When every gram counts, a normal towel is the heaviest, slowest-drying thing in the pack. The Sea to Summit Airlite towel goes the other way: the Large is 120 × 60 cm, big enough to dry your whole body, and weighs 67 g. We bought the Large in Desert Brown for $30 and used it on several trips to see if something this thin works as a proper towel.
What’s in the box
A very thin 120 × 60 cm towel in a microfibre of 85% recycled polyester and 15% nylon, with wavy cut edges and a press stud in one corner to hang it up. It comes rolled up in a small grey stuff sack with a drawstring.
What we like
- Large size only 67 g
- Packs to 11 × 5.5 cm
- Dries very quickly
- Big enough for a shower
- 85% recycled polyester
What we don’t
- Feels very thin
- Texture takes getting used to
- Pricey for a thin towel
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Sea to Summit |
| Material | 85% recycled polyester15% nylon |
| Colour options | Desert brownSage greenBaltic blue |
| Weight | 67 g |
| Size | 120 × 60 cm |
| Packed size | 11 × 5.5 cm |
| Sizes | SML |
| Included | Stuff sack |
How it feels
The Airlite doesn’t feel like a normal towel, and that’s the point. The fabric is very thin, more like a fine cloth than a towel, with a slightly textured surface that pulls the water off your skin rather than soaking it up like cotton. It takes some getting used to, but it works. At 120 × 60 cm the Large is big enough to dry your whole body after a swim or a camp shower.
Drying and hanging
Because it’s so thin, it dries again very quickly once it’s hung up, which matters on a trip where you pack up every morning and don’t want a damp towel in your bag. The press stud in the corner lets you clip it around a guy rope, a branch or a backpack strap to dry. It’s machine washable, and it also makes a handy cloth for wiping condensation off the tent.
Weight and packing
This is why you buy it. At 67 g for a full-size towel, you stop thinking of the towel as something that takes up room, and rolled up in its sack it’s only 11 × 5.5 cm, about the size of a lemon. It also comes in a small (hand towel) and a medium size if you want to save even more.
Airlite or Tek Towel?
The Airlite is the pick when weight matters most. If comfort matters more, Sea to Summit’s Tek Towel is the same size but thick and soft, at 303 g with its case. The Rainleaf is a cheaper full-size option. Our camping towels guide compares all four we’ve tested.
The two Sea to Summit towels are the same size but opposite in every other way (weights on our scale, with the case or sack):
This one Airlite Towel |  Tek Towel | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 120 × 60 cm | 120 × 60 cm |
| Feel | Very thin | Thick, soft |
| Comes in | Stuff sack | Zip case |
| Weight | 67 g | 303 g |
| Price paid | $30 | $40 |
| Our score | 8.6 | 8.7 |
Conclusion: Sea to Summit Airlite TowelConclusion
The Sea to Summit Airlite towel is for travelling light: a full-size 120 × 60 cm towel that weighs 67 g, packs to the size of a lemon and dries very quickly. It feels very thin, the texture takes getting used to and it costs more than a basic towel. For $30, it’s hard to beat if weight matters.
A full-size towel for travelling light that's hard to beat.
It's 120 × 60 cm, weighs 67 g, packs to the size of a lemon and dries very quickly. It feels very thin, the texture takes getting used to and it costs more than a basic towel.
- Ultralight
- Backpackers
- Travellers
Yes, if weight matters. I paid $30 for a full-size towel that weighs 67 g and dries fast. For comfort, the Tek Towel is better.
