HAIR: Long or Short for Thru-Hike?

[Maren]

It is comfortable! Besides, no matter how old I am I still love doing things that piss my mother off. The first time I buzzed it when I was 18 she told people I had just had chemo. She's mortified that I'm doing it again at this age. I suppose she hoped I would eventually grow into a lady.

[barks]

Huh. I'm a woman, and I often wear my hair short. I've never been mistaken for a dude. Must be the way I wear my testicles on my chest.

I almost choked on my oatmeal when i read that. You managed to squeeze a genuine LOL out of me. For the record, i have pretty short hair and i'm constantly mistaken for a guy. I guess the testicles on my chest- chesticles, if you will- are just too easy to miss.

Personally, i'm a huge advocate for shorter hair. I've had short hair most of my life and although i think my hair looks nice when it's long, it always ends up being more trouble than it's worth. If you have thick hair, it's going to weigh you down and give you a sore neck as it continues to grow longer. I also found that my hair stays damp for much longer periods of time when it's long, and that can be a huge problem if you want to keep it up most of the time; believe it or not, your hair actually can get moldy and i've known a couple of gals who had to cut off most of their hair after they finished basic training for that reason.

Now allow me to extol the virtues of short hair. Glorious and numerous as they are, i shall only hit on a few. First of all, heat and humidity are much easier to bear. Every summer breeze feels twice as awesome..

Second, although my bedhead is quite epic makes me look like a cartoon character, i find that my rumpled appearance is just one more piece of the laid-back charm of spending days or weeks out on the trail. When we're on the trail, we're all stinky and often wear things that aren't exactly stylish, so why bother worrying about how your hair looks?

And last (but not least) it's so much easier to take care of. No tangles, no twigs forever buried in the middle of your ponytail. Just a quick run-through with your fingers and you're good to go!

The only real piece of warning i have for anyone who plans on going short is that if you have thick hair, make sure you get it thinned out before you go. Otherwise, you'll poof out like a Chia pet within a couple of weeks. Thinning your hair keeps the poof factor down for a bit longer (like a magic delay button). Oh, and if you have cowlicks, prepare to look goofy no matter what you do. I've been at the mercy of cowlicks for nearly a quarter of a century and i promise you one thing- they are both powerful and relentless.

[Zipper]

I wore mine long - in a braid or bun during the day. I like having long hair because I can get it off my neck if it's hot, and leave it down as another insulating layer if it's cold.

I also liked to decorate my bun with feathers I found on the trail. I did not worry about bird parasites - I think that's not a big deal, but who knows? I never suffered any ill effects, and it was kind of like "trail jewelry" - which one to wear today - the blue jay? the yellow shafted flicker? the woodpecker? All three?

I didn't have any ticks in my hair that I know of, but I was pretty vigilant with DEET on my shoes and ankles every day and clothes treated with Permethrin.

I saw women and men with all lengths of hair. Some women cut their hair really short in Harpers Ferry. Anything will work - whatever seems most comfortable to you! Best wishes!

Zipper
VA-ME VA-GA '09

[SCRUB HIKER]

For an idea of what you can expect over 5 months if you cut it short, here's a video from one of my hiking friends last year who took a picture of her hair each day on the trail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0aw6...&feature=share

[Ladytrekker]

I hike in Florida alot and the ticks don't get to bad until about spring not much problems with them in the winter months. If training in Florida for your AT thru just steer clear of palmettos most prevalent for ticks. It is our hiking season now and I will be hiking every weekend either for the day or overnight for the next 4 months. Maybe we will see you out there.

[LilRedTX]

OK, after watching the video posted, I'm gonna do it. And now, since it's the new year, I can say I'll be doing my hike next year instead of it seeming like an infinity away! NEXT YEAR!!!!! Woot-woot!

[Boots73]

If you consider cutting your hair you can always donate it to those agencies who make wigs for cancer survivors...

[Hannie]

I am going to shave off my hair! I recently cut off 13 inches and now its pretty short. It was so liberating to cut it all off. I have always imagined shaving my head just once! Tell me of a better time than 6 months in nature. I dont want to deal with the hygeinic part of long hair and like others have metioned ticks! Lyme disease is no Joke. Up to you, but you only live once!

[Biggie Master]

Huh. I'm a woman, and I often wear my hair short. I've never been mistaken for a dude. Must be the way I wear my testicles on my chest.

Chesticles.

[Emily Harper]

I cut my hair really short, but it works either way.

[Tammy Petry]

I just shaved my head in preparation of my NOBO next month. The most liberating and freeing thing I've ever done.

[RunDMC]

I buzzed mine down to scalp 01.12.2012. It's about an inch now, will be almost two when I hit the trail on 03.15.2012. I did it solely for convenience. If someone wants to assume I'm something I'm not, I think I'll just let that say more about them than it does about me....

[Maren]

+1 RunDMC
Hair today, gone tomorrow.

[n1ck0l3man]

I cannot stand my hair to touch my neck or collar. So I cut mine as short as possible, while leaving enough for a ponytail

[P1nkPanther]

It sounds like you've made a decision, but I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in that long hair doesn't have to be hotter. Just wet it. I have l-o-n-g hair and don't own a blow dryer. After a shower I often need another layer of clothes until my hair dries.

My plan is to cut it to manageable braid length and see how it goes. Just because I start hiking with longish hair doesn't mean I have to end hiking that way. It will give every hiker at my shelter a purpose for those scissors they brought along "just in case".