Sea to Summit Trek Towel Review: Is It the Best Packable Towel for Camping?
A field-tested look at packability, dry time, and durability after taking it from the trail to the campsite.
If you’ve ever hauled a full-size bath towel on a camping trip, you already know the problem: it takes up half your pack and never fully dries before you need it again. That’s the gap the Sea to Summit Trek Towel is built to fill. After stuffing it into my gear for multiple trips, testing both the compactness and the dry-off performance, it’s earned a permanent spot in my pack. The sticking points that matter most here are size selection (Large vs. XL), material feel, and how well the included case holds up. If you’re deciding between sizes or wondering whether a $38 towel is worth it, here’s what I found.
Quick Take
The XL version trades a little pack space for a noticeably better “square footage” feel once you’re actually drying off, which matters more than it sounds like it would given how thin the material is. The included carrying case is a genuine highlight — sturdy, vented, and easy to jam into a stuffed pack. It’s best suited for campers and backpackers who want a dedicated drying towel that won’t hog space or take all day to dry. If you’re only camping occasionally and don’t mind the bulk of a regular towel, you can probably skip the upgrade.
At a Glance
| Detail | Notes |
|---|---|
| Material | Microfiber, dual-texture (soft side / textured side) |
| Sizes Tested | Large and XL |
| Color Tested | Dark Green |
| Carrying Case | Vented, toiletry-bag sized, zip closure, hook |
| Towel Hook | Built-in, clip-style closure |
| Price | ~$38 |
| Retailer | Bass Pro (color availability limited in-store) |
| Product | Sea to Summit Trek Towel |
First Impressions & Sizing
The first thing that hits you is the price — $38 for a towel gives you pause. The second thing is the sizing decision, since the Large packs down noticeably smaller than the XL. I went with the XL to be safe, and it paid off. Because the material is so thin, that extra “square footage” makes a real difference once you’re actually drying off, even if it’s not a huge guy on the larger end of things.
As for the packing space concern — it’s mostly overblown. Yes, the Large’s stuff sack is more compact on the shelf, but once the XL is jammed into a loaded pack, the difference is minor. The carrying case itself has enough give to smoosh down into whatever space you’ve got left.
The Carrying Case
This might be the sleeper feature of the whole product. It’s built like a small toiletry bag — sturdy but flexible, with vents on the bottom that let the towel keep drying even after you’ve packed it away. That’s a smart touch, though it comes with a caveat: don’t toss it somewhere dirty or wet, since those vents work both ways. Folding it back to its exact original shape isn’t necessary either — it zips closed no matter how sloppily you stuff it in, and in a pinch it’ll swallow small extras like keys or a phone alongside the towel.
Material, Feel & Dry Performance
Don’t go in expecting a fluffy bath towel. The microfiber has more of a “dry your car” feel to it at first touch, and it takes a second to recalibrate your expectations. That’s not a knock — it’s the tradeoff for something this compact and fast-drying. Your towel at home will always feel nicer against your skin; this one is built for function over comfort.
The towel has two distinct sides — one noticeably softer, one more textured — and both dry you just fine, though I’d have preferred both sides on the softer end if the thickness allowed for it. On actual dry time: it’s not the instant-dry magic you might expect from the marketing, but stacked up against a regular towel, it performs about the same. The real advantage isn’t drying speed so much as the packability and durability — that’s where this towel earns its price tag, not necessarily in outperforming your towel at home.
Design
I tested the dark green colorway, which blends in nicely with most neutral, earth-toned camping gear — a practical choice over something brighter that’ll show dirt fast. Worth flagging: the outer packaging pictured a blue towel, but unzipping it confirmed it was actually green. Online listings show more color options, but Bass Pro only had the one in stock, so if you’re set on a specific color, double check before buying in person.
The built-in hanging hook is a small design win. Instead of draping the towel over whatever surface is nearby — dirty or not — the hook gives it a clean way to hang from a tree branch, a carabiner, or your pack while you’re hiking. It clips open and closed, which isn’t essential but is a nice touch. The carrying case also has its own hook, minus the clip closure, for when you’d rather hang the whole case than stuff it away.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- XL size gives noticeably more usable drying area without adding much bulk
- Carrying case is sturdy, vented, and easy to pack even when overstuffed
- Built-in hook keeps the towel off dirty surfaces
- Dries at a comparable rate to a standard towel despite the thin material
- Packs down small relative to the coverage it offers
Cons
- $38 price point feels steep for what is, functionally, still just a towel
- Texture takes some adjusting to if you’re expecting a plush feel
- Only one side is genuinely soft
- In-store color selection may be limited regardless of what’s shown online
Who Should Buy the Sea to Summit Trek Towel?
This is a solid pick for backpackers and campers who travel light and want a dedicated drying towel that won’t eat up pack space or take forever to dry. If you’re debating sizes, the XL is worth the marginal extra bulk for the improved drying coverage.
Who might want to look elsewhere: If you camp infrequently or don’t mind hauling a regular towel, the price and adjustment period for the microfiber texture might not be worth it for you.
Final Verdict
After running the Sea to Summit Trek Towel through multiple camping trips, the case and hook design turned out to be just as valuable as the towel itself. It’s not a luxury towel, and it won’t out-dry a plain cotton one, but the compactness, durability, and thoughtful extras — the vented case, the hangable hook — make it a worthwhile upgrade for anyone tired of packing a full-size towel. The main open question is how it holds up over repeated washes, which is worth revisiting after a season of use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I get the Large or XL size? If you’re unsure, size up. The XL doesn’t add meaningful bulk once packed, and the extra coverage is noticeable when you’re actually drying off.
Does the carrying case keep the towel dry? It’s vented on the bottom to let the towel continue air-drying once packed away, but avoid storing it somewhere wet or dirty since the vents allow moisture through both ways.
How does the dry time compare to a regular towel? About the same in practice — the thinness of the material is what helps it dry quickly, not any special “instant-dry” technology.
Is the color true to the packaging? Not necessarily — the packaging showed blue while the towel inside was dark green, so it’s worth unzipping to confirm before you buy if color matters to you.
Is it worth $38? The value is less about drying performance and more about the packability, durability, and the case/hook design — if those matter to your setup, it’s a reasonable buy.