Travel towel: microfibre, hammam towel or waffle piqué?
A travel towel should do four things: take up little space in your luggage, weigh little, dry quickly and still feel pleasant. No material does all of this perfectly at once. In this buying guide we honestly compare the three common options – microfibre, flat-woven cotton hammam towel and waffle piqué – by pack size, weight, drying time and feel. Plus a checklist of which travel towel suits a backpacking trip, a hostel and a city break.
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What makes a good travel towel
At home, a thick terry towel is unbeatable. On the road it becomes a problem: it takes up as much room in your backpack as a jumper, weighs several times as much when wet and is often still damp in the hostel room the next morning. A towel for travelling is therefore chosen by different criteria:
- Pack size: How small can it be folded or rolled?
- Weight: With hand luggage and a backpack, every gram counts.
- Drying time: Does it dry overnight, even without sun?
- Feel: Does it feel good on the skin, or does it rather squeak?
- Versatility: Can it do more than dry you off, for example serve as a blanket, scarf or beach towel?
Travel towel materials compared
The table shows the typical properties of the three materials. These are general tendencies; individual products may differ.
| Criterion | Microfibre | Cotton hammam towel | Waffle piqué |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material | Synthetic fibre (mostly polyester/polyamide) | Cotton, flat-woven | Mostly cotton with waffle structure |
| Pack size | very small | small | medium |
| Weight | very light | light | light to medium |
| Drying | very fast | fast | medium |
| Feel | smooth, unfamiliar for some | natural, gets softer with every wash | textured, slightly massaging |
| Odour after a few days | more prone to odour if it stays damp | good if it dries in between | good if it dries in between |
| Multiple uses | mainly drying off | beach towel, blanket, scarf, pareo | mainly drying off |
| Washing | synthetic, can release fibres into waste water | natural fibre, uncomplicated | natural fibre, uncomplicated |
Microfibre: the pack-size winner with drawbacks
Microfibre towels are made of very fine synthetic fibres. They roll up extremely small, weigh next to nothing and dry very quickly. For trekking, ultralight tours and long backpacking trips, a microfibre travel towel is therefore often the first choice. The drawbacks: many people find the surface smooth or "squeaky", the towel absorbs moisture rather than feeling like a classic towel, and as a synthetic fibre it can release fibre particles into waste water when washed. If you use a microfibre towel, let it dry thoroughly in between so it doesn't smell musty.
Cotton hammam towel: the all-rounder
A flat-woven hammam towel is thinner than terry, which makes it light and quick to dry, yet it feels like cotton: natural and pleasant. In our experience at the Meri Sauna, a hammam towel dries in about 30 minutes in the sun and in about 60 minutes indoors. That's easily enough for it to be dry in the hostel by the next morning. The big advantage is versatility: the same towel is a towel, beach towel, light blanket on the night bus and scarf against the air conditioning. Pack size and weight are slightly above microfibre, but well below terry.
Waffle piqué: the middle ground
Waffle piqué has a woven-in honeycomb structure. This makes the fabric lighter than terry and good at absorbing water. It is a little bulkier than a flat hammam towel. We don't carry waffle piqué as a towel, but as a light changing poncho: according to the product description, the Travel Poncho PAMPATAR made of 100 % cotton weighs approx. 700 g and can be rolled into its hood – handy when you're at the beach without a changing cabin.
Which travel towel for which trip?
Backpacking and trekking
Here grams and centimetres count. If your backpack is full to the brim, a small microfibre towel or a mini hammam towel makes sense. Our Mini hammam towel Diamant measures approx. 90 × 45 cm and weighs approx. 120 g. It's enough for drying face, hands and hair and for a quick wash by a stream, but not for wrapping yourself up.
Hostels and backpacker accommodation
Many hostels rent out towels for a fee or not at all. Your own body-sized travel towel is therefore a must. It should dry overnight and not smell after three days in the dorm. A light hammam towel of approx. 180 × 100 cm is a good compromise here, because it also serves as a privacy screen on the bunk bed or as a blanket.
City break with hand luggage
Hotels usually provide towels. You still need a travel towel for a bathing spot, thermal bath, park or city beach. What matters most here is that it fits small into your daypack and also looks good. The Towel To Go is a hammam towel made of 100 % cotton measuring approx. 180 × 100 cm and weighing approx. 270 g. According to the product description, folded small it fits into hand luggage, a backpack or a gym bag, and it comes in a round gift box.
Beach holiday and road trip
If space isn't quite so tight, a large cotton towel that is beach towel and towel in one is worthwhile. Sand shakes off a smooth weave easily. The SULTAN hammam towel weighs approx. 270 g and is made of OEKO-TEX certified cotton, the ADRIA hammam towel weighs approx. 290 g. Both measure approx. 180 × 100 cm.
Our light towels for travelling at a glance
| Towel | Dimensions | Weight | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini hammam towel Diamant | approx. 90 × 45 cm | approx. 120 g | Trekking, extra towel for hair |
| Towel To Go | approx. 180 × 100 cm | approx. 270 g | City break, hand luggage, gift |
| SULTAN hammam towel | approx. 180 × 100 cm | approx. 270 g | Hostel, beach holiday |
| ADRIA hammam towel | 180 × 100 cm | approx. 290 g | Beach holiday, road trip |
For comparison: a terry bath towel of this size often weighs several times as much. You'll find all models in the hammam towels collection.
How to pack your travel towel properly
- Roll instead of fold: Rolled up, a flat towel takes up less space and fills gaps between clothes.
- Pack it dry: A damp towel in a closed backpack smells musty after a day. Better hang it on the outside of the backpack.
- Use it for several things: One large towel replaces beach towel, blanket and scarf. That saves other items in your luggage.
- Two small instead of one big: On long trips, the combination of one large and one small towel has proven itself. One dries while you use the other.
How to keep your towel fresh on the road with sand, salt water and a hotel washbasin is explained in our article on washing on holiday.
Buying a travel towel: the checklist
- What do you mainly need it for: just drying off, or also beach and blanket?
- How much space do you have: hand luggage, daypack or suitcase?
- How important is the feel on your skin?
- Is a small format enough, or do you want to be able to wrap yourself up?
- Should it be a natural fibre that you can wash without fuss?
If you answer most questions with "versatile", "pleasant" and "natural fibre", a light hammam towel is your travel towel. If only the smallest pack size counts, go for microfibre.
Related reading: Microfibre or cotton sauna towel? The honest comparison · Washing a hammam towel on holiday: sand, salt water, hand wash and drying in the hotel · Hammam towel for camping and van life: space, drying, multiple uses
Conclusion
There is no perfect travel towel, but there is the right one for the way you travel. Microfibre wins on pack size and is ideal for trekking and ultralight tours. A flat-woven cotton hammam towel is the most versatile companion for hostels, city breaks and the beach: light, quick-drying, pleasant on the skin and a blanket or scarf at the same time. Waffle piqué sits in between and shows its strengths more in a changing poncho.
Frequently asked questions
Which material is best for a travel towel?
That depends on the trip. Microfibre has the smallest pack size; cotton as a flat-woven hammam towel feels more natural and is more versatile. For most holidays, a light hammam towel is a good compromise.
How big should a travel towel be?
For wrapping up and as a beach towel, approx. 180 × 100 cm. For trekking, a small format of around 90 × 45 cm is often enough, used for face, hands and hair.
How quickly does a cotton travel towel dry?
In our experience, a flat-woven hammam towel dries in about 30 minutes in the sun and about 60 minutes indoors. Terry takes considerably longer.
Does microfibre smell faster than cotton?
Microfibre can smell unpleasant if it stays damp in the backpack for a long time. That applies to any towel. Let it dry completely in between and wash it regularly.
Can a travel towel go in hand luggage?
Yes, towels are usually no problem in hand luggage. A light hammam towel rolls up small and also serves as a blanket or scarf on the plane.
Personally written by Martin – founder of BeachAndSteam. As a family, we have run the Meri Sauna at Lake Kulkwitz for more than 18 years.
