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Thread: Trail Hacks

  1. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Wow, I guess I'm just a minimalist at heart. My tips:


    Don't need it. Don't bring it. Use soap and water.

    But then you need to bring soap. I've found that soap isn't needed.

  2. #22
    279.6 Miler (Tanyard Gap) CamelMan's Avatar
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    Baking soda is also a great shoe powder. Unscented and prevents bacterial growth by making it too alkaline.

  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Deacon View Post
    But then you need to bring soap. I've found that soap isn't needed.
    Appreciate the sentiment. I've gleefully gone soapless myself in the past. But, unless you are traveling solo and not touching anyone or anything that another person touches, good hygiene dictates soap, especially if you've been using TP. And, since soap has many uses and my container is only about 1/2 the size of my pinky finger, it's not to much of a burden - less of a burden than TP, both in size and weight.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  4. #24

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    Baking Soda is the most disgusting thing you can use for brushing teeth, unless you can deal with the salty taste...I couldn't, it made me gag! However, if you want a powder to use bentonite clay is actually better anyway...no taste, mineralizing and even less abrasive.

  5. #25

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    My dentist told me that baking soda was too abrasive and would damage the enamel on your teeth.
    The baking soda used in tooth paste is more refined, they said.
    Don't know for sure but I stopped using it.

  6. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by swisscross View Post
    My dentist told me that baking soda was too abrasive and would damage the enamel on your teeth.
    The baking soda used in tooth paste is more refined, they said.
    Don't know for sure but I stopped using it.
    Your dentist was lying to you:

    http://dendds.com/uploads/RDA_index.pdf

  7. #27
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    Why suffer through using baking soda on teeth when you can either use nothing at all, or as has been suggested many times on various backpacking forums, make little dried toothpaste dots and chew one up to reconstitute and brush your teeth?

    Of course, I'm not sure why a tiny tube of toothpaste, if you want to use the stuff, is such a burden to carry. At least cutting the handle off ones toothbrush has the advantage of making it more packable, even if doing it just for weight savings is silly.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  8. #28
    Registered User Hoofit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Now, that seems counter intuitive. I can only imagine what your shoes smell like.
    In them ol' days, , when leather boots were marching boots, I have heard that peeing was a fairly standard custom on leather boots, to soften them up.
    Just be sure to leave them out to " breathe" for awhile....

  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Why suffer through using baking soda on teeth when you can either use nothing at all, or as has been suggested many times on various backpacking forums, make little dried toothpaste dots and chew one up to reconstitute and brush your teeth?

    Of course, I'm not sure why a tiny tube of toothpaste, if you want to use the stuff, is such a burden to carry. At least cutting the handle off ones toothbrush has the advantage of making it more packable, even if doing it just for weight savings is silly.
    The ADA says that no toothpaste at all is most effective.

    https://www.patientconnect365.com/de...ou_even_bother

  10. #30

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    Baking soda mixed with water, pour on wet hair, scrub, rinse out, excellent shampoo. I use this at home too.

  11. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by wannahike View Post
    Baking soda mixed with water, pour on wet hair, scrub, rinse out, excellent shampoo. I use this at home too.
    Yep yep I decided to start the "no poo" experiment 45 days out from the trail.

    First week I felt like my entire head was covered in grease. Did a baking soda rinse every 5 days for the first two weeks. Past the second week my hair stopped feeling greasy and my head stopped itching.

    I haven't used even baking soda for the last 3 weeks. Just vigorous scrubbing under the shower head. It's great! No grease, no smell(girlfriend can't detect any odor), no itch.

    Going to experiment with no soap on the trail too - just vigorous scrubbing and baking soda and see what happens. Hopefully the same principles will work for no soap. It would be really nice not to feel like a ball of grease if I don't shower every day.

  12. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by SGTJones View Post
    Yep yep I decided to start the "no poo" experiment 45 days out from the trail.

    First week I felt like my entire head was covered in grease. Did a baking soda rinse every 5 days for the first two weeks. Past the second week my hair stopped feeling greasy and my head stopped itching.

    I haven't used even baking soda for the last 3 weeks. Just vigorous scrubbing under the shower head. It's great! No grease, no smell(girlfriend can't detect any odor), no itch.

    Going to experiment with no soap on the trail too - just vigorous scrubbing and baking soda and see what happens. Hopefully the same principles will work for no soap. It would be really nice not to feel like a ball of grease if I don't shower every day.
    Be careful about the baking soda...it's not meant to be a long-term solution...just to get you through the transition. Honey is better to wash your hair with after a while. I actually just use water with an occasional vinegar rinse! I occasionally use a tiny bit of shampoo (a couple of drops) to wash out the minerals of the hard water that attach to my hair, but that's every couple of months, and no conditioner.

    I don't use soap at all, except when washing my hands. I have found (and researched) that it's not necessary except to remove automotive-type grease. I have asked people if they can smell anything odd (excuse that I'm trying a new soap). I have had no negative responses yet, but the important thing is to shower!!!

  13. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by SGTJones View Post
    Yep yep I decided to start the "no poo" experiment 45 days out from the trail.

    First week I felt like my entire head was covered in grease. Did a baking soda rinse every 5 days for the first two weeks. Past the second week my hair stopped feeling greasy and my head stopped itching.

    I haven't used even baking soda for the last 3 weeks. Just vigorous scrubbing under the shower head. It's great! No grease, no smell(girlfriend can't detect any odor), no itch.

    Going to experiment with no soap on the trail too - just vigorous scrubbing and baking soda and see what happens. Hopefully the same principles will work for no soap. It would be really nice not to feel like a ball of grease if I don't shower every day.
    Sorry, misread your comment re. using baking soda for only 3 weeks. But my comment still stands for others thinking about this method.

  14. #34
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    Vasoline covered cotton balls as fire starters at camp where fire rings already exist.
    Going one step further ,I prefer using a wide straw to jam the lubed cotton balls into.
    Visit a Party Central , Dollar Tree type of store and buy the wide straws . They are super cheap and come in packs of 25. Lube the cotton balls and push them inside the straw with a half inch of cotton ball sticking out from other end. Take a crimper and crimp the open end closed . Voila ! You now have a sealed heat source.
    Much better and less messy way to carry fire starters in a zip lock bag.
    Getting lost is a way to find yourself.

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