Which Drying Towel is for You?

By: Prentice St. Clair, CD-SV-RV, RIT

 PART 1:  OVERVIEW

Introduction

Genuine Chamois.  No doubt, we’ve come a long way from the stiff, semi-effective genuine cowhide chamois that were only moderately effective for drying cars.  To prime a dry genuine chamois, one would have to immerse it in a bucket of water.  Then, while using it, the constant wringing was annoying.  Finally, the chamois would leave lots of water streaks behind. 

Synthetic Chamois.  In the 1980s, the synthetic chamois was introduced.  Compared to the genuine chamois, they were much more flexible.  They were easier to prime.  They soaked up much more water.  But there were still streaks left behind.  And still all that wringing!!!

Early “Drying” Towels.  In the 1990s, workaday detailers started using generally available microfiber towels for drying vehicles because they could wipe away the leftover streaks from other methods without leaving any lint on the washed surface. 

The Car Drying Towel

Enter the Microfiber Drying Towel.  In the early 2000s, microfiber manufacturers who catered to the automotive appearance industry took the cue from pro detailers using standard microfibers for drying . . . they started creating oversized and thicker microfiber towels designed specifically for drying washed vehicles.

Enter Autofiber.  Autofiber was one of these early adopters, with initial offerings like “The Big Thirsty”.  Autofiber has since become one of the leading suppliers of car drying towels, with vastly improved and innovative designs including very popular drying brand names like Dreadnought, Amphibian, and Dreadnought Max.

Autofiber Drying Towels

Autofiber has several types of drying towels, including:

·         Motherfluffer

·         Dreadnought

·         Amphibian

·         Dreadnought MAX

·         Big Thirsty

·         Waffle Weave

·         MEGAnought

·         Korean Twist

Each one of these microfiber drying towels has unique properties.  Much of the decision on which towel to use is personal preference, but there are some differences in design, performance, and application that can lead to specific choices for DIYers, mobile car washers, and pro detailers.  In the descriptions below, I will offer some insight and recommendations.

 

PART 2:  AUTOFIBER DRYING TOWELS EXPLAINED

Motherfluffer

·         Key Feature:  thick, plush, soft.

·         Common Use:  super-soft drying and dusting

·         Best use:  drying super-soft paint, high-end vehicles, dusting between washings’

·         Right towel for you?  The plush pile is a bit more grabby while moving along the wet surface.  For faster, production-style water removal, twisted pile products like Dreadnought is better.

·         Popularity:  popular among DIYers and collection managers.

Super Fluffy Drying Towel.  For those who are particular about the type of microfiber material that touches the vehicle surface.  The dense and long microfiber wicks up water and lifts away dust as it is gently pulled and patted along the paint surface and windows.  Recommended for collectables or show vehicles, those with extremely soft paint.  Also recommended for dusting vehicles between washes.

Extra Absorbent.  Two plush heavyweight microfiber towels sewn together.

No Rough Edges.  Three of the four edges are sewn inside the dual layer XL plush towel.  The fourth edge is true microfiber banding. Only high-pile microfiber will touch your paint surface. No rough edges that can scratch.

Available Size:  22” X 22”

Specifications:

·         Weight:  1100 GSM

·         Blend:  75/25, 100% Split Microfiber

·         Pile:  plush

·         Edge:  Hidden (Inside Sewn)

 

Dreadnought

·         Key Feature:  quick and easy water removal.

·         Common Use:  Rapid vehicle drying.

·         Best use:  Quick vehicle drying that will be followed with final wiping using other towels.

·         Right towel for you?  if you don’t want to have to follow up with final wiping of glass and other surfaces, the Amphibian might be better for you.

·         Popularity:  Very popular among pro detailers and DIYers alike.

Quick and Easy Water Removal.  The tightly packed microfiber twisted loops absorb water with ease.  Glides across paint and glass surfaces quickly and efficiently.  The extra-thick material is double layered for maximum capacity and finished with our unique hidden edge construction. 

Super Absorbent.  These microfiber body towels are made with a long pile twist weave. The double layer design of this car towel has interior sewn edges, and center stitching, for structural integrity and durability.  The larger sizes can be used as an open sheet to dry large areas quickly.  It can also be folded once for easier control.  Or fold it 8 times to create 8 distinct drying surfaces.  Even when damp, leaves very few streaks behind.

Available Sizes. 

·         Dreadnought Jr.—16” X 16”

·         Dreadnought (standard)--20” X 30”

·         Dreadnought XL--20” X 40”

Specifications:

·         Weight:  1100 GSM

·         Blend:  75/25, 100% Split Microfiber

·         Pile:  Long Twist

·         Edge:  Hidden (inside sewn)

 

Amphibian.

·         Key Feature:  two towels in one—different piles on each side.

·         Common Use:  Rinseless wash

·         Best use:  single towel drying.  No need for final wipe with another towel.

·         Right towel for you?  May not be best if the need is strictly for taking up as much water as possible per towel—the Dreadnought is better suited for this.

·         Popularity:  popular among pro detailers and DIYers alike.

Two towels in one.  The gray long twist pile side is the same material as is used in the Dreadnought towel and is great for your initial wipe down.  The plush side is the same material as in the MutherFluffer and is great for finishing up to remove any left-over dampness, spots, or streaks, especially on glass and chrome.

How Does it Work?  The tightly packed microfiber twisted loops on the gray side absorb water with ease, gliding across paint and glass surfaces quickly and efficiently.  The colored plush side of the towel is soft and gentle and still absorbs streak free even when slightly damp.

Available Sizes. 

·         Amphibian Jr.—16” X 16”

·         Amphibian (standard)--20” X 30”

·         Amphibian XL--20” X 40”

Specifications:

·         Weight:  1100 gsm

·         Blend:  75/25

·         Pile:  Long twist on front side/Plush on back side

·         Edge:  Hidden (Inside Sewn)

 

Dreadnought MAX

·         Key Feature:  Maximum absorbency, easier to fling.

·         Common Use:  Mobile vehicle washing service; larger vehicles.

·         Best use:  drying larger vehicles.

·         Right towel for you?  This towel will be heavier than others as it holds more water.

Three Layers of Absorbency.  The outside faces are super-absorbent long twist pile microfiber like the Dreadnought, with a third layer of microfiber sewn between to offer even greater water holding capacity.  The third layer wicks away moisture from the surface loops and prevents moisture from soaking through to the other side.

Easier to Fling.  The extra layer also makes the car drying towel more firm and easier to gently fling across horizontal surfaces, using the pull-dry method.

Use and performance is virtually the same as the Dreadnought but with even more water holding capacity.

Available Sizes. 

·         Dreadnought MAX Jr.--16” X 16”

·         Dreadnought MAX (standard-- 20” X 30”

·         Dreadnought MAX XL--20” X 40”

·         Dreadnought MAX XXL--30” X 40”

Specifications:

·         Weight:  1100 gsm

·         Blend:  75/25

·         Pile:  Long twist on front side/Plush on back side

·         Edge:  Hidden (Inside Sewn)

Big Thirsty

·         Key Feature:  Affordability.  A large step up from chamois.

·         Common Use:  DIY entry level drying towel.

·         Best use:  Any drying application.

·         Right towel for you?  This towel is great for the budget-minded user but the other towels (Dreadnought, Motherfluffer, Amphibian) offer greater absorbency.

The Original.  The Big Thirsty was Autofiber’s first response to the need for larger towels for vehicle drying when detailers began using regular microfiber towels instead of chamois.  Although many innovations have made modern drying towels more efficient, The Big Thirsty remains a viable option for those new to drying with microfiber and those who are cost conscious.

Exceptionally Soft.  The Autofiber Big Thirsty is an exceptionally soft and absorbent microfiber drying towel. The microscopic micro-fibers guzzle water as the waffle ridges wick up water like hundreds of mini windshield wipers. No chamois or cotton towel will beat this waffle drying towel when it comes to drying your beloved ride!

Absorbent.  The Big Thirsty can soak up more than 7 times its weight in water. Plenty of capacity to dry an entire car or truck with one towel.

Soft and Gentle.  We have spent years perfecting this super soft microfiber waffle weave drying towel material. It will not scratch your delicate car paint.

Large and Easy Size to Handle.  Not too large to drag on the ground. Not too small to get the job done.

Available Size:  25” x 36”

Specifications:

·         Weight:  400 gsm

·         Blend:  75/25, 100% split

·         Pile:  MicroEdge (True Microfiber Edge Banding)

·         Edge:  Hidden (Inside Sewn)

 

PART 3:  QUICK NOTES ON OTHER AUTOFIBER DRYING TOWEL OPTIONS

Korean Twist

Dries fast without streaks. Glides easy and softly across paint and glass surfaces with great absorption. Both sides have a dense medium pile loop twist fiber.

Available Size:  25"x36"

Specifications:

·         Weight:  600 GSM

·         Blend:  80/20, 100% Split

·         Pile:  Medium twist loop

·         Edge:  Lylex Edge Banding

MEGAnought

The MEGAnought is simply a super-sized version of the Dreadnought drying towel.  It was designed as a limited-edition-gag-display-product, meant to get a laugh out of visitors to the 2022 Autofiber SEMA booth. Its size was meant to be over-the-top and ridiculous, but as the team at Autofiber soon discovered, everyone wanted one.

Many detailers and car enthusiasts came by the booth and demand for the giant microfiber towel soared. Despite being a limited edition gag product, Autofiber was inundated with requests for the MEGAnought, and they quickly went into production to meet the demand.

Available Size:  69”x42” XXXL towel

Specifications:  (same as Dreadnought)

 

Summary

Microfiber drying towels are definitely the choice for drying freshly washed vehicles.  Modern design far surpasses the old school chamois options.  Autofiber offers a wide selection of drying towels to meet specific user needs.