Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
I ran timed tests to see how long (and to what extent) the Hedgehog Go dried out my hair and winter gear.
When it comes to dual-purpose products, I’m the “I’ll believe it when I see it” type of person. This applies when you first heard about Hedgehog goWhich the company says is the world’s first dual-purpose dryer for hair and gear.
Designed by Scandinavian innovators to dry outdoor equipment hedgehog dryer, The Hedgehog Go is the compact version that weighs 0.77 pounds. It comes with 2 hair drying attachments and outdoor gear like shoes, boots, gloves and hats – perfect for winter adventures like skiingAnd snowboarding Walking tour.
The company adds that the duo can reduce static electricity, add shine and remove odor using its ionic technology. Using a 105,000 RPM (revolutions per minute) motor, three speeds, airflow up to 60 mph, and a temperature of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the Hedgehog Go says it can dry hair in 5 minutes or less and shoes or gloves in 10 to 15 minutes.
To find out if it’s all too good to be true, and if this $159 dryer is the key to living in a winter wonderland, I put it to the test.
It keeps your gear 99% dry.
Since I live in Los Angeles, where it doesn’t snow, I grabbed a spray bottle to get my boots, gloves, and knit hat completely wet. Next, I screwed the Hedgehog Go Extendable Hose Adapter to the gear. It’s a funky looking accessory with two hoses that can be twisted in any direction you want.
Extendable hoses can truly be twisted in any direction.
In the product manual there is a chart showing the recommended temperature and speed for different types of items. I used this as my guide.
Hiking shoes
I started with my hiking boots, inserting each hose into the boots and running the machine to the suggested temperature of 140°F and speed 3. According to the instructions, you shouldn’t push the hose too deep into the toe area of the boots.
The hedgehog wore my shoes, which were wet.
The dryer has a built-in timer of up to 60 minutes, and I tested it with my iPhone’s timer to make sure it was accurate. I checked it every 5 minutes, and in 15 minutes, the inside of the shoe was completely dry. The top of the shoe and tongue, where the dryer didn’t reach, were still a little damp, but not to the extent that you would notice in pantyhose or with briefs.
gloves
At this point, I didn’t know where to put the Go while inserting it into my gloves, as I wasn’t sure if it was safe to leave it on a table or countertop. Then I found a photo in the press release showing the device sitting on a wooden table, so I did the same thing – although I will put the towel down first in the future.
The Hedgehog Go dryer is inside my winter gloves.
As recommended in the manual, I set the machine to 113°F. He suggested using speed 2 or 3, so I chose 3 (I’m impatient). I checked the gloves every 5 minutes and quickly realized that I would need to move the dryer up the glove until it was completely dry, which I was doing every 5 minutes. After 15 minutes, it was done, but as with tall boots, the outer edges that the dryer couldn’t reach were still a little damp.
Knit hat
At 99°F, I selected Speed 2 (Speed 1 is also recommended) and placed the machine on the counter where I dried the gloves. I checked every 5 minutes, and just like with the gloves, I realized that moving the dryer up inside the hat would help dry it completely. Again, it was dry after 15 minutes, but the outer edge was also somewhat damp.
My knit hat is dried by Hedgehog Go.
For safety reasons, and as stated in the manual, I kept a close eye on the dryer and never left it unattended. For leather, suede, or other sensitive materials, it is recommended not to use a temperature of 140°F.
Hair: Comparing it to a hair dryer with a timed test
Converting the Hedgehog Go into a hairdryer is easy, as you simply need to twist the hairdryer nozzle. For fine or damaged hair, a temperature of 99°F and Speed 1 or 2 is recommended, while 113°F and Speeds 2 or 3 are recommended for normal or thick hair. I have fine hair, so I chose 99 degrees and speed 2.
Joe the Hedgehog toy with hair dryer nozzle attached.
To reduce frizz, Go states that its built-in ionizer releases negative ions to neutralize static and leave your hair smooth. My other hair dryer, Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Dryeruses the same technology and has three heat settings and two speed settings, so I thought it would make an ideal test comparison. However, it does not have any information about temperature.
Now, for the most important test subject: my hair is 2a/2b and is so fine that it can be easily straightened with just a blow dryer. I sectioned my wet hair, without any product, into two sections, using the BaBylissPRO on the right and the Hedgehog Go on the left. For the BaBylissPRO, I wasn’t sure which heat setting to use, so I chose medium speed over low speed and timed how long it took to dry my hair.
These are the results:
How my hair looks after using each dryer.
For the BaBylissPRO, it took 6 minutes and 27 seconds to dry the right side of my head. For the hedgehog, go left, 7 minutes and 58 seconds. I haven’t found one to be better than the other when it comes to smoothness or curly hair – both are equally great.
However, I would like to mention one major caveat: the temperature difference. On 99-degree mode, the Hedgehog Go didn’t feel warm to me, while the BaBylissPRO on average did feel warm, so there was definitely a temperature variation. On low, the BaBylissPRO felt closer to the Go’s lowest heat settings.
All the different settings on the go.
However, the Hedgehog Go took over 5 minutes to apply to my hair, which is a few inches longer than shoulder length. But compared to the warmer temperature of the BaBylissPRO, it did a great job, lasting just 91 seconds.
In terms of noise, the Go was quieter at speed 1, but equally as loud as the BaBylissPRO at speeds 2 and 3. The Go also had a nicer feel thanks to its sleek design.
Did the hedgehog live up to its promises?
Overall, the Hedgehog Go did a good job of drying my winter clothes within 15 minutes, leaving only slight moisture on the outer edges and in areas the dryer didn’t reach. I think it would also be great to warm up your gear before heading out into the cold.
The company says its Go Dryer can freshen shoes and cleats after games and remove odor. I wasn’t able to test this feature, but I assume it works by drying out sweat and preventing odor-causing bacteria from thriving in this type of humid environment.
As for my hair, I found the Hedgehog Go to be comparable to a single-purpose hair dryer. Even though it took longer than 5 minutes to dry my hair, it left my strands sleeker and less frizzy than if I had left them to air dry.
Joe the Hedgehog toy with extendable hose.
It is lightweight, easy to use, and relatively quiet for a dryer. In terms of noise, it made a slight ringing sound that made my ears ring for a few seconds after turning it off. If you are sensitive to this type of noise, the hair dryer/gears may not be for you.
The only other detail I wish was more information in the manual on where to place the dryer when in hats or gloves. It would be helpful to make a brief note about whether it is safe to place it on the table or counter.
Finally, is it worth this price? The Hedgehog Go costs $159, and I think it might be worth it for the right person. If you only go on an occasional snowy adventure and have enough time to dry your gear by the heater or in the sun, this probably isn’t necessary. But if you often travel to wintry places and don’t have the time or ability to dry out your winter gear between adventures, this could come in handy. Plus, if you usually travel with a hairdryer, this reduces the need to use a single technical tool.