Australian Hiker

Rating

Sea to Summit Airlite Towel Review

Sea to Summit produces a range of five outdoor towels with the Sea to Summit Airlite Towel being the lightest. As a hiker who is always trying to lighten my load this towel was the obvious choice with the medium size weighing in at a paltry 28 grams. For me this towel is an upgrade being both larger and lighter than my previous option but one that packs down smaller.

The fabric used on the Airlite towel is 85% Polyester 15% Nylon and while it’s not as luxurious as the heavier options from Sea to Summit, it is big enough to do the job and to dry you when you need it without adding too much weight to your pack. Being a thin microfibre material it also packs down to almost nothing and really its comparable to the size of an egg. So if anything, you need to make sure you remember where you put it otherwise it will get lost in your pack.

The storage stuff sack and the towel can be connected by means of a press stud with the idea of keeping them together. This feature seems to e standard on a lot of out towels but in all honesty I’d prefer the towel without it. I had small towels in the past and never lost the storage sack.

I’ve opted for the medium sizing which was much larger than what I have been using but you can get both smaller and much larger options without a heavy weight penalty. Colour wise there is a good range to choose from so if you are travelling in a family/group you can choose a different colour so they don’t get mixed up. The colours range is Grey, Lime, Orange and Pacific Blue.

This towel is also very versatile and has been designed so that it can be rolled flat as a sweat band and given its size its easy to throw into a gym bag in case you forget your normal towel.

I’m a big fan of this towel and don’t really see the purpose of the heavy plusher options available on the market taking any chance I can get to reduce use pack weight. In this case you do so without sacrificing anything but weight.

Sea to Summit Airlite Towel rolled up

Sea to Summit Airlite Towel as purchased

Sea to Summit Airlite Towel (medium) in its tiny stuff sack (the egg provides a size comparison)

Sea to Summit Airlite Towel (Medium) ‘unfurled’ to show useable size

Sea to Summit Airlite towel press stud. There is another press stud on the tiny stiff sack to hold them together

We Like

• Fast drying
• Tiny packed size
• Extremely lightweight at 28 grams
• Convienient storage in its tiny 15D nylon stuff sack
• Good size that allows this towel to be used as a bandanna or for neck protection
• Can also be used as an ultralight dishcloth or a head band if you really need one

We Don't Like

• This towel from Sea to Summit is not as easy to find as their cheaper heavier options but it is well worth sourcing for those who want an ultralight option

Best Uses

A great towel option for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who want a great towel at the lightest weight possible

Buy One

You can purchase the Sea to Summit Airlite Towel online from Snowys, from Wild Earth, or from Wildfire Sports

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

Investment

AUD $27.99 RRP

Other Versions

This towel comes various sizes and colours in:

• Small – 36cm x 36cm
• Medium – 84cm x 36cm
• Large – 108cm x 45cm
• Extra large – 132cm x 54cm

Colours

• Grey
• Lime
• Orange
• Pacific Blue

Disclaimer

This review was done with product purchased from a retail store by Australian Hiker

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