This Hanging Dryer Finally Solved My Smelly Shoe Problem
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I’m sticking to my marathon training schedule, nor’easter be damned. Normally, that means I’d come home with soaked shoes, prop them in front of a fan, and hope they dry out overnight. And normally, that means I head out with still-damp shoes the next day. Not only is this uncomfortable, but it makes my home smell like a locker room.
This weekend I had two training runs back to back in the rain, which meant my shoes had to be ready to go again almost immediately. This week’s upgrade is the gadget that made it work: this Hedgehog Hanger.
The Hedgehog Hanger is my upgrade of the week
The Hedgehog Hanger is a hanging shoe and glove dryer. You can easily hang it in a closet or wardrobe (there’s a stainless steel hook), plug it in, and slide your shoes onto its arms. Instead of just warming the air, it pushes airflow through the shoes. The brand says the patented turbine technology moves humidity out of the fabric, and that a pair of shoes or gloves dries in about 15 to 30 minutes.
I really like the control it gives you. The heat is adjustable, from room temperature up through a few warm settings, including lower ones meant for leather and more sensitive materials. That matters if you don’t want to blast a nice pair of shoes at full heat. There are five speed settings, and it goes up to a “tornado” mode for the fastest drying when you’re in a hurry.
Credit: Meredith Dietz
After my first run in the rain this weekend, I hung my wet shoes on the Hedgehog and let it do its thing. By the time I was ready for the next session, they were dry, fresh, and ready to wear. I didn’t have to rotate to a backup pair—or lace up soggy shoes and hope for the best.
If you’re a runner, hiker, or anyone who trains through bad weather, that turnaround time is the real selling point. Consistency is so much easier when wet gear isn’t a reason to skip a session. That said, I do wish it were a little more affordable: If you only deal with wet shoes a few times a year, $199 is a bit steep.
Still, if you train in all weather, live somewhere rainy or snowy, or have kids constantly tracking in soaked shoes and gloves, you’ll get a lot of use out of this gadget. Hey, even when it’s not plugged in, I’m grateful for the extra storage by my shoe rack.
