What Towels are Best for Camping?

Have you ever noticed that your cotton bath towel is still wet in the morning after an evening shower? Although this might work at home where it’s hanging on a towel bar, wet towels don’t work while camping.

You need to be able to pack up your towel when it’s time to leave and not wait for it to dry out. So what are the best options for camp towels? 

We have a great list of options for quick drying, lightweight and easily portable towels for your next weekend adventure. Let’s dive in!

What Is a Camp Towel?

Camping towels serve the specific needs of campers. When you’re at home, you can enjoy the luxurious, plush Egyptian cotton fabric of regular bath towels. But at the campsite, you need a different kind of towel.

Most camp towels are lightweight and compact so you can transport them in a hiking backpack. They’re also made of a fast-drying material like microfiber so that you’re not waiting on a towel to dry before you pack it back into your backpack.

Wet towels cause odors and are a breeding ground for germs, mold, and mildew.

What Are Camping Towels Made Of?

The majority of quick dry camping towels are microfiber. This polyester and nylon blend is lightweight, absorbent, and fast drying.

When you’re tent camping for the weekend, you don’t want to pack a wet towel in your backpack, which will create a musty odor. You need a fast-drying towel that will be ready to pack up within a few hours.

Do Quick Dry Towels Really Work?

Microfiber is a material that claims to dry very quickly – and it’s true.

These towels also don’t acquire that musty, damp odor that you might notice in your home towels since they dry much faster. Sometimes they’ll be ready to pack in less than an hour if hung in the sun. 

Even when hung inside an RV, they’ll be dry by the morning.

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Camp Towels You’ll Actually Love

Here are some super soft, absorbent, and fast-drying towels that are perfect for your weekend camping trips.

Don’t pack your standard bath towels. You won’t have room for anything else in your backpack. Instead, try one of these options for easy portability and fast-drying material. 

Fast Drying Microfiber Travel Towel

With 4.6/5 stars on Amazon, these 4Monster towels come in 12 colors and six sizes. The XS/S sizes are best for gym bags and camping backpacks, while the XL/XXL sizes are best for the pool and beach. 

The portable travel case not only protects the towel, but also helps it to easily fit in a bag or backpack. In addition to being fast drying and easily portable, these microfiber towels are lightweight, which makes them perfect for camping.

Zumi 100% Cotton Camping Towel

The Zumi camping towel is 100% cotton instead of microfiber. Yet it still dries four times faster than standard bath towels. It only weighs about 10 ounces, even though it’s 50% more absorbent than microfiber towels. 

This particular towel comes in three different colors and measures 29 inches by 59 inches in size.

Lightweight Microfiber Travel Towels w/ Bag

With over 10,000 reviews on Amazon, it maintains a 4.7/5 star rating. Lightweight and fast drying like the 4Monster microfiber towels, these are available in eight different colors. But this product is a set of towels rather than only one. 

The set includes a face towel, head towel, and body towel. They’re easily portable in a small mesh bag that can fit in a gym bag or camping backpack.

Keep in Mind: Showering at a campground will be a painless experience if you avoid making these 5 Mistakes!

Compact & Ultra Soft Microfiber Camping Towel

This Fit-Flip travel towel comes in 13 colors and eight sizes. The XXS size measures 12 inches by 20 inches, while the XXXL size measures 39 inches by 78 inches. You can grab different sizes for kids, adults, and dogs. 

Like the OlimpiaFit set, this towel comes in a breathable mesh bag for easy portability. The microfiber material is absorbent, lightweight, and fast drying. With over 17,000 reviews, this Fit-Flip travel towel has earned 4.6/5 stars.

Sea to Summit Drylite Towel

Sea to Summit is a popular brand among campers, and the company has its own version of a lightweight camping towel. Available in eight colors and 10 sizes, the drylite towel is made from recycled material. The ultra-suede finish makes for a super soft feel, and the microfiber material makes it fast drying. 

Even the largest size only weighs about 17 ounces and packs into a 9-inch by 8.5-inch bag.

DARCHEN Microfiber Beach Towels

The only product with prints rather than solid colors is this DARCHEN microfiber towel. It’s available in 17 patterns, including stripes, marine animals, and bohemian designs. You can also buy four-packs. The large size measures 63 inches by 32 inches, while the XL size measures 70 inches by 35 inches. 

If you’re beach camping, sand won’t stick to these towels, and even though they are larger, they still pack down into a compact size.

Microfiber Travel Towel

These microfiber travel towels by SYOURSELF come in two-piece sets. They’re available in eight colors and range from 32 inches by 16 inches to 72 inches by 32 inches in size. The mesh pouch comes with a carabiner for easy portability. 

Like the other microfiber towels on this list, these towels are lightweight and fast drying. The SYOURSELF towels have a 4.6/5 star rating.

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Dry Off With a Towel Made for Camping

The plush, luxurious Egyptian cotton towels you use at home just won’t cut it at the campsite. They’re too bulky and take up too much room. They’re also super absorbent but don’t dry very quickly, so they could possibly still be wet the following day when you’re ready to pack up. 

When it’s time to go camping, grab towels made for this purpose. You’ll appreciate how easy they are to pack up and how fast they dry.

Do you own camping towels? Which brand is your favorite?

Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API