Initial Reactions
My first thought was pretty simple: “$38 for a towel?” That’s a hard price to ignore when you’ve probably got a stack of perfectly good bath towels sitting at home.
My second question was whether I actually needed the XL version. The Large looked like the better option on paper because it packed down a little smaller, and I wasn’t convinced the extra size would make much of a difference.
I’m glad I went with the XL.
The towel is incredibly thin, so having the extra coverage makes it feel much more like a full-size towel instead of something you’re constantly repositioning while drying off. The larger footprint is worth the slight increase in packed size.
Speaking of packed size, it’s honestly smaller than I expected. Once I tossed it in my camping gear, I realized it wasn’t taking up much room at all. The storage pouch has a little stretch to it, making it easy to compress into your backpack. I’d compare it to the size of a small toiletry bag.
The carrying case itself is surprisingly well designed. It’s sturdy without being stiff, includes mesh ventilation on the bottom so the towel can continue drying inside the bag, and doesn’t require perfectly folding the towel every time you pack it away. Even if you just stuff it in, the zipper still closes without much effort.
As a bonus, there’s enough room inside the pouch to toss in a few small items like your keys or phone if you need somewhere to keep them temporarily.
Material, Feel & Performance
If you’ve never used a microfiber camping towel before, don’t expect it to feel like the oversized fluffy towel hanging in your bathroom.
My first impression was that it felt more like the microfiber towels you’d use to dry a car.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing—it just takes a minute to adjust your expectations.
Once you remember why these towels exist, it makes more sense. They’re designed to be lightweight, compact, and dry quickly, not provide luxury spa-level comfort.
The towel actually has two distinct sides. One is noticeably softer while the other has more of the typical microfiber texture. Personally, I would have preferred both sides to have the softer finish, but I’m guessing that would have added extra bulk or affected drying performance.
Either side works perfectly well for drying off.
One thing I was curious about was the “quick drying” claim. Maybe I expected something almost magical where the towel would be dry within minutes. That’s obviously unrealistic.
Compared to a regular towel, I wouldn’t say the material itself dries dramatically faster. Instead, it’s the fact that there’s simply less material holding water. Because it’s so thin, moisture leaves the towel much quicker than a thick cotton bath towel.
To me, the biggest selling point isn’t the drying speed.
It’s the combination of packability, durability, and how little space it takes up.
Design
I picked up the dark green version, which fits perfectly with the rest of my camping gear. Most of my equipment sticks to neutral earth tones, so the color blends in nicely without standing out.
Brighter colors have their advantages, but they also tend to show dirt much faster.
Online there are several color options available, although my local Bass Pro only had the green version in stock. One thing worth mentioning is that the packaging actually showed a blue towel on the outside. I opened it before leaving the store just to make sure it was the green one inside.
A small detail, but something to keep in mind if you’re shopping for a specific color.
One of my favorite design features is the built-in hanging loop.
Instead of draping your entire towel over a dirty picnic table or tree branch, you can simply hang it by the reinforced loop. It keeps the towel cleaner while also helping it dry faster.
The loop opens and closes with a snap, allowing you to attach it around branches, hooks, or even clip a carabiner through it to hang the towel from your backpack while hiking.
The storage pouch also includes its own hanging loop. It doesn’t have the snap closure, but it’s still a useful addition if you’d rather hang it somewhere instead of burying it inside your pack.
These are small features, but they’re the kind of thoughtful touches that make the towel feel like it was actually designed for outdoor use.
Questions, Comments & Concerns
The biggest question I have is how well the towel will hold up after dozens of washes. Microfiber products can sometimes lose their softness over time, but if this ends up being your dedicated camping towel, I don’t see that becoming a major issue anytime soon.
For nearly $40, I also wouldn’t have minded seeing a few more design choices or patterns. It’s purely cosmetic, but at this price point it would have been nice to have a little more personality.
At the end of the day, though, it’s still just a towel.
Would I recommend it?
Yes.
Before switching to a packable towel, I was hauling a full-size bath towel everywhere I traveled. It took up a surprising amount of space and never really had a clean way to store it afterward.
Having a dedicated carrying case completely changes that experience.
Is it the softest towel you’ll ever own?
Not even close.
But if you’re looking for a towel that’s compact, lightweight, easy to pack, and built specifically for camping, hiking, or travel, it absolutely gets the job done. In fact, the storage pouch alone might end up being one of its most underrated features.