MSR Packtowl UltraLite

This product performs as promised, however I have a problem with the texture of the material. Although I like this new material compared to the old chamois-style pack towels, it feels like you're drying off with a shop-weight paper towel. I just wish someone could find a material that actually feels like fabric that has the same performance quality.

Unbelievably small and absorbent. I bought the large towel, and it's plenty big enough to completely dry off after a shower. This material is really incredibly absorbent. It works great for wiping down the tent in the morning to get it dry before packing it up. You just wring out the towel and keep using it. Washes with other laundry. Great product. Bought a small one to use as a wash cloth as well.

definitely lightweight and super absorbent. Found it softer on the skin than any other I've tried. Best choice!!

This towel is incredibly light, packs tiny, doesn't bleed when washed and holds up very well. I've tried several other types of light towels and this one has worked the best and held up. The only down side is that it does tend to remain damp and take longer to dry in a damp environment... but then, so do other towels so you are still much better off with this towel.

The Packtowl definitely packs small, is very light and easy to take care of. The towel will get most of the water off your skin, but your skin will still be slightly damp. The Packtowls run small, and so buying a larger size might make up for any residual skin dampness left by smaller sizes.

I love the fact that my pack towel folds up to an almost ridiculously small size. I often go to hot yoga after work and need a way to dry off afterwards without taking up a large amount of room in the bag I carry to work with me. The ultra-light pack towel takes up no more room than a couple of folded sheets of paper...yet it is absorbant enough to dry off my entire body after a shower. Furthermore it takes only an hour or two to fully dry!! Love it. Love it.

I retired all my other towels when this one hit the scene. The size & weight are minimal & almost as plush & absorbent as the all cotton one @ home. Great for the occasional backpack into the remote hot springs. Get the largest size. The nominal extra weight is well worth what you get in return.

This towel is light and packs very small. I used it on my last hike to dry off after being rained on for 7 hours. It worked great. It was amazingly absorbent and dried quickly after use. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great performer that doesn't add significant weight to your pack.

The towels packed so small and were perfect sized for my trek on the Inca Trail. But the weather was humid and damp, and the towels just never dried. At home, they dried so quickly, but out on the trail, I had to pack them damp and they stayed that way the entire trek.

this light absorbent towel packs down really small and is durable. we really recommend it for any camping, hiking or travelling.

I wish that I bought the biggest size though, the 20x36 isn't quite enough to get that nice warm you up kind of wrap around, but it is certainly enough to dry you off. dry's pretty quick. everyone needs one. It's a towel, let's not get too crazy here.

I needed a small, packable towel for swimteam. this does the job wonderfully. It folds up smaller than my swimsuits, soaks up all the water from my hair, body, etc. it dries quickly. it's a dream! now I don't have that bulky cotton towel taking up all the room in my bag anymore. this does the trick! I'm sure it will be great for backpacking too. I just love it for swimteam.

This towel is very light weight, but very small. Even the biggest size is small. I still use it and love it.

I like the ability to wash and dry with the same towel. I have a small size to wash my face - and to wash in general. It does a great job.

I bought the large and cut off the end to use as a hand towel. You still have plenty to dry off with and also a washcloth. Doesn't feel like a terry cloth towel, but it does the trick.

These towels are so light it's simply amazing. They handle anything you do and dry out pretty quick. They wash great and seem hold up well. No problems with colors running and although seem like they might tear, they are really strong. I give it my highest rating of any ultralight towel I have and I have several brands. This is by far the best.

I bought the medium size towel. It was average quality and not as absorbant as I thought it would be. It dried my body to a damp state. It needed to be wrung out and could not absorb the water out of my hair. Drying time over an hour. I went to Walmart and bought a slightly thicker,, arcylic blend for $2.99. It worked much better.

Not just for backpacking anymore, the 2 XL ultralight Packtowls just toured around Georgian Bay with us on our motorbikes. Super small pack size and light weight are what bike touring is all about, so these towels were a positive boon to us! comes in a small mesh-backed nylon bag that fits in a pocket and has a loop for attachment or hanging, the fast drying properties and water absorption are excellent, and the XL size is just big enough to use as a bath/shower towel (even for a 5'8" woman with a decidedly not dainty waist!). Will be ordering a smaller one at some point to use for doing dishes as well. Colors are crap, but who cares?

True to its description, this towel is lite and wicks fast. My group and I used this on our Grand Canyon hike and all were pleased. I suggest you get the larger sizes since its weight is practically non existent.

Definitely a nice product for taking up NO room! Doesn't feel like a luxurious towel by any means, but great function for the incredibly small and easily packable size.

The Packtowl is great. I have several. I carry one in my Jetboil between the canister and cup to keep the steel canister from rust and staining the cup and to use for cleanup. I use two mediums in my cook set to protect the nonstick coating on the pots and lids. Again they are used to cleanup. One to wash and one to dry. I had thought about the recommendation of an earlier post, buy a larger one and cut it. I decided I wanted to have the strap on every piece and I think that is the way to go. It is nice to be able to hang it in a tree or on your pack.

Just took these towels to Costa Rica and they came in so handy since they take up so little room compared to normal towels. I'm sure we'll use them a lot for traveling and camping.

I went with a size large since it's so light. That was slick for a quick dip (plenty large) but I missed having a small one that would be more convenient for a quick face wash, etc. I loved the little bag it comes in, keeps it separate and compact and the grimy things off of it. I also liked the snap hook that is on it so I could loop it around a tent pole for drying.

Killer. Worth both pennies. Bought the medium size for a backpacking trip to Mexico and used it a dozen times a day (no exaggeration necessary) -- at least. Great number of uses, great price, and stellar overall buy. I expect you'll be happy with this too.

I really like the towel because it fits in my coat pocket and I take it to the pool. Much better than renting a towel or carrying home a soggy one. It's like the towels they use to dry your car at the carwash, only for people.

This thing is incredible, you can use it and then it’s like you haven’t even gotten it wet. Don’t get the small though, unless you just want a hand towel, because it is truly tiny. I would recommend one of the bigger ones, because the weight and space it occupies is virtually nonexistent.

Extremely lightweight towel- impressed with its pack size! It dries pretty quickly and is very absorbent. We used the towels for the first time on a backpacking trip in Washington. I was able to use it to dry my face and hair and it still was able to dry the inside/outside of our tent before we repacked it. I was pleased with the fast delivery and the service provided. Thanks.

By far, this is the best packtowel out there. A large ultralight can fit in your pocket when it’s folded up, and it has the ability to dry you like a regular beach towel. The only reason I give it a four - and probably unfairly - is I'm the kind of person who likes to be *absolutely* dry before getting dressed, and I'm still somewhat damp after using this towel. However, the same is so if I use another towel (including big beach towels), so considering the size of this packtowel, I'd say I've come out on top and am kind of being tedious. Next time I'll probably get the XL size, though. In short, still the best packtowel out there, period.

I have used this towel at home and on the trail. This is the lightest towel I can find. It works superbly. Additionally, buy the large size, custom cut it to your liking, leaving the drying loop on your favorite part. Use the rest as a hanky, washcloth, or hot pad. Works like a multipurpose cloth. I cut it into bandana size to dry my face. Works great. Get the Apricot color and use it as an emergency signal as well.

I have seen many packtowels that claim to be the lightest, but to put it bluntly this thing is ridiculous. There are other chamois style towels out there but this one combines absorbency and very low weight with an incredibly fast drying time. Seriously, I have been using it to dry off when I get out of the shower (to soften it up a bit), I will use it to dry off my entire body including getting my hair (which is shoulder length) nearly dry. I hang it up and by the time I'm dressed it is dry enough to fold up and put away without worry about mildew. The only thing to consider is the choice between the MSR ultralight and the MSR personal. The personal is softer, being a microfiber vs. the ultralight which is more of a chamois style synthetic. But again the ultralight is lighter, I'm not readily sure about the drying time of the personal (my girlfriend has one, but she hasn't used it yet). But again if you are looking for a packtowel, put the MSR ultralight and personal models on your list to look into!