Long Term Report

Final Report of
McNett MicroNet Advanced Microfiber Towel
By Michael Jay Lissner
22 June 2004

Contents of Review:
1. Tester Biographical Information
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Product Description
5. Description of Tests
6. Comments
7. Conclusions

1. Tester Biographical Information:
Name: Michael Jay Lissner
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Height: 198 cm (6’6”)
Weight: 86 kg (185 lb)
Email Address: yourmothership at hotmail dot com
City of Current Residence: Berkeley, California

2. Backpacking Background:
I was first introduced to backpacking through the Boy Scouts, and it was my love of backpacking that made me stick all the way through and get my Eagle. After becoming too old to continue in Boy Scouts, I had trouble motivating myself to plan my own trips, and did not backpack for a few years, until I realized that I should thru-hike the PCT. I am currently in a multi-year training program, practicing techniques, studying backpacking literature, getting in shape, planning the many wee details and perhaps most importantly, converting my ultra-heavy Boy Scout techniques into ones more suited to ultra-light thru-hiking. My current style is a fairly minimalist one relying on more intelligence and discomfort and less on safety gear and toys. I would describe it as nearly ultra-light status, but not quite there yet. My usual stomping grounds are any of the mountains within three hours from here.

3. Product Information:
Manufacturer: McNett
Product Name: MicroNet Advanced Microfiber Towel
Year of Manufacture: 2003
Suggested Retail Price: $24.95 (US)
Manufacturer’s URL: http://www.mcnett.com
Advertised Weight of Towel and Bag: Not Given
Measured Weight of Towel and Bag: 278 g (9.8 oz)
Advertised Weight of Towel Alone: 213 g (7.5 oz)
Measured Weight of Towel Alone: 210 g (7.4 oz)
Advertised Dimensions of Towel: 76 x 127 cm (30 x 50 in)
Measured Dimensions of Towel: 74 x 125 cm (29 ¼ x 49 ¼ in)
Color of Towel Tested: Burgundy
Measured Dimensions of Bag: 17.8 X 25.4 cm (7 X 10 in)

4. Product Description:
As mentioned in much greater detail in my Initial Report, this is a large-sized microfiber towel that comes with its own two-pocketed zipper bag.

5. Description of Tests:
Since the field report, I have used this towel as my standard at home towel as well as during several backpacking trips lasting from about two to four days each. These trips all took place between the months of March and June in the mountains of California. Because I moved from southern California to northern California during the testing period, I have been lucky enough to be able to test it in rather varied geographical regions including mountain rain shadows in southern California and treeless meadows in northern California. The temperature that I experienced while testing this towel ranged from about -9 C (15 F) to about 32 C (90 F), and the altitude varied from a low of about 610 m (2,000 ft) to a high of about 3075 m (10090 ft).

6. Comments:
Since the last report, I have come to like this towel significantly more than I had anticipated. After the last report, I was not too keen on continuing testing this towel because it did not seem to have enough positive attributes to balance out the weight that it added to my pack, but at this point I am seeing things much more positively. I have continued testing it in the field, and my results have been quite positive.

If there was one trip during which this towel really proved itself, it was the last one that I took with it, during which I found myself somewhat lost above 3075 m (10090 ft) in a snowfield in the middle of the month of May. I had packed for summer, and here I was in winter conditions. Due to my somewhat lost and underprepared state, I decided to make camp, and see about keeping myself warm. It was in this capacity that I found the towel surprisingly excellent. While heating up my water, I took the towel and draped it over my legs to help keep them warm. Lo and behold, even though it was made from a very thin material, it really served quite well as a blanket.

Also, because I found myself somewhat lost, I decided that carefully rationing and saving fuel for my stove was a must (in case I ended up out there for an extra day). To do that, I decided that it was time that I dabble in pot cozies. Once my water had begun to boil, I added my pasta to my water and reluctantly took the blanket (aka the towel) from my legs and folded it twice lengthwise. Once it was in this configuration, I took it and wrapped it tightly around my lidded pot. I was pretty worried that my pot would be able to melt my towel if I put the towel on it too soon, but that didn't seem to be the case. After about five minutes, I removed the towel from the pot, and peeked at the food inside to see if it looked done. Because it did, I removed the (warm) towel, replaced it on my legs and tried the food. As it should turn out, the food was cooked and remained hot because the towel had kept it warm.

After having eaten dinner, once again I attempted successfully to break new ground with the towel. I took it and folded it up until it was vaguely the size of my chest, and stuffed it under my fleece anorak. Once it was there, I climbed into my sleeping bag to see if I would be able to sleep a warm night's sleep. Upon waking up in the morning, I realized that I had slept quite warmly. In my past review, I had written that I was skeptical whether or not the towel would do much in the way of insulation, but as a blanket, a pot cozy and a chest insulator, it served me amazingly well.

However, all that having been said, this towel is not without its faults. Probably the thing that bothers me most about it is the fact that regardless of how many times I wash it, it still leaks red dye all over my clothes. After the last test, I had washed the towel in its own load twice, and figured that it was probably about done leaking. Hence, when it needed to be washed a third time, I put it in with the rest of my clothes thinking that it wouldn't be that bad. Well, now in addition to having a few shirts that are green from my green blanket, I now have a few that are pink from my red towel.

The other two features of the towel that I had been keeping my eye on were its durability and its ability to clean oily surfaces. As far as the former goes, I am completely satisfied. It is holding up quite well, and continues to get softer and softer each time I use it. As far as the latter goes, I am not sure it is any better than any other standard towel that I have used. I have been using it to wipe out my pots, and it does a fine job of it. However, in comparison to my other towels, it isn't all that much better at it.

I have managed to use this towel once and only once when jumping into of a river, and as luck would have it, it was a blessing to have a nice towel to dry off with. It seems that the older I get, the less likely I am to jump in a river, so when my hiking partner mentioned how nice a particular swimming hole seemed to be, I immediately striped down to my shorts and jumped in. My efforts to not think about it paid off, because I made it in the water, but if I had thought about it a moment longer, I would have definitely realized that the water I was about to jump into was snow no more than 30 m (100 ft) away. Having the warm and drying towel right there after having jumped into an icy creek was quite nice.

The only other capacity I have used this towel in is at home after my semi-daily shower, and in this capacity, my results are the same as mentioned in my field report: The towel stays less smelly longer, and dries out more quickly than a standard towel, but rolls in a funny way when used.

7. Conclusions:
After having used this towel for some time, I have to admit, I am quite impressed with its versatility. I have used it as a blanket, a pillow, a pot cozy, a sponge, an insulating layer, a butt pad, and as a towel both in the field and at home. However, in the future I do not believe I will carry this item on all of my trips because it has not proven itself to be absolutely necessary in this geographic region. It is a well made product, and if I were less of an ultra-light fanatic or more of a water dog, I would most definitely carry it on the majority of my trips (especially my summer trips). I will continue using it at home after showering, and I am thankful for having been given the opportunity by McNett and BGT to test this towel.

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