What to look for in a shoe, boot, footwear or glove dryer.

I spent a few months researching different products that are available on eBay, mail order, retail and wholesale.  I ski every weekend, all winter long, being a member of the Canadian Ski Patrol.  I know how unpleasant it can be when you have your feet  in cold, damp or wet boots.  The same can be said for just about all kings of footwear, from athletic shoes, to rubber boots to hip waders. It goes without saying that the same is true for mitts and gloves. When they are damp or wet, they are cold.  And if they are cold, then you are cold.  This can turn an otherwise pleasant outdoor activity into pure misery.

Shoe/boot dryers come in many different types or configurations, but they fall into three main categories:

1. Air-only dryers
2. Air with heat dryers
3. Convection/Radiant dryers.

Air-only dryers have the advantage of using the ambient air being circulated through the boot/glove  typically by a fan.  They are often lightweight, foldable, easy to transport and quiet.  Some are battery powered, allowing you to dry articles where you may not have access to electricity.  They normally cannot damage the article being dried because they are only using the ambient temperature to dry it.  The downside is that they usually require longer drying times.

Air dryers with heat have the great advantage of shorter drying times.  Most units have the option of air drying only, or with heat. The good units do not warm the air more that 90 degrees F.  This is done to prevent overdrying, or possible damage to the article. The combination of forced air and heat make easy work of drying soggy footwear.  The disadvantage of these units are that they are almost all reliant on electricity to get the job done.

Convection/Radiant dryers offer silent operation, with no moving parts. They are often shaped to accommodate multiple articles of footwear or clothing, as opposed to only one or two pairs of shoes/boots or gloves/mitts.  They work very well in places wear the clothing can be removed and placed over the unit to dry, typically in an entranceway, mudroom or laundry room. They can typically dry multiple articles of clothing at the same time.  Their downside is lack of portability, they are typically set up to be semi-permanent or permanent installations. These units are also considerably  more expensive.

Another great advantage of drying your footwear, aside from the obvious one of comfort; is that you can reduce the amount of bacterial and/or fungal growth. Even from daily perspiration, bacteria can start to grow, causing a potential for infections.  Fungus grows in damp or wet environments.  Sweat, bacteria and fungus can all produce odours.  By properly drying out your footwear or other articles of clothing (gloves and mitts), you are reducing the chance of this growth to occur, thereby reducing the potential for odours. At the same time, you are prolonging the life of the article.

Some suggestions for drying articles includes running or athletic shoes, hiking boots, hunting boots,  fisherman's waders, ski/snowboard boots, gloves and mitts.  In fact, almost any footwear article, if damp or wet, can benefit from being dried.

To help you make your decision, you need to ask yourself some questions:

• What kind of dryer do I need (portable, permanent installation).
• How many articles do I need to dry at a time (boots, gloves).
• Do I want quick drying ( for example: 3 hours or overnight).
• Do I want convenience of small size for travelling (fits inside a boot).
• Battery powered or electrical.

Once you have answered these questions, it simply becomes a matter to find a unit that best meets your needs. 

If you have found this guide to be helpful and informative, please don't forget to vote.

Thanks,

The Snowstorm.