It takes an entire roll of paper towels -- and a couple days -- to dry my trail shoes after a good dunking.
And this is if I'm even motivated enough to try to clean them up. Usually I leave the wet, muddy mess of sneakers in the back of my car until the entire vehicle smells like wet sheep in a locker room. It's rank.
Those with outdoor space, such as a balcony or an actual yard, can use the magic drying power of the sun and fresh air to get the job done. Those of us in apartments -- or barracks -- can use Stuffitts.
Stuffitts are soft, moldable inserts that go inside shoes, gloves and helmets to absorb moisture. They're made from cedar, so your gear will dry quick and smell clean and fresh -- instead of foul and disgusting.
"The combination of micro-poly wicking fabric, channeling technology and specially blended cedar fill absorbs the moisture content from the surroundings," the company says. "Afterwards, the cedar naturally expels the moisture, and it evaporates. Stuffitts also feature Microban antimicrobial protection to help prevent odor-causing bacteria on the fabric inserts."
I've found that these cut the drying time down significantly, and save me the annoying task of constantly re-stuffing my shoes for days with paper towels. The Stuffitts also seem to help my shoes keep their shape, and the cedar does get rid of some of the trail stank. The helmet inserts look particularly useful for un-stanking your bike helmets or even your particularly foul Kevlar.
Each product is good for up to a year, though the folks at Stuffitts say they've been using some of theirs for much longer than that.
Stuffitts start at $14.95 (gloves) all the way up to $109.95 (backpack); buy them from the Stuffitts website. The sport shoe inserts I tried are $14.95.
