We've thought about the perfect towel for the outdoors [Lightweight, absorbent, quick drying]
Written by Yasushi Hisatomi
table of contents
Versatile tenugui/bandana or high-performance outdoor towel?
Even a sports towel would be too much to carry, and for a long time I'd decided that the only towel I'd take with me to the mountains would be a bandana. It seems that many people have used tenugui (hand towels) when hiking in the mountains for a long time, but for me as a student, bandanas, which I used as handkerchiefs in my daily life, were more familiar than tenugui, and most importantly, since I mainly hiked rivers, I'd just accepted that my body would get wet anyway. The only time I'd reluctantly take a sports towel was when there was a hot spring on the way back, and I thought it would be a bad idea to bring one, so there was a time when it was nothing more than a necessary evil for me
However, perhaps because I entered the workforce and began hiking more often, ripples began to form in the towel category, which had previously been a completely quiet place for me. Sweat would flow like a waterfall, and even after wiping it away, it would quickly absorb it all, and then it would take a long time to dry, leaving me with a worrying smell. Then, an outdoor towel caught my eye. Apparently, it's lighter, more absorbent, and quicker to dry than previous towels. As readers of this site know, our editorial team is extremely weak when it comes to new technology like this. So, in this article, we'd like to take a fresh look at the relationship between the outdoors and towels
Testing the latest synthetic outdoor towels vs. tenugui and bandanas
In considering the best towels for this article, we picked 12 items, ranging from traditional cotton tenugui towels to towels made from the latest synthetic fibers (microfiber). We compared and tested them from various angles, imagining actual usage scenarios, such as how they feel on the skin when wiping, how quickly and how much water they absorb, and how quickly they dry. Our editorial team considered what they thought were "towels you should have right now."
- Bandanas and hand towels
- PackTowl Nano
- PackTowl Original
- PackTowl Ultralight
- PackTowl Personal
- High Mount N-RIT Towel
- SEA TO SUMMIT Pocket Towel
- SEA TO SUMMIT DryLite Towel
- SEA TO SUMMIT Tech Towel
- Montbell Micro Towel
- Montbell Quick Dry
- MIZUNO Swim Towel
[Feel, absorbency, quick-drying, weight] Even the latest synthetic fibers have their pros and cons
When you're misled by the hype surrounding the latest synthetic outdoor towels, you can't help but expect them to be amazing in every way. But the biggest takeaway from this test is that synthetic towels are actually all different, with their pros and cons, and in some cases, traditional cotton towels are far superior. There are actually a lot of things you might be surprised at, so you need to be careful. In other words, when choosing an outdoor towel, it's important not to assume that "new is always better," but to know the strengths and weaknesses of each .
Let's take a more specific look. As a result of this comparative testing, if we divide the towels into four broad types for the sake of convenience when looking at their characteristics, we can see that each type has different properties in terms of feel, absorbency, quick-drying, etc. This is summarized in the table below, and there are three important points that we want to clearly convey in this table:
- The most outstanding features of the latest synthetic fibers are their quick drying and lightness. We recommend cross-type synthetic fiber products that make the most of these features。
- Even cotton can absorb four times its own weight in water . If you think that synthetic towels will absorb a lot of water quickly, you will often be disappointed.
- Even synthetic terry towels are heavy and bulky unless used to absorb large amounts of water , so it's important to use them carefully.
| type | Cotton (gauze) | Synthetic fiber (pile fabric) | Synthetic fiber (cross) | Synthetic fiber (suede) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| item |
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| Texture characteristics |  |  |  |  |
| It is smooth and slippery, yet has just the right amount of surface friction, making it very comfortable | The surface is thick and fluffy, similar to a sports towel, but compared to cotton towels, it doesn't glide as well on wet skin, and the catching feeling can be a little uncomfortable | It feels smooth on the skin, similar to a tenugui or bandana. It is thin and feels similar to a tablecloth or glasses cloth | The surface is slightly fuzzy, like felt or suede. There are some variations, but overall it doesn't slide well on the skin, so you won't feel like scrubbing too hard | |
| Absorption and drying characteristics |  |  |  |  |
| The water on the surface of the fabric is quickly absorbed, and the fabric can absorb a large amount of water. However, even after wringing, water remains and the drying speed is slow | It absorbs water quickly and has the highest water absorption capacity, but even if you squeeze it tightly, it is difficult to remove moisture and it dries slowly | Although it absorbs water quickly, its water absorption capacity is low, so it is not suitable for use with large amounts of water. However, if you wring it out, its absorbency will quickly recover, making it the quickest drying fabric | It doesn't absorb water easily with just a light touch, so you need to press it against the fabric to absorb it. However, it absorbs more water than cotton. When you wring it out, its absorbency recovers and it dries very quickly | |
| Water absorption | ◯ About four times its own weight | ◎ About 5 times its own weight | △ About 2 to 3 times its own weight | ◯ About four times its own weight |
| Ease of water absorption | ◎ | ◎ | ◯ | ◯ |
| Quick drying | △ | △ | ◎ | ◎ |
| Portability (weight) | ◯ | △ | ◎ | ◯ |
| Favorite Situations | For a wide range of uses, including wiping sweat and wiping hands | Use it as a towel to wash your body or wipe your entire body | For wiping sweat or wiping hands | Basically, it can be used in a wide range of situations, just like tenugui and bandanas |
[Functionality] Convenient features not found in bandanas or tenugui towels
Today's towels are not just simple pieces of cloth. When comparing them not only in terms of the performance of the fabric itself but also in terms of other functional aspects, it becomes clear that the latest synthetic outdoor towels incorporate many different features that cotton towels do not have, making them more convenient to use
Antibacterial specifications
This is actually extremely important. Until now, a major drawback of cotton towels has been the issue of odor. Especially when using them for long periods of time, the cycle of washing and drying them repeatedly inevitably leads to a damp smell. However, antibacterial towels don't smell at all even when wet, so they can be used safely from a hygienic standpoint, along with their quick-drying properties
loop
Outdoor towels often have a loop on one of the four corners, which is very convenient for hanging them on the shoulder of a backpack or inside a tent. It's even more convenient if the loop is not just sewn on but also has a snap closure. It's a small detail, but an important one
Storage bag with loop
Models with a storage bag with the aforementioned loops that can be attached and detached from the towel can be stored compactly while attached to the pack, making this the quickest and smartest way to wipe away sweat currently available
Ease of removing dirt
One of the hidden features of outdoor towels woven from synthetic fibers is that even stubborn stains can be easily removed by washing with water and wringing them out
Summary: The best solution right now is to carry two cards, each specialized for a specific purpose!
[1st photo] The ultimate sweat towel for wiping away sweat on the go:
PackTowl Nano Pack Towel / Highmount N-RIT Towel
| PackTowl Nano Pack Towel | High Mount N-RIT Towel |
|---|---|
    |  |
Throughout this test, the two items above made the most of the benefits of synthetic fibers. Compared to conventional bandanas and hand towels, they are lightweight, quick-drying, antibacterial, and extremely portable, making them extremely convenient and easy to use . However, their absorbency is too low for wiping the body, so I'll just leave them to hang on the shoulder straps of my backpack and use as hand towels or to wipe away sweat . I prefer the "Pack Towel Nano" because it's softer, lighter, and more absorbent, but I think it's mostly a matter of preference.
[2nd photo] Lightweight, antibacterial, all-purpose towel:
PackTowl Pack Towel Personal / SEA TO SUMMIT DryLite Towel
| PackTowl Personal Pack Towel | SEA TO SUMMIT DryLite Towel |
|---|---|
 |  |
The other two are recommended for their versatility as towels. This single towel can be used as a cooling wet towel on a hot summer day. Or as a kitchen dish towel or to wipe condensation off a tent. Its high absorbency means it can also be used as a bath towel after descending a mountain. If you choose a larger size, it can also be used as a bandage to stop bleeding or as a triangular sling for fixation, so it fulfills the role of a towel in many different situations . Of course, it's compact, quick to dry, and antibacterial and hygienic, making it even more convenient than a cotton towel. The feel of the towel was a bit of a concern at first, but it becomes manageable once you get used to it. There's very little difference between the two, so you can choose based on your preferences, such as size and color.
[Best Value for Money] Still highly useful:
Bandanas and tenugui towels
| bandana | tenugui |
|---|---|
 |  |
Although we recommended synthetic outdoor towels, bandanas and tenugui towels, which can be purchased for just a few hundred yen each, are still well worth choosing when considering their cost-effectiveness. This test showed that they actually absorb water just as well as the latest synthetic fibers, and for short trips such as day trips or overnight trips, hygiene doesn't need to be a major concern. They also come in a wide variety of designs and colors (which is quite important), and their low price means you can have as many as you like, which is a big attraction. In that sense, it's sad that there are so many boring designs for synthetic towels, so our editorial team hopes that more stylish outdoor towels will be released in the future