When packing for a tour

[Headgardener]

What do you take as a towel/s. I ask this question as it occured to me that taking a large terry bath towel or even a hand towel would fill up a pannier on it's own not to mention it's weight.

 

[Tombo 707]

Get yourself a travel towel from wiggle. Compact and lightweight and fast drying.

 

[rich p]

One of these
http://www.millets.co.uk/product/090629.html

 

[vernon]

Get yourself a travel towel from wiggle. Compact and lightweight and fast drying.

They are also brilliant at drying off the fly sheet of your tent.

 

[psmiffy]

A large towel - sits over the rear panniers on dry days and goes into a large plastic bag on wet days - generally bought on first day off plane to be disposed off on last day - My cuboard is full of towels I have not had the heart to throw - everytime I have a shower or go to the gym I am reminded of a different tour

 

[Headgardener]

One of these
http://www.millets.co.uk/product/090629.html

Looks good rich p I am going into town on Monday so I will pop into Millets and have a closer look. Thanks. HG.

 

[rualexander]

I have always used a Norwegian Army Shirt with the sleeves cut off. It is 100% cotton and the inner surface is towelling. It doesn't take up too much space, is an effective towel (more so than any of the travel towels I have tried), and can be worn as a sleeveless top for extra warmth on a cool morning or about camp. If its still damp from your previous days shower it soon dries out while cycling.
Having a quick Google it seems the price range to be £10-£20 these days.

 

[stewie griffin]

I use a synthetic cloth from the household cleaning products area of the local supermarket, its about 50cm square & drys me really well, then drys out quickly tied to the rack.
Best bit is when you compare it to some expensive towels from "adventure" suppliers & find its the same thing! Maybe not as pretty though.

 

[snorri]

Here is a write-up on these pertex towels
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/index.php/Miscellaneous-All-the-rest/Snugpak-Pertex-Shower-Towel.html

You don't quite get the same comfort as you would from a warmed fleecy cotton towel ,but they do the job.

 

[tourdottk]

We are using Fine-Well sportstowels from Rubytec. It's a Dutch brand. But any sports or outdoor brand will stock towels like this (like Sea to Summit for example). Light weight, dries quickly, different sizes, no nasty smells. We've had ours for more than 5 years (and used a lot, see our trip :-)
Cheers, Aaldrik

 

[jay clock]

I have a travel towel and they are ok. I also have a tiny one I got given at XMas and it is about 35x35cm - ideal as a prelim to dry the main bits to avoid getting the large one too wet. I also have a very cheap large thin beach towel which is excellent too, but for my only camping tour I decided on the travel towel

 

[CycleTourer]

One of these
http://www.millets.co.uk/product/090629.html

A second for the Lifeventure soft fibre towels, by far the best we have used. Much better than the pertex ones which don't absorb that well and feel like you are rubbing a bit of plastic on your skin where as the lifeventure ones feel more like a soft towel. Some of the synthetic felt type ones can hum a bit after a few days, the lifeventure ones dry quicker and suffer less from this problem.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

agree..those lifeadventure towels rock (..erm...I mean as far as towel can 'rock')...I have one....it drys you quickly, packs down well, weighs zilch and drys out pretty quickly if you leave it hanging on the bike as you ride or over your sleeping bag....defo a must have shower block accessory

 

[hubbike]

It occurs to me that all a towel does is transfer water from you to it. Why bother? If you are on tour somewhere hot just shake the water off, and then sunbathe for a few minutes to dry off. otherwise just shove some clothes on, you'll soon dry out as you get moving.

If you stay somewhere with bedsheets, use them.