UKH

How do you dry out your stuff between days out on a trip? Have you tried using the heater in the car or van, and did you find there was any downsides to this like a build up of condensation or draining the battery?

Thinking about finding a better way to dry out kit without the car smelling damp and affecting the car too much especially if sleeping in it. Anyone have any experiences of this or found ways around it?

In reply to sammyblack:

Buffalo gear. Will dry out on you then into sleeping bag with it still on. Better still stay in a hut.

In reply to sammyblack:
How well would newspaper stuffed into boots work for you.

My sister showed me a trick for wringing out wool without damaging it. Might help:

Lay the item of clothing on a towel and roll them as one really tightly into sausage.

.k

In reply to Keiran.A:


Wouldn't they end up smelling of pork and herbs and stuff? Sounds a bit unhygienic.

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

I've got a soar throat. I really didnt need to laugh that hard.

In reply to sammyblack:

Wear it to the pub?

In reply to sammyblack:

Take your wettest layers, take an old cardboard box and lay it on top of your vehicle engine. Drive around for a bit, clothes will dry.

Profit.

R

In reply to sammyblack:

Do you have air con in the car ? If so put it on, with air recirculating and hang the wet clothes off the seats as you drive.

If not, consider using TX10 Polar Proof on fleeces and synthetic clothing, but not base layers. This should stop it getting too damp in the first place.

In reply to sammyblack:



If it's not raining too hard, I open the window a bit then close it on the clothes. I then drive around at high speed with them flapping about outside. They are normally dry after an hour .

In reply to sammyblack:

Near civilisation? Laundrettes, 30minutes in the tumble drier for a couple of quid.

In reply to sammyblack:

Jacket and trousers hang over back of seat. Gloves on dash on vent. Rope, boots, socks and harness/slings in passenger footwell. Heater on max with aircon. Wear remainder of clothing and dry alpine-style.
Done this loads when sleeping in car on winter trips.

Andy

In reply to sammyblack:

have 2 sets of thermals (or more) outer layers dry fast, unless it was a real flood. But importantly, own 2 pairs of winter boots. Take tons of newspaper to stuff into things.
It'll never be optimal when going cheap.
Find lodgings in bunkhouses with drying rooms (much better and civilised).

In reply to sammyblack:

Buy more spare gear!

In reply to sammyblack:

I always think that any condensation build up in the car is counteracted by the 4 hour drive home with the heater on. On really wet days there's no solution but to go straight to the pub and dry off.

Gloves go on the dash to get the worst off then in my sleeping bag if they need it, socks I just have spares of and waterproofs don't matter so much, most of the time my midlayers are dry but like I said if it's super wet and everythings coming out of my bag with ice on it then it's just got to be the pub. A tumble dryer in a launderette would be ideal but can't imagine any would be open at night.

In reply to sammyblack: or

Obviously I don't know what sort of "trip" you're proposing or whether you'll be sleeping in car or tent, but for me a wet doss after a climbing day is not worth it - a bunkhouse with a warm bed and a drying room is worth the expense.

In reply to sammyblack:

Ive dried kit before by getting a walking pole and extending it between the handles above the rear door windows and using it like a clothes line, with heaters blasting on full. Works for clothes, ropes, rack, the lot. Pretty nice after being out in the cold all day too. Obviously there'll be condensation but we're talking compromise aren't we. Was surprised how well it worked!