One thing I never pack when traveling to the islands or anywhere warm for that matter is a beach towel. The conventional terry cloth beach towels are pretty bulky when folded up and are a “no-go” when we’re traveling light. My wife and I typically bring a roller carry-on and towels never make the cut. Yet it’s one item we do dearly miss once at the beach. So we end up purchasing the water repelling $12 beach store special with some shitty colors and a tacky design. Then we end our trip by donating those cheap towels to the rental property. Only to rinse and repeat on our next vacation. Fortunately, Rumpl, one of my favorite companies, has produced the answer to our conundrum. The Original Shammy Towel.
Rumpl is best known for their amazing Down Blanket and several variations of the Original Puffy Blanket. But these folks strayed a bit and came up with the be-all-end-all towel. Spun from 85% polyester & 15% spandex, this super supple fabric has an unbelievable rate of water absorption. All while maintaining a very thin profile. Additionally, the fabric resists stains, sand, odor and pet hair. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, I can confirm that it lives up to the claim. Because I have sand, a Siberian Husky and two kids that both stink and spill everything they get their hands on. Yet the machine washable Original Shammy looks as good today as the day I opened it.
Original Shammy Towel Features courtesy of rumpl.com
- Ultra-absorbent for effortless drying
- Impossibly soft Rumpl shammy material that doubles as a beach blanket
- Quick drying application makes multiple uses a breeze
- Resists stains, sand, odor, pet hair
- Classic printed stripe design for a clean and modern look
- Machine Washable
- Multiple sizes available
- Travel Towel has button waist closure for secure fit
- MSRP $59 / $89
Available in three sizes: 1-person: 30 x 70” (76 x 178cm), 1 lbs, 2-person: 50 x 70” (127 x 178cm), 2 lbs and Travel: 30 x 55” (76 x 140cm), .93 lbs. There is an Original Shammy Towel for all situations. The 2 person looks to be a great couples beach blanket. However, I tested the Travel size which is extremely packable. And includes a feature not found on either the 1 or 2 person sizes. A button closure located on the hem that allows the Shammy to be worn quite easily. Two buttons and 7 button holes to choose from depending on torso or waist size.
After using the Original Shammy all summer on our boat excursions, I plan to outfit my family of four with their own towels. Mainly to mitigate the battle for the lone Shammy. Also because they work wonderfully, look great and don’t take up much space on the boat. Which is a major organizational plus for the Captain. Now we’ll have a beach towel that meets the size criteria for travel as well as many nice features not found in the typical cotton terry beach towel. It folds up to a size similar to that of a tee shirt. And if you haven’t heard of Rumpl, I urge you to click on over to their website and check out what they have going on. Having tested and purchased several personal items from Rumpl, they continue to impress me with thoughtful, high-quality products.