Hot Tent Drying Tricks

[Dougfirtree]

I'd love to hear the tricks people have come up with for hanging/drying clothes, boots, etc. in a hot tent. Are you just tying dry lines up in the top of the tent? Building little racks on the ground? What has worked best for you?

 

[LopeHunter]

Rule 1 is to try and use performance fabrics and wool. The former tends to dry fast and the latter can hold warm even if damp.

Rule 2 is to shed layers as build up core body heat as hike. Sweat makes my clothes damp more than rain/wet snow.

Here are my methods. I use stiff cord if in a wall tent with a metal frame. If have a stove going then will put damp items near the stove. Heavy coats, gloves/mittens and hats are challenging to get dry.

If forecast is for dry and windy or sunny then I hang wet items I don’t need that day from limbs or lay on big rocks. I have done the same to a sleeping back turned inside out as benefits from some drying after a few days.

I have swapped socks then put the damp ones hanging from my pack as hiked.

 

[marksjeep]

I just string a line. It helps to circulate the warm air with a fan. Cheap heat powered fan on top of stove or small USB powered fan running off a charge pack. Helps keep condensation down as well.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Couple sticks or poles and some chute cord. I have hung lighter stuff off my liner loops.

 

[Salmonchaser]

My wall tents have internal frames. Along the ridge pole I hang a series of S shaped hooks, (6inches long). Perfect for hanging boots. Soaking wet, think insulated Kennetreks and no choice but to wade the North Fork kind of wet, they’ll be safely dry by morning. I also run a bunch of these hooks along the hips of the tent, about 4 per person. Hang packs, binos, what ever up and out of the way and drying as well.
At the back of the tent I run an 8 foot closet rod from the ridge pole.
Haven’t melted anything down, or burned anything up since we started doing that.