The best camping towels 2023: stay dry at festivals, camps and during backpacking missions

When it comes to the best camping towels, we're put in mind of Douglas Adams' classic 1979 novel 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. In it, the famous guide asserts that the most important item a universe-trotting hitchhiker can carry is the humble towel, mostly because of its great practical value. The ultimate compliment you could pay a fellow hitcher is that "they really know where their towel is."

Testing this selection of the best camping towels, we too noticed their versatility and importance to any trip. As well as the obvious function of getting us dry after a shower, we wrapped them around us for warmth and lay on them on beaches. We could have used them as flags to signal rescue services or wafted them to ward off hungry predators, but the opportunities, thankfully, never arose.

With the summer festival season in full swing, getting a packable, lightweight towel for your adventures is a great idea. Pack your best camping tent and your sleeping bag – and make sure you too know where your towel is.

So, whether you're planning to hitch your way across the cosmos, or just looking spend some time outdoors at a festival or a campsite this summer, our guide will help you get the best camping towel for you. Our top-rated towel is the Lifeventure Lightweight Changing Robe, a wonderfully lightweight and comfortable towel you can wear! We kick things off with this and other wearable wonders.

The best robes and wearable towels

Robe-style wearable towels are increasingly popular with campers, wild swimmers and paddlers, but they can be very expensive and extremely bulky and heavy.

Not so this lightweight number from specialist travel and outdoor brand Lifeventure, which has taken the microfiber fabric you typically see used in backpacking towels and shaped it into a changing robe. While it can soak up its own weight in water, and therefore will dry you off to some extent, we found that absorbency wasn’t really this robe’s main selling point – rather it’s a light, easy-to-carry robe for getting changed under and wearing as a bit of protection against sea breezes post swim or after a camp shower.

It features a hood, and the arms are three-quarter length to allow for full freedom of movement and leave your hands unencumbered. The enormous passage pocket passes right through the robe, so we were able to bury both hands deep in the garment when they were getting cold. We also used it for goggles and other items, but be careful if carrying anything vital (like a phone, wallet / purse or car keys), because it’s not a deep pocket, and things can fall out.

Read our full Lifeventure Lightweight Changing Robe review

In the past few years, the sight of people wandering around campsites, beaches, pools and outdoor events wearing a dryrobe has become commonplace. The robe-style wearable towel the company came up with has been much imitated, but never bettered.

The brand is based on the North Devon coast in South West Britain, and the products are designed by surfers and beloved, it seems, by everyone who enjoys getting wet in the outdoors, whether they’re wild swimmers, kayakers or board riders. In fact, it’s not unusual to see people sporting dryrobes for whole evenings around the campfire or at festival gatherings, because the warmth and protection they offer is so sumptuous it’s often tempting just to keep them on long after you’ve emerged from the water and dried off beneath the garment.

This version is the warmer-weather iteration of the robe. Made from soft-feel organic cotton, we found it quickly dried us off, and supplied plenty of privacy and space to jettison swimmers and put pants back on. Complete with a hood, it’s warm, without being uncomfortably hot, and the generous unisex, short-sleeve design allows for plenty of freedom of movement.

Our only criticism is that, considering how many people keep the robes on for long periods of time, a pocket or two would be handy.

Read our full Dryrobe Organic Cotton Towel review

We’ve all been there – stumbling around in a public place with a towel loosely wrapped around your waist, trying to change into or out of swimmers, with the threat of accidentally flashing everyone around you a constant worry.

The addition of an elasticated band at the top of the towel and a strip of Velcro means this simple but innovative product from dryrobe instantly makes this predicament a problem of the past. Made with organic cotton and highly absorbent, we foudn that this one-size towel will stretch around and stay in place on waists of up to 117cm / 46in, which makes getting changed or walking back from the campsite shower a less fretful experience.

You can leave the towel securely in place and wear it kilt-style, with or without a top, leaving your hands free to grab bags, paddles, wash bags and other gear, or to enjoy an ice cream, beach beer or picnic. And when you want to peel it off there’s a fabric pull hoop, which also comes in handy for hanging the towel up to dry.

It won’t dry as quickly as a microfiber towel, and it’s much heavier, but for car camping trips it’s ideal. It is large enough to lay on the beach for sunbathing, but will pick up sand and grit so you’ll need to give it a good shake once it’s dry.

Microfiber towels

This camping towel is super soft and very kind to your skin no matter how vigorous a drier you are. It takes in lots of water, and while it doesn’t dry quite as quickly as some others on test, the wait time isn’t too long.

There’s no bag included with this one, but you can wrap the large elasticized hanging loop around the rolled-up towel and that keeps everything nice and tidy. The same loop is ideal for securely hanging the towel from a tree (or whatever else you have nearby) while it dries in the wind.

The large version is easily long enough to wrap around your body while you get changed, and the color schemes and insignia are quite striking. For a budget item, this is a handsome towel (words we never thought we’d be writing). There is an XL alternative (175cm x 110cm / 69in x 43in; 476g / 16.5oz; Teal / Pink / Petrol Blue: £14.99).

The fluffy nature of this towel means it does pick up sand, dust and grass, so you need to wait until it’s fully dry and give it a very good shake. There’s no antibacterial treatment in the material, so regular washing is required to prevent it smelling.

While it didn't quite cover us from head to toe, this is a very generously proportioned travel towel that comes in very useful in a wide range of camping and outdoor scenarios, from lying on the beach or drying yourself off after a wild swim, to being worn sarong-style as we swished around the campsite.

We found that the antibacterial properties in the fabric are a bonus, especially on longer trips with big gaps between laundry visits, helping to stop the buildup of bacteria and pong. The mixed material means it feels nicer and smoother against your skin than some of the more prickly fibrous towels, but it’s not quite as absorbent as they are. It does dry you off, though, and then dries out reasonably quickly itself, and the smooth finish means it won’t pick up grains of sand.

The corner attachment hoop (which opens with a clip) comes in handy if you want to hang this towel up from a branch or pole to create shade or cover, or simply to stop it dropping onto the floor.

The bag is great for keeping things neat and tidy in a pack or bag, and you have the option to keep it in a waterproof cover (to prevent it making other items damp) or just in the mesh bag if you want to air it a bit (for example, on the outside of your pack while you walk).

A classic no-frills microfiber towel that really is extremely absorbent (taking four times its own weight in water) and genuinely fast-drying (just as it promises to be), we found the Mountain Warehouse Micro Towelling Travel Towel is ideal for camping trips and travelling.

The material mix is soft, but occassionally caught on dry skin. There is no antibacterial treatment in the fabric either, so bacteria can build up over extended periods of time if you can’t get to a washing machine, which we found resulted in the towel getting a bit stinky.

The medium size iteration of this very functional camping and travel towel is just about large enough to cover your modesty if you’re using it to get changed, but it’s also available in Large (£15.99; 130cm x 70cm; 350g; Navy / Dark Purple / Charcoal) and Giant (£17.99; 150cm x 85cm; 400g; Dark Purple / Khaki) versions.

The towelling finish does collect sand, especially if you lay on it when wet. A material hoop on one of the corners is ideal for hanging it up, and the mesh bag keeps it nicely contained in your pack.

The best eco-friendly camping towels

Made with suede-woven, 80% recycled fabric, this towel from Aussie backpacking and camping specialist brand Sea to Summit is at much at home on the beach as it is hung outside a campsite shower or waiting on riverbank to wrap a dripping wild swimmer in its soft embrace.

With a smooth ultra-suede finish, we found it was super comfortable to lie on, didn’t collect sand and was nonabrasive on our skin when we rubbed ourselves down. But for our money it isn’t quite as absorbent as some of the more fibrous towels on the market.

Sea to Summit offer towels made with the same fabric in a range of other sizes, from small (40cm x 80cm / 16in x 32in; 62g / 2.2oz; $12.95) right up to this XXL version, which is impressively proportioned and easily large enough to wrap around your body and get changed under, or wear as a sarong.

For its size, this towel is pretty lightweight and very quick drying, and it comes with a carry bag that makes it easy to pack and carry whether you’re hiking a multiday trail or heading to the beach for the day. It also has a handy hoop with a popper, which is extremely useful when you want to hang the towel from a tree branch to dry or to create shade or shelter. It hasn’t been treated with any bacteria / odor control technology (so needs to be regularly washed and stored fully dry), but does come with a lifetime guarantee.

Each of these beautifully soft camping and travel towels is made from 8.7 recycled plastic bottles, which are rescued from landfill and woven into the yarn, comprising 66% of the overall material used.

We like the patterns creatively splattered across these funky camping and travel towels – they're are as easy on the eye as the microfiber fabric was on our skin, and the dimensions are large enough for them to be worn as a wrap-around sarong when wandering along the beach or chilling in the campsite.

The finish is smooth, which means these towels are ideal for laying down on beaches and other terrain, and they won’t collect sand or grit. Treated with Polygiene, they boast permanent bacteria control, which will prevent the buildup of bad odors.

Lifeventure state this towel will soak up nine times its own weight in moisture – but on test we didn’t think it was anywhere near as absorbent as claimed. It does dry you off, of course, but not as fast and efficiently as some towels with a more fibrous finish. However, the smooth feel will more than compensate for this for many people.

There is no carry bag, but these towels do feature an elasticated hoop that’s handy for hanging them up to dry, and also wraps around the product to keep it neat and tidy in your backpack or drawer.

Read our full Lifeventure SoftFibre Recycled Towels review

The best ultralight towels for backpacking

For adventures where every ounce of weight and inch of storage space counts, the ultra-compact, multifunctional Airlite is perfect.

Sea to Summit do use the term towel for this incredibly light product, but you could equally call it a face cloth or flannel. In terms of functionality, we found that it comes in useful for everything from patting yourself dry after a wild dip, to washing your face and drying the dishes (when lightweight backpacking or bikepacking, it helps if you’re not overly precious about these things, but it’s very easy to give this quick-drying reusable towelette a really good rinse in between its various uses).

The fabric is 85% recycled, which is excellent, and while we found it wasn’t as absorbent as some microfiber towels made with fluffier materials, it does the job it’s designed for admirably (Sea to Summit state it soaks up three times its weight in water, but then it weighs next to nothing when dry).

Laser-cut edges (instead of over-locking hems) reduce the weight even more. A popper on the towel attaches it to the nifty 15D nylon stuff sack, which is very useful for keeping the two elements together (both are easily lost, especially in windy conditions). The stuff sack has a pull cord and external attachment loop, and it’s color-matched to the corresponding towel. The brighter-colored towels make good emergency flags should you ever need one.

Read our full Sea to Summit Airlite Towel review

Virtually small enough to have come out of a Christmas cracker, this ultralight travel towel is nevertheless no gimmick – it has a multitude of functions, from the alfresco bathroom (face flannel, micro-drying towel) to the outdoor kitchen (dish washing or drying-up cloth).

You’re not going to get changed behind it without shocking everyone else in the campsite, but we found it to be reasonably absorbent and we were able to pat ourselves dry after a wild swim when out on the trails, or when we emerged from the bucket shower (other types of camping shower are available).

The fabric has anti-bacterial properties, which will prevent the buildup of bad smells, and it is extremely fast drying, so you can wash it out in between using it for different purposes. It has a little hang loop in one corner, with a popper so you can wrap it around a tree branch or tent pole without worrying about the towel blowing away in the wind. It also comes complete with a little mesh storage bag with a karabiner that can be clipped to a backpack or belt.

Best camping towels comparison table

How we tested the best camping towels

Each of these towels has been tested in a wide variety of outdoor scenarios, from campsites to riverbanks and beaches, and we have taken them on the road for short and long trips, ranging from lightweight bikepacking and backpacking adventures to car camping trips and international travel.

What to look for when buying the best camping towel

As this roundup demonstrates, there is a huge selection of towels available for outdoor enthusiasts, from wild swimmers, surfers and paddlers to backpackers, car campers and adventure travelers. What exactly constitutes the best camping towel for you will depend on the escapades you have planned and the outdoor pursuits you enjoy, but considering the following factors will help you make an informed choice.

Size and weight

If you’re a wild swimmer, a beach camper or year-round canoe or kayak paddler, you will likely appreciate a more generously proportioned towel that you can use to get changed behind, and which will offer a decent amount of warmth when you emerge from the water. A robe of some sort might be the best choice here.

If, however, you’re more likely to set off on a multiday hike or bikepacking trip, then a much lighter, smaller microfiber towel will serve you better. The further you want to go, and the lighter you want to travel, the smaller and thinner you’ll want your towels to be. You can go right down to the ultralight ranges, where products are the size of a face flannel and weigh mere grams but can still be employed for a range of uses.

Materials

Classic cotton towels are extremely absorbent and can be luxuriously soft, but they are bulky and heavy, and take a long time to dry. For surfers, swimmers and car campers, who don’t care about weight, they can still be a good option, and robes can be perfect, with some people continuing to wear them long after they’ve dried off and warmed up.

Lighter microfiber towels are often made from a mix of poly materials, which weigh less to begin with and dry much quicker. The best microfiber pack towels typically either have a smooth, suede-style feel, or a more fibrous finish. There are pros and cons to both: the smoother towels aren’t quite as absorbent but feel nicer on your skin and don’t collect grains of sand and grit, so they’re great for beach activities; the rougher-textured fibrous towels are excellent for drying off, but can feel horrible on dry skin, and they pick up all sorts of grit and sand.

Manufacturers are increasingly using recycled waste as raw materials, which is lovely to see. Some of the best microfiber towels boast an antibacterial treatment, which prevents the buildup of bacteria and bad smells.

Style

Wearable camping towels, especially robes, have become very popular in recent years and you’ll see them in most campsites, on beaches and at events. There are a lot of benefits in having a towel that dries you off while you wear it, which keeps you warm to a greater or lesser degree (depending on the style and the materials used), allows you to get changed in privacy, and which leaves your hands free to carry stuff or do things.

Large microfiber towels are excellent for laying on the beach, getting changed behind or hanging up to provide wind or sun shelter, and ultralight towels can be used for a multitude of functions from patting yourself dry to dealing with dishes.

Additional features

The best pack towels often come with a carry bag, which can prove very useful for keeping things neat and tidy on the trail, hanging the towel from a pack if it’s wet or protecting other things in your bag from getting damp. A hoop or loop attached to the towel is also very useful when you want to hang it from a tree or tent to dry without the risk it may blow away. And if this hoop has a popper so you can open it, that’s even better, because it can then be attached to branches or poles where you can’t reach the top. Brightly colored towels can be used to signal for help.