Gear

Microfibre towel

A folded grey microfibre towel beside a rucksack.

Why microfibre beats cotton on a trip, which sizes and weights are available, and how to look after a microfibre towel so it does not start to smell after the third trip.

A cotton towel weighs 400 grams dry, a kilo wet, and takes a whole day to dry in the mountains. A microfibre towel for the same use weighs under a hundred grams and is dry before you have eaten breakfast. For anyone who brings a towel on a trip in the first place, this is one of the simplest upgrades.

Microfibre vs cotton

Cotton absorbs a lot, but releases it slowly. Cotton holds moisture against the skin, holds weight in the rucksack, and gives off smell when it lies damp over time. A cotton towel on a trip is simply the wrong tool.

Microfibre (typically a blend of polyester and polyamide, often 80/20) absorbs 4–7 times its own weight in water, but releases it again with just a wring. Drying time is typically 30 minutes to two hours in dry air, against 8–24 hours for cotton. The fabric is thin and packs small.

Drawbacks to know about: microfibre feels less soft than cotton (especially cheap microfibre), rubs a little on the skin, and must be treated correctly so it does not start to smell. That is a thing with all synthetic towels.

Sizes and weights

Three sizes cover most needs. There is no reason to bring one large towel on every trip — size depends on what you actually need to dry.

Small (about 30 × 50 cm), 30–50 g — face and hand drying. Fits in a hip pocket, and is enough for an introductory-course weekend or a day trip with a swim. Dries fastest.

Medium (about 50 × 100 cm), 80–150 g — the “ordinary” trip towel. Big enough to dry the body after a quick dip or a shower at a cabin. The one most people pack if they only bring one.

Large (about 75 × 150 cm), 150–300 g — full size, good if you are staying several days in the same place (basecamp, a longer cabin stay) and value getting properly dry.

For the packing list, medium is the standard, and small is a backup or for those who count every gram. Large is rarely needed on a trip on the move.

Antibacterial treatment — what it is and is not

Most microfibre towels are marketed as “antibacterial”. In practice that means the fabric is treated with silver ions or another biocide that inhibits bacterial growth in the fibres themselves. The effect is real, but limited — it delays the development of smell, it does not remove it. After 50–100 washes the treatment is in practice washed out.

The most important thing is still correct care. A towel without antibacterial treatment that is dried properly stays fresher than a treated towel that lies folded up and damp in the rucksack.

Care — what actually decides it

A microfibre towel that is treated correctly lasts for many years. One that is treated wrongly smells after the third trip and has to be thrown out.

  • Hang to dry after every use. Never back in the rucksack damp. On a trip that means hanging it on the outside of the rucksack or on a cord while you walk.
  • Do not use fabric softener. Fabric softener settles as a layer between the fibres and permanently ruins the absorbency. One wash with fabric softener can halve the performance.
  • Wash at 40 °C in the machine — or by hand. Ordinary liquid detergent is fine; a laundry bag is recommended to stop small hooks catching in the fibres.
  • Air dry. A tumble dryer can melt the synthetic fibres over time. Hanging dries fast enough anyway.
  • For stubborn smell — wash with a tablespoon of white vinegar in the water, then an ordinary wash. Vinegar breaks down the bacteria that have settled in.

Which ones are available

Three brands cover most of the Norwegian outdoor shops:

  • Sea to Summit DryLite — the market leader, comes in several qualities (DryLite vs Tek Towel) and all sizes. Tek Towel is softer, DryLite is the thinnest and lightest.
  • PackTowl Personal / Original — American, robust, more often on offer in Norway. Personal is the light version, Original is a little thicker and more “dip-friendly”.
  • Lifeventure SoftFibre — British, a cheaper alternative, soft on the skin. A little heavier per square, but well priced for a rucksack you do not fill every weekend.

All three are in practice functionally alike — it is size, weight and price that decide the choice.

Next steps

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).