Damp Clothes Dry Faster: Ridgeline or Below Air Mattress?

[Narksos]

I'm in the woods. I'm there for me. I'm perfectly happy with underwear/socks hanging off of my pack.

I put them there when they come off (typically when the pack is hanging from my suspension). If I stop and notice that they're dry then I move them into my pack.

Enjoy your section hike

[desmobob]

I think damp clothes dry fastest stuffed in the footbox of your top quilt or sleeping bag overnight while you sleep.

Take it easy,
desmobob

[Ewker]

it depends on what part of the country you are in. If you are in Ca and hiking in the Sierra's the clothes will dry in 10 minutes laying on a rock. If you are in the Smokies forget about them ever getting dry.

Saying that I hang mine across the hammock straps and put the damp clammy clothes back on in the morning

[Acer]

I hang my damp cloths on RL at nite,,then put them back on in the morning and wear them. Everything is nylon except for the smartwool socks. Body heat will dry them.

[Jcavenagh]

I think damp clothes dry fastest stuffed in the footbox of your top quilt or sleeping bag overnight while you sleep.

Take it easy,
desmobob

This is what I have always done with "sweat damp" socks and underwear. Your body heat will dry the clothes pretty well over 6-8 hours. However, if more than "sweat damp", I hang on the ridgeline after drying as much as possible by the fire.

[FireInMyBones]

it depends on what part of the country you are in. If you are in Ca and hiking in the Sierra's the clothes will dry in 10 minutes laying on a rock. If you are in the Smokies forget about them ever getting dry.

Saying that I hang mine across the hammock straps and put the damp clammy clothes back on in the morning

That's what I do.

[gargoyle]

Drying damp items inside your quilt or under your mattress introduces lots of excess moisture to your insulation/bedding. Along with some funk.
Not bad if you can air out your insulation. But in cold weather camping, keeping your insulation dry is utmost.
Under the tarp ridgeline makes a good spot to hang items.

[bear bag hanger]

My experience seems to be different from everyone else's. Damp cloths have to go into my pockets or with me inside the sleeping quilt or sleeping bag. Once the sun goes down, they will not dry on the ridge line and often times will be wetter than they started. If you put them below your sleeping pad, they will be just as wet in the morning as they were when you put them there. They will eventually dry if you hang them from the backpack, but in cooler or overcast weather, it will take a couple days and if it rains, they will be wet again, even if inside a pack cover. Best bet is to hang them during a sunny day in the sun, but that can take away from your hiking time. Most of the time, you just have to put up with it.

[Owl]

I'm really an odd duck (or Owl?) I guess.

I wear my clothes and use my body heat to dry them out as much as possible, unless the cold makes that not an option.

In that event, I dry my clothes over a fire. I've had a few folks look at me funny when they've come across me holding up a pair of steaming socks above my solostove...but I gotta admit, it's so much fun to watch! My day clothes are all wool or synthetic when on the trail, so it takes very little additional heat to get the moisture out most times. If I can't do a full fire, even just using my solostove can get most of it out in a comparitively short order.

Wet clothes and anything to do with my bedding should never meet....ever!

I carry dry clothes to sleep in, four seasons. In the suckiest of weather, I can still put up my tarp and hammock, gather tons of kindling for my little wood burner, change into my sleep clothes, and sit under the tarp (usually well vented to keep the moisture out of my gear) and 'cook' my wet travel clothes enough to reuse in the morning. I've been known to heat up my socks along with breakfast at times as well!

[nothermark]

A wise old Owl... ;-)