Get clothes and gloves dry during backpacking or Spike Camping, without stove.

[NevadaZielmeister]

Hey Roksliders,

As I am preparing to help a friend for a late Elk Hunt here in Nevada in a couple of weeks, I am wondering about keeping or getting clothes and gloves dry. I understand the layering system and such, so don't need help there.

My question is, has anyone used the air activated heat packs to dry gloves, boots, and/or clothes? I get that one can use a fire or a stove, but with the demands of glassing and being busy all day in below freezing temperatures, the fire/stove option many times isn't available.

The biggest problem I have is hiking straight up the side of a mountain for 1,000 feet in early morning, starting around 3:00am. When I get to my sit and just relax, I then take off my wet midnight layer and layer up, but still feel a bit of a chill and notice that my one layer is soaked while my gloves many times are also soaked. Some times, those items are completely useless the rest of the day while hiking around. I have learned to place the midnight layer back on to hike to my next spot, which helps dry them, but the gloves are not getting dry. With day after day usage, the option to dry them is a luxury.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

On aggressive morning hikes I wear a merino base and Sitka lightweight core hoody only. The heat from hiking is enough to keep me warm unless it's freezing out. I layer up before glassing and am usually pretty dry except for places the pack was touching. If it's really cold I add a light vest only.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Well I would start by layering down, it's one thing to sweat a little but if your soaking layers you need to drop a layer.
Other then building a fire you need to leave the wet layer on and add puffy and any other layers you have and let your body hear dry them. Same thing with gloves take a pair of mittens to throw over while glassing.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

I don't think the little hand warmers would put off enough heat unless you had a box of them. Put your gloves around your core area somewhere between your second and third layer and that should help them dry as your body heat pushes the moisture out, if everything is synthetic. Did that yesterday actually. But if you're getting soaked from sweat while hiking then you need to layer down before the hike then layer back up immediately after. It's called a layering system for a reason

 

[Montana Slim]

I saw this on here, or heard it somewhere:
"Be bold start cold." It is good advice.

"Wear it dry." Has been my personal slogan that my friends tease me for. I usually layer over wet layers (depending on what kind of wet) and let them dry themselves. The lighter the layer, the better it works. Let your base layers get soaked, and wear them dry under other heavier layers in your pack. Don't immediately put on a rain jacket or windproof layer - wind blowing through is your friend when you first stop even though it's cold.
I don't think hand warmers do much good for anything, but that is personal preference.

 

[*zap*]

No gloves and less clothes on when hiking.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Agree that is sounds like you may need to cut some layers on the move.

Also, I knew a guy with sweaty feet. No matter what his feet sweat buckets. He carried 2x the amount of socks as anyone and rotated often. If the above suggestions don’t work, consider the idea of a 2nd set of hiking gloves.

Something breathable and fast drying. Save the heavier more weather resistant stuff for when you are not on the move. Gloves that fail, or more specifically hands that are too cold to work, are a show stopper, both for a hunt and potentially a danger in a survival situation.

Think a bit out of the box. Straight fleece gloves, maybe with windstopper. Shell mittens with liners. Leather choppers. Play around till you find something that works.

 

[tlkaetz]

As everyone above has said, shed a few layers while hiking and then throw on a puffy when you getting to your glassing area.

I carry three different pairs of gloves in my pack and rotate for different situations in cold weather.

Sitka Shooter Gloves
Sitka Traverse Gloves
OR MT Baker Mitts

I would recommend carrying several sets of gloves when it is cold and wet.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Gorilla gloves are great lightweight, breathable gloves for hiking. Dirt cheap too. I always carry a pair.

 

[NevadaZielmeister]

Thank you gentlemen for your advice. I get that the hand warmers are not going to work for drying things. I had heard they work for boots, maybe socks, but not much else.

As for layering, I am fully outfitted with Sitka I have accumulated over the years. I will have to wear only the core lightweight long sleeve on during the hike up. Anymore shedding of layers and I am going to be full redneck.

I have tried wearing a midweight and then covered myself with additional layers. I just get a little chilly. The windy days are really tough. And yeh, I also carry with me the Kelvin Down vest, 90% jacket, Kelvin Lite Hoody, Cloudburst jacket and then the Kelvin Down Hoody. Still feel a little chilly sometimes with the soaked midweight layer.

I will plan to add a heavyweight layer and change out the midweight if it gets soaked. Then, bring a thermos with hot chocolate. Hunt starts in 2 weeks.

Wish me luck guys. Thank you for all of your help.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Thank you gentlemen for your advice. I get that the hand warmers are not going to work for drying things. I had heard they work for boots, maybe socks, but not much else.

As for layering, I am fully outfitted with Sitka I have accumulated over the years. I will have to wear only the core lightweight long sleeve on during the hike up. Anymore shedding of layers and I am going to be full redneck.

I have tried wearing a midweight and then covered myself with additional layers. I just get a little chilly. The windy days are really tough. And yeh, I also carry with me the Kelvin Down vest, 90% jacket, Kelvin Lite Hoody, Cloudburst jacket and then the Kelvin Down Hoody. Still feel a little chilly sometimes with the soaked midweight layer.

I will plan to add a heavyweight layer and change out the midweight if it gets soaked. Then, bring a thermos with hot chocolate. Hunt starts in 2 weeks.

Wish me luck guys. Thank you for all of your help.

Imo you need to just be a little chilly for a bit and dry that layer. If you need it later in a survival situation you're gonna be screwed if it's still wet.

 

[*zap*]

If your layers are getting soaked with sweat and its cold out your wearing too much clothes. Simple as that.

 

[Wrench]

I can't imagine sweating in my gloves. They are too easy to stuff in a pocket and rock on.

 

[WCB]

Sound like your talking about just your upper body. Check your entire "system". Where less every where. Zip off long john bottoms have been a game changer for me. go up with nothing but the outer layer pants on and pant vents open., light weight top, thin pair of gloves (leather choppers over top if needed). Most the time no hat or light weight mesh ball cap.

When I get to my predetermined spot in the morning or after a relocation, I can then add my bottom insulation, shirt jacket etc. and put on a insulated hat.

I would also make time for a fire whether it is mid day or once you get back to camp. 30min everything is dry and it just feels good.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I keep a carabiner on my hip belt/bottom of shoulder strap and clip my hat on it for most acents.

 

[Luckyrxc]

Others have offered good advice , but I realize this is a very personal situation and your solution must be one that suits you.
I would offer this as I have not seen anyone else mention it. I try to match my level of effort to reduce sweating, clothes wetting, and required water and calorie intake. I still tend to wear too much clothing and misjudge it.
Today on a run it was 40 degrees and slightly windy. I started with a hat, gloves, wind breaker, lightweight long sleeve top, tights, and hydration vest. I thought I got it right, but by the halfway point I had stripped the windbreaker, hat, and gloves.

 

[BluMtn]

Something else to consider. Unless you just sweat thinking about walking. Slow down your climb. Its not a foot race to the top of the mountain. Maybe take a few more rest breaks to keep the sweat level down. Another thing which helps is having clothing that has vents in them. When I leave in the morning I have all my vents open, pants and jackets, then as the day progresses I start closing them to stay warm. This last weekend I was hunting in some nasty weather, hard snow and high winds of 20 sustained with gust to about 30. I topped the ridge and was trying to look around and when I turned sideways with the wind it filled my pants like a circus tent. Talk about chilling the boys.