I did timed tests to see how long the Hedgehog Go dried my hair and winter gear.
When it comes to dual purpose products, I’m a “I’ll believe it when I see it” kind of person. This came into play when I first heard about Hedgehog Go, which the company claims is the world’s first dual-purpose hair dryer and gear.
Designed by the Scandinavian creators of the Hedgehog Dryer outdoor gear, the Hedgehog Go is a compact, 0.77-pound version. Comes with two hair dryer attachments and outdoor gear like shoes, boots, gloves and hats — perfect for winter adventures like skiingsnowboarding and walking.
The company adds that the two-in-one device can reduce static, add shine and remove odors with its ionic technology. Using a motor that operates at 105,000 rpm (revolutions per minute), three speeds, airflow up to 60 kilometers per hour and a temperature of up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, the Hedgehog Go claims to dry hair in 5 minutes or less and boots or gloves in 10 to 15 minutes.
Turns out this is all too good to be true, and if this $159 dryer is the key to living in a winter wonderland, I’m putting it to the test.
Gets your gear 99% of the way dry
Since I live in Los Angeles, where it doesn’t snow, I took a spray bottle to properly wet my hiking boots, gloves and knit hat. Then I twisted the flexible hose adapter for the Hedgehog Go gear. It’s a nice looking attachment with two pipes that can be twisted in any direction you need.
Flexible hoses can literally be twisted in any direction.
In the product manual, there is a chart showing the recommended temperature and speed for different types of material. I used this as my guide.
Hiking boots
I started with my hiking boots, inserting each hose into the boot and turning on the device at the recommended temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit and speed 3. According to the instructions, you should not push the hose deep into the toe area of the shoe.
Hedgehog Walk in my hiking boots, they’re soaking wet.
The dryer has a built-in timer for up to 60 minutes, which I tested with my iPhone’s timer to ensure its accuracy. I checked it every 5 minutes, and in 15 minutes, the inside of the boot was completely dry. The top of the boot and tongue, where the dryer can’t reach, was still a little damp, but not where you’d see it in long socks or tucked-in pants.
Gloves
At this point, I didn’t know where to put the Go while it was in my gloves, as I wasn’t sure if it would be safe to leave it sitting on the table or on the table. Then I found a photo in the press release that showed the device sitting on a wooden table, so I did the same — or, next time, I’ll put the towel down first.
Hedgehog Go dryer inside my winter gloves.
As recommended in the manual, I set the device to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. It suggested using speed 2 or 3, so I went with 3 (I’m impatient). I checked the gloves every 5 minutes and quickly realized that I would need to move the dryer over the top of the glove to fully dry it, which I did every 5 minutes. After 15 minutes, it was done, but, like the boots, the outer edges that the dryer couldn’t reach remained slightly wet.
Knitted hat
At 99 degrees Fahrenheit, I selected speed 2 (speed 1 is recommended) and placed the device on the table where I set the gloves. I checked every 5 minutes and, like the gloves, I noticed that moving the dryer up inside the hat will help it dry completely. Again, it was dry after 15 minutes, but the outer edge was wet again.
My knitted hat was dried by Hedgehog Go.
For safety reasons, and as advised in the book, I had watched the drought and did not leave it unattended. For leather, suede or other soft materials, it is advised not to use a temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hair: Comparison with my hair dryer and timed test
Converting the Hedgehog Go to the hair dryer is easy, as you just need to twist it in the mouth of the hair dryer. For fine or damaged hair, a temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit and speed 1 or 2 is recommended, while 113 degrees Fahrenheit and speed 2 or 3 is for normal or thick hair. I have fine hair, so I chose 99 degrees and speed 2.
Hedgehog Walk with attached hair dryer vent.
To reduce frizz, Go says its built-in ionizer emits negative ions to reduce static and leave your hair smooth. My other hair dryer, i BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Dryerit uses the same technology and has three heat and two speed settings, so I thought it would make for a perfect comparison test. However, it has no information about the temperature.
Now, for the most important test topic: my 2a/2b wavy hair which is so fine that it can be easily straightened with a hair dryer. I parted my wet, product-free hair into two sections, using the BaBylissPRO on the right and the Hedgehog Go on the left. On the BaBylissPRO, I wasn’t sure which heat setting to use, so I went with medium on low speed and timed how long it took to dry my hair.
These are the results:
How my hair looked using each dryer.
On the BaBylissPRO, it took 6 minutes and 27 seconds to dry the right side of my head. For Hedgehog Go left, 7 minutes and 58 seconds. I haven’t found one better than the other when it comes to beauty or frizz — both are equally good.
However, I would like to mention one big warning: temperature difference. At its 99-degree setting, the Hedgehog Go didn’t feel warm to me, while the average BaBylissPRO felt warm, so there was definitely a temperature difference. On low, the BaBylissPRO feels close to the Go’s lowest heat setting.
All the different settings in Go.
However, Hedgehog Go lasted longer than 5 minutes on my hair, which is a few inches longer than shoulder length. But compared to the warm temperature of the BaBylissPRO, it did a good job, lasting only 91 seconds long.
In terms of noise, the Go was quieter at speed 1, but equally loud as the BaBylissPRO at speeds 2 and 3. The Go also has a good hand feel thanks to its sleek design.
Did the Hedgehog live up to its promises?
Overall, the Hedgehog Go did a great job of drying my winter gear in 15 minutes, leaving only a small amount of moisture on the outer edges and places where the dryer can’t reach. I think it would also be good to warm up your gear before heading out into the cold.
The company says its Go dryer can refresh boots and clean them after sports and remove odors. I wasn’t able to test this feature, but I think it works by drying sweat and preventing odor-causing bacteria from thriving in this kind of humid environment.
As for my hair, I found the Hedgehog Go comparable to my single-purpose hair dryer. Although it took more than 5 minutes to dry my hair, it left my locks smoother and less frizzy than if I let it air dry.
Hedgehog Go with a flexible hose attachment.
It is lightweight, easy to use and quiet compared to dryers. In terms of sound, however, it made a slight hissing sound that made my ears ring for a few seconds after I turned it off. If you are sensitive to this type of noise, it may not be your hair dryer/gear.
The only other detail I would like is more information in the manual on where to put the dryer when wearing hats or gloves. A brief note about whether it is safe to place on a table or counter would be helpful.
Finally, is it worth the price? The Hedgehog Go costs $159, and I think it would be worth it to the right person. If you go on the occasional snow-filled trip and have enough time to let your gear dry in a heater or in the sun, it’s probably not necessary. But if you often go to winter areas and don’t have the time or ability to dry your winter gear during the trip, then it can be useful. Also, if you tend to carry a hair dryer with you, that makes one small tech tool you should pack.
