You know, it's funny. When we started backpacking years ago, we grabbed the oldest and silliest towel we had in the house---an old "Big Bird" beach towel we bought for our oldest daughter when she was about three. It's tiny (she was three!) and we sure didn't care if it got dirty, torn, ruined, or anything else.

Over the years, we've bought at least two special backpacking towels/cloths, and we've also tried any number of other things.

Nothing absorbs water and dries us better than Big Bird. And nothing dries quicker in the sun--to get used again.

We still take Big Bird on every trip!