REI Co-op Multi Towel Lite Review

Overview

The Multi Towel Lite is REI’s thin, polyester-nylon microfiber camp towel, sold in three sizes that run from a 21 g face cloth to an 88.4 g body towel. It is aimed at backpackers who want something to dab sweat, wipe a face or dry off after a swim without carrying cotton-style bulk. The trade-off is plain: it is very light and dries fast, but it is thin and a bit less absorbent than pricier packable towels.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	21–88.4 g depending on size
Small dimensions	14 x 10 in
Material	85% polyester / 15% nylon microfiber
Absorbency	Up to 8x its weight in water
Hang loop	Quick-attach loop
Includes	Small carry pouch
Sizes	Small, Medium, Large

Performance

Absorbency. The towel is rated to soak up to eight times its weight in water, and REI’s own pitch is that it wrings out almost completely. In practice, owners describe a fabric that is thin as a bed sheet but pulls water off skin quickly. A common refrain among buyers: it does the job of drying a body or a face without the heft of a bath towel. Some reviewers who travel with premium packable towels say the Lite takes a little more effort to get fully dry and feels less substantial. One buyer put the trade-off bluntly: if weight and space don’t matter, bring a regular towel.

Drying speed. This is where the Lite earns its place. A reviewer who compared it against more expensive travel towels found it dries just as quickly as they do. Hobbyist testing of the Lite against REI’s heavier Multi Towel found a split: the heavier towel soaked up more, but the Lite held up better after wringing, drying faster and resisting odor better after days of shower and seawater use. For a hiker who hangs a towel off a pack strap while walking, that profile suits the job. The corner loop makes that easy, and owners say the towel is dry well before camp.

Feel and trail use. The fabric is soft against skin rather than clammy, and owners say it shakes clean of leaves and dirt instead of collecting them, a notable edge over cheap microfiber knockoffs that grab every twig and blade of grass. A buyer who swapped a coarse chamois-style towel for the Lite called it a clear step up in comfort. One large-size owner reported that the dye bled in early use, so a separate first wash is wise. REI’s care instructions say the same.

Packability. The medium folds down to roughly the size of a teacup according to one owner. The small is barely more than a handkerchief: at 21 g it adds almost nothing to a pack and works for face-washing, wiping sweat from eyes, drying hands and wiping down a pot. The included pouch is basic, but it clips to the outside of a pack so a damp towel can air out while walking. Remembering to take the towel out of the pack at home is the owner’s job.

Durability. Reviewers report that the fabric is sturdier than its thickness suggests and handles repeated machine washing. It’s a thin synthetic, though, so it won’t match the long life of denser, higher-cost options.

Choosing a Version

Size is the only thing that changes, and the weight spread is wide: 21 g, 57 g and 88.4 g.

• Small (21 g, 14 x 10 in): A face and hands towel. It suits weight-obsessed hikers who wash up at camp and don’t plan to dry off a whole body. It won’t do much after a swim.
• Medium (57 g): The pick for most thru-hikers who want one towel for a camp wash and the occasional stream dip. Owners find it works well enough for drying off, though a few say it is quite small and wish they had bought the large and trimmed it. Expect to dry in sections.
• Large (88.4 g): The most comfortable for full-body use and multiday trips with showers, hot springs or swimming. Buyers note it is not meant to wrap around you; it is a long, narrow towel closer to a yoga towel than a bath sheet. It’s still the heaviest of the three, and at that weight some hikers will prefer a bigger competitor.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Very light across all sizes, starting at 21 g
• Dries quickly and wrings out well
• Soft on skin and sheds dirt better than cheap microfiber
• Includes a pouch and hang loop
• Priced below most dedicated ultralight towels

Cons

• Thin, so it feels less substantial than premium packable towels
• Absorbs less per pass than denser towels
• Reported dye bleed on first use; wash separately at first
• Medium and large are smaller than some buyers expect

Who Should Buy This

Backpackers who want a low-cost, quick-drying towel for camp washing, sweat and the occasional swim, and who care about every ounce, will get what they need here. The small suits ultralighters who only need a cloth; the medium or large suits anyone drying a full body. Those who want a plush towel feel, or who need something big enough to wrap up in, should look at a larger and heavier microfiber or at premium options.

Verdict

The Multi Towel Lite does the unglamorous job of a camp towel at a low weight and a modest price. It gives up some absorbency and heft to get there, but its quick drying is the trait that matters most on trail. Buy the small if you only wash up, and the medium or large if you plan to dry off after a swim.