We have all been packing for a holiday and got to that dreaded point where we think we are nearly done, and then remember we need to bring a towel. How many times have you sat on top of your suitcase or bust open the zip trying to fit everything inside?
A towel of all things should not be the difficult part of packing. Choosing which outfits and shoes to take, yes. A towel? That shouldn’t make your life difficult!
As much as one shouldn’t make or break your holiday, having a travel towel with you can make your life easier.
READ MORE: Here are our picks for the best travel pillows for 2021
What makes a good travel towel?
Whether you are backpacking through Australia, skiing in the French Alps, or simply heading down to your local gym, a travel towel comes in extremely useful. A good one should be lightweight, absorbent, quick-drying and easy to pack. Options such as microfiber travel towels hit all these requirements and then some!
What is microfiber?
Most travel towels are made from microfiber, but what exactly is it? Microfiber is a synthetic fibre that is much thinner than cotton (one denier or less, which is 100 times thinner than a strand of human hair).
These extremely thin fibres are woven together to create a much larger surface area, creating a much more absorbent material. The larger surface area also allows the water to evaporate quicker, so a microfiber travel towel dries faster than a standard one and is very lightweight.
Here are the top 5 best travel towels for your next trip:
- The Youphoria Outdoor – best travel towel overall
- Rainleaf Microfiber travel towel – best budget option
- Snappy Towels – best multipurpose option
- Cotton & Olive light hammam towel – best eco-friendly travel towel
- Fit-Flip microfiber towel – best microfiber travel towel
The Youphoria Outdoor – best travel towel overall
If you are looking for a travel towel that is not only excellent quality, stylish and comes with brilliant customer service, the Youphoria Outdoor microfiber towel is ideal for you. This towel comes in a range of colours and sizes, can hold 4 times its weight in water and dries up to 10 times faster than traditional cotton towels.
My favourite thing about this one is how great it looks compared to other microfiber travel towels. It also comes with a loop, so you can hang it up easily to dry, and it has a handy mesh bag to keep everything else dry if it is still a little damp. Buy yours here with Prices starting at US$9.99.
Rainleaf Microfiber travel towel – best budget option
If you’re looking for the best quick dry towel for travel that isn’t going to break the bank, then the Rainleaf Microfiber towel is a brilliant option. It is antimicrobial to protect you from odours and germs and comes in multiple sizes and colours.
The Rainleaf also comes with a waterproof bag that you can fold (rather than roll) your towel into to pack it away without getting anything else in your bag wet. There is a snap loop for easy drying, and the bag also has a handy zip pocket, so you can hide your valuables when out and about or at the beach. Prices start at US$8.99 and go up to $20.99 for the larger travel towel.
Snappy Towels – best multipurpose option
Snappy towels waffle weave microfiber travel towel is the most versatile one on this list due to the clever snaps along its edges. It has the same properties as many of the best travel towels: very absorbent, quick to dry, lightweight and compact. But what makes this towel the best multipurpose towel is the ingenious snaps, which make it usable as anything from a changing cover or poncho to a hair wrap.
Snapping together multiple towels also provides you with a fabulous large travel beach towel, and it is also perfect if you don’t have much room, as it folds into ¼ of its size for a snug fit in your bag. Find yours on Amazon starting at US$19.99.
Cotton & Olive light hammam towel – best eco-friendly travel towel
If you want to find the best quick dry towel for travel whilst being friendly to the environment, then the Cotton & Olive light hammam option is perfect for you. Made in Turkey, this 100% cotton hammam towel weighs around a third of a standard weave one, making it super light and absorbent. It may feel a little rough at first, but it gets softer with every use.
The Alysa range of cotton hammam towels are available in 4 cheerful, colourful stripes on a white background – coral; royal blue; yellow; lavender, making for a highly stylish travel beach towel. Buy direct from Cotton & Olive for under US$20.
Fit-Flip microfiber towel – best microfiber travel towel
A Fit-Flip microfiber towel is great if you are looking for something that you can take anywhere. It is a compact, ultra-lightweight, and quick-drying towel, perfect for throwing in your bag to go camping, hiking, swimming or backpacking. It is very durable as well as being sand and dirt-repellent.
The convenient press-studs allow you to hang it up with ease pretty much anywhere, and as it is made using the finest microfiber, it has natural antibacterial elements stopping any unpleasant odours. Available on Amazon starting at STG£8.99 (USD 12.40) and coming in 8 sizes and a variety of colours, this is one of the best quick dry towels for travel on the market.
A travel towel may seem like such a trivial item to spend so much time thinking about. But, whether you are looking for a cheap option to take on your next mountain adventure, a stylish, kind to the planet travel beach towel for your sun holiday, or the best quick dry towel for travel anywhere, there is a perfect one for you on our list.
Everybody loves a good quality towel, right? I know I certainly do. So, why should one not be accessible wherever you are or whatever you are doing? With these travel towels, you can keep quality standards, even on the move!
