Whether you're heading out on a hike in unsettled weather or on a trekking trip for several days, your clothing is likely to get soaked. You may encounter rain or decide to wash your hiking gear yourself. Once wet, you need to know how to dry your clothes while hiking. Find out below:
Drying your clothes at the bivvy
After an intense day of hiking, you may be tempted to wash your clothes or dry garments soaked by rain at your bivvy spot. Before sunset, you can hang clothes outside — on your tent's guy lines, for example. However, it's not recommended to leave them out all night, especially in the mountains. Morning dew risks leaving your laundry damp.
At night, you can place damp hiking clothes inside your tent. Some hikers put them at the bottom of their sleeping bag or on top of it so that body heat dries them naturally. You can then set off the next morning with dry, fresh clothing.
Drying your clothes while hiking
After a downpour, or if your clothes haven't had time to dry at your bivvy spot, you can dry them during your hike if the weather is fine. For example, you can attach your rain jacket or socks to the outside of your pack. They'll dry as you walk, and you won't need to give them a second thought.
Make sure your clothes are securely fastened so you don't lose them along the way. If you can't attach them to your pack, bring a safety pin to make sure they stay put.
Choosing the right clothing for hiking
Natural-fibre garments such as merino wool have the advantage of not absorbing odours. You can therefore wear them for several days without washing them, without suffering from unpleasant smells. If they get thoroughly wet, they take longer to dry. Cotton should be avoided, as it becomes damp quickly and takes a very long time to dry.
Unlike natural fibres, synthetic fibres such as polyester tend to smell quickly. However, they have the advantage of drying very fast — which is very practical when you need to dry your clothes in a hurry.
We recommend not spreading black or dark-coloured garments in direct sunlight. Sunlight tends to fade clothing. It's therefore better to leave them in the shade and turn them inside out.
Drying your clothes while hiking is therefore straightforward and quite easy. You don't need any specialist equipment and you can dry them during your hike without giving it a second thought. Note: if you want to wash your clothes in the wild, always position yourself downstream and opt for additive-free soaps (Aleppo soap, Marseille soap…) or biodegradable ones, to respect the environment.
