Clothesline & Poncho/Tarp

Put your wet socks in your sleeping bag/quilt at night?

That's usually what I do, if it is raining.

I use a down bag… wouldn't soaked wet socks inside there be a bad idea? Transfer wetness to my dry sleeping socks as well?

Yes, I use a down bag also.

If your wet socks are dripping wet, that is a problem. The best thing is to wring them and air dry them as much as possible. A campfire makes good sense in some situations, but not in others. Once you can get them semi-dry, then lay them on your warm chest inside the sleeping bag overnight. Your body heat will drive off most of the moisture, and if that moisture is not too bad, it doesn't foul up the down, especially if you have your chest area vented out of the bag. If the sock moisture drips into the down, then it will be hard to dry out easily.

–B.G.–

Bryce, It your first photo, it looks as if you would like to use your rain shell to drape over the entrance to get a little more coverage. While this pitch might not be the best for rain (hence why your socks would be wet to begin with), I would rig a line between the two upper tie outs on the entrance side. Hang your socks on this line and then drape your rain jacket over your pole and over the middle of the line. This would keep them out of the rain and be allow them to air dry a little.

Most likely, I'd pitch an A-frame all the way to the ground in the event of a storm though.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

@Mike. That's definitely worth a shot if draping my wind shirt over the hiking pole and fastening it to the open side of the tarp via mini-binder clips, does not damage my wind shirt. I'll play with it prior to my trip.

@Mike. So the A-frame pitch is nice because you can run a clothes line easily. When the rains comes though, I have felt a little open in the past. If I pitch the two sides to the ground, its get EXTREMELY tight in there for me, I can't sit up, and it's tough to get under the tarp. With my pitch with the one hiking pole, I can sit up and I get 3 sides pitched to the ground, blocking out wind and rain (but you pay for it with the 4th side). Thoughts?

@Bob. As a cold sleeper, I am leery about putting damp socks on my chest, but you're right that they should being dripping wet. This will be my 2nd option.

Bryce,

I guess in general, I was referring to a typical tarp. I wasn't aware that it was that crammed if pitched to the ground, but upon looking at your photos again, that makes sense.

Is there a way to "wrap" more tarp around the opening and just make it smaller? Would this allow a comparable amount of space inside?

Also, if you have it pitched with a trekking pole, all you would need is a loop of cord – tie it around the tip of your pole, let it sit on the basket, and hang your socks from it. This would sure be the lightest option as you's only need about two feet of cord. Could also clip a light to this.

I am ditching the single trekking pole, pitch method for my tarp:

Tarp Pics

It’s fine when it’s a nice night out, but I can’t get a decently taut pitch out of it (u try pitching a rectangle into a semi-circle and let me know how it goes. :p) to give me confidence in nasty weather. And draping my windshirt over the one open side of the tarp and securing it with binder clips won’t do much in a decent wind other than to fray my windshirt.

So it’s back to the old standbys:

In nice weather or straight rain- A frame. Gives me the most coverage under the tarp and most headroom if I pitch it high.

Tarp Pics

In windy weather or driving rain- Modified Lean to. Gives me protection from the windy side by pitching to the ground and decent coverage overhead. Downside is loss of headroom as you generally have to pitch it lower:
Tarp Pics

And I added a lengthwise clothesline for drying out stuff if need be. Thanks for everyone’s suggestions and help!
Bryce

Hi Bryce,

I think we have mutual friends.

Anyway, I have good luck with damp socks in my down bag on rainy nights. If it's not too cold anyway. I found that my body heat dries the socks and pretty much keeps the bag dry as well. I do hang my bag to dry at the first dry moment on the trail.

I have also run a line under my tarp along the ridge. I tie loops in this line. It's great for hanging reading glasses, watch, headlamp and small items that you want to keep dry.