How to Dry Wet Clothing in the Field

Few things sap your spirits and your core temperature faster than pulling on a wet jumper in camp. Whether you have been caught in a Lakeland downpour, slipped into a bog on the moors or simply sweated hard on a long climb, damp clothing is a genuine safety concern rather than a minor inconvenience. The good news is that with a little patience and the right technique, you can get most garments serviceably dry without gas, mains power or a tumble dryer.

Why damp clothing drains you so quickly

Water conducts heat away from your body roughly twenty-five times faster than air does. When fabric is wet, the air pockets that normally trap warmth collapse or fill with water, and your precious body heat is pulled away instead of held close. A soaked fleece loses most of its insulation, wet wool keeps some warmth but feels heavy and cold, and a damp down jacket loses its loft almost entirely.

That is why your first priority in the field is never drying for its own sake, but getting out of wet layers and into something dry. Strip off, wring everything out, pull on your spare base layer and shell, then turn your attention to rescuing the rest. Drying is a job you do after you are safe, warm and out of the wind.

Step one: get the water out

Removing bulk water by hand is quick, free and surprisingly effective. A garment that has been properly wrung and shaken will dry several times faster than one left dripping.

• Wring it like a rope. Twist the garment tightly along its length, working from the shoulders down, then reverse and twist again. Done twice, this shifts a remarkable amount of water.
• Snap and shake hard. Hold a corner and flick the garment sharply several times. Centrifugal force flings surface droplets clear, and it costs you nothing but a bit of energy.
• Press between dry cloths. Roll the wet item inside a dry towel, t-shirt or spare fleece and twist the whole bundle. The dry fabric wicks moisture across and away from the wet garment.
• Avoid the temptation to over-wring wool. Give it a firm squeeze rather than a violent twist, and always support the garment's weight so it does not stretch out of shape.

Drying by the fire, without ruining your kit

A fire is the fastest field dryer you have, but heat and modern fabrics are uneasy companions. Nylon and polyester can melt or glaze before they look remotely singed, so a little caution saves an expensive jacket.

• Judge with your bare hand. Hold your hand where you plan to hang the garment. If you cannot keep it there for a comfortable five seconds, that spot is too hot for fabric.
• Never dry directly over flames. Sparks, spitting resin and sudden gusts will burn holes. Keep garments to the side of the fire, not above it.
• Build a simple frame. A line between two trees, or a rack of green sticks pushed into the ground, lets air circulate around the garment rather than trapping it in a damp heap.
• Turn everything every few minutes. Drying is a slow, rotating process. The side facing the fire will dry first, and if you leave it there it will scorch while the rest stays wet.
• Reflect heat back. A large log, a bank of earth or a foil blanket behind the fire bounces warmth onto your clothing and makes the whole job quicker.

Using your own body heat

While you are moving, you are a radiator, and you can put that to work. Small items such as socks, gloves and a hat can be tucked inside your jacket against your torso, under your arms or in your waistband. They will feel shockingly cold for a minute or two, then dry steadily against your skin.

You can also dry a base layer while wearing it. Pull a damp thermal on beneath a waterproof shell and keep walking: your body heat drives moisture outwards through the fabric, and the shell stops the rain coming back in. This only works while you are active. The moment you stop, change into something dry, because a damp layer sitting still against your skin is exactly how people get chilled.

Overnight: sleeping bags and small garments

Never take wet clothing into a down sleeping bag. The moisture will ruin the loft that keeps you warm, and you will spend a miserable night regretting it. Damp items belong outside the bag, ideally hung from a line under your tarp or tucked into a dry stuff sack at your side.

There are two exceptions worth making. Socks and gloves can go into the foot of your sleeping bag, wrapped in a dry cloth, where your body heat will gently dry them overnight. And in the morning, take your cold, clammy trousers and shirt into the bag with you before you get dressed. Five minutes of contact with your own warmth makes a huge difference to how the day starts. Slightly damp clothing worn overnight is survivable, but dry clothing is always worth the effort.

Field habits worth keeping

• Keep one set of clothing dry, always. Your camp clothes live in a dry bag and never come out on the move.
• Change before you get cold. Stopping to swap layers at the first shiver is far easier than drying everything after a soaking.
• Wind dries better than sun. Moving air removes moisture even on a grey, cool day, so hang garments loosely where the breeze catches them.
• Air everything at every stop. Even ten minutes of hanging your jacket open works wonders over a long day.
• Rotate, don't soak. Never let all your layers get wet at once. Wool and synthetics tolerate repeated dampness far better than cotton, which dries slowly and chills you while it does.
• Dry before dark. An hour of firelight and turning garments in the evening saves you a cold, damp start the next morning.

None of this requires expensive kit, only the habit of dealing with moisture early and patiently. Get the water out, use warmth sensibly, and you will sleep warmer, walk further and enjoy the outdoors far more, whatever the weather throws at you.