Anyone have an ABSORBER drying towel?

Kris R

Kris R

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I use the two bucket with grit guard wash method, I pre- rinse, pre-soak, and on a large vehicle I will use the california water blade to sheet off water then dry the entire vehicle with an Absorber.

This has always been a favorite of mine and I've always been impressed with it. I make sure it is clean before and after and use proper storing methods yada yada yada. So my question is do any others use this product? Whats your take on it. Ive never had a problem with is.
 
I use one at work and I don't have to many complaints except for maybe the constant ringing out. I prefer the guzzler on my own personal vehicle though.
 
whitemopar said:
I use one at work and I don't have to many complaints except for maybe the constant ringing out. I prefer the guzzler on my own personal vehicle though.
Click to expand...

Ive used waffle weave cloths and some chamois (sp) but they dont hold as much water as the absorber and I still have to ring out.

Whats the guzzler?
 
Used them for years with no problem, but I now use MF towels.
I don't wring the MF out, I just switch to a dry towel.

I did have to wring the Absorber out occasionally.

As I said, I never had any problems, but a lot of people have concerns about getting some dirt or grit in the Absorber and since it has no nap to trap it, they feel there is more of a chance for marring.
Many people have the same concern about using the water blade. Never used one.

Anyway, given all the chances for damage I can't avoid, I decided to avoid the chance they could be right about the Absorber.

FWIW, the Absorber was really great for removing condensation/dew from the boat interior when left uncovered at night.
 
I quit using those when I tried a 6 sqft MF for drying. Now that's all I use. I have a waffle weave towel that I just bought from Advance Auto and that thing sucks! Not worth the $9 I paid for it. I want to try a Guzzler towel next.
 
I know the owner of the Absorber company, actually use to do some work for him promoting the Absorber at large car shows like The World of Wheels and the Portland and Seattle Roadster shows.

Before I worked for Bill Stuart I kept one in my Sanger Drag Boat to sponge out water that got into the boat as I never used the J-Drains, just the Absorber.

We sell something like it here at Autogeek called the Water Sprite.

The Water Sprite on Autogeek.net

Had the boat for 20 years, I think I had the Absorber in it for 17 years...


1970SangerDragBoat003.jpg
 
I use the Absorber in conjunction with a water blade. Works for me, as long as neither one is dirty I don't have a problem.
 
CharlesW said:
Used them for years with no problem, but I now use MF towels.
I don't wring the MF out, I just switch to a dry towel.

I did have to wring the Absorber out occasionally.

As I said, I never had any problems, but a lot of people have concerns about getting some dirt or grit in the Absorber and since it has no nap to trap it, they feel there is more of a chance for marring.
Many people have the same concern about using the water blade. Never used one.

Anyway, given all the chances for damage I can't avoid, I decided to avoid the chance they could be right about the Absorber.

FWIW, the Absorber was really great for removing condensation/dew from the boat interior when left uncovered at night.
Click to expand...

This is just personal opinion but I think people get a little too carried away with the "possibility of marring.' I'm surprised people even take their cars to work for all the fine dust that blasts against the paint on the drive over.

For example: No rinse car washes. You are spraying something in a vehicle with dirt and then DRYING it off essentially rubbing wet dirt particles around on the paint.

If you wash your vehicle very well and use a two bucket method, start top to bottom and have dedicated wash mits or brushes for the wheels and lower panels of the car you are not going to be left with a WHOLE lot of dirt to mar the paint with anyway. And as long as you dont drop the absorber on the ground or any other drying towel for that matter you arent going to be doing anything damaging to your paint. Yeah give it a good rinse in clean water every 1/4 of the car to be safe. I do.

As far as the water blade goes, I wipe the blade each pass to remove anything that it picked up.

I don't know. Theres definitely a lot to be said about minimizing swirls and scratches during a wash, but people get down right ridiculous with their claims. The most precious tool during any wash is common sense. :dblthumb2:

But I was just wondering if anyone has used any other drying method that worked for them.
 
KRIS R said:
This is just personal opinion but I think people get a little too carried away with the "possibility of marring.' I'm surprised people even take their cars to work for all the fine dust that blasts against the paint on the drive over.

For example: No rinse car washes. You are spraying something in a vehicle with dirt and then DRYING it off essentially rubbing wet dirt particles around on the paint.

If you wash your vehicle very well and use a two bucket method, start top to bottom and have dedicated wash mits or brushes for the wheels and lower panels of the car you are not going to be left with a WHOLE lot of dirt to mar the paint with anyway. And as long as you dont drop the absorber on the ground or any other drying towel for that matter you arent going to be doing anything damaging to your paint. Yeah give it a good rinse in clean water every 1/4 of the car to be safe. I do.

As far as the water blade goes, I wipe the blade each pass to remove anything that it picked up.

I don't know. Theres definitely a lot to be said about minimizing swirls and scratches during a wash, but people get down right ridiculous with their claims. The most precious tool during any wash is common sense. :dblthumb2:

But I was just wondering if anyone has used any other drying method that worked for them.
Click to expand...
That's kind of what I tried to say.
CharlesW said:
Used them for years with no problem, but I now use MF towels.
I don't wring the MF out, I just switch to a dry towel.
Click to expand...
I remember someone saying, "Find something you like and use it often".
As long as you are happy with it, there's no reason to change.
 
CharlesW said:
That's kind of what I tried to say.

I remember someone saying, "Find something you like and use it often".
As long as you are happy with it, there's no reason to change.
Click to expand...

This reminds me to type up the story behind where I borrowed that saying... it's from a friend I made named Jack Anderson, while working as an Sales Rep/Trainer for Meguiar's. He was an Instructor for PPG, the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company working in their automotive finishes division.

It's a funny enough story to share...


"Find something you like and use it often" is a great practice but don't forget to be open to new ideas including new products and even new techniques, Rinseless Washing is a great example of a new idea, (in the context of the last 100 years or so of how we traditionally washed our cars.

Of course if you break the statement down it does say, find something you like and by default the act of finding would mean the act of researching and testing out different products.

For quite a long time in the 1980's and 1990's my normal sealing process was to apply a coat of M20 Polymer Sealant after all the machine polishing was over and then after removing the M20 to lay down a super thin coat of M16 and allow it to fully dry before removing. That's a time-proven recipe but there's so many better LSP's on the market since those days when it comes to depth, gloss, clarity and richness of color.


:D
 
CharlesW said:
That's kind of what I tried to say.

I remember someone saying, "Find something you like and use it often".
As long as you are happy with it, there's no reason to change.
Click to expand...

Yeah charles I know. I wasnt aiming that off rant at you. You were just saying what you've heard. I've heard the same thing floating around the forum and I was just commenting that info because I for one have also used absorbers for YEARS with no problem. As you stated for yourself.

And as far as Mikes saying I totally agree. Every time I venture away from what I've been doing for years I end up going back to the absorber. I just like it! :xyxthumbs:
 
I love the Absorber towels! I have 4 of them, they work great I don't belive they have ever done any damage to any of my cars.
 
The Absorber is great. I have had one for about 20 years and it still as good as new. The Water Sprite Mike mentioned is also excellent. I use a leaf blower and there is very little left and I finish off with microfiber.
 
I've used nothing but Water Sprite for years. I just keep them in a ziplock bag so the don't dry out. Lasts for years. I just rinse them out with my eletric pressure washer and they are good as new. When they start to get old you can use them under the hood to sop up water after washung the engine.
 
I've had my Absorber for 15 years and I still store it in the original hard case it came in. Its never marred the paint or anything. Funny thing is that my friend bought one a few years back, and though his was new, I felt mine actually worked better. :xyxthumbs:
 
I have used the absorber for over twenty years, never had any issues other than one ripping in half. Over the years I have tried many different chamois and have always returned to the absorber.
 
I have a couple and used to use them until I joined AG. They did ok if the car wasn't to wet, but they suck at windows. Now i use a leaf blower, drying towels and glass towels on the glass. I feel its a much better, faster and safer process.
 
I use them in conjunction with WW MF towels...

And...That: For both drying-tools, which I have found out over the years,
work/absorb better when initially-wet/wrung-out before usage.

IMHO...
Taking an initially-dry WW MF towel to a vehicle's
wetted paint-surfaces is just asking for 'marring'...

"Some folks are just not the": 'marring-type'
~ Lil' Abner (pre-Sadie Hawkins Day Race)


:)

Bob
 
Might as well come out from behind the bushes and admit I've been using "The Absorber" for more years than I can remember. That being said, I also use air, towels (of different states) and did indeed just order the 3-pack of Guzzler HD's, (expected to be here Monday). ;)
 
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