Drying wet gear in a van is a constant battle in UK winter. That damp towel, those soggy walking boots, the waterproof jacket that's soaked through — they all release moisture into your van's air, which then condenses on your windows and seeps into your bedding.
This guide covers the best methods and products for drying wet gear in a small space without filling your van with condensation.
The Problem
Wet gear holds a surprising amount of water:
| Item | Water Weight (grams) | Equivalent to |
|---|---|---|
| Walking boots (wet) | 300-500g | A can of beer per boot |
| Waterproof jacket | 200-400g | A mug of water |
| Fleece / jumper | 150-300g | Half a mug |
| Towel (wet) | 400-800g | A bottle of wine |
| Total | 1,050-2,000g | 1-2 litres of water |
Every gram of that water has to go somewhere. If it evaporates inside your van, it becomes condensation on your windows and walls. If you dry it outside, the water goes back to the environment.
The Best Approach: Dry Outside (Covered)
The ideal is to dry gear in a covered outdoor space — an awning, a bike shed, under a tarp. The gear dries in the air without releasing moisture into the van. If you have an awning, hang wet gear under it overnight. Even at 100% humidity, it will dry faster than inside your van because of air movement.
No awning? String a tarp between your van and a tree, fence, or pole. Tarp (£10-15 from Screwfix) + bungees (£5) = a cheap drying space.
Second Best: The Diesel Heater Method
If you must dry inside, the diesel heater is your friend — but you need to manage the moisture. A diesel heater produces dry heat (because it burns fuel, not gas — no water vapour in the exhaust) and draws fresh air from outside.
- Run the heater at 18-20°C
- Crack a window 5mm open (air exchange removes moisture)
- Hang wet gear near the heater outlet (not on top of it — the plastic melts)
- Open cupboards and lift the mattress (moisture pools in hidden spaces)
Expect condensation on windows in the morning even with the heater running. Wipe them down as part of your morning routine.
Products That Help
Kampa Drying Rack
A Kampa Clothes Drier or similar (Amazon, £15-25) is a portable rack that hangs from your van's interior handles or seat headrests. It holds 5-8 items of clothing. The mesh design allows airflow around the clothes.
Best for: Smaller items (socks, base layers, t-shirts). Not great for heavy jackets or boots — the hooks aren't strong enough.
Maxxair Roof Vent on Extract Mode
A roof vent (Maxxair or Fiamma) on extract mode pulls warm, moist air out of the van and draws dry, cold air in from cracks and vents. This is the most effective way to remove moisture from the van without losing all your heat (compared to opening windows).
How to use for drying:
- Hang wet gear on the Kampa rack near the heater
- Run the roof vent on low extract
- The heater provides warm dry air, the vent removes the moisture before it condenses
Cost: £150-250 for a Maxxair fan (expensive but worth it for winter van life).
Boot Dryers
A boot dryer (like the DryGuy or MaxxDry, £30-50) is a small device that blows warm air directly into your boots. Two prongs go into your boots, a fan and a low-power heater (20-50W) blow warm air through them for 4-8 hours.
Power use: 20-50W continuously = 2-4A at 12V. Running for 8 hours uses 16-32Ah — significant for your battery. Use on a campsite hook-up or run it during the day when your solar is charging.
12V boot dryers: Most boot dryers run on 240V. Some (DryGuy Travel Dry) run on 12V. Check the voltage before buying.
Heated Clothes Airer
A heated clothes airer (like the Dry:Soon 3-tier, £40-60) is a covered rack with a low-power heating element inside. Clothes dry in 4-6 hours on a 240W heater.
The problem for vans: It's 240V only. You need a campsite hook-up or a large inverter (1,000W+). The power draw is 240W — 20A at 12V — which would drain a 100Ah battery in 3 hours.
Best for: Campsite use with electric hook-up. Not suitable for off-grid.
The Boot Bag Hack
A simple but effective method: put your wet boots in a plastic bag (bin bag, carrier bag) with a dry towel inside. Tie the bag shut. After 4-6 hours, the towel absorbs the moisture from the boots. Replace the towel (ring it out, dry it on the heater) and repeat. After 2-3 cycles, the boots are dry.
Cost: £0 (you have a plastic bag and a towel).
Why it works: The sealed bag creates a microclimate. The water migrates from the boots to the dry towel by osmosis, faster than it would by evaporation.
The Drying Setup I Use
- Walk, get wet, come back to the van
- Wring out trousers and jacket as much as possible (ring by hand, then wrap in a dry towel and stand on it)
- Hang trousers and jacket on the Kampa rack above the diesel heater outlet
- Boots go in a plastic bag with a dry towel
- Base layers and socks go on the heater's warm air outlet (not directly on the heater)
- Roof vent on low extract
- In the morning: boots are dry, jacket is damp but wearable, socks are dry
This setup costs about £30 (Kampa rack + boot bag hack) and works without mains electricity.
The "Do Not" List
- Do not put wet gear on the diesel heater. It will melt the plastic, catch fire, or both. There's an air temperature sensor inside the heater casing — blocking it causes the heater to overheat and shut down.
- Do not use a gas heater to dry clothes. Gas heaters produce water vapour (1L of gas produces 1.5L of water vapour). You're adding moisture to dry clothes — a net negative.
- Do not seal wet gear in a plastic bag without a towel. The moisture stays in the bag, the boots stay wet, and they'll smell like a swamp after 3 days.
- Do not dry technical gear (Gore-Tex, down jackets) on a direct heat source. The heat damages the membrane and the down clumps. Air-dry only.
Drying in Summer
In summer, the problem is reversed — everything dries too fast. A wet towel left on a sunny dashboard is dry in 2 hours. The summer problem is UV damage to fabrics. Drying technical gear in direct sun degrades the fabric and colours. Dry in the shade of your awning or under the van.
Laundry Without Drying Space
If you're at a campsite with electric hook-up, use a heated airer. If you're at a campsite with a laundry room, use their drier. If you're wild camping, wash clothes in a sink or bucket, wring them well, roll them in a towel to extract as much water as possible, then hang them in the van with the heater on and the roof vent running. A heavy-duty spin (like a travel spin dryer, £30) removes more water than hand-wringing and reduces drying time by 50%.
