Automotive · Head-to-head
Adam's Polishes Adam's Clay Mitt vs The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Car Detailing Clay: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The Adam's Clay Mitt is the tool we'd hand almost anyone: forgiving, quick over a whole car and unbothered by a drop. If you mostly clay big flat panels and want to spend less, The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel does the maintenance job for less money.
Adam's Polishes Adam's Clay Mitt
Buy itA clay mitt that flexes to the panel, covers a whole car fast and just rinses clean if you drop it.
- Clay surface that owners describe as forgiving for first-timers
- Mitt form, so it conforms to your hand and to body lines better than a rigid block
- Reusable, so rinse it off under running water and keep going, and a drop on the ground just means a quick rinse, not a trip to the trash
- You still have to supply plenty of clay lube and keep the surface wet, or any clay will marr
- The clay face can load up with grit on very neglected paint and needs frequent rinsing
The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel
Buy itA clay towel that covers flat panels quickly and is cleaned with lubricant and a gentle hand wipe, the value pick for maintenance claying.
- Maker says it picks up contaminants as easily as a traditional clay bar, with a larger working area than a bar
- Covers big flat panels (hood, roof, doors) faster than kneading a bar, and is reusable until it is too contaminated
- A cost-effective way to keep paint smooth between full details
- The flat towel is less handy than a glove or bar in tight areas like mirrors and around badges
- Like all clay media it needs generous lube; run it dry and it will grab and mar. The maker says not to soak or wring it out
Side by side
The 6 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Adam's Polishes Adam's Clay Mitt Our pick | The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | First-timers and anyone who wants one forgiving tool to clay the whole car by hand. | Owners who mostly want quick, cheap maintenance claying on large, flat panels. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $ · budget |
| Clay format | Clay mitt | Clay towel |
| Grade / cut | Medium grade (maker) | Fine |
| Marring risk for beginners | Light micro-marring possible (maker), polish after | Low |
| Best used | By hand, whole car | By hand, flat panels |
| Conforms to curves & contours | Well, flexes to the panel | Well on flats, okay on curves |
| Coverage & speed | Fast — large glove face | Fastest on big flat panels |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Adam's Polishes Adam's Clay Mitt if
first-timers and anyone who wants one forgiving tool to clay the whole car by hand.
Know before buying: you still have to supply plenty of clay lube and keep the surface wet, or any clay will marr.
Pick the The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel if
owners who mostly want quick, cheap maintenance claying on large, flat panels.
Know before buying: the flat towel is less handy than a glove or bar in tight areas like mirrors and around badges.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Adam's Polishes Adam's Clay Mitt - A clay mitt that flexes to the panel, covers a whole car fast and just rinses clean if you drop it. Choose the The Rag Company Ultra Clay Towel instead if owners who mostly want quick, cheap maintenance claying on large, flat panels.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Car Detailing Clay: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).