Travel Gear · Head-to-head
Matador NanoDry Packable Beach Towel vs Dock and Bay Quick Dry Towel
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Travel Towels: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
Matador wins the trade this category exists to make: a full-size towel at 155 grams that packs to the size of a sandwich, with both figures published. Dock and Bay publishes a full specification and is the more pleasant towel to actually dry yourself with.
Matador NanoDry Packable Beach Towel
Buy itA full-size towel at 155 grams that packs into its own pocket.
- 5.5 ounces or 155 grams for a full 60 by 30 inch towel, about a third of the 16 ounces Nomadix publishes for its longer Original Towel.
- Packs to 6 by 5 by 1.8 inches into its own integrated pocket, so there is no separate pouch to lose and no strap on the outside of your bag.
- Quick-drying nanofiber that absorbs twice its weight, stated PFC-free, with a zip pocket for stashing keys, a phone or a card while you swim.
- Absorbs twice its weight where Nomadix claims four times, so it needs wringing out on a full-body dry.
- Nanofiber is thin against the skin and feels nothing like a bath towel.
- Offered in a single colour, charcoal, with no size options in this model.
Dock and Bay Quick Dry Towel
Buy itEvery dimension and weight published, for the towel and for its pouch.
- One of the fullest specifications here: 83 percent recycled polyester and 17 percent recycled polyamide, with Large at 160 by 90 centimetres weighing 360 grams and Extra Large at 200 by 90 centimetres weighing 485 grams.
- Pouch dimensions published alongside each size, at 24 by 14 centimetres and 28 by 15 centimetres, so you know exactly what goes in your bag.
- Complete care instructions: cold machine wash at 30 degrees, tumble dry low or air dry, no bleach, and specifically no fabric softener because it reduces absorbency.
- At 360 to 485 grams it is between two and three times the weight of the Matador.
- Absorbs twice its weight, the same as the Matador and half the Nomadix claim.
- Only two sizes, both large, with nothing hand-towel sized in this line.
Side by side
The 9 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Matador NanoDry Packable Beach Towel Our pick | Dock and Bay Quick Dry Towel | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Carry-on travel and hiking, where the towel has to disappear into the bag. | Beach and pool trips, and anyone who wants to know exactly what they are packing. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
| Weight | 155 g / 5.5 oz | 360 g Large, 485 g XL |
| Towel size | 60 x 30 in / 153 x 76 cm | 160 x 90 cm or 200 x 90 cm |
| Packed size | 6 x 5 x 1.8 in | Pouch 24 x 14 cm or 28 x 15 cm |
| Absorbency | 2x its weight | 2x its weight |
| Fabric | Nanofiber, PFC-free | 83 percent recycled polyester, 17 percent recycled polyamide |
| Texture | Flat nanofiber | Flat microfibre |
| Carry method | Packs into its own pocket | Pouch included |
| Extras | Zip pocket for valuables | Hook for hanging |
| Care guidance | Machine wash cold, no softener | Full, including no fabric softener |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Matador NanoDry Packable Beach Towel if
carry-on travel and hiking, where the towel has to disappear into the bag.
Know before buying: absorbs twice its weight where Nomadix claims four times, so it needs wringing out on a full-body dry.
Pick the Dock and Bay Quick Dry Towel if
beach and pool trips, and anyone who wants to know exactly what they are packing.
Know before buying: at 360 to 485 grams it is between two and three times the weight of the Matador.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Matador NanoDry Packable Beach Towel - A full-size towel at 155 grams that packs into its own pocket. Choose the Dock and Bay Quick Dry Towel instead if beach and pool trips, and anyone who wants to know exactly what they are packing.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Travel Towels: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).