Matador’s words are: Put Yourself Out There. While it may seem like an easy thing to do, it takes courage for someone to get out there and put themselves on an adventure. That is what Matador tries to encourage by providing the best packable gear possible. Their aesthetics have always been focused on durability, as they experiment with the best materials and hardware available.
A Philosophy of Courage
Yes, Matador’s products come from a team of avid travellers, adventurers and nature lovers. However, putting yourself out there applies to more than just these things: it applies to almost everything in life. It means to step out of your comfort zone and try something you have never done before.
As a year two undergraduate, I worry a lot. Afterall, university is my last chance to be a kid and try everything I have ever wanted to, before having to really be an adult. What do I have to worry about you ask? Essentially, I worry about the lack of time to fail at new things. There are many things I want to do at this point in my life: backpacking and picking up new sports for fun, in addition to internships to round out my resume. The amount of uncertainty in all these things worries me a lot.
When Matador sent me their Travel Towel, I researched a little on what Matador really is.
How did Matador come about?
What do they want to achieve?
Their brand was crafted by a team who wanted to encourage adventure travel. They grew one product at a time, from a simple idea of their Pocket Blanket to an array of ultralight travel gear. It is as if they are saying, “Be bold, take an adventure.” And that is precisely what I did.
With the Matador Small NanoDry Towel in hand, I accepted the captaincy of a sport that I barely had experience in: Handball. My coach and ex-captain recommended me for the role, yet I always felt unworthy and incapable. However, my love for the sport put me in a dilemma. After reading about what Matador stood for, it pushed me to put myself out there. It is a constant reminder that I should be bold and take a leap of faith. Uncertainties are scary, but I guess what is worse are the “what-ifs” that will haunt me 30 years down the road.
I went on to lead a team that was almost as inexperienced as me, to games against opponents who had twice our physical and technical abilities. I went to training and games with the Matador NanoDry Trek Towel to remind myself of the reason I began this journey.
For Practicality’s Sake
Aside from the empowering message that Matador delivers, the ultra-light, nanofiber NanoDry Trek Towel was an amazing help at training! With the silicone travel case that comes with a stainless steel keyring, it was easy to keep my towel hooked to my bottle. For someone as forgetful as me, this is a foolproof way of ensuring I don’t forget my towel. If you are like me, the cardio at any workouts will get you sweating through a tshirt. Thank goodness for the towel and its ability to absorb 2.3 times its weight – Bye bye dripping sweat! At 39cm X 39cm, it is safe to say that the Matador Small NanoDry Towel in SM size was just the right size for a workout. They also have a larger size at 120cm by 60cm for people who need even more absorbency.
Live by Matador’s words today: Put Yourself Out There.
Live an adventurous life, #noragrets.
Retailing at $39, the Matador NanoDry Trek Towel comes in three different color – Moss, Charcoal, Forest Green.
