Drying boots

[lintond]

Do any of you have any tricks for drying your boots in the back country?

I'm talking mainly about boots that are wet from sweating all day, not necessarily wet. I hate putting on cold damp boots in the morning. No cheaters who use stoves.

 

[Solitude]

Not sure if this counts or is what you are after, but stuffing shoes or boots with newspaper overnight drys them out well. Of course one would not have newspaper on a pack in hunt, but if you have a base camp then maybe you would?

 

[rodney482]

Not sure if this counts or is what you are after, but stuffing shoes or boots with newspaper overnight drys them out well. Of course one would not have newspaper on a pack in hunt, but if you have a base camp then maybe you would?

newspaper works great,, also great for then starting a morning fire.

 

[go4thegusto]

Larger size chemical heat packs inserted overnight.

 

[realunlucky]

Boiled water in a bottle slid into each boots will warm them up and make them much more enjoyable to lace up. Wear for awhile than change to dry socks and walk dry

 

[MNScrambler]

Has anybody ever tried throwing some of those silica gel packets in their boots overnight? I wonder if they would do anything if you jammed a sock in the top of the boot to seal them in there?

 

[Brock A]

Pull the insoles out, build a big white man fire. Sleep in your socks so they are dry and learn to love putting wet and cold boots on in the mornings, haha.

 

[Shrek]

I can tell you what not to do. Don't put them next to a roaring fire and get them steaming hot ! There's a good chance they will come unglued if you do and it doesn't need to be all that hot to wreck some boots. Be very careful with heat and boots. I have a pair in my store room that I set in front of a heat vent that came apart the next morning as soon as I started to hike. Very expensive lesson.

 

[lintond]

I can tell you what not to do. Don't put them next to a roaring fire and get them steaming hot ! There's a good chance they will come unglued if you do and it doesn't need to be all that hot to wreck some boots. Be very careful with heat and boots. I have a pair in my store room that I set in front of a heat vent that came apart the next morning as soon as I started to hike. Very expensive lesson.

While upland hunting last fall my buddy tried to do me a favor and put my Tibets near the fire place to dry out. Needless to say I now have a new pair of boots after the toe box melted big time!

 

[Biggs300]

Pull the insoles out, loosen the laces and try not to get them too close to heat, especially if they have rands. I have found that boot dry out nicely overnight on their own if they have been well treated and opened up to breathe. I really don't have a problem with boots, even if they are still a bit wet in the morning. They tend dry out fairly quickly in dry conditions and if its wet, they will be wet quickly anyway. A good portion of my hunting in wet conditions is done from tents at altitude in CO, so drying a boot completely in those conditions is a challenge.