For as long as I can remember, I’ve always enjoyed washing and detailing my personal cars. Over the years, I’ve tried all sorts of new products in hopes of finding something that works better and makes the job easier. It took me way longer than I care to admit to realize the value of proper drying towels. I always knew having quality microfiber towels for detailing was important, but for a while, my idea of a good drying towel was The Absorber. It wasn’t until I got my hands on a proper drying towel about a decade ago that I saw the value in getting something soft and absorbent. That’s also when I learned what GSM stands for: grams per square meter. GSM measures a towel’s density; in general, the higher the number, the more absorbent it is.
Recently, The Rag Company contacted me to see if I would be interested in testing its towels, and I quickly said yes. After all, you can never have too many quality products lying around the garage. What showed up was a generous box packed with some of the company’s most popular products. I received several drying towels, a set of four microfiber detailing towels, and a bottle of detergent to help ensure the towels last for years. Here’s a breakdown of everything.
The 1500
At the top of my list of favorites is The 1500, which gets its name from its 1500 GSM rating. These days, this is generally what I look for in a best-overall drying towel, balancing absorbency and weight. While there are towels with higher GSM (one of which is below), they often get a bit heavy once they soak up a ton of water. The 1500 features a 70/30 polyester–polyamide blend and easily dried my entire Hyundai Ioniq 5 N in one go. It’s an extremely absorbent towel designed to tackle midsized to larger vehicles.
That’s the catch, though. If you own a smaller vehicle, you may not necessarily need this towel, which measures 30 inches by 30 inches. If you prefer something smaller, you may want to move further down the list for something that doesn’t get as heavy in use.
The Liquid8r
The Liquid8r is a great example of a lighter towel that works well and is ideal for smaller cars. It measures 25 inches by 36 inches but has a 1,100 GSM rating. I still found it plenty absorbent, and it made quick work of drying my car. If you own a car that’s larger than an Ioniq 5 N, though, I’d recommend The 1500. To me, The Liquid8r balances performance with weight; it’s fairly effortless to use and never gets so heavy that it’s tiring to use.
The Liquid8r M22
If you only care about absorbency and own a larger vehicle, I’d recommend the Liquid8r M22. Measuring 20 by 20 inches, this 2,200 GSM towel is thick, plush, and very absorbent. Personally, I prefer a larger towel. I found this towel ideal for detailing and spot touch-ups, since it’s so absorbent. That said, if you’re interested in just one towel that will do the job, this is the one I’d recommend. Just know it can get a bit heavy as it soaks up all that water.
The Gauntlet
The Gauntlet is an everyday towel measuring 30 by 36 inches; if you want something large, this is it. With a 900 GSM rating and a 70/30 Korean fiber blend, the towel is thinner than the rest I’ve reviewed here, which makes it easier to get into stubborn spots. For example, the Ioniq 5 N’s rear spoiler has a gap that’s typically hard for me to dry with thicker towels. The Gauntlet slides in nicely and picks up all that pesky water that typically leaks out afterward.
If the 30-by-36-inch size is too big for you, The Gauntlet is also available in 12 by 12 inches, 15 by 24 inches, and 20 by 30 inches.
Slim Dryer
Last but not least is the Slim Dryer, which lives up to its name. It comes in a variety of styles, but The Rag Company sent me its digital camo version, which sports the company’s logo. Measuring 25 by 35 inches, this towel has a 600 GSM rating and works well for smaller cars or when you want to focus on specific areas. For me, it was ideal for drying my wheels. It’s lightweight, easy to maneuver, and surprisingly absorbent for how thin it is compared with other products from The Rag Company.
Eagle Edgeless 500
I’ve owned countless microfiber towels over the years, so I’m confident when I say the Eagle Edgeless 500 towels are among the plushest detailing towels I’ve ever put my hands on. These towels sport a 500 GSM rating and measure 16 by 16 inches, and they’re also available in 16 by 24 inches. If you like using different colors to organize detailing tasks, they’re available in blue, ice gray, orange, red, and gold.
I’ve used these to apply matte quick detailer to my car numerous times already, and they’re very absorbent and work well. I’ve also used them to clean my glass and prefer them over waffle-weave towels. The Rag Company says these towels are made from AA-grade microfiber yarn in South Korea.
Rags to Riches Microfiber Detergent
Finally, there’s Rags to Riches Microfiber Detergent. This product is designed to keep towels plush and absorbent for years. I’ve only used it a couple of times so far, so I can’t speak to how well it preserves the towels’ quality. That said, at its price I’d still recommend it if you want your towels to last.
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The Rag Company supplied all products in this review for evaluation. However, The Rag Company did not see this article prior to publication and had no influence on the review.
