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hikingshoes
01-15-2013, 07:25
We just did a section of the" AT" and it rained all day the first day. I hung my wet clothes up in the shelter,but still wet that next morning so I packed my wet items in my outside pocket. I was thing on some type of bag to put them in and hook it to my pack.I was wondering what other tricks hikers do for this? Thanks, hikingshoes

Rocket Jones
01-15-2013, 07:28
Wring 'em out in a shamwow then wear 'em again. They'll dry as you hike.

The Cleaner
01-15-2013, 07:38
Some not so nice hikers leave wet clothes hanging in a shelter.:eek:.Why,I've yet to find out.....just sayin'....I do know that once something gets wet about the only way to get it dry is to wear it or hang it on your pack and wait for a hot July day. RJ has a good answer :sun

leaftye
01-15-2013, 07:39
Wring them out real good, sleep in a vapor barrier and put the clothing between the vapor barrier and the top of your sleeping gear.

moytoy
01-15-2013, 07:44
You need a sunny day, an electric dryer in town or just wear them until they dry. Did somebody already post that...:) ooops..

JAK
01-15-2013, 08:15
Good synthetics including fleece should hold very little water, wring them out and wear them dry. Good wool will hold alot of water, but if good quality it won't felt easily and you can wring it out a little more carefully and wear until dry, and it won't feel too bad even when damp. You really want just one set of clothes, with about a 50/50 mix of wool and synthetic layers. Focus on keep the wool dry by wearing it most of the time using the synthetic layers as the layers you add when it is colder, or to keep the wool stuff dry if you know you gonna get wet. Extra clothes usually results in carrying more wet clothes than will never dry because you only have so much body heat to dry stuff out.

1azarus
01-15-2013, 08:44
I agree with Jak. Wear your wet clothes till they're dry. Your body heat is the only effective drying tool you have. And try wearing poly tights or long johns under shorts to keep the amount of fabric that gets wet to a minimum.

bigcranky
01-15-2013, 08:45
Your wet hiking clothes go back on your body the next morning to hike in. It only hurts for a minute....

I'm being dead serious about this, btw. You put your dry clothes on to sleep in -- now they have to go back inside your pack so they will be dry and warm the following night when you get to camp. Having two sets of wet clothing is NOT a good idea. And if you are carrying more than two sets of clothing, you have too much.

MuddyWaters
01-15-2013, 09:48
Yep, wear the wet ones.

Some dont even bring a second set. Can always wear insulating clothes or baselayer or raingear after shedding the wet ones.

flemdawg1
01-15-2013, 10:54
Some not so nice hikers leave wet clothes hanging in a shelter.:eek:.Why,I've yet to find out.....just sayin'....I do know that once something gets wet about the only way to get it dry is to wear it or hang it on your pack and wait for a hot July day. RJ has a good answer :sun

They're attempting to air dry them. Or least avoiding putting the wet clothes in their pack. Or do you mean they leave the wet clothes behind when they leave the shelter?

If the clothes are in your way, just ask who they belong to, and 95% of the time the owner will move them.

Drybones
01-15-2013, 10:58
I have a couple of small bungies on my pack I put wet socks, towels, etc. on.

hikingshoes
01-15-2013, 11:47
It was my clothes that was wait. I'd never leave things at shelter. I packed what wet things I had in my pack. Plus,I don't take two sets of hiking clothes I'm just asking how other hikers handle there wet clothes.

Sarcasm the elf
01-15-2013, 12:34
Recently I have been putting my hiking clothes under my sleeping bag but on top of my pad at night. I put theunder my knees, since this is comfortable for me. My body heat dries them out by morning. If things are really soaked, like they were this last weekend, I put lay the garbage bag (that I use as a pack liner) over the clothes so that they don't get my sleeping bag wet.

kayak karl
01-15-2013, 12:34
It was my clothes that was wait. I'd never leave things at shelter. I packed what wet things I had in my pack. Plus,I don't take two sets of hiking clothes I'm just asking how other hikers handle there wet clothes.
what things did you pack if you only have 1 set of clothes??

i wear them till they dry. damp clothes i sleep on top of. i never put wet stuff IN pack.

Miner
01-15-2013, 14:43
I found that rarely will anything dry overnight in a shelter on the AT. If you are wearing synthetic clothes, they will dry pretty fast. If you encounter any sunshine during the day, you can spread your stuff in the sun and they will quikcly dry. But I agree with the rest and say wear them the next morning (its painful for a few minutes), and they will dry out as you hike. Wearing them wet is better then possibly getting your 1 pair of dry clothes wet so you have nothing dry to sleep in the next night. If you are carrying more then just a pair of hiking clothes and sleeping clothes you are carrying too much weight.

JAK
01-15-2013, 15:21
What wet clothes I am not wearing I hang on the outside of the JAM2 or in the small outside pouch if it will fit. Wish that small pouch was mesh, and bigger. Might mod the pack. I do like the waterproofness of the main compartment though.

Sarcasm the elf
01-15-2013, 16:07
... If you are carrying more then just a pair of hiking clothes and sleeping clothes you are carrying too much weight.HYOH now. There are plenty of us that have no trouble carrying a second set of clothes.

Chuckie V
01-15-2013, 16:15
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT ever hike the Pennine Way in England, where there is no such thing as dry clothing! The protocol there was to slip out of the drenched clothing, pile them under the vestibule, and then slip into dry clothes each night, before wringing out and donning the wet ones each morning. If it's cold (as it was in the UK) you'll need to hike fast to generate heat. Cold is the killer, not being wet, though it's that much easier to get cold when wet.

hikingshoes
01-15-2013, 16:47
I have my hiking clothes, and sleep/ camp clothes,plus socks.

jeffmeh
01-15-2013, 17:16
HYOH now. There are plenty of us that have no trouble carrying a second set of clothes.

Yep, and in cold weather I prefer 3 merino shirts, with one reserved for sleeping.

Slo-go'en
01-15-2013, 17:33
Hanging wet clothes in a shelter is pointless. They will not dry and often drip water, getting everything else wet. I really wish people wouldn't do that. It's almost as annoying as someone carving thier name in the wall, but not quite as annoying as someone letting thier wet dog jump into a shelter ;)

MuddyWaters
01-15-2013, 18:19
In humid conditions, basically nothing dries overnight.
Not even socks just damp with sweat.

Unless you use body heat

Cookerhiker
01-15-2013, 19:00
Depends on the degree of wetness - I might put them in my sleeping bag if they're just damp. In any case, like others have said, I put them on the next morning. The first 2 minutes in the morning wearing the wet clothes are the worst. But it's remarkable how quickly your body adjusts to them.

The only exception is if (1) the next morning is dry and, (2) it's my last day of hiking. Then I'll wear the dry ones.

BigRing
01-15-2013, 21:12
I roll my wet clothes in a micro fiber towel and hang them in the vestibule of my tent until morning. A piece of paracord with alligator clips on each end allows me to use it as a clothesline. I have tried storing them in a plastic bag under my sleeping bag, but I am a restless sleeper...they always end up on getting pushed out from underneath me.

garlic08
01-15-2013, 22:37
Recently I have been putting my hiking clothes under my sleeping bag but on top of my pad at night. I put theunder my knees, since this is comfortable for me. My body heat dries them out by morning. If things are really soaked, like they were this last weekend, I put lay the garbage bag (that I use as a pack liner) over the clothes so that they don't get my sleeping bag wet.

This is what I usually do, except usually under my CCF pad. I do not sleep in shelters and wet clothes hanging around is only one of the reasons.

Relative humidity is almost always too high at night for anything to dry. That's why there's dew in the morning.

Slo-go'en
01-16-2013, 01:06
Relative humidity is almost always too high at night for anything to dry. That's why there's dew in the morning.

It's also the reason wet clothes hung out are often more wet in the morning...

slow mind
01-16-2013, 01:37
I'm just glad the OP spelled clothes right. It's "clothes" not "cloths" I salute you OP!

WILLIAM HAYES
01-16-2013, 01:51
i keep my dry clothes for sleeping wear the wet ones the next morning

hauptman
02-02-2013, 13:03
Put in sack and place under head as pillow. A lot dryer by morning.

Chaco Taco
02-02-2013, 13:21
I sleep in my clothes that I hike in. I always pack a base layer and some sort of warm hat as my camp/ hike whatever through summer. If I get wet, I focus on insulating my core. Clothes dry best in the sleeping bag in my opinion and quickest. I always try to make sure I keep my clothes on unless Im really wet. If its ends up turning nice, I just run a guy line and shake dry my stuff. But then again Im probably not as OCD as many here are :D

aaronthebugbuffet
02-02-2013, 22:01
I sleep in my clothes that I hike in. I always pack a base layer and some sort of warm hat as my camp/ hike whatever through summer. If I get wet, I focus on insulating my core. Clothes dry best in the sleeping bag in my opinion and quickest. I always try to make sure I keep my clothes on unless Im really wet. If its ends up turning nice, I just run a guy line and shake dry my stuff. But then again Im probably not as OCD as many here are :D

That's pretty much what I do.
I usually never change clothes while hiking. I'm usually just adding or shedding layers.
Socks are probably the exception but that's usually because of dirt they sometimes get gritty and uncomfortable.

aficion
02-02-2013, 22:26
Wet clothes are inevitable if you thru hike. Even section hiking the AT you can expect them from time to time. They may be dealt with, depending on circumstances, in any manner of ways. If you have backup, hanging them over your pack to dry as you walk, or putting them in a mesh pocket to deal with later, are both good options if not still raining. If rain is expected for several days, and it is warm, just wear them as you hike, and keep your others dry for sleeping in. If everything you have is wet, and it is cold, and more rain is expected, you have two options. Bail into town if possible or pitch a tarp, build a fire under the edge of it, and dry your stuff on clotheslines while you hang out in your nice warm sleeping bag.

Lyle
02-02-2013, 23:03
Best place for wet clothes is on your body while you are hiking. Hanging somewhere while you are in camp. Never, EVER, wear your dry clothes while the weather is still wet, even the trees and brush. ALWAYS keep a set of dry clothes for camp.

As others have said, it's only miserable for a couple of minutes, then you warm up when you start moving. Not nearly as bad as it sounds.

Lyle
02-02-2013, 23:06
Just to add to above. It is sometimes difficult to get frozen, wet clothes onto your body, but it is possible.

Whiskyjo
02-02-2013, 23:25
I might be old and not correct but this guy when frozen or his clothes are soaked thru builds a fire and gets warm, dries his clothes and cooks on it to save fuel.

hauptman
02-02-2013, 23:30
Three cheers for the old way. It has saved me from what would have been many a miserable nights.

prain4u
02-03-2013, 02:48
HYOH now. There are plenty of us that have no trouble carrying a second set of clothes.

I agree the the sarcastic elfen one. I have never taken a poll--but based upon what I have seen and what people have discussed--I am guessing that more hikers probably carry a full or partial second set of clothes than don't. There is not a right or wrong answer here--but I would hate to be silent on the topic and (by default) leave the impression that only a very small minority of hikers carry a second set of clothes (in addition to something to sleep in).

Lyle
02-03-2013, 05:47
Hanging wet clothes in a shelter is pointless. They will not dry and often drip water, getting everything else wet. I really wish people wouldn't do that. It's almost as annoying as someone carving thier name in the wall, but not quite as annoying as someone letting thier wet dog jump into a shelter ;)

If they are dripping water, they are drying. Just saying...

Lyle
02-03-2013, 06:09
Two comments on placing your wet/damp clothes in or under your sleeping bag at night:

1) Most people, myself included, go to fairly great lengths to keep our sleeping bags dry. Many worry about brushing up against the tent/tarp wall, do not get our bags out until ready to use them when the air is very humid, use stuff/sacks or even dry sacks, use pack liners, use pack covers, air our bags at lunch, etc. I don't understand then, after taking all these precautions, placing your wet clothes under or in your sleeping bag, and risking adding all that moisture to the bag, just to avoid a couple of minutes of discomfort in the morning.

2) High-school physics would indicate that without air movement, little or no drying will take place overnight while trapped under your bag. Yes the clothes are warmer while they are trapped under you sleeping bag/plastic bags/foam pads/whatever. My contention is that the clothes end up being warmer when you put them on, so they seem/feel dry. The exact same result as is accomplished during the initial two minutes of wearing your damp clothes in the morning. Once they are warm, they feel more comfortable. The advantage of waiting until morning to warm them up is that you do not risk adding that moisture to your sleeping bag.

To each their own...

ChuckBrown
02-03-2013, 06:37
Let me state that to me lightweight hiking is carrying 32 lbs instead of 45.In cold weather, i carry two sets of REI lightweight long for hiking( shirts/zipper 5.5 oz, pant 4.6 oz.).in warmer weather i discard one set of hiking. I also carry a mid or light weight set for sleeping. Just under two pounds. The wet pair is usually dry enough in the morning, just by hanging it in my tent or vestibule. If its too wet in morning it goes on the back of pack along with socks and bandanas. Warm weather clothing I add two short sleeve shirts and two short bottoms.

aaronthebugbuffet
02-03-2013, 20:37
One time my shoes froze. I foget to put them under my feet in a stuff sack like I usually do in freezing temps. One was stilled tied and I couldn't get it on.
I had to pee in a bottle and slide it in the shoe to warm it up.

Del Q
02-03-2013, 20:48
I have had good luck using my body heat and sleeping bag as a way to dry, and press, my damp clothes at night.

Put them nice and flat on top of my sleeping pad, under sleeping bag. Near 100 degree heat works pretty well through the night. Nice and toasty in the morning.

The local dry cleaner was not happy when they heard this, knowing that they were losing some potential business.

I will also put my damp merino wool tee under my long sleeve capilene when I get into my sleeping bag, 100% dry pretty quick.

Q

clowncsc
02-03-2013, 21:08
being in the Marines when Id be in the field training and wet, clothes always went in between my bag and bivy sack and were dry in a few hours.

Moose2001
02-03-2013, 21:08
If you're in the shelter, place the wet clothes on the floor, put your sleeping pad over them and sleep on top. The wood will draw much of the wettness out and they will be semi-warm in the morning. Still damp but way better than hanging them or putting them inside your sleeping bag.

Almost There
02-03-2013, 21:34
If you're in the shelter, place the wet clothes on the floor, put your sleeping pad over them and sleep on top. The wood will draw much of the wettness out and they will be semi-warm in the morning. Still damp but way better than hanging them or putting them inside your sleeping bag.

Great idea! Over two weeks of nonstop rain in Maine, I just wore my dry set at night, and put the we on in the morning, but a great idea for future hikes.

Praha4
02-03-2013, 21:42
put the wet clothes back on in the morning and wear them during hiking. Keep some dry clothes in your pack for camp/sleeping. You should be hiking with at least 3 pair of socks: rotate 2 pair for hiking, keep one pair dry for camp/sleeping.

hikingshoes
02-13-2013, 21:36
Praha, I take 3 pair of socks and one pair to sleep in too. I'm a cold sleeper so i have goose down booties too. i pack the same as you also.

QiWiz
02-14-2013, 14:59
Wear 'em again. They'll dry as you hike.

I try to keep something dry to wear in camp and to sleep. In order to do that, if I have stuff that's wet from the day before, I just put it back on and get hiking. Your body heat will push the moisture out of synthetics and especially my favorite merino wool. When I get into camp wearing wet stuff, I tend to keep it on if I'm not getting too cold. Often everything is dry or nearly dry by bedtime.

AllTheWayToMordor
02-15-2013, 01:04
Am I the only one who doesn't bring a dedicated set of clothes to sleep in? I have my hiking clothes and long johns (which may get hiked in). If every thin is wet at the end of the day I sleep in my skivies.

Of course the down jacket always stays dri for camp. And I do use a bag liner to keep my sleeping bag clean.

on_the_GOEZ
02-15-2013, 02:45
on A.T.: "WET (AGAIN?!)" ::shammy the clothes, wear in sleeping bag (yes, even under a down quilt), science, warm dry clothes in the morning!::

garlic08
02-15-2013, 10:12
Am I the only one who doesn't bring a dedicated set of clothes to sleep in?...

I think most AT hikers bring at least one extra set of clothes for camping/sleeping. It's just us UL wackos who don't.


on A.T.: "WET (AGAIN?!)" ::shammy the clothes, wear in sleeping bag (yes, even under a down quilt), science, warm dry clothes in the morning!::

Generally I do this except at the limits of the science, when there's a chance of 100% relative humidity and/or little ventilation. If you're in a tent you might set up a perfect storm of condensation and everything gets and stays wet including the down insulation. In addition to body heat you need dry air entering your environment. When things got wet with freezing fog and blowing snow on the AT (Smokies and Mt Rogers), I would limit my sleeping bag drying to socks, hat, and glove liners. Larger stuff went under the pad where at least they wouldn't freeze. That was good enough and it was a real luxury when I saw others struggling to put on frozen clothes. I was more concerned with keeping my bag dry than with clothes that were going to get wet right away again the next day.

q-tip
02-15-2013, 10:12
When I get in camp, I change to dry clothes. Just before sleeping, I put on my wet shirt, pants/leggings under my sleep clothes. They are dry in the morning, great in cold weather..

Grampie
02-15-2013, 10:23
Fond memorys of my thru.: Wakeing in the morning and changing from my warm dry sleeping cloths back into my hiking cloths that were still wet with sweat from the previous day.

The Cleaner
02-15-2013, 16:52
Yep, and in cold weather I prefer 3 merino shirts, with one reserved for sleeping. In winter I sometimes have 4 pair of gloves,with 1 pair for work,cleaning the fire pit,picking up lots of things I'd rather not touch.Also make good pot holders..

Datto
02-19-2013, 19:02
it rained all day the first day. I hung my wet clothes up in the shelter,but still wet that next morning. I was wondering what other tricks hikers do for this?

Well shake it up, bay-bee, now
(Shake it up, baby)
Twist ShamWow
(Twist ShamWow)

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, bay-bee, now
(Come on baby)
Come on and wring it on oooout
(Wring it on out)


Datto

88BlueGT
02-20-2013, 14:28
If you want to somehow attach them to your pack for drying you could always put them into a mesh sack for air circulation.

But agreed with many who have already posted to either wear them while you hike or to dry them in your sleeping bag overnight while you sleep.

Prime Time
02-21-2013, 23:08
Old school. Unless it's colder out than the rating of your bag, then sleep in your wet clothes inside your bag. Clothes, bag and you will be dry in the morning. I hate this, but it definitely works.

henry g wilgo
03-31-2013, 12:40
Like this idea,thanks

tridavis
03-31-2013, 22:59
Wear running shorts and a running shirt and you can carry 3 sets of clothes. They only weigh 7-8 oz per set. Wellw orth the weight in my opinion.

Another Kevin
03-31-2013, 23:36
Generally I do this except at the limits of the science, when there's a chance of 100% relative humidity and/or little ventilation. If you're in a tent you might set up a perfect storm of condensation and everything gets and stays wet including the down insulation. In addition to body heat you need dry air entering your environment. When things got wet with freezing fog and blowing snow on the AT (Smokies and Mt Rogers), I would limit my sleeping bag drying to socks, hat, and glove liners. Larger stuff went under the pad where at least they wouldn't freeze. That was good enough and it was a real luxury when I saw others struggling to put on frozen clothes. I was more concerned with keeping my bag dry than with clothes that were going to get wet right away again the next day.

If you're pushing the limits to that extent, and you're out for an extended period, you need a vapor barrier inside your bag (and inside your socks when you're walking). Even your normal insensible perspiration will condense in the down and won't come off until you get dry air. You have the same problem in zero-degree temps with frost accumulating in the down from the outside in, because the surface of the bag will still be below freezing.

If you're in town every few days and can throw your bag in a clothes dryer, do that, and you can probably get away without a vapor barrier unless you're in serious winter conditions.

staehpj1
04-01-2013, 06:32
Wear running shorts and a running shirt and you can carry 3 sets of clothes. They only weigh 7-8 oz per set. Wellw orth the weight in my opinion.
The thing is that with running shorts and a running shirt that "only weigh 7-8 oz per set", even when wet they hold little enough moisture that a spare set becomes less necessary, so a third set seems like pretty gross overkill. Wring them out in a washcloth sized microfiber towel or even towel off while wearing them and I find that I am pretty much good to go. That assumes you carry at least a tiny towel though.

XANGO
04-01-2013, 13:05
I had two pairs of clothes. Camp clothes are sacred. Just leave your wet ones outside. In the morning, grit your teeth, slide on the wet ones and get to hikin'!

Siarl
11-20-2013, 23:33
Okay. Yes, I did grow up on a small family farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of VA. Yes I come from Appalachian Grayson/Carroll County stock. And yes I must have inherited the other genes my other seven brothers and sisters threw away, but all five of me took a vote and we have all decided that the majority of the voices here are temporarily insane. No, I haven't gone on a thru-hike. So...with that said, pardon me if I sound like a greenhouse flower but there's no way I'm donning so much as a wet nap much less my wet clothes the next day when it's cold enough to make a june bug stand still in a chicken yard. I'm with the marine and that other so-and-so (sorry, I forgot what your nickname was but you're the only other one to admit that you pack a second set of hiking clothes). And that other poster who advised to set up a tarp, start a fire and warm your buns and your wet clothes to dry while possibly cooking dinner at the same time. All words heretofore said with kindness and the utmost bless your heart manners. As you were.

hikerboy57
11-20-2013, 23:47
wet clothing is heavier to carry. 2 sets of hiking clothes will just ensure you'll have two sets of wet hiking clothes. its really not a big deal putting wet clothes back on. once you get moving they dry out as best as theyre gonna and you'll warm up pretty quick.