Ooh, sponge bath - couple of cleaning questions [Archive]

Patrick

08-30-2005, 02:11

I have a couple of "staying clean" questions.

I've been fairly resigned on past trips to just being dirty, but I'm trying to work out a system to keeping reasonably clean while hiking. I'd like to know what others have tried and how my plan sounds.

I'm not trying to live just like at home. I know I'm not going to be lilacs and baby powder. I'm looking to clean up not at the beginning of the day, but at the end so I'm going to bed reasonably clean.

First, I figure I can do the old camp towel wipe down with soap and water at the end of the day. I can get clean enough to be happy like that.

Second, the clothes. I think it's worth the weight to have a lightweight set of camp clothes, just some running shorts and a sleeveless shirt. As far as my hiking clothes, if I carry two pairs of shorts and two shirts, I figure I can wash them every two days or so.

What I'm thinking is carrying one of those silnylon water bags that holds like a gallon of water. I figure I can fill that up and use it as a basin to wash up. I thought for my clothes I could put them in a gallon Zip-Loc and agitate them, then use the water in the water bag to rinse them after I'm done cleaning myself. Something like that.

Also, I don't want to get my hiker badge taken away or anything, but I'd like to be using deodorant as well.

Anyone use a similar system with good results or start doing it but find it didn't work?

How far do I need to be from streams, etc? I figure washing myself every day is important, but I can save washing clothes for when camp is reasonably near water. If I'm like a hundred feet from the stream anyway, am I good washing in camp and dispersing the used water there? I always use Dr. Bronner's. It says biodegradable and all that. Is it safe to just toss my used water or is there other stuff I should be doing or watching out for?

What else should I be thinking of? I know, I know, hiking is sweaty, hikers smell, you get used to it, you don't even think of it after a while, etc. I'm hoping there's a shot of putting that into the backpacks have to weight 60 lbs category, though. I'm not trying to be clean enough to go have high tea or anything. I just don't want to be reeking all day and I don't want my stuff to either.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say.

kncats

08-30-2005, 06:56

First, I figure I can do the old camp towel wipe down with soap and water at the end of the day. I can get clean enough to be happy like that.

Second, the clothes. I think it's worth the weight to have a lightweight set of camp clothes, just some running shorts and a sleeveless shirt. As far as my hiking clothes, if I carry two pairs of shorts and two shirts, I figure I can wash them every two days or so.

Also, I don't want to get my hiker badge taken away or anything, but I'd like to be using deodorant as well.
While we don't try and get as clean while hiking as we are at home, it's my opinion that being a total slob on the trail is simply unacceptable.

My wife and I carry the cutoff bottom of a gallon milk jug with us and use it as a "sink" with a bandana for doing the spongebath thing in the evening. A little Dr. Bonner's in it makes a big deal in how you feel. It weighs close to nothing and takes up no room as we simply pack other stuff in it.

If you're going to carry camp clothes you can wear them while washing your hiking clothes, no need to carry an extra set. If they don't dry over night they will after you start walking.

Do a google search for deodorant rock. It's a mineral that kills the bacteria that cause body odors. You can carry a small chunk of it that'll last for months and weighs less than an ounce.

Blue Jay

08-30-2005, 07:05

My wife and I carry the cutoff bottom of a gallon milk jug with us and use it as a "sink" with a bandana for doing the spongebath thing in the evening. A little Dr. Bonner's in it makes a big deal in how you feel. It weighs close to nothing and takes up no room as we simply pack other stuff in it

This is a good idea. The problem with a silnylon bag is it cannot be set down when you want to use both hands. I know you can hang it from a tree. I use a collapsible bucket I got from LL Bean. You can soak the salt out of your hiking clothes also. I believe the rule of thumb is 200 feet from a water source or where people camp. To disperse the water, throw high and turn.

Patrick

08-30-2005, 09:44

Good information, thank you. The milk jug idea is a good one. Maybe I'll do that today and see how much it weighs. I don't mind having to hang the water from a tree, but the bags I'm thinking of will work fine on the ground. I had one once I was going to make a gravity water filter out of and it worked well. It has elastic around the mouth and sits fine on a reasonably flat surface.

I might have mispoken. I meant I'll have one set of camp clothes and two pairs of hiking shorts and shirts. I figure on "laundry day" I can do like you're saying and wash myself then change into my camp clothes and then do the laundry. I think this will work fine when it's mild out, in that I can probably pick a decent day to do it so things will dry reasonably quickly. I'm a little concerned about when it's colder, though.

I will also look into the deodorant rock, thanks. I've never heard of that before. I have a week long trip coming up starting Sunday and I'm just going to take one of those travel size deodorants with me for that.

Oh, I can't remember where, but I was just reading how smelling peppermint measurably improved athletes' performance in this test they did. Concrete evidence to prove Dr. Bronner's ridiculously invigorating properties.

Anything else I should be concerned about in terms of ecology, leaving no trace, respecting other hikers, etc?

Fiddleback

08-30-2005, 10:11

The camp towels (AKA miracle towels) are great for washing down as well as wiping down equipment, tent condensation, etc. A damp, not sopping wet camp towel, can really get rid of the dirt and dried perspiration. I use a wash-cloth--sized camp towel and follow up with a body wipe. Essentially, a body wipe is a really big baby wipe and are made for bed-ridden patients. Those I use are
9 1/2X13" (nice'n'clean Adult Body Washcloths) which I found at Osco Drug...I imagine Walgreens and others stock similar products. Mine came in a plastic box of 64. They are not individually so I just drop what I think I'll need in a baggie and carry out the used ones in the food trash. I suspect that might help keep the food odor in control too.

The combination of a camp towel and body wipe wipedown is really refreshing. It's the last thing I do before hitting the hammock.

Fiddleback

Frosty

08-30-2005, 10:51

You definately don't need to carry deoderant. Unless your are an extremely fastidious person (in which case you will have many many issues on the trail) lack of deoderant won't both you. Save the weight.

I keep a pair of underwear to wear in my sleeping bag, but not for around camp. Putting on clean clothes on a dity body will only get the clean clothes dirty in short order.

It is easy to wash clothes, harder to dry them.

I don't use soap to wash, and so bathe in a stream with one of those camp towels that come in wafer form. In my mind, washing without soap is no different environmentaly than swimming or soaking your feet. Just do it downstream of the shelter/campsite.

You will not be as clean outdoors as you will at home, but it won't matter. And just wiping off the accumulated sweat makes you feel much better, even when you put on smelly clothes.

It seems to be a truism that if you put clean clothes on a dirty body, you still feel dirty. If you put dirty clothes on a clean body, you feel refreshed. Just wipe down with a wet camp towel and don't worry about the rest.

Scrub hands soapless when crossing streams to remove grime. Carry a tiny bottle of Purell to kill germs on your hands before eating and after taking a dump.

dougmeredith

08-30-2005, 11:37

Those I use are 9 1/2X13" (nice'n'clean Adult Body Washcloths)
Any idea what these weigh?

Doug

squirrel bait

08-30-2005, 11:42

I found that having an extra top to your water bottle (if it's a soda bottle) with several small holes drilled in it helps alot. Mini shower and if you give it a good squeeze your can reach anywhere on your body.

dbarrow

08-30-2005, 12:26

Do you folks use filtered or purified water for bathing and/or washing clothes?

Thanks,
Deb

dougmeredith

08-30-2005, 12:37

Do you folks use filtered or purified water for bathing and/or washing clothes?
I don't worry about having purified water to wash with unless I am cleaning an open wound.

Doug

Whistler

08-30-2005, 15:23

For the most part, I agree with Frosty's comments. I don't notice a need for deodorant until 7-8 days out. And it's usually not a big deal. If you really need it, I would recommend 'loading up' at the trail head. That should last a while. Once it wears off completely, occasional wet wipes or just a wet bandana can keep things clean over the course of the day. Anyone tried Purell in your pits to keep the bacteria down?

A water source and a bandana is typically enough for me to do a quick wipedown of the target areas-groin, feet, armpits, face. Not in that order, though.:)

-Mark

The Solemates

08-30-2005, 15:43

i guess we're just unacceptable :) but we dont really do that much to keep clean on the trail.

in the winter, we dont really sweat much so its really no big deal. we hike, sleep in the same clothes, and do it again. I always splash water in my face in the morning from a nearby stream to get the grease off. If there isnt one, I do this at the first one I cross. Refreshing.

in the summer, we may sweat a lot, but I always take my shirt off and my socks off when I get to camp. Then I lay them out on the rocks to dry. Then I go to the creek and splash water in my face. Before bed, I put my clothes back on and sleep in them. Again, I always splash water in my face in the morning from a nearby stream. If there isnt one, I do this at the first one I cross. Refreshing. :)

Patrick

08-30-2005, 16:05

Thanks for all the tips. Keep 'em coming.

I'm going to be mule-headed and give the travel-sized deodorant a whirl. I'm aware of the weight, but I travel light, so I don't mind a few ounces in the splurge weight of that and the half milk jug I'll try out. Haven't been able to find the water bag locally and I'm leaving Friday, so I don't have time to order one.

Usually for an eight or nine day trip I take two shirts and two shorts and bathe and change halfway through. As you've said, the feeling afterwards is something else. I feel like I could run the whole day.

As I said, I'm not trying to live on the trail like I do at home. I figure I'll shoot for that, though, and will end up somewhere in between.

I know clothes are a bitch to dry. I'm hoping that by shooting for washing them every couple of days, I can wait until the weather doesn't suck. Plus, if it's hot out, my clothes are going to be just as drenched with sweat. If I'm putting on wet clothes one way or the other, they may as well be clean.

I like the bottle cap idea but don't want to be wasting my filter and my time filtering wash water.

So, sounds like my plan is pretty reasonable. I'll bring the half milk jug as a pail, freshen up once during the day with no soap, then give a full wipe down when I camp. I think that will all go fine. I'll give the laundry experiment a whirl and report back.

Mother Nature

08-30-2005, 16:56

I agree with all the wonderful suggestions thus far! I really enjoy reading and learning new ideas from everyone.

You can purchase a sil-nylon water bag from trailquest.net We love it for hauling water to the shelter unfiltered and it will sit on level ground without spilling as well.

I wouldn't use it as a bathing source however if you also plan to use it to haul water later. Especially if you use Dr Bonner or any other biodegradible soap. Over time your own body crud will built up in it.

Smokestack and I employ something similar to the milk jug basin.. we cut down a lightweight plastic paint pail which weighs as much as cut off milk jug but has a flat bottom.. something we found useful when having to eventually clean it. We had been using a cut down milk jug but after a 1000 miles it was pretty gross. :-) Also, over time in the pack the thinner walls of the milk jug warped and failed to hold it's shape making it ackward to bath, stand on one foot and dip your bandana in the basin. Probably not a big deal for the younger set but this old grandmother's balance isn't what it used to be.

Mother Nature

Gray Blazer

08-30-2005, 18:28

Hi Patrick,

I'm just a slackpacker. I'm usually out for no longer thann 4-6 days. However, my suggestion for keeping reasonably clean is alchohol wipes. You can get them in various sizes. They come prepackaged and you can use them to sterilize your cookware, also. They don't wiegh much, but, you will have to pack them out with your other trash. Later, Bear Bait II

Blue Jay

08-30-2005, 21:09

I'm going to be mule-headed and give the travel-sized deodorant a whirl.

Deodorant works well for about a week. After that it's like building a wall of sand on the beach and expecting it to hold back high tide.

rainmaker

08-30-2005, 21:52

Instead of deodorant take a small amount of baking soda in a baggie. Just a little dab will do it.

MedicineMan

08-30-2005, 23:04

just a few ounces of prevention...all of your attack plan sounds good.
Dr. Bonner's rules. And something I add is a film canister filled with cotton balls and then topped off with rubbing alcohol...i'll seek out the stream/creek when possible but at least i have the cotton balls to clean up the nasty areas when no sizeable water source is available or when i'm dog tired.....there are some hikers i believe who revel in the funk

fiddlehead

08-30-2005, 23:17

Clark Fork

08-30-2005, 23:23

This works:

http://www.thecrystal.com/pages/609/sportrock.html

I formerly used Hibiclens which is the soap used by Drs. I became concerned about long term use. I switched to this product and got good results. I found it in a yuppy organic grocery store, here in Missoula.

Of all the hiking items that have come and gone over the last 40 years, I am surprised that Dr. Bronner's soap is still on many gear lists. I never did understand all that gibberish on the label. Just who was or is he anyway? Probably now owned by some conglomerate.

One item, I never hear about these days is Bag Balm. It is great for hot spots and preventing cracking heels. We are careful about Bag Balm out here in Montana because it will make you smell like a wet sheep. :jump

Clark Fork in Western Montana

P.S. This is a great item for a portable sink

The Little Sink: http://www.seatosummitusa.com/products/sinks.php

Seeker

08-31-2005, 00:36

The problem is the humidity. it's tough to dry anything on the AT when it gets humid. Out west this is not a problem and hikers don't stink near as much. Plus there's more opportunity to bathe in lakes out there. It's best to not wear any clothes, then you don't have to wash them. It's amazing that some people wonder whether they should purify their clothes washing water. Really Amazing! I think i've heard it all now.
Take a jump in the streams and lakes when you can. wear minimal clothes, use a silkweight sleeping bag liner, sleep naked, keep springs clean. (some of us drink that water) And NO, you don't have to purify the water you are washing with, or cooking with, or ................oh wow, AMaZING
i wasn't gonna say anything until someone else did... thanks fiddlehead. you sound like shane though, hikin' nekkid... go with what works, i guess...

didn't anyone but me go swimming in the local creek on a hot day as a kid? any grownups ever been to a lake waterskiing? tubing? fishing? just fooling around on a lake in your boat? how about to the beach? did you go swimming then? ever get a mouthful of lake/ocean water? it's all evil, unpurified, full of cholera/ dysentary/ giardia/ crypto and oh so bad for you...

or have we become a society that only swims in chlorinated pools? (ever seen the stats on germs in public pools? eww!)

on a non-facetious note, i screwed up the spigot and threads on a reliance brand 6qt water carrier once, ruining it. i cut off the top, and half of two sides (the spigot side and the one opposite it), leaving the other two sides longer. then i cut ovals near the top, for handles, and used it as a folding bucket... probably similar to the milk jug mentioned earlier, but it folds up rather then having to be filled with something before packing. probably a little heavier though.

have heard good things about 'the crystal' deodorant stick, but haven't used it myself. once a day sponge bath is all i do, and i rinse my shirt and socks pretty much daily (but it's hot here, and easy to dry).

fiddlehead

08-31-2005, 21:58

Do you folks use filtered or purified water for bathing and/or washing clothes?

Thanks,
Deb
This is my favorite hiking question of all time! Really!
Can I quote you on this?

Frosty

08-31-2005, 23:31

This is my favorite hiking question of all time! Really!
Can I quote you on this?
No need to be nasty to someone asking an honest question. We all aren't as smart as you are.

Deb, you really don't need to use filtered water for washing. It's just like going swimming :)

Frolicking Dinosaurs

09-01-2005, 06:28

Did you know that if you right click on a user name it allows you to view the user's profile? Just under the name are three options: Download Vcards, add to buddy list and add to ignore list.

The 'Ignore list' keeps posts written by people on the 'ignore list' from appearing in threads you are reading (a notation that a post is being ignored is there instead). Putting the handful of posters who are consistently caustic to others on ignore status has made this site far more enjoyable for me, but your mileage may vary.

fiddlehead

09-01-2005, 22:46

No need to be nasty to someone asking an honest question. We all aren't as smart as you are.

Deb, you really don't need to use filtered water for washing. It's just like going swimming :)
Sorry, i didn't mean to be nasty at all. In fact i doubt it is a legitimate question. Either way, it's a classic! Most of the world doesn't treat even the water they drink. Possibly some people don't realize this. But water they're washing their clothes in???

Seeker

09-01-2005, 23:35

Do you folks use filtered or purified water for bathing and/or washing clothes?

Thanks,
Deb
deb,

the more i got to thinking about it this afternoon, the worse i felt about what i wrote... if i'd bothered to check first, i'd have seen it was only your second post. this forum exists to teach and trade ideas and information, and what i did was maybe make someone gun-shy about asking future questions. especially bad to do to a 'newbie'. i know better. i left another forum once because a member was 'rude' to me. i'm sorry. please accept my apology.

al :datz

DLFrost

09-02-2005, 05:31

I've been fairly resigned on past trips to just being dirty, but I'm trying to work out a system to keeping reasonably clean while hiking. I'd like to know what others have tried and how my plan sounds.
I like to wash my face and teeth every day. About every third day I add the hair, pits, naughty bits, feet, and one of the two pairs of underwear. (Feet get rinsed every day simply because there's usually a stream nearby to stick em in.) About once a week it's nice to take a layover and clean everything. I agree with the previous poster that a no-soap scrubbdown in a stream or lake works very well.

I'm also a fan of Dr. Bonner's castile soap, carried in a smaller container, nach.... I suggest getting the Tea Tree Oil version because it doesn't smell like food (howdy thar mr. bruin) and because tea tree oil is antibiotic. (Still family owned too: drbronner.com )

If you must have deodorant, just cut off a tiny sliver of stick stuff and wrap it in bit of plastic. I don't think it's healthy to use antiperspirant on the trail.

You can spot-wash clothes (the pits, the crotch) to save time and speed drying.

If you carry a waterproofed stuffsack--like the OR Hydroseal--it can do double duty as a mini washing machine. (I carry a couple of gallon ziplocks to fetch water and don't want to get soap in em.)

Lightweight bathing suits weigh less than a second pair of shorts. Or even the first pair. :D

Doug Frost

David S.

09-02-2005, 07:31

For washing clothes in the backcountry, I use a drybag. On my latest canoe trip to the BWCA, I used a Sealine drybag. You just put the clothes in, add some water and soap, squish the remaining air out and seal the top closed. Then you just agitate it around for 30 minutes or so. Open it, squish the water out, add fresh water for the rinse, agitate agian, drain, and your done! This works exceptionally well and seems to be the most enjoyable method for washing clothes for me. Since the normal drybags might be a bit heavy for backpackers, Sealine also makes a new ultralight drybag out of siliconised cordura that would work...albeit a bit less durable. A ziplock may also work...though my not hold up to serious agitation as well.

PKH

09-02-2005, 07:56

deb,

the more i got to thinking about it this afternoon, the worse i felt about what i wrote... if i'd bothered to check first, i'd have seen it was only your second post. this forum exists to teach and trade ideas and information, and what i did was maybe make someone gun-shy about asking future questions. especially bad to do to a 'newbie'. i know better. i left another forum once because a member was 'rude' to me. i'm sorry. please accept my apology.

al :datz
Well done Seeker.

Cheers,

PKH

papa john

09-02-2005, 08:35

There was an interview very recently talking about the people in New Orleans having to sleep in their dirty clothes. The person they were interviewing was talking about how you could breathe in bacteria from the clothing while you sleep! Pretty bad. I wonder how many people ever got sick from sleeping in their dirty hiking clothes while on the trail?

Wish I could find that interview, but I think it was broadcast and not in print.

Fiddleback

09-02-2005, 09:41

Any idea what these weigh?

Doug
They barely register on my scale...looks like individual 9 1/2X13" body wipes weigh 1/4oz. Remember, these aren't individually wrapped like the wipes that come in the little foil envelopes. When bpacking, these wipes must be kept in a baggie to prevent them drying out.

Fiddleback

Seeker

09-02-2005, 11:15

dream

09-02-2005, 11:28

Most of the world doesn't treat even the water they drink. Possibly some people don't realize this. Yeah but I think given the choice they would rather treat their water. how bout this opening paragraph from the world health organisation. available here...http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/diseases/diarrhoea/en/

"Diarrhoea occurs world-wide and causes 4% of all deaths and 5% of health loss to disability. It is most commonly caused by gastrointestinal infections which kill around 2.2 million people globally each year, mostly children in developing countries. The use of water in hygiene is an important preventive measure but contaminated water is also an important cause of diarrhoea. Cholera and dysentery cause severe, sometimes life threatening forms of diarrhoea."

Just for sheer brutal impact lets assume that the figure of 2.2 million deaths doesn't fluctuate year to year(although lets hope it has declined from past levels).

Now your 55 years old , 2.2 million people dead a year multiplied by 55 years equals........121 million people.

that amount of people that died during your lifetime (give or take a few million) is equivalent to the current population *****ia or Japan or Mexico ( not all combined).

Just because people drink out of the Ganges river doesn't mean people aren't dying because of a lack of safe drinking water.

Now that being said my disclaimer..... these statistics have limited to no value in relation to a discussion on the safety of drinking water in the US. nor does the fact that devoloping countries don't treat their water assume that the risk is not real.

I will never say "treat your water" or "Don't treat your water" but I think everyone should make an educated decision and assume the risk they are comfortable with when it comes to treating their drinking water.

Footnote....... the word *****ia is meant to be an african country that apparently is not friendly to the obscenity filter and was edited by the white blaze software automatically. lets try nygeria

Seeker

09-02-2005, 13:03

Well done Seeker.

Cheers,

PKH
well, wrong is wrong. doesn't matter how hard it is to say 'i'm sorry'... i still had to do it... think of poor deb... if i hadn't, not only would i have still been wrong, she'd have felt uneasy ever posting again, for fear of some a&&hole (like me) jumping on a newbie question again... my mistake. i should feel the pain, not her... hopefully, now she'll feel ok about posting in the future... i may have damaged her permanently... i hope not... even if she's still reading, she's not said 'boo' since then...

ZoSo

09-05-2005, 02:13

Do you folks use filtered or purified water for bathing and/or washing clothes?

Thanks,
Deb actually, the guy that i bought all my gear from, who seemed to be quite the outdoorsman said he doesn't take any water from the source without filtering it. not even to carry it back to the campsite.

i know the general feeling is that it's unecessary, but if you want peace of mind, whats a little extra pumping?

*edit* that being said, i probably will only filter my drinking water on my upcoming trip. but, i will be a little careful about dunking my head in iffy water sources, no matter how good it may feel.

dbarrow

09-05-2005, 09:41

I can see how silly my question seems when you visualize streams, creeks, and lakes as water sources. What I was thinking, but didn't mention, where the still, small, black "springs" teeming with bugs that I've used at some shelters. If you agree that some water sources are filled with nasties, I was wondering how you could prevent cross-contamination. I suppose I would use that source sparingly.

Sorry for the confusion, and hopefully I've redeemed myself a little bit.

Deb

Seeker

09-05-2005, 19:31

for me, that would depend on the source of said spring... some places in the smokies, where i know there's nothing higher up the mountain and it's truly a 'spring', i'll drink it straight, and carry some off to bathe in without treating it... other stuff, lower down, even if it's a spring, i'll treat (but still won't treat to bathe in...)

some of the stuff i come across here in LA, in some side-creeks/bayous, is black and nasty, and i wouldn't even consider not treating it to drink... fortunately, there is always a creek handy to bathe in...

(ps... glad i didn't scare you off.)

Ratbert

09-05-2005, 20:58

For me, it's all about my feet. If my feet are clean, then they're happy and so am I. I've always felt that too many days of sweaty feet and salt-crusted socks lead to blisters. I always try to stop around the middle of the day at a water source and shuck those shoes and socks for a foot bath (insource if a larger creek; from my little Granite Gear "sink" if a spring) and then change into dry socks. If no water, then I'll clean / cool them with alcohol. After this, I feel like I've just started hiking for the day. I go through the same routine at night.

I'm probably a little obsessive / compulsive about my cleanliness on the trail. A couple of years ago I was doing a solo trip in the Grand Canyon and ran into a couple doing some work on a little mule corral. Ms. Cowgirl asked me how long I'd been out and I told her only about five days at that point and she said, "Wow! You look too clean for that!"

Seeker

09-05-2005, 23:53

nothing wrong with that... baths are probably the main reason my wife and other daughter don't go with me camping... too 'icky'... younger one doesn't mind dirt so much...

foot care is probably the most important hygiene issue behind washing your hands frequently, IMO. you can get away with a lot of things, including taking shortcuts with washing your dishes (they sort of get sterilized next time you cook), but your feet are your life on the trail, and dirty hands will introduce all sorts of nasties to your system, no matter how clean you make your drinking water...

CynJ

09-15-2005, 22:43

I haven't done any overnight backpacking yet (tent camping in w/truck nearby yes but no backpacking) - so I don't know exactly how I will feel about keeping clean.

I think the sponge bath thing sounds good though - it would feel awesome after a long day and would be a nice way to relax, cool off. When we day hike I love just dipping my bandana in the river and wiping off my face, neck, and hands - makes me feel totally refreshed.

I am considering bringing a bottle of the no-water shampoo for my hair (its really long and thick) - I can go for a max of 3 maybe 4 days without washing it. Otherwise my head will break out massively and be very itchy.

I do worry a little as a woman about feminine hygiene on the trail, but in the grand scheme even if you only bring one or two spare changes of clothes I don't think a few extra pairs of underpants would be too large a pack burden to avoid getting any sort of infection. That would be MISERABLE on the trail..... (note to self - get the magic pink pill prescription to bring on trail)

frieden

09-16-2005, 01:26

Bag Balm is the best...but it stinks a lot worse than wet sheep.

You can get the mineral deoderant in a roll on, now. That's what I use, and I've used the rock for years. Start using it now, because it takes awhile to become effective. It'll even work for more than one day, without new application. I think the rock works better, but the roll on is faster.

I'll be heading out in early March, so I haven't figured out the washing up thing. I'm certainly not jumping into a freezing stream! The bad thing about the East coast is you will be in a constant state of wet. Clothes don't dry in the Winter, because of the cold, and in the Summer, because of the rain and humidity. Just keep your feet clean and dry! I remember reading in one of my books/magazines on how to make a clothes dryer, using your campfire, without letting any of the smoke at them. I'll try to find that. Has anyone tried that?

Seeker

09-16-2005, 02:00

that's one thing i do NOT miss about living and hiking in the smokies... those cold mountain stream baths... take your breath away even in july... nice on the feet though. down here in LA, the streams are warm as bath water by may/june, sauna-like in july/aug. fine canoing weather! always crop my hair short in summer, so it dries faster.

don't know diddly about female hygiene, but i'm definitely interested (if grudgingly so) because i have a daughter who will need to be taught... any women out there want to comment?

never figured out how to dry clothes over/near a campfire without at least some smokey smell... use of a reflector rock seemed to help speed it up though.