide and has a weight of 800 grams per square meter (GSM), putting them in the same league as fluffy spa-like towels. For more details on GSM, read the Texture section that appears below our product reviews.

These towels look as nice as they feel. A range of 23 colors is available, including a classic plain white as well as several solid colors. To add a decorative edge, the towels have a textured rope border. Though they feel luxurious, cleaning these towels is easy since they’re colorfast, machine washable, and dryer-safe on low.

Product Specs

• Size: 30 inches long by 20 inches wide
• Number of towels: 4
• Material: Egyptian cotton
• 800-GSM weight gives these towels a dense ultraplush and fluffy texture
• Easy to clean since they’re colorfast, machine washable, and dryer-safe on low
• Plush appearance with several solid color options and a textured rope border on each towel
• Some reviewers found the towels left a lot of lint in the washer and dryer

Get the Superior hand towels at Amazon .

Affordable but still high quality, the White Classic Wealuxe hand towels are an excellent set for shoppers who need a bulk pack of hand towels. This set includes 12 white hand towels, ideal for use in the bathroom or as a gym or spa towel. Each towel measures 27 inches long by 16 inches wide and is made of 100 percent cotton that is both soft and durable.

Built to last for heavy uses, the towels are double stitched to prevent them from fraying. They’re machine washable for easy maintenance and are also processed to be lint-free and fast drying. These features make this bulk hand towel set excellent for both personal and professional use.

• Size: 27 inches long by 16 inches wide
• Number of towels: 12
• Material: Cotton
• Includes 12 towels for a reasonable price; ideal for bulk buyers
• Double-stitched hems are constructed for long-lasting durability
• Bright white color is classic; suitable for both personal and professional settings
• Some users note that the texture is less fluffy and thinner than they appear in brand photos

Get the White Classic Wealuxe hand towels at Amazon .

The Smyrna Turkish Cotton Original Series hand towels are part of our top picks for the best Turkish towels because of their quality material and appealing design. Two hand towels are included in this set, each measuring 40 inches long by 16 inches wide and made of 100 percent Turkish cotton. This supple material gives the towels a soft and lightweight texture that’s also fast drying, perfect for heavy-traffic bathrooms.

These towels look as nice as they perform, with a decorative pattern and handmade tassels. They’re machine washable and prewashed so they won’t shrink after their first wash at home. A variety of colors is available to suit almost any bathroom decor.

What Our Team Says: Bob Vila Assistant Editor and product tester, Michelle Larson, says, “These are the softest hand towels I own. They’re my “fancy towels”, so I put them out when we have friends over. They’re much longer than a standard hand towel and super absorbent, so I especially love using them in the kitchen for big spills or hand-drying dishes.” Product Specs

• Size: 40 inches long by 16 inches wide
• Number of towels: 2
• Material: Turkish cotton
• Colorful pattern and handmade tassels add a decorative touch
• Machine-washable construction that is prewashed to prevent shrinkage
• Extra-long design means a larger surface area for hand drying and other uses
• Some reviewers note the towels can leave lint on hands

Get the Smyrna hand towels at Amazon .

Best Quick-Drying

Everplush diamond jacquard hand towels.

A lot of hand towels claim to be fast drying, but the Everplush Diamond Jacquard hand towels have some distinctive qualities to back up such claims. Instead of just cotton, this towel set is made from cotton and microfiber. Cotton outer loops give this towel its soft feel, while microfiber inner loops soak up water and then dry quickly. This construction makes the towels lightweight and gives them a plush texture. It also gives the towels their quick-drying and absorbent capabilities—each one can absorb eight times its weight in water.

This set includes four towels measuring 30 inches long by 16 inches wide. They’re machine washable and dryer-safe on low heat for easy cleaning. They look nice too with a subtle tonal jacquard pattern.

• Size: 30 inches long by 16 inches wide
• Material: Cotton, polyester, and polyamide
• Cotton and microfiber construction makes these towels very quick drying
• Feels like soft cotton but performs like microfiber
• Very absorbent, absorbing up to 8 times its weight in water
• Due to weave and microfiber material, the towels can trap debris such as lint and hair

Get the Everplush hand towels at Amazon , Lowe’s , or Everplush .

Best Luxury

Brooklinen super-plush hand towels.

Another high-quality hand towel set, the Brooklinen Super-Plush hand towels are an excellent choice for shoppers looking to bring the luxury of spa towels home. This set includes two white hand towels made from 100 percent Turkish cotton with a hefty weight of 820 GSM, so they’re ultraplush and soft. These long-staple cotton towels are constructed from a durable z-twist weave to help the towel fibers resist pilling and pulling.

Each towel measures 30 inches long by 20 inches wide and is suitable for use in the bathroom and beyond as a luxury spa or wellness towel. Other colors are also available for those who like to add a pop of brightness to the bathroom. To maintain these towels’ luxurious feel, they do require a bit of extra upkeep. They shouldn’t be bleached, and Brooklinen recommends machine washing these towels on cold and tumble drying on low.

• Ultraplush, luxurious, and dense texture, with an 820 GSM weight
• Uses long-staple Turkish cotton, which is soft but also durable
• Constructed with a z-twist weave to improve longevity
• More high maintenance than some other towels; can’t be bleached and requires cold-water washing

Get the Brooklinen hand towels at Amazon or Brooklinen .

Best Designs

Skl home hand towel set.

Give guest bathrooms (or any bathroom, really) an appealing finishing touch with this adorable hand towel set from SKL Home. Two towels are included, and each white hand towel is made from 100 percent cotton with a terry cloth texture. Absorbent and soft, they feel nice to the touch and look charming as well.

Each towel features a detailed embroidered pattern that makes them look right at home in any well-appointed cozy bathroom. The cute embroidered accents also make this small hand towel set a great one for gifting. To maintain their soft texture and embroidered detail, these towels should be machine washed in cold water.

• Size: 25 inches long by 16 inches wide
• Cotton construction with a soft and absorbent terry cloth texture
• Available in a variety of designs and colors to match most bathroom decor
• Detailed embroidery adds an endearing decorative touch
• Should be washed in cold water, so may not be suitable for washing with other towels

Get the SKL Home hand towels at Amazon , The Home Depot , Target , Tractor Supply Co. , or SKL Home .

Best Waffle Weave

Onsen waffle hand towel.

With an appealing waffle-weave texture and deep color, the Onsen hand towel performs beautifully and looks trendy. This hand towel is made from strong Supima cotton, which gives it excellent durability and absorbency. The waffle weave allows it to dry quickly as well, so this towel is excellent for busy bathrooms.

The Supima cotton material and open weave give this towel a luxurious look without the need for extra thickness and fluff. The towel measures 30 inches long by 16 inches wide and comes in a range of attractive neutral colors that are well suited for modern bathrooms. Onsen also sells bath towels and face cloths in this same material for shoppers who want to make a matching set.

• Number of towels: 1
• Material: Supima cotton
• Waffle-weave pattern looks nice and is fast drying
• Supima cotton material is soft, durable, and absorbent
• Available in a range of trendy, deep neutral colors to suit modern decor
• Does not feel plush or fluffy; some users may find the texture scratchy

Get the Onsen hand towels at Amazon or Onsen .

White Classic Luxury Hotel Collection Hand Towels

It’s hard to go wrong with this six-piece hand towel set from White Classic. These towels from the Hotel Collection look like they belong in a hotel or spa. They are available in a variety of colors, including a timeless white, and have a decorative textured stripe. Each hand towel is 30 inches long by 16 inches wide and made from 100 percent combed cotton. The combed texture gives the towels a soft and absorbent feel, and since they’re cotton, they’re also durable and reasonably quick drying. To hold up to heavy use, these towels have reinforced edges to prevent fraying.

• Number of towels: 6
• Hotel-quality look and feel with combed-cotton construction and a textured border
• Reinforced edges make these towels durable enough for home and professional settings
• White hand towels are bleach-safe; great for maintaining bright white color and sanitizing
• Some users note that some colors aren’t true to their description

Get the White Classic Luxury Hotel hand towels at Amazon .

Jump to Our Top Picks

What to consider when choosing hand towels.

While a hand towel is generally a straightforward product, there are a lot of factors that can go into choosing the best hand towels for a home. Since they are handled every day (often multiple times a day) and can last up to 5 years, it’s worthwhile to put some thought into buying a good set. With personal preferences and budget in mind, consider the towel’s absorbency, drying time, material, texture, and washability, which we break down ahead.

Material 

Some shoppers like a plush extra-fluffy towel while others prefer a thinner moisture-wicking option. There’s no “perfect” towel for everyone, so shop according to your preferences, starting with the towel material.

• Cotton: When it comes to material, cotton is a favorite for very good reason. Cotton is a natural material that balances a soft texture with performance and affordability. Long-staple or extra-long-staple is ideal. These terms refer to the length of the cotton fiber. Longer fibers are smoother and more flexible, which means they feel soft and are more durable. Egyptian, Pima, Supima, and Turkish cotton towels all have an excellent reputation (and the good-quality ones are at least long-staple). Also, look for combed or ring-spun cotton, which are refined to create a smoother texture.
• Linen: Another natural material, linen is a thinner, lighter weight, absorbent, and durable alternative to cotton that also feels luxe.
• Bamboo: Made from the bamboo plant, bamboo fabric is soft and absorbent, though it can tend to dry more slowly than other popular materials.
• Microfiber: A synthetic material, microfiber is very lightweight and absorbent, plus it dries very quickly. It’s durable and thin, so it’s a great material for both everyday use and for travel .

Good hand towels are absorbent, wicking water away from surfaces to get them dry. Towel absorbency doesn’t always correlate with thickness, though generally higher GSM towels are more absorbent. Consider the towel’s material and texture as well when evaluating absorbency.

One hundred percent cotton hand towels have an excellent reputation for being absorbent, as do microfiber towels. Certain textures, like waffle weaves and terry cloth towels, also do well at absorbing water. When considering plush towels, a longer staple (long-staple or extra-long-staple) is better at absorbing water than shorter staples. For a lightweight towel, waffle weaves tend to be the most absorbent.

Drying Time 

To prevent mold, mildew, and bacteria growth, it’s important to consider how quickly the towels will dry. Drying time can be influenced by the environment as well, like the frequency of use and humidity in the room. Choose a towel that can dry quickly in your given environment.

As expected, thinner towels tend to dry faster, so that’s the first attribute to consider. Certain materials dry more quickly as well, such as thin cotton and microfiber towels. Also, consider towel texture; for example, waffle weaves are both absorbent but also fast drying because of their thinner weaved texture. Hanging hand towels on a bar instead of a hook can help improve drying time for all towels.

The ideal hand towel texture comes down to personal preference. Some people like a plush and fluffy towel, while others like a thinner, textured feel. Denser and thicker towels tend to have a softer and fluffier texture while thinner towels may feel scratchier or smoother, depending on the material. Most towels soften with continued use.

Some hand towel manufacturers also share the weight of the towel, measured in GSM. This metric describes the towel density, which often ranges between 300 and 900 GSM. The higher the number, the denser, heavier, and fluffier the towel. For that ultrafluffy feel, go for a high GSM hand towel—a luxurious spa-like towel will start at around 800 GSM, while medium-weight towels are around 400 to 600 GSM. Thicker towels tend to be more expensive. Thinner, lower GSM towels are lighter, not as fluffy, and tend to dry faster.

Washability 

Like kitchen towels , hand towels should be washed frequently. They should only be used for a couple of days before swapping out for a clean one. Almost all hand towels are machine washable. Ideally, hand towels should be washed in hot water, which is the most hygienic option, though some more delicate towels may require a different water temperature. Because hand towels need frequent washing, durability is a major factor to consider when shopping for them.

To hold up to the wash cycle, the towel should be well stitched. Look for reinforced stitching or double-stitched corners, and read user reviews to get an idea of durability. Keep in mind that decorative trims like tassels can be more fragile or may not hold up nicely to many washes. Also, thicker hand towels are larger, so they’ll take up more space in both the washing machine and storage closet.

FAQs  

It’s worth it to invest in good hand towels; they’re more eco-friendly than disposable bathroom napkins and look a lot nicer, too. Even with frequent usage, the best hand towels can hold up for many years with proper cleaning and care. If you’ve found a hand towel set you love (or you’ve found the perfect decorative hand towels for guest bathroom use), why not take the steps to make them last? The tips ahead can help keep hand towels performing and looking their best.

Q. Where should I dry my hand towels?

The towel’s care label explains how to best wash and dry it. After washing them, and if the care label indicates, place the hand towels in the dryer at the recommended setting. Another alternative is to hang dry the towels. Make sure hand towels are completely dry before storing them.

Q. How do I wash my hand towels?

Wash your hand towels according to the care label directions. Most hand towels are machine washable and dryer-safe. Wash and dry at the highest temperature the towel can tolerate to better remove dirt and germs. To prevent cross contamination, discoloration, or other damage, wash hand towels with other bath towels and facecloths of like colors.

Q. How do I keep hand towels soft all the time?

Want to revel in having the softest towels possible? Using distilled white vinegar in the wash can help keep hand towels nice and soft. Opt for vinegar instead of fabric softener; fabric softener can leave a residue on towels that can make them less absorbent and scratchier-feeling over time. Adding ½ to 1 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle helps break down buildup on the towels. Also, dry hand towels in the dryer (as opposed to hang drying) to fluff them up and make them feel more soft and supple.

Q. Do I need to add bleach when washing hand towels?

It’s not necessary to add bleach when washing hand towels, but it can come with some benefits (as long as the towels are safe to bleach). Chlorine bleach can help sanitize towels and make white hand towels whiter. Oxygen bleach can also help brighten towels without the risk of the towels discoloring, which can occur when using chlorine bleach on colored towels.

Why Trust Bob Vila 

Bob Vila has been America’s Handyman since 1979. As the host of beloved and groundbreaking TV series including “This Old House” and “Bob Vila’s Home Again,” he popularized and became synonymous with “do-it-yourself” home improvement.

Over the course of his decades-long career, Bob Vila has helped millions of people build, renovate, repair, and live better each day—a tradition that continues today with expert yet accessible home advice. The Bob Vila team distills need-to-know information into project tutorials, maintenance guides, tool 101s, and more. These home and garden experts then thoroughly research, vet, and recommend products that support homeowners, renters, DIYers, and professionals in their to-do lists.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

The Best Bath Towels, According to Testing

We spent six years evaluating more than 90 bath towels in our Textiles Lab.

Finding the best bath towel is largely based on personal preference, but one thing we can agree on is that it should be absorbent to dry you off, comfortable against your skin and long-lasting to stand up to repeated use and laundering. It also doesn't hurt to have one that dries quickly after it gets wet.

• Best Overall: Frontgate Resort Collection Bath Towel
• Best Value : Amazon Basics Quick-Dry Bath Towel, Set of 2
• Best Quick-Dry: Everplush Diamond Jacquard Bath Towel
• Best Lightweight: Pottery Barn Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel
• Best Heavyweight: Brooklinen Super Plush Bath Towel, 2-Pack
• Softest: Riley Plush Bath Towel
• Most Absorbent: RH Ultra Soft Turkish Bath Towel
• Best Luxury: Matouk Milagro Bath Towel

Frontgate Resort Collection Bath Towels

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 3/5 | Softness: 4.3/5 | Durability: 4.2/5

Frontgate's towel uses a simple, high-quality construction that outperformed most other towels in our review. Part of that is thanks to its material, including long-staple Turkish cotton fibers (which are smoother and more durable than traditional cotton). As an added bonus, it comes in 25 colors so there's something for every preference.

At-home users praised the towel's softness and said it looked great after repeated use. One described it as having "a classic, plush feel and a substantial hand," while adding, "These have stayed soft after months of use thus far." Users also highlighted the appearance and one called it "a perfect size to wrap around my body." Just note that although at-home testers unanimously gave it perfect scores for softness, it didn't earn quite as high softness ratings in our comparison tests when consumers felt it alongside other towels.

When it came to our Textiles Lab evaluations, this one earned perfect scores in our absorbency tests. It's not quick-drying and only had a moderate dry speed in our tests, and though it had some shrinkage in the wash, it was overall durable with strong fabric that didn't show signs of wear after laundering.

Material: 100% cotton | Weight: 700 GSM | Colors: 26 options | Dimensions: 30" x 58" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

Amazon Basics Quick-Dry Bath Towels, 2-Pack

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 3.5 /5 | Drying speed: 3.5/5 | Softness: 4/5 | Durability: 3.8/5

If you're looking to save or prefer to buy towels on Amazon , this one had an standout performance and costs just $10 per towel. It feels lightweight — it's thinner and less dense than other towels — yet is still super soft. I've been using this one at home to get a sense of how it compares to the others we recommend and have been impressed that it feels more expensive than it actually is.

Not all testers loved its lightweight feel, especially those that prefer the heftier weight of a luxe towel. However, users said it feels soft and absorbent during real use after showers. It was somewhat absorbent in Lab tests, though it didn't soak up fluid as easily as other options and had some shrinkage after laundering. Still, its performance for the price can't be beat.

Material: 100% cotton | Weight: Not listed | Colors: 4 options | Dimensions: 30" x 54" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

Everplush Diamond Jacquard Bath Towel

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 5/5 | Softness: 4.4/5 | Durability: 4.1/5

This quick-dry towel is my personal favorite thanks to its unique construction. I especially love how it has cotton on the outside for softness, but microfiber on the inside for enhanced performance. The result makes it an excellent balance of absorbent, quick-drying, strong and shrink-resistant. Testers also noted that they liked the texture, which looks different than typical cotton loops.

One thing to note is that the fabric surface showed fuzzy signs of wear more quickly than other towels in our laundering evaluations. Still, it was a top performer and the only towel to ace both absorbency and drying time tests. We're also fans of the brand's Hokime Ribbed Towels for those who prefer even more of a textured feel as these were also top performers in our tests.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW: The Everplush Diamond Jacquard is the Only Bath Towel I Need

Material: 48% polyester, 40% cotton, 12% polyamide | Weight: Not listed | Colors: 9 options | Dimensions: 30" x 56" inches | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

Pottery Barn Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 3.5/5 | Softness: 4.7/5 | Durability: 4/5

If you prefer a luxurious towel that's not too heavy , this one is your best bet. It's made of Turkish cotton that's certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), plus it stood out in our tests for being super soft and ultra-absorbent. In fact, it earned perfect absorbency ratings in our evaluations, soaking up all fluid without any liquid running off. Our testers unanimously gave it high scores, referring to it as "comfy," "so fluffy" and the "ideal towel." I tried it at home and agree: It has stayed soft despite repeated use and feels lighter than other absorbent towels I've tried.

Beyond that, it held up well to our laundering tests — the fabric looked and felt good (despite some shrinkage) even after 20 wash cycles. Just note that although the name claims these towels are quick-dry, they actually took longer to fully dry than other bath towels in our test.

Material: 100% organic Turkish cotton | Weight: 550 GSM | Colors: 14 options | Dimensions: 28" x 50" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

Brooklinen Super-Plush Bath Towels, 2-Pack

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 3/5 | Softness: 4.8/5 | Durability: 3.9 /5

This style is ideal for anyone who prefers the comfort of a soft, dense towel: Its cotton fabric has the heaviest weight of all our picks at a whopping 820 GSM. This helped it achieve excellent absorbency in Lab evaluations and superior softness ratings in our consumer tester reviews. One tester noted, "It is a very thick towel that absorbs the water off your body practically in one pass," while another proclaimed, "It's the best towel I've ever used." I've personally used this one at home and can attest to its thick and absorbent construction.

Another highlight is that it didn't shed lint in the wash, which is a common concern with plush towels. It did have some shrinkage after laundering and it wasn't quick-drying, but both of these areas still scored average compared to other towels in our test. On top of that, this one is backed by our Good Housekeeping Seal , which means we stand behind it with our limited warranty.

Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: 820 GSM | Colors: 11 options, with additional seasonal colors | Dimensions: 30" x 58" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet, bath mat

Riley Home Plush Bath Towel

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 4/5 | Softness: 5/5 | Durability: 4.1 /5

Riley's towel uses a zero-twist combed cotton construction, meaning the fibers are longer and stronger so it's softer, more absorbent and more durable. At-home users unanimously gave it perfect scores for softness and raved about its luxurious feel. In fact, one tester said, "It was the softest towel I've ever used," while another told us, "I expected the softness to disappear with washing, but it stayed soft. And the fluffiness didn't decrease with washing either."

In addition to the exceptional reviews from consumer testers, our analysts were amazed by how soft it remained after repeated laundering cycles in our standardized tests, though it did have some shrinkage. It also earned perfect absorbency scores in the Lab and dried fairly quickly, which is impressive for a plush, 100% cotton towel. Just note that at times we've seen inventory issues with this style with certain colors and sizes sold out online. We also recently tested Riley's Spa Towel Collection , which is more of a low-pile towel (i.e. not as plush or dense) and was well-loved by testers.

Material: 100% cotton | Weight: 650 GSM | Colors: 6 options | Dimensions: 30" x 58" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

RH Ultra-Soft Turkish Bath Towel

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 2/5 | Softness: 4.9/5 | Durability: 3.8/5

This 100% cotton towel was by far the most absorbent in our tests, quickly soaking up all fluid without any runoff. Plus, our panel praised the fluffiness and rated it softer than dozens of others in a blind comparison. They specifically liked the heavy, blanket-like feel and described it as super plush.

On the flip side, these towels took a while to dry, which is not surprising with such high absorbency. It also shrunk a bit in our wash tests. Still, if you want to wrap yourself in a thick, cozy towel that dries you off quickly, this is the one for you.

Material: 100% cotton | Weight: 750 GSM | Colors: 15 options | Dimensions: 30" x 56" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet

Matouk Milagro Bath Towel

LAB RESULTS: Absorbency: 5/5 | Drying speed: 4/5 | Softness: 4.9/5 | Durability: 4.6/5

Though it's certainly not for everyone, this one's a great choice for anyone who's looking for the most luxurious option that's worth the splurge . The towel size is longer than average at 60 inches, plus it's soft, fluffy and fairly lightweight. The brand says it uses a long-staple cotton and zero-twist construction, which helps the towel become softer and more absorbent.

A tester described this towel as feeling like a "soft, fluffy cloud" and added, "I liked drying my hair with it (it felt less harsh)." It was super absorbent in Lab tests, yet didn't take too long to dry compared to other absorbent styles. It did have notable shrinkage in laundering tests, but the appearance looked like new after repeated washing.

Material: 100% cotton | Weight: 550 GSM | Colors: 17 options | Dimensions: 30" x 60" | Matching pieces: Washcloth, hand towel, bath sheet, bath mat, fingertip towel

More types of bath towels to consider

Our tests show that the traditional bath towel style made with cotton terry loops performs best in terms of absorbency, softness and overall tester satisfaction. That being said, there are some novel types of towels that have been gaining popularity for their unique attributes. Here are some that we tested and recommend if you're looking for something new:

• Best Waffle Towel: The Parachute Waffle Towel is super lightweight at 220 GSM and dried quickly in our tests. The downside is that it wasn't as absorbent as traditional towels, which is true for every waffle towel we've tested. We also recently tested the popular Onsen Waffle Weave Bath Towel . It stood out for its durability, but didn't earn high scores in our absorbency, drying speed or softness tests.
• Best Organic Towel: Not only is the Coyuchi Temescal Organic Towel certified by GOTS (so you know the entire production process follows strict standards), but it was also one of the top performers in our softness and absorbency tests, proving that you don't need to sacrifice towel quality by shopping more sustainability. The downside is that this one is extremely pricey.
• Best Linen Towel: Linen towels are not common, but they stand out for having a crisp, textured feel. We recently tested the Linoto Linen Spa Bath Towel , which was overall durable and well-liked by at-home testers. However, it wasn't rated as soft as cotton bath towels in comparison tests and didn't soak up water easily in our absorbency tests.
• Best Hybrid Towel: Boll & Branch's Waffle Terry Bath Towel has a unique construction with a traditional terry fabric on one side and a waffle fabric on the other. It was fairly absorbent with an average drying speed, and at-home testers unanimously loved using it.

How we test bath towels

My team of product analysts and I have tested more than 90 bath towels in the past six years. Each one is put through the wringer in both Lab tests and consumer evaluations. Here's how the bath towels are scored:

✔️ Absorbency: Using the apparatus pictured here, we set up a towel sample at a 60-degree angle and pour water onto it from a standard distance. Any water that the towel doesn't absorb rolls off the fabric and into the container below, which we weigh to measure much runs off. This test is performed multiple times on each towel, including after repeated wash cycles because absorbency can change after extended use. A towel with perfect absorbency doesn't have any runoff.

✔️ Drying speed : We apply a standard amount of water to a towel swatch then hang it to dry. We reweigh the swatch every 30 minutes until it reaches its original weight, indicating that the towel has fully dried.

✔️ Washability: Our analysts wash and dry each towel 20 times, measuring shrinkage and appearance throughout this process. We also measure weight loss from laundering to see how much each towel sheds lint.

✔️ Fabric strength: A specialized machine called the Instron pulls swatches of towel fabric apart and measures the force needed to break each one.

✔️ Consumer tests: Dozens of consumer testers use the towels at home and rate them on factors like softness, appearance, whether they were dried off quickly and more. We also set up blinded softness tests in our Lab, where additional consumers feel and rate each one in a side-by-side comparison.

How to choose the right bath towel for you

One thing we've learned from extensive consumer testing is that picking out the best bath towel is largely based on personal preference. Here's what you should consider:

• If you want a super soft, ultra-absorbent towel, look for 100% cotton with dense, plush loops on the surface. You can also look at fabric weight, which is shown in GSM (grams per square meter). Over 600 GSM is considered heavy, so these will typically be the plushest. Lighter towels like waffle weaves or ribs typically weren't as soft in our test.
• If you want a towel that's quick-drying and more durable, consider a cotton-poly blend or a lighter fabric with a low pile (short loops). Fluffy loops help the towel feel soft and absorb water, but they can take longer to dry and may show more wear from laundering.

Is Egyptian or Turkish cotton better for towels?

It’s not a rule of thumb, but towels labeled as “Turkish cotton” or “Made in Turkey” performed better in our tests than those claiming to be made of “Egyptian” cotton. In theory, they’re very similar: Both are long-staple fibers, helping to make the fabrics softer and more durable. However, Turkish cotton is more popular in bath towels and is known for drying faster than Egyptian cotton, which is more commonly seen in bed sheets. Plus, there have been instances of bedding fabrics mislabeled as Egyptian cotton, especially because it's difficult to verify this claim.

How do you stop towels from shedding fluff?

My best tip is to wash them before use. Sometimes there are loose fibers leftover from the production process, but laundering the towels a few times should help get rid of them. Not to mention, washing them also makes the towels more absorbent because it gets rid of leftover finishes from production.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

Lexie Sachs is the executive director of strategy & operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute , where she has been researching, testing and writing about bath towels for over a decade. Lexie has developed proprietary evaluations while also following standardized industry test methods to review dozens of styles both in the Textiles Lab and in the homes of consumer testers.

Testing for this article has also been conducted by senior textiles analyst Emma Seymour , textiles product reviews analyst Grace Wu and contributing analyst Rachael Chen .

Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.

Grace Wu (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.

Emma Seymour (she/her) is a senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute 's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she has led testing for luggage, pillows, towels, tampons and more since 2018. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor of science in fiber science and apparel design and a minor in gerontology, completing research in the Body Scanner Lab on optimizing activewear for athletic performance. 

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Around the Bathroom

25 Bathroom Shelving Ideas to Maximize Storage

The Best Bath Towels on Amazon

14 Designer-Approved Bathroom Looks

The Best Toilets

The Best Toilet Bowl Cleaners

The Best Shower Filters

The Best Bathroom Cleaners

The Best Bathroom Scales, Tested & Reviewed

The Best Shower Cleaners

The Best Degreasers

The Best Eco-Friendly Household Cleaners

what are beach towels? 🧣11 Best Beach Towels For Travel Lovers: Your Ultimate Guide

What are beach towels? Beach towels are larger, often colorful, and designed for use at the beach or pool to dry off and relax.

Are you tired of lugging around those big, bulky towels that take up half your beach bag? It’s time for a change.

We’ll introduce you to a world of beach towels that are not only lightweight but also incredibly soft. Some of them even come with hidden pockets, and they fit perfectly on your beach chair.

So, leave those oversized, space-hogging towels at home and make space for the essentials.

We’ve explored the market to bring you the ideal beach towels for travel that will add style and convenience to your beach or pool trips.

🧐 Things To Consider While Purchasing Beach Towels For Travel [Buying Guide]

1. turkish beach towel by wetcat, 2. microfiber camping towel by youphoria outdoors, 3. microfiber beach towel by bogi, 4. rainleaf microfiber towel perfect travel & sports & beach towel, 5. hooded towel for kids by little tinkers, 6. microfiber sport waffle weave towel by snappy towels, 7. lounge chair towel cover by kovot, 8. lux oversized absorbent cotton beach towel with hidden pocket by aysesa, 9. microfiber towels – quick dry 3 size pack by olimpiafit, 10. turkish towel – peshtemal cotton by sand cloud, 11. amazon basics cabana stripe beach towel, 1. microfiber beach towels, 2. turkish towels, 3. sand-free beach towels, 4. oversized beach towels, 🤔 how to care for your beach towel, 👌 the benefits of microfiber beach towels, q. what is the best quick-drying beach towel for travel, q. what material makes the best beach towel, q. do you bring beach towels on vacation, q. do microfiber beach towels really work, q. is cotton or microfiber better for beach towels, q. are travel beach towels different from regular beach towels, q. what is the ideal size for a travel beach towel, q. how do i keep my travel towel sand-free, q. do travel towels have to be plain, q. are corner pockets and zipper pouches necessary features for travel towels, q. can i use a regular towel for travel instead of a specific travel towel, q. can i machine-wash travel beach towels, q. is it weird to use a beach towel as a shower towel, 😇 conclusion, ✉ tell us in the comments your favorite best beach towels for travel..

How to choose the best Travel Towel? A good travel towel should be lightweight, rapid drying, and easy to pack. Microfiber is the most commonly used material.

Purchasing high-quality beach towels is more complicated than it appears. If you don’t get the correct towel, you’re going to have a bad time at the beach.

Certain characteristics, such as material, size, and thickness, can make a beach towel good or bad. If you want to purchase a good beach towel this summer, keep these points in mind.

• Check Its Water Absorbing Quality: Beach towels are used to dry off and relax in the sun. As a result, if your beach towel doesn’t dry soon, you’ll be sitting on a damp, sandy, and uncomfortable mess. Shaking all that sand out of the towel when it’s time to go home will be a challenging task. That’s why you’ll need a towel that can absorb water. Because these towels absorb moisture, they dry quite quickly. Instead of picking up the first inexpensive beach towel, you come across, search for terry cloth or cotton towels made of water-absorbent materials.
• It Should Be Comfortable: This towel will be wrapped around you or lying on you for hours, so it must be comfy. Although inexpensive beach towels may appear attractive, their rough fabric can be irritating and painful. Look for something of greater quality. Cotton beach towels are, once again, among the most comfortable.
• It Should Not Be Too Thick: A thick towel does not make it comfier. In fact, a thick towel may make your day at the beach more difficult. A thick towel, for example, is a large towel. It takes up a lot of space in your bag even when folded. This may require additional bags to carry anything else you require (food, sunscreen, books, bathing suit, change of clothes, etc.). When thick towels get wet, they become heavy, and shaking sand out of heavy towels is quite difficult.
• Size: Towels can be very large or excessively small. A towel that is at least as long as you are tall is ideal. This will be approximately 60 inches by 28 inches in towel terms. For most beachgoers, this is a good towel size. If it’s still too little, a beach blanket would be a better option.
• Price: A low-cost beach towel may appear to be excellent at first, but it’s always best to pay a little more and get a long-lasting towel. Thin beach towels, usually under $10, won’t survive more than a few beach outings before they start to fray. You’ll need three or four towels to get through the summer if you buy a cheap towel. As a result, purchasing a little more expensive towel upfront will save you money in the long term.
• Color: Selection: But, after all, there’s no rhyme or reason to towel color selection, right? In fact, the color of your towel is significant. Towels that are darker absorb more heat. If you don’t want to feel like you’re cooking, colors like grey and black should be avoided. Your towel will be exposed to the elements for a long period, and light colors, such as yellow, are quickly soiled. When you’re drifting down the beach in the waves, bright colors and bold patterns might also help you find your towel in a crowd.
• Material: Finding high-quality beach towels requires much more than simply walking into a store and purchasing the first towel you see. The Quality of the is very important so always purchase a towel that provides excellent quality.

• The set includes four large beach towels in cabana…
• Machine wash the towels in warm water using…
• Highly absorbent, yet light-weighted. Gives the…
• Woven with 100% ring spun cotton

• ×× NO LINT — Beach towel oversized made from…
• ×× NO FADING — Fluffy beach towel use nice dye…
• ×× NO FALL APART — Oversized beach towel use…
• √√ ENOUGH LARGE — Over Large beach towel with…

• 🏖️ Sand-Free Beach Towel: Enjoy a hassle-free…
• ✈️ Lightweight and Travel-Friendly: Pack light…
• ⏱️ Quick-Dry Technology: Say goodbye to damp…
• 🌟 Versatile and Multipurpose: Experience the…

Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

📃 List Of 11 Best Beach Towels For Travel That Are Lightweight and Compact

A good travel towel is essential no matter what type of traveler you are. We want to make sure you’re packed with one of the best travel towels, whether you’re backpacking through Jamaica, island-hopping across the world’s most beautiful islands, settling into your London hostel, or everything in between.

We have shortlisted some of the below beach towels for travel.

Turkish beach towels are popular right now because of their thin weave and elegant fringe on the edges.

These WETCAT Original Turkish Beach Towels are huge at 39 x 71 inches and Amazon’s Choice for Turkish beach towels are lightweight, rapid drying, and very absorbent.

Turkish towels roll up, pack flat, and double as beach cover-ups , making them ideal for travel. My friends enjoyed the Aqua color I got, and it made my beach bag substantially lighter than my regular beach towel.

Also Read : 10 Best Packable Sun Hats for Women That Ideal For Travel

The Youphoria Outdoors Microfiber Travel Towel is unique in that it combines usefulness, style, and cost.

The towel, which is made of absorbent microfibre, can hold up to five times its own weight in water and dries up to ten times faster than a traditional terry cloth towel.

The fabric is also anti-microbial, so it won’t mildew in the middle of your vacation.

20 x 40 inches, 28 x 56 inches, or 32 x 72 inches are the three sizes available. The travel towel rolls easily into the provided mesh bag, keeping it small during your vacation, whichever option you choose.

Use the quick-snap loop to hang it from a hotel shower rail or to build a temporary laundry line when camping. With 11 color combinations to pick from, like mint/grey, blue/green, and grey/pink, it adds extra style points. A lifetime warranty is included with your purchase.

These BOGI Microfiber Sports Travel Beach Towels are bright and lively, and the lightweight material means they save a lot of space. These towels may be used for everything from a yoga mat to a nice on-the-go tablecloth.

They fold up into a self-contained carrying bag with a carabiner clip at the end of the day, freeing up space in your tote for other beach items.

Also Read : 10 Comfortable Slippers That Look Like Shoes Ideal For Any Trip

Consider the RainLeaf Microfiber Towel if you want a towel that’s affordable and comes in a variety of colors and sizes. It’s comprised of fast-drying, absorbent microfibre, just like most other travel towels.

There are seven different shades to choose from (think army green, blue, rose red, or orange), as well as six different sizes ranging from extra small (12 by 24 inches) to extra, extra-large (12 x 48 inches) (40 x 72 inches).

This soft towel is antimicrobial and folds (rather than rolls) into a ventilated, waterproof carry bag that protects your other clothes even if they’re still moist.

When you return home after your vacation, it can be used as a beach or gym towel. On the beach, use the snap loop to hang it up to dry, and this beach towel with pockets protects your phone or wallet from curious eyes.

These charming hooded beach towels are ideal for beach days and birthday gifts for children.

For a fun day of play activities at the beach, your kids can dress up as a lion, a dragon, an elephant, and more. These types of beautiful kid’s beach towels are favorite among the kids.

They’re fantastic for wrapping up after a swim, can function as a robe, and can even be dressed up.

These towels are 50 x 30 inches in size, making them ideal for children aged 1 to 6, but also appropriate for older children. Among the many beach towels for kids, it is perfect in its own type.

Also Read : Best Sun-Protective Clothing For Summer Travel

The Snappy Towels Waffle Weave Microfiber Towel has the same characteristics as other microfiber towels on the market: it dries quickly and is absorbent, compact, and lightweight.

None of the others are as versatile as this one, which features innovative snaps along the edges.

You can use them to make a sarong or change the cover out of your travel towel by wrapping it around your waist. You may also use it as a shade-giving shawl or poncho by wrapping it around your shoulders.

If you’re traveling with small babies, the towel can be used as a stroller cover and gives breastfeeding mothers some privacy.

You can even attach the snaps to turn the towel into a tote bag for taking your goods to and from the beach and hang it to dry over a deck railing at the end of the day.

If you purchase several towels, you can use them to make a large beach blanket for your friends and family.

The sand-free travel towel comes in green or orange and is 54 by 27 inches. Other sizes are available as well.

This beach towel is specifically made to cover your beach lounge chair and provides pockets for your phone or drink, making it ideal for the beach or pool.

The lightweight and absorbent terry cloth and polyester fabric fold up into a convenient beach tote, and the entire towel folds up into a convenient beach tote.

Also Read : What Not To Do At A Nude Beach?

My friends loved the Lux Oversized Turkish Towel with Hidden Pocket, which is a top option for luxury beach towels with pockets.

The hidden zipper compartment is ideal for keeping your phone, keys, cash, or credit cards safe.

The maker says that these thin, light towels dry ten times faster than ordinary towels and that sand does not adhere to them. It comes in a range of different styles.

With the OlimpiaFit package, you receive three different-sized towels for the price of most individually purchased towels.

The 100% microfiber travel towels come in three sizes: 50 x 30 inches (large), 30 x 15 inches (medium), and 15 x 15 inches (small), making them ideal for multi-purpose use at the beach, camping, or the gym.

They’re also antimicrobial, very absorbent, hypoallergenic, and quick-drying, and the lightweight, compact towels are four times smaller than terrycloth towels.

The travel-friendly set includes a mesh carrying bag for each towel in addition to a hanging loop.

Also Read : 13 Best Travel Swimsuits For Perfect Vacation

Although these Sand Cloud Turkish towels are thinner than you may imagine, they are just as soft and absorbent as extra-thick cotton towels.

Not only do they fold up into a small package, making them easy to transport, but they’re also designed to get softer with each wash.

Even better, the company provides 10% of its net profits to marine conservation, so a portion of your purchase will benefit a good cause.

“This towel was a hit at the beach this summer. It truly repels sand and dries quickly “One shopper expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation.

Also Read : 11 Best Beach Cover-Up Dresses For Your Next Beach Vacation

These AmazonBasics beach towels indicate that you don’t have to pay a lot of money to get a good beach towel.

The fluffy towels come in a set of two and are composed of 100% ring-spun pure cotton that is both soft and sturdy.

The classic cabana striped towels are machine washable and come in four different colors.

📑 Types of Beach Towels

There are various types of beach towels to choose from, depending on your preferences and travel needs. Here are some popular options:

Microfiber towels are known for their ultra-absorbent properties and quick-drying capabilities. They are perfect for travelers who want a lightweight and compact option.

• COMFORTABLE & SOFT – Made of High Quality…
• ABSORBENT & FAST DRYING – JML Microfiber towels…
• MULTI USE TOWEL – Perfect as bath towel when you…
• EASY CARE – Hand or Machine Wash is ok, Tumble Dry…

Last update on 2024-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Turkish towels are not only absorbent but also stylish. They are versatile and can be used as a beach towel, a wrap, or a picnic blanket.

• ✔ 6 Piece Turkish Towel Set includes 2 Bath…
• ✔ This 100% Cotton Luxury Bathroom Towel Set is…
• ✔ Our Turkish Towel Set Feel Luxuriously Soft…
• ✔ 100% Ringspun Cotton Fabric to Improve…

Sand-free beach towels have a unique design that prevents sand from sticking to the fabric. This makes for a sand-free and hassle-free beach day.

• Luxurious Oversized Beach Towel: Enjoy a…
• Quick-Drying and Sand-Resistant: Our Pamuklu…
• Versatile and Multipurpose: This oversized beach…
• Perfect Gift for Beach Lovers: Our Pamuklu Cotton…

If you want more space to relax on the beach, consider an oversized beach towel. They are roomy and comfortable for sunbathing.

• ✔ OVERSIZED AND COMPACT-10‘x9′(300cmX280cm)…
• ✔ SIMPLE DESIGN & DOUBLE ANCHORED-WEKAPO blanket…
• ✔ SAND PROOF AND WATER RESISTANT-This…
• ✔ SUPERIOR QUALITY- Triple stitched for maximum…

To ensure the longevity of your travel beach towel, it’s important to take proper care of it:

• Wash Regularly: Keep your towel clean by washing it after every use.
• Avoid Fabric Softeners: Fabric softeners can reduce the towel’s absorbency, so skip them.
• Dry in Open Air: After washing, allow your towel to dry in the open air rather than in a dryer.

Below are some basic benefits of beach towels.

• Quick Drying: One of the outstanding features of microfiber beach towels is their ability to dry quickly.
• Compact and Lightweight: Microfiber towels are incredibly compact and lightweight, making them ideal for travelers.
• Sand-Resistant: The tight weave of microfiber towels ensures that sand doesn’t stick to them, leaving the beach at the beach.
• Durability: Microfiber towels are known for their durability and can withstand multiple washes without losing their quality.

🙋🏻‍♀️ FAQ’s About Best Beach Towels For Travel

There are a lot of questions that come to mind while buying travel-friendly beach towels some of the commonly asked questions are answered below.

A. The best quick-drying beach towel for travel is often made of microfiber, known for its exceptional moisture-absorbing properties.

A. Microfiber material is widely regarded as the best for beach towels due to its quick drying and highly absorbent qualities.

A. Yes, it’s advisable to bring beach towels on vacation for comfort and convenience.

A. Absolutely, microfiber beach towels are known for their quick-drying and sand-repelling capabilities.

A. Yes, packing beach towels on vacation is a great idea for a comfortable beach experience.

A. Microfiber is preferable for travel beach towels as it’s lighter, dries faster, and is highly absorbent, making it a practical choice.

A. Yes, travel beach towels are designed to be lightweight, compact, and quick-drying, making them perfect for on-the-go adventures.

A. A size of around 30×60 inches strikes the right balance between portability and functionality.

A. Look for towels designed to repel sand, and simply shake off any sand that sticks.

A. No, you can find travel towels in a variety of colorful and vibrant designs.

A. They’re not essential, but they can be very convenient for keeping your towel secure and your valuables safe.

A. You can, but travel towels are designed with the specific needs of travelers in mind, making them a more practical choice.

A. Most travel beach towels are machine-washable. Refer to the care instructions provided by the manufacturer to ensure proper washing.

A. While it’s not weird to use a beach towel as a shower towel, keep in mind that beach towels are typically larger and may be less absorbent than regular shower towels.

Your beach vacation deserves the best, and that includes the perfect travel beach towel. Make sure it’s lightweight, compact, quick-drying, and durable. Look for extra features that can enhance your beach experience, and express your style with a splash of color. Now you’re ready for a worry-free and enjoyable time by the sea with your trusty travel companion.

Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with  Fiery Trippers . Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.

Are slip-on shoes good for walking? 👟 11 Best Slip-on Shoes for Men: Enhancing Comfort and Style

Is it OK to wear sandals while hiking? 🚶‍♂️ 11 Best Hiking Sandals For Women: Embrace Adventure in Comfort and Style

How much RAM do I need for travel blogging? 💻 11 Best Laptops For Travel Bloggers & Vloggers That Are Perfect for All Types of Work

Rahul Siddharth

He is a dedicated travel writer with a wealth of 10 Years + experience that enriches his narratives. He holds a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from IHM Dehradun, which he couples with hands-on expertise in the field. Drawing from his diverse experiences, Rahul's writings offer readers a captivating glimpse into the world of travel. Embark on a journey of exploration and inspiration with Rahul as your guide. Read More

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• All Wellness
• All Skin Care
• Moisturizers
• Mineral Sunscreens
• Sunscreens for Kids
• Sunscreens for Dark Skin
• SPF Lip Balms
• Under Eye Patches
• All Hair Care
• Purple Shampoos
• Thinning Hair
• Head Shavers
• Hair Dryers
• All Oral Care
• Electric Toothbrushes
• Toothpastes
• Mouthwashes
• Water Flossers
• Meal Kit Delivery
• Gluten-Free Meal Kit Delivery
• Disposable Face Masks
• Air Purifiers
• Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergents
• Natural Deodorants
• Period Underwear
• All Fitness
• Exercise Bikes
• Walking Shoes
• Fitness Trackers
• Reusable Water Bottles
• Blackout Curtains
• Sound Machines
• Home & Kitchen
• All Home & Kitchen
• Kitchen Appliances & Tools
• All Kitchen Appliances & Tools
• Coffee Makers
• Kitchen Gadgets
• Small Home Appliances
• All Small Home Appliances
• Air Conditioners
• Space Heaters
• Humidifiers
• Bedding & Bath
• All Bedding & Bath
• Bath Towels
• Silk Pillowcases
• Duvet Inserts
• Office Chairs
• Standing Desks
• Desk Organizers
• Seat Cushions
• Under Desk Ellipticals
• All Outdoor
• Raised Garden Boxes
• Garden Hoses
• Beach Towels
• Solar Pool Covers
• Grilling Accessories
• Electronics
• All Electronics
• Wifi Routers
• Gaming Consoles
• Streaming Devices
• Instant Cameras
• Handheld Gaming Consoles
• 3D Printers
• All Headphones
• Noise Canceling
• Wireless Earbuds
• Smart Gadgets
• All Smart Gadgets
• Smart Watches
• Smart Bulbs
• Garage Door Openers
• All Computers
• Gaming Laptops
• Laptops for College Students
• Computer Monitors
• Ergonomic Keyboards
• Dog Carriers
• Litter Boxes
• Scratching Posts
• Cat Carriers
• All Pet Care
• Nail Clippers
• Flea & Tick
• All Luggage
• Lightweight
• Weekender Bags
• Accessories
• All Accessories
• Luggage Tags
• Travel Pillows
• Tech Gadgets
• Packing & Organization
• All Packing & Organization
• Packing Cubes
• Toiletry Bags
• Gift Guides
• All Gift Guides
• Valentine's Day
• All Valentine's Day
• For Any Loved Ones
• Mother's Day
• All Mother's Day
• Last Minute Gifts
• Best Mother's Day Gifts
• For Moms Who Have Everything
• Best from Amazon
• All Graduation
• For College Grads
• For High School Grads
• For Teachers
• Father's Day
• All Father's Day
• Best Father's Day Gifts
• For Dads Who Love Fishing
• Holiday Season & Christmas
• All Holiday Season & Christmas
• Gifts Under $25
• Practical Gifts
• Other occasions & loved ones
• All Other occasions & loved ones
• For Grandparents
• For Bridal Shower
• For New Parents
• For Any Occasion
• Deals & Sales
• All Deals & Sales
• Most Popular This Month
• Sales This Week
• New & Notable
• What to Buy This Month
• CNBC Select
• All CNBC Select
• Credit Cards
• Small Business
• Personal Finance
• Credit Monitoring
• Help for Low Credit Scores
• Sign up for the Select Newsletter
• Check out Shop TODAY
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Terms Of Service
• NBC News Sitemap

Follow Select

The best Turkish beach towels to keep you dry all summer long

While shopping for beach towels , you may find some made with Turkish cotton. These so-called Turkish towels, also known as fouta or peshtemal towels, feature fibers that “are typically a little smoother and stronger than many other types of cotton,” says Karin Sun, founder of bedding and bath brand Crane & Canopy . And yes, this cotton is only made in Turkey, she adds.

SKIP AHEAD How to shop for Turkish beach towels | The best Turkish beach towels of 2024 | The difference between Turkish, Egyptian and Pima cotton

Experts told me that Turkish cotton is an absorbent yet quick-drying fabric. To help you find the right Turkish beach towel for your needs, I talked to experts about how to shop for them and rounded up a handful worth your consideration. I also included some of my favorites that I've used and reported on over the years.

Selected. Our top picks

select We tested 23 different bath towels — these are the best.

How to shop for turkish beach towels.

Turkish towels are perfect for situations where you need a highly absorbent but quick-drying option,” says Elissa Hall, lead designer and founder of EDH Interiors in Portland, Oregon. “They are also ideal for travel, as they fold up compactly and don’t take up much space in your luggage.” Experts have outlined three things to look for when you shop for Turkish beach towels.

• Material: It may sound obvious, but Turkish towels should be made from 100% Turkish cotton — a material known for its durability and softness, says Hall. You may find other thin towels that resemble Turkish towels, but if they aren’t made with Turkish cotton, they won’t be as absorbent and quick-drying.
• Weave: With a looser weave, you’ll see small spaces between the threads — something you won’t be able to do with a tighter weave. “A tighter weave generally indicates higher quality and increased absorbency,” says Hall.
• Size: The size you choose comes down to personal preference and need, says Hall. As you shop, think about what will work best for your life. A smaller size should do if you just need a towel to dry off. Want something that can double as a small picnic blanket? Opt for a larger size.

Best Turkish beach towels 2024

With our experts’ guidance in mind, I rounded up a variety of Turkish beach towels for you to consider. Some were recommended by our experts, while others are highly rated. 

Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Towels

“Coyuchi’s towels are luxurious and also sustainably made — aligning with my commitment to eco-friendly design,” says Hall. “The combination of craftsmanship, durability and aesthetic appeal makes this brand a standout.” These towels are made from 100% organic Turkish cotton and come in either a bath towel size or a larger beach towel size. 

Lands’ End Turkish Cotton Beach Towel

I keep this towel in a trunk, which has saved me numerous times. I’ve used it as a picnic blanket on impromptu trips to the park with my daughter, to dry off my dog after she’s jumped into puddles at the dog park and as a beach towel. The 100% Turkish cotton towel measures 39 inches by 78 inches long and is super soft. It’s available in five colors, including primrose yellow stripe and salt-washed pink stripe .

Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towels

If you want the quick-drying benefits of Turkish cotton but the plush feel of a standard bath towel, consider this option from Parachute. “Their Turkish towels are crafted with high-quality Turkish cotton and they offer exceptional softness and absorbency,” says Hall. They come in a bath towel or bath sheet size, the latter of which is more roomy if you want to use it as a beach towel. 

Wetcat Turkish Beach Blanket Towel

According to the brand, this towel is made from 100% Turkish cotton and is designed to be quick-drying and odor-resistant. It comes pre-washed, so you can use it immediately, and it’s machine-washable for easy clean-up. This towel is also available in two sizes —  beach towel (38 inches by 71 inches) and beach blanket (82 inches by 82 inches). It has a 4.7-star average rating from 12,150 reviews on Amazon.

Cacala Turkish Beach Towel

Made from 100% Turkish cotton, these towels are dyed with fade-resistant dye, so they maintain their vibrant color after they’re washed, according to the brand. They have a 4.6-star average rating from over 4,060 reviews on Amazon.

Smyrna Turkish Beach Towel

This oversized towel, which has a 4.5-star average rating from over 6,075 reviews on Amazon, measures 37 inches by 71 inches. In addition to quickly drying you off, this 100% Turkish cotton towel can be used as a sarong, picnic blanket or scarf. The towel is pre-washed so it can be used as soon as it arrives.

Sand Cloud Turkish Beach Towel

Consider the Sand Cloud Turkish Beach Towel if you’re looking for a fun design. According to the brand, this towel is also absorbent, quick-drying and sand-resistant. It has a 4.7-star average rating from over 830 reviews on Amazon and was featured on Shark Tank.

select How to get ultra white clothes without a drop of bleach

What is the difference between turkish, egyptian and pima cotton.

When shopping for towels, you’ll generally find three kinds of cotton: Turkish, Egyptian and Pima.

• Turkish cotton is meant to be lightweight and quick-drying — this duality makes it a popular pick for towels, Sun says. Turkish towels usually feature tightly woven cotton on one side and plush terry on the other — the combination of the two means they’re soft, absorbent and lightweight, according to Sun.
• Egyptian cotton , similar to Turkish cotton, has extra-long fibers but is known for being durable and high-quality.
• Pima cotton can be considered a “sister to Egyptian cotton,” Sun says. She said it generally refers to a generic label given to extra-long staple cotton (just like Egyptian cotton) developed in the U.S. in the early 1900s. This cotton was actually created from a variety of Egyptian cotton— Supima is a trademarked type of Pima cotton.

Meet our experts

At NBC Select, we work with experts with specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.

• Karin Sun is the founder of bedding and bath brand Crane & Canopy .
• Elissa Hall is the lead designer and founder of EDH Interiors in Portland, Oregon.

Why trust NBC Select?

Bethany Heitman is a contributor at NBC Select and a journalist who regularly covers beauty, home and lifestyle. For this story, she interviewed two textile experts.

Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance , tech and tools , wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.

Bethany Heitman is a contributing editor at NBC Select.

Likino-Dulyovo

Essential likino-dulyovo.

• Museum Dulevo Porcelain
• Museum Kudykinsk District. Smirnov
• Likino-Dulev Museum of Local Lore
• Church of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
• Dulevskiy Palace of Culture

Lyubertsy Weather Forecast

Air temperature, °C

Real feel, °C

Average wind speed, m/s

Wind gusts, m/s

Wind direction

Birch pollen, points

Grass pollen, points

Ragweed pollen, points

Precipitation in liquid equivalent, mm

Falling snow, cm

Snow depth, cm

Pressure, mmHg

Relative humidity, %

UV Index, points

Geomagnetic activity, Kp-index