I've used an aquarium air pump for drying water bladders for years, but it dawned on me that I could use the same technique for drying the deep inner recesses of backpacks that are slow to dry. It works very well inside hydration bladder pockets.
I got my pump in a thrift store for $3 and added some tubing. I hang the pump from the same line I use for drying my gear, which reduces the noise level.
When I wash my pack, I keep wet time to a minimum and use Atsko Sport Wash in lukewarm water. I let it drip dry for a bit and then wipe it down with a bath towel. The wipe down greatly reduces the drying time. I hang it upside down overnight and then right side up to finish drying. The deep recesses have always been slower to dry and the air pump works great to get air circulating.
I like to rinse my pack off when returning from a trip to get sweaty residues out out of the back panel and suspension straps and don't use soap every time. It's amazing to see the load of dust and dirt that end up in the laundry tub. The 3D foam areas are real dirt traps.
The aquarium pump should work great for shoes too. I need to get a "tee" so I can do two at once. I could do two pack pockets at the same time too.
