Boot drying in the field?

[savagesicslayer]

I'm looking for good solid techniques for drying my boots in case of topping them over or rain filling them up.I'm talking good and wet boots here.do you use a fire? how do you position them for fastest dry time? ASny and all advice welcome.

 

[Skimo]

Takes time to dry boots.

Take out liners/inserts/etc.

Sponge dry as much as possible, hang over a fire, don't let 'em get too hot, periodically rub your hand all around inside the boot, your hands while dry will act like weak sponges.

Your hands will stink but dry feet are worth it.

 

[DWK2]

If you are on a week-long backpack and have a dirty t-shirt/underwear/socks you have not yet washed, you could stuff those items in the boots to absorb some moisture.

DancesWithKnives

 

[Mr.Blade]

Rocks that have been close to the fire for a couple of hours. Not warmer, than that you can hold the rock or stone in your hand. Place the rocks in your boots during the night, and they will slowly dry your boot.

 

[hiwa]

I always bring a spare pair , but the wet ones just get tilted near the fire ( Not too close !)
I keep the foot hole up , so the moisture has a chance to escape. The warm rocks idea sound like a good one. If it will be sunny the next day , place them facing east , away from shade.

 

[1066vik]

put a cup of rice in a dirty sock - stuff that in the boot.
it'll soak up a lot of moisture.
dont eat the rice afterwards.

 

[Mr.Blade]

Rocks that have been close to the fire for a couple of hours. Not warmer, than that you can hold the rock or stone in your hand. Place the rocks in your boots during the night, and they will slowly dry your boot.

Just to clearify, I meant if you´re out in the field and camping etc, you can use this technique with hot rocks in your boots.

 

[Bushman5]

dont buy boots that have foam, rubber, cardboard, fiber board, or other synthetic materials in them. A good pair of real leather boots, with leather insoles will breath better, dry out faster. Remove wet socks, put on dry socks, sponge out inside of boots with dry grass and keep hiking.

 

[Mistwalker]

Drying boots is a pain. When I've gotten mine wet when trapping I've always just opened them all the way and put them on a log or rock beside the fire and turned them often to prevent over-heating.

 

[Brad "the butcher"]

If you are at camp, fill the boots with crumpled up newspaper and set them close to heat to warm. Really wicks out the moisture fast, change it a couple times if soaked.

Backpacking I always bring camp/creek crossing runners. If my boots are soaked I will take the laces out and prop them wide with a stick near the fire. I buy all leather boots and the laces get melt or get brittle with the heat.

 

[HawGorn]

What I used last autumn when my wife fell in to the creek and got her leather GTX boots all wet was heat (not boiling) many liters of waters by the campfire and poured it in large ziplog bags inside the boots. This was done many times through the evening and by morning the boots were pretty dry. The ambient temperature was close to 0C so that most likely did not aid the drying over the night. She hiked the next day with trash bag lined boots and when we arrived to the next camp site, the boots were as dry as they could be after a days hike.