Whether you're trekking through the woods or traveling across Europe, when you're backpacking you'll want a lightweight, easy-to-pack towel that dries quickly and efficiently. The best quick-dry towels for backpacking are usually soft, compact, and highly absorbent. Here are some things to keep in mind when you're shopping around:
- Material: Rather than bulky fabrics like cotton or terrycloth, the best choice for your backpacking towel is typically microfiber. This will be more lightweight and quicker to dry, as well as odor resistant.
- Absorbency: For cloth towels, absorbency is often measured as an estimate of how much of its weight it can hold in water. The best ones for backpacking will be able to take in roughly three to five times their weight in water.
- Packability: Space is limited when you're backpacking, so you want your towel to be smaller than your basic bath towel and much lighter, too. Beyond that, it should be easy to pack into a small bag — even better if the towel comes with its own carrying pouch.
Other than that, it's also nice to have extra features like fold-up snaps or loops that allow you to hang the towel somewhere to dry. With all of these factors in mind, I've made a list of the best quick-dry towels for backpacking to help you find the best fit.