DIY boot/wader dryer

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
Son and I hunted 2 days in a row and noticed on the second day that our waders were still damp from the previous days hunt. Of course they don't leak since they don't breath, sweat is enough to soak them. I have also sweated on a warm day when wearing them. Sometimes I have been able to let them warm up in the sun as long as I can keep the tops open.

I made this from an image I saw on Google images. I had to add the crossmember after I assembled it the first time. It did not have enough support without it. I can probably use it to warm them up on a cold morning and will probably store them on it. With respect to heat, I don't plan to use heat to dry them just air. Don't need any issues by leaving them unattended to dry with a hair dryer on heat.

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snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
This is the one it was modeled after. Know way you could dry waders with this one as they "legs" are too far apart. He must use it for boots only.
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snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
As I said, I won't blow hot air. The hairdryer has a no heat option and even if I blow heat, the contraption is so big that by the time the air gets that high it has cooled some. I could probably run a heat gun and it wouldn't get hot enough to melt glue.
 

hog&deerhunter

Ten Pointer
Great idea. I am thinking about using a different air source though. I am betting the hair dryer won't last long. Maybe adapting my store bought boot dryer with extensions? That has very low gentle heat that naturally rises through the tubes.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Great idea. I am thinking about using a different air source though. I am betting the hair dryer won't last long. Maybe adapting my store bought boot dryer with extensions? That has very low gentle heat that naturally rises through the tubes.

Yeap - I have 4 ft pvc extensions on my Peet dryers,,,low cost and gentle air flow ,,,,,,works great
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Cabelas has them on sale for 20$ and they don't make a sound..

Just me but I can not stand the sound of a blow dryer.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
Cabelas has them on sale for 20$ and they don't make a sound..

Just me but I can not stand the sound of a blow dryer.

+$9.99 for wader extension, in stock at Garner store. Definitely a good deal but 45 minute drive for me.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...goryId=734095080&CQ_search=boot+dryer&CQ_st=b

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabe...goryId=734095080&CQ_search=boot+dryer&CQ_st=b

I looked at some of the reviews that indicated that it's not made for chest waders because it can't support them. Also has to be used inside else it doesn't get hot enough according to reviews.
 
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snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
I am betting the hair dryer won't last long.

I thought about the same thing. That hair dryer has switches to turn the coils off and only blow cold air which is probably what I will do. Also, the fast moving air should dry faster than the Peet. Some of the complaints on the Peet are that it takes too long.
 
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Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
+$9.99 for wader extension, in stock

I looked at some of the reviews that indicated that it's not made for chest waders because it can't support them. Also has to be used inside else it doesn't get hot enough according to reviews.

They do you just need to go easy on them.
I have one with two sets of extra tubes and use them.
The cool thing is they do not take much power incase you want to carry to capelookout and use them in the cabin running a little honda.

Will be upfront most times I use the light weight waders and waders that do not have boots attached for heavy colder water or hunting.

Most guys I know dont bu the extra tubes they just use wader hangers and place the tubes inside. That way you can dry the full waders and not just the the boot and first few feet.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
They do you just need to go easy on them.
I have one with two sets of extra tubes and use them.
The cool thing is they do not take much power incase you want to carry to capelookout and use them in the cabin running a little honda.

Will be upfront most times I use the light weight waders and waders that do not have boots attached for heavy colder water or hunting.

Most guys I know dont bu the extra tubes they just use wader hangers and place the tubes inside. That way you can dry the full waders and not just the the boot and first few feet.

Still cheap enough to give them a go. Might have to make the trip.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Another FYI
I would not spend the 10$ again for the ext.
Just pick up PVC tube that will fit over the base tube.

I got 2 sets of ext for travel but looking back I paid 20$ for 3$ of tube.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
What do they use on boot soles?

I agree with you about being careful with the construction. I plan to leave the hairdryer on the no heat mode to dry them and if I want to warm them up a little in the morning before I put them on, I won't allow it to get so hot that it would melt any construction glue. The distance that the air has to travel in the contraption combined with the cold garage would cool the air so much that it couldn't possibly melt any construction glue.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Yeap - I have 4 ft pvc extensions on my Peet dryers,,,low cost and gentle air flow ,,,,,,works great

I thought mine was broken when I used it the first time. No noticeable difference tinkering with it for the first few minutes. I decided to walk away and a few hours later my boots were dry and the odor was gone.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
I went ahead and ordered the Cabelas dryer for $19.99 and the $9.99 extensions. I needed to order other stuff so I got free shipping. I really need two of these things anyway cause my son normally goes when I go. At the sale price it doesn't make sense to build one. I will post up when it comes in and what I might need to do in order to support heavy 5mm insulated neoprene waders.

I like the fact that I can take mine off and stick them on the DIY dryer for storage between hunts though.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
I thought mine was broken when I used it the first time. No noticeable difference tinkering with it for the first few minutes. I decided to walk away and a few hours later my boots were dry and the odor was gone.

Funny your should say that. I've read many one star reviews from people that said it didn't work out of the box. I think they expected to plug it in and it would "blow".
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Lot if people thing you plug them up and they should get hot and then blow air.

That is the case for several.
Had a coworker return t that he said did not work and the new one is doing the same, nothing.

I said plug it up place boots and walk away.
30 later check.
Sure nough they were warm and moving air.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
So I was able to use my DIY dryer today. Waders came in damp from body humidity. Ran the hair-dryer on high with no heat for about 1.5 hours. That was enough to dry them out.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Probably Barge cement. Many used it when they were leather. I have no idea what they use now with all these compounds they use today. I have a pair of Rocky's that the sole was coming off of and I used it and they have stayed on two years. It is just a super high grade of contact adhesive.

http://www.bargeadhesive.com/products.html

Ive seen a couple pairs come unglued. I just try to be careful with heat on them.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
OK I will state for the third or fourth time that I am not using heat with my DIY dryer. It's not necessary. If I did use heat it would only be to warm them up in the morning after spending all night in the garage. If I did that it would only be for a few minutes and again, it would not get hot enough to melt any glue. The garage is too cold and the contraption piping is too long to maintain any heat.

FYI, since I posted this I bought a Peet/Cabelas and used it yesterday morning to warm the boots that I was going to put on. They were nice and toasty. I've only seen one negative about the Peet/Cabelas with respect to boot construction and that was from a guy who had used it for a long time and was upset that the leather of his boots had dried and cracked. I've not seen any that said their boots got so hot that the sole glue melted.

So with all that being said, I think we can conclude that heat is not an issue with either my DIY dryer or the Peet/Cabelas dryer.
 

hog&deerhunter

Ten Pointer
I went ahead and ordered the Cabelas dryer for $19.99 and the $9.99 extensions. I needed to order other stuff so I got free shipping. I really need two of these things anyway cause my son normally goes when I go. At the sale price it doesn't make sense to build one. I will post up when it comes in and what I might need to do in order to support heavy 5mm insulated neoprene waders.

I like the fact that I can take mine off and stick them on the DIY dryer for storage between hunts though.

You can always use a standard type wader hanger (or make one with dowels). Support the waders on the hanger as you normally would and slip the dryer PVC pipes into the waders while they are hanging. No need to try and reinforce the boot dryer.
 

snakeskinner

Twelve Pointer
You can always use a standard type wader hanger (or make one with dowels). Support the waders on the hanger as you normally would and slip the dryer PVC pipes into the waders while they are hanging. No need to try and reinforce the boot dryer.

Next project...wader hanger.
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
I use a small leaf blower to dry my rubber/neoprene boots, wet tennis shoes and even wet leather boots. Set it up to force air into one boot/shoe at a time, let it run for 15 minutes at half throttle, then move it to the other boot/shoe. Won't work if the air is high in humidity but high air flow will dry any boot/shoe/wader made in just a few minutes.
 

Wanchese

Twelve Pointer
That will work.


For years I rolled my waders down inside-out and sat them on a chair with a box fan blowing on/in them every night. Bought a Maxx Dry boot drier a couple years ago and will never be without one again. I wear rubber boots or waders just about every day of the year and can't believe I went so long knowing about them without getting one. All it takes is moving air to dry them but the convenience of being able to just throw them on it and turn it on is hard to beat.
 

41magnum

Twelve Pointer
I built 1 like yours a few yrs ago except mine has a cut out in the bottom to put over heat ducts in our floor.
I will modify it to take a blow dryer WITH NO HEAT......for when I go out of town and may not have floor ducts where I stay.
 
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