Drying clothes while sleeping

I have never tried drying clothes in a sleeping bag and I thought that it would only make things wet next to you. Lets say if you are in winter and with the temp is cold how does your body make enough heat to dry them? I was just wondering and want to hear any input you may have. I always carried an extra set of clothing if I ever got them wet and dried them a.s.a.p. when I could. So far I have yet had to sleep with my wet clothes.

I have dried clothes in my sleeping bag many times. The trick is to keep the amount proportionately small. For example, one pair of socks- put them on your stomach. If your shirt is damp, then adding other stuff is just too much. Many times I have gone to bed with a damp (not dripping wet) wool underware and it is somewhat dry by morning. Your sleeping bag has to breathe for this method to work. In winter you should only do this in a synthetic bag because it tends to reduce the loft in a down bag. In really damp conditions it actually may take several days before the items are dry.

Cotton or silk do not dry easily. Fleece and wool dry better. A good rule of thumb is only to dry those items that feel dry after the spin cycle in your washer. Wash a cotton towel and a fleece top. Compare how they feel when you take them out of the washer. I have a front loading washer and my fleece feels almost dry when I take it out, whereas jeans will still feel heavy and damp.

I would not recommend this for more than night or two. That water vapor from your clothes has mass. It doesn't just vanish. It will end up as condensation in your tent (assuming you use a tent) and worse, as moisture in your sleeping bag. Over a period of time that moisture will affect the insulating ability of your bag. Especially if your bag has a waterproof/"breathable" shell. There is a thread or two about this on the site.

This method can be utilized in conditions with low humidity. I have used it successfully in winter climbing in Wyoming (humidity about 5%) for trips of 2-3 weeks duration. Your body heat does dry things to a degree. To use this to your advantage, a very breathable synthetic bag and a well ventilated tent is a must. It is all a matter of judgement. Try it on a non-critical weekend trip (ability to bail to the car easily) for one night and see how it works for you and your equipment.

I've never tried this too much myself, as I tend to colder climates and I'm always paranoid about my down bags wetting out. However, I do wear synthetic or wool clothing that can dry out from my body heat just sitting around, once I'm no longer being soaked. So, while I won't try it *in* my sleeping bag, I do very often dry clothing be wearing it - very frequently with the case of my pants or my "rain fleece".

If it is winter and the temperature is below freezing, you can just leave the wet clothing (especially socks) outside to freeze. Once the water is frozen, you can literally beat and shake it out of the item. Use a rock and a rolling motion to break up the ice. Light tapping may be helpful, but heavy pounding will result in fabric damage and maybe holes. Slapping the fabric against a handy rock also works. The technique doesn't work on denim jeans, but if that's what you're drying, you need to read a few threads about winter fabric choices.

I already have problems with condensation in the sleeping bag (bag gets heavier with each passing night). I'm not going to exacerbate that by bringing wet clothes in there with me. If stuff won't dry by itself, you might consider a fire. The only other thing that I've tried that worked with any degree of success is to tie the item around a rock, then to a length of line. Swing it around your head until you think you're arm is going to fall off. Then swing it some more. Centrifugal force make it shed water. Items will only get as dry as if they were in the spin cycle, but for winter-safe fabrics, that should be enough for them to retain their insulating properties.

"Rode hard and put away wet." This negitive term orginally came from unproperly housing a work horse after a long day of working in crappy weather in the fields. Supposedly you are supposed to dry a horse once in the stable when your done with it. (I'm not sure, I know jack about horses.)


Anyway the term pretty much defines itself as being tired, uncomfortable and miserable. Clothes that wick away moisture is ideal. I'd rather sleep in my bag naked, then try to sleep in wet clothes. If I have no dry clothes to wear (which I make sure that never happens), I'll sleep in the buff in my bag. I go to great lengths to make sure my sleeping bag is and stays dry. It can be my haven of dryness in long days of hiking in the rain.

As others have stated, there are threads pertaining to good clothes choices when it comes to quicker drying.


Tom

You want to 'dry' your horse off before putting it up in it's stall so it does not get sick from being cooled down with sweat. Horses are very susceptible to drafts and being sweaty and cold; but not being out in the snow, that's climatic. Most animals seek shelter from cold winds, and precipitation...smart ones anyway <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

My method is to wring out my wet clothes; then lay them in a syn towel and roll them up, then wring the towel containing them; then replace them on myself if I have no other clothing. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Solar drying over bush branches works on fair days with something short of gale force winds IME.