No reason to hike to some of the most beautiful and pristine mountain lakes if you can’t take a refreshing dip. Cooling off after miles on the trail in that cool water is what we live for, but that doesn’t mean we should settle for socking our pants for the rest of the hike. That will most likely leave you a chafed mess by the time you get back to the car. That’s no fun. Having a way to dry off is a must, but most towels are too bulky and too heavy when wet to easily take backpacking. Backpacking towels, are lightweight, absorbent but wont weigh you down when you get back on the trail. Below are Trail Trialed’s top backpacking towel picks.
REI Co-op multi Towel Deluxe
Want a good backpacking towel without it feeling like rubbing cardboard across your skin? The REI Co-op Multi Towel Deluxe is it. The Deluxe has sift texture not found in many backpacking towels that increased absorption while also feeling more pleasant on the skin. The towel is light at only 7 ounces for the Large. It comes with a carrying pouch for easy packing but also has a quick attach loop to hang dry or attach to the outside of you pack to keep moisture out of your other gear.
Matador Nanodry Towel
The Matador Nanodry is the perfect towel for backpacking or to throw in a travel bag just incase. The Nanodry comes with a silicone travel case that can easily hand onto the outside of your pack or clip to a branch while taking a dip. This Towel is very light at 5.6 ounces so no weighting you down. No need to dry out on the trail since the nanofiber fabric can absorb 2.3 times its weight in water.
Nomadix Ultralight Towel
Most backpacking towels are boring. The Nomadix Ultralight is far from that. The Nomadix Ultralight comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns to express yourself and make sure no one “accidently” steals you towel ever again. Pretty patterns isn’t the only reason the Ultralight found it’s self on this list. The Ultralight as its name would suggest is very light at 8 ounces and packs down easily to fit in its stuff sack. The texture is nice and dries the skin effectively.
KETL Mountain Terra Travel Towel
Doesn’t matter if its a freak shower or a refreshing dip in the creek the Terra Travel Towel by KETL Mt will get you dry. Available in two sizes depending on space in your pack and how much area you have to need dry. The texture is comfortable on the skin and absorbs water quickly. The Terra is a solid towel and does the job.