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Toasty
06-02-2006, 11:05
My hair is usually cut in a short bob style. This in-between length is going to be unmanageable on the trail, so which way should I go -- really short or long enough for a ponytail? :confused:

PS. I don't have "wash and wear" hair. Use of a hair dryer and some kind of styling product are required in my everyday life. Without these things on the trail, I need the ability to either pull it all back and secure it, or have it so short that I just comb it off to one side.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-02-2006, 11:25
I cut mine short for hiking - it is cooler, easy to clean and requires no style implements or products. It is also harder for ticks to go unnoticed in short hair.

Fahrenheit
06-02-2006, 12:04
I found it easiest to go long but not too long. As long as I can get all of it up in a ponytail I really only have to touch it when I get up in the morning and then I cover it with a bandana. One hike I had it really long and the pony tail was just too much. Even when I sort of had it looped up it was still on my neck.

Mouse
06-02-2006, 13:39
My hair started shoulder length and I just let it grow. It did tend to mat at night or when wearing a balaclava hood in cold weather. I would just work out the mats and finger-comb in the morning and I was ready for the day. I sent the 1/2 of a comb I brought home as unneeded within a few weeks.

More than one woman ended up shaving their heads on the trail. The friend I knew who did it shaved hers somewhere in Virginia-PA and it grew out so much by Katahdin that you could no longer guess that it had been shaved. The ultimate warm weather hair style!
:sun

Blissful
06-02-2006, 14:01
Yeah, I plan to cut my hair short next year for my thru and hubby isn't too happy about it. But I think short is the way to go. I've had it long on some hikes and more than once had hair bands fall off onto the ground from slick hair. :)

titanium_hiker
06-03-2006, 01:34
short is a relative word- how short is short?

TH

Red Hat
06-03-2006, 18:52
I have always worn my hair long when on the trail. I can do a number of things from ponytails, to braids, to buns, etc. It is much easier for me than using a blowdryer or gel! I wash when I get to town and let it airdry. It breaks my heart to see the girls chop off their beautiful hair because they think it will be easier. (Shaved heads may be easier, but growing out must be a pain!) My hair was nearly waist length this year and no problems during my short hike.

Mammoth
06-03-2006, 19:30
I keep my hair long. I just had this pic taken when I was camping two weeks ago. This was my hair combed out after five straight days of being in two dutch braids. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/ChloeKing/PICT2765small.jpg. Sexy, isn't it? Sometimes I think that short hair would be easier on the trail, but I would miss my hair if it was gone.

Mammoth
06-03-2006, 19:31
whoops, wrong link, that link was the recovery. this is the real one. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/ChloeKing/PICT2763small.jpg

Blissful
06-03-2006, 20:45
Okay, this may sound strange but what about coloring? Do you all just go gray (those of us over 40, that is)? Or do you color it on the trail like at a hotel, hostel, etc? Or a hairdresser? Just wondering. I know I will be completely white at age 43 if I don't color.

Marta
06-04-2006, 07:39
No color for me. That's way too much trouble.

Re: Long vs. short...I think some of that depends on your hair's texture. Mine is not straight. If it's get more than a few inches long, I often look like those kooky pictures of Einstein (minus the moustache), especially when it's windy. So it's starting short and will hopefully get a couple of cuts along the way.

weggers
06-04-2006, 19:44
If your hair is long enough, you could have it mini-braided before hitting the trail. Very low maintenance.

Dharma
06-05-2006, 00:34
You can start out long and get it cut in a trail town if it's hard to manage. I had long hair the whole time (I'm a male) and only tied it up during the warmer months.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
06-05-2006, 06:56
Re: coloring - I have used the 24 shampoo semi-perm hair coloring products with success in the past. They gradulally fade over the 24 shampoo cycle so they don't look awful as the roots grow out. Be sure you rinse the product out very thoroughly after applying as any residue itchs like crazy and irritates a sweaty scalp.

I hiked with long hair for many years - it is actually easily to style (no days when you slept wrong and resemble Einstein or Alfalfa). I opt to go short today because it is so much easier to wash and dry, does not get 'matted' with sweat and (I have very thick hair) is much, much cooler. I just had my hair cut to 1" on the sides and shaped on top because we are trying to fit in some section hiking between all the family events (graduations, birthdays, weddings, etc.)

bambi
06-05-2006, 14:42
hmmm.... do you think short or long hair really matter?.. i have long hair..and tried hiking with this...i just had it pony tailed...and also try adding some clips or hair pins on the side..this works to those who have bangs....:)

RumpusParable
06-06-2006, 00:13
my hair changes lengths rather a lot, so i generally just work with whatever i have: ponytail if it's long enough for it, handkerchief over it if it's short.... and since i've a mohawk with mane in front right now i'm going to just shave off the mohawk and trim u p the mane around my face and let the back grow out all in one length. throw a hat or handkerchief over it and go... i color my hair a different color about every 2-4 weeks, so when out on long enough hikes to matter (like this upcoming one) i just dye it before i go and then let it fade to white-blond it's bleached underneath (and let the roots justa show black at the base haha!). basically, i just try to start as low-maintenance as possible at first and deal with it as it goes...

Amigi'sLastStand
06-06-2006, 00:39
I posted this on another thread for guys ( girls? ) about shaving heads and faces on the trail. I felt it was important enough to post here for my favorite gender.

shave with a #2 all the way around and stop shaving about week before I take a long hike. That way I get the itchies out of the way at home and so I know my hair follicles/pores are sealed against dirt. I will not shave again until I'm home.

If you do shave on the trail, both ladies and men, please listen up:

You must first thoroughly wash the area to be shaved with soap and water, not just the shaving cream. Make sure you scrub really good so that the hairs move around. Wash your hands very well, also. I would not recommend a "the closest shave in the world" brand either. A two blade is good enough.
Clean your razor after each use with denat alcohol then rinse with water.
All this is needed to avoid a dermal staph infection.

Amigi'sLastStand
06-06-2006, 00:41
I posted this on another thread for guys ( girls? ) about shaving heads and faces on the trail. I felt it was important enough to post here for my favorite gender.

shave with a #2 all the way around and stop shaving about week before I take a long hike. That way I get the itchies out of the way at home and so I know my hair follicles/pores are sealed against dirt. I will not shave again until I'm home.

If you do shave on the trail, both ladies and men, please listen up:

You must first thoroughly wash the area to be shaved with soap and water, not just the shaving cream. Make sure you scrub really good so that the hairs move around. Wash your hands very well, also. I would not recommend a "the closest shave in the world" brand either. A two blade is good enough.
Clean your razor after each use with denat alcohol then rinse with water.
All this is needed to avoid a dermal staph infection.

I forgot to say, this can happen on legs, under arms, and other ( ahem ) areas as well.:eek:

SGT Rock
06-06-2006, 04:34
I am a man, but I have experience in hiking with both long hair (pre-Army) and short hair - VERY short. I would take VERY short any day. Easy to clean and keep up with. No worries about how bad it feels or looks. It is good in the winter because it doesn't require buckets of cold water to clean up like long hair, just a damp bandanna is all that is needed. And in hot weather your head will cool off so much easier.

Of course you have to learn to live with it. When I got my first military cut my head felt like it didn't even belong to me for the first couple of weeks.

Good luck.

LuTotten
06-06-2006, 10:23
I only section hike, but I leave my hair long (almost to the small of my back right now) I just put it in braided pigtails before I go out and don't even have to brush it the whole time. After about 5 days it starts getting messy though...

StarLyte
06-07-2006, 09:28
Okay, this may sound strange but what about coloring? Do you all just go gray (those of us over 40, that is)? Or do you color it on the trail like at a hotel, hostel, etc? Or a hairdresser? Just wondering. I know I will be completely white at age 43 if I don't color.

Blissful-
Color your hair, and always look your best even if you are long distance hiking :sun
StarLyte

Red Hat
06-08-2006, 17:40
I love my gray. no color for me, who wants roots? Dos that mean I don't look my best? Some people may think so, but I think I'm lookin good.

100+ AT Dreamer
06-13-2006, 16:59
This is something I've thought about a great deal. For religious reasons, we women don't cut hair (on head). My hair is past my waist. But I also wear it up most of the time, except at night, and under a veiling. That way it's out of the way and off my neck, to cut down on the bug risk. I'd probably learn to sleep with it in a braid too. I can manage up to 3 days w/o a wash, if desperately necessary, could possibly go 4. But I've camped and washed it in cold water so, it doesn't bother me. Hope that helps.

mweinstone
06-13-2006, 19:28
however you wear it it will be the hair of a thru hiker so it will allways be cool like that. and if you grow old and grey and miss your young hair, you might be sorry you diddnt thro caution to the wind more often an wear it as you like. not one way all the time . change things up.i allways shave off my hair after a long hike cause i need new hair thats darker and not sun bleached.

SawnieRobertson
06-13-2006, 19:39
Hi, Toasty. This is a question that all of us have to answer for ourselves. I wear my hair long all the time now because it takes so long for it to grow out, and, of course, it goes through that awful stage others have mentioned in between. The one good thing about short hair is its ease of washing and drying.

On the other hand, my hair looks pretty good all the time, and somehow it doesn't seem to get as dirty between town stops. I tie it back and then stick it through the back of my cap. This is very good when the winds become strong. I have not lost a cap yet, but I have had one hanging onto my ponytail for dear life.

The pony tail provides a natural block to the sun on the back of the neck. That is a great service. Early on it helps keep my neck and head warm, which helps me stay warm.

As for color, I've tried both coloring as I go and going gray. I'll take gray any day. PROUD GRAY. VERY PROUD GRAY.

I can always whack it off along the way if I change my mind, but the reverse isn't true.

Blissful
06-13-2006, 20:22
After all this talk, I think I may leave my hair shoulder length. Shorter than it is now, but I don't think I will cut it way back like I once thought.

But when I'm in town, I'm getting my coloring, ha ha. Esp in June and July when hubby is along and does it for me, along with $2.50 Revlon.

Ridge
06-13-2006, 20:29
Ladies, chop the mop. Long hair and long distance hiking just don't jive together.

4whim
06-14-2006, 19:05
short rocks!

Blissful
06-14-2006, 19:41
Hey!!! Now the short haired ladies are speaking out! I'm really confused. Ha ha

Guess I'll just wait and see when the time comes what happens to the ol' 'do.

KHamilton
08-15-2006, 13:27
I chose to do something to my hair for my thru-hike that I'd always fantasized about: bleaching it and buzzing it. My hair is normally VERY dark brown and a little above shoulder-length. Well, it was totally fun for my friends to have their way, so to speak, with my hair (mullet-to-rattail-to-mowhawk-to-buzz) before I left to hike, but I felt quite self-conscious after a few days. I'm a very heavy sweater, and all the sweat I was used to having my hair soak up ran right down my face/neck and into my eyes, ears, etc. It was rather annoying and even a problem with a bandanna. I'll post a pic if I ever get around to it, or you can check out my trailjournal on trailjournals.com. It ended up growing rather fast, and it looked like I had a bad frost experiment on it. But hey, I still got the job out here! I'll just grow it out a bit and do the whole pigtail thing for my next thru-hike.

frieden
08-15-2006, 22:03
I use my hair for temperature control. It is past my waist, thin, and curly. When I'm cold, I cover up with it, and when I'm hot, I put it up. I have a round, beaded stretchy thing with a clip (like a barrett). I put my hair up in a bun in that, and the clip holds it in place. The best way to stay warm when hiking, is to wrap it around my neck. I agree about braiding or keeping it up somehow, in order to keep it cleaner longer.

nicodemus
08-15-2006, 23:33
My hair is past my waist, and it will not ever get cut because of hiking. I have found that it's actually been a bug deterent , I wrapped my ponytail around my neck...cause sometimes repellant hasn't worked

frieden
08-18-2006, 22:11
It's a great fly swatter,too!

mweinstone
08-19-2006, 17:25
short hair can kill you. so can long hair and even being bald . time to die now. dumb thread approval granted. you are now a dumb thread. carry on!oh and by the way, dumb thread called,.... hes comming right over.

Minervan12
12-11-2006, 14:21
Dumb thread or not...I'll post my two cents about the mini-braids, anyway.

I mini-braided my hair for a month long NOLS course once....and really loved it while on the trail. I had less to deal with than the other women (long or short) BUT it didn't make it worth it to try to get them out at the end.

To braid your hair for an entire thru-hike is like committing to dreds or shaving...FYI...

Also...I vote medium length....right below the ears....with a bandanna

Red Hat
12-11-2006, 14:43
"Ladies, chop the mop. Long hair and long distance hiking just don't jive together." Ridge, you are so wrong/ long hair and long distance hiking go great together! Past my waist, heading for classic (bottom)! Short hair gives you one look, while long hair has much more variety. The only time I wear it down is in town while air drying. The rest of the time a choice of many braids, buns, ponytails, makes for a nice change. When you only wear one outfit, it's nice to have a different look now and then.

Jim Adams
12-11-2006, 14:46
something for you ladie to consider. short is much cooler and easier to clean, style, etc. but if you have never had short hair before or have never shaved your head before be cautious of sunburn. it can be serious enough to keep you from wearing a hat which then leads to more sunburn. it would be a b***H to get knocked off the trail due to a sunburned scalp!
as far a coloring goes, Miss Janet dyed mine a great electric blue in 2002.

Hammock Hanger
12-11-2006, 15:10
In 2001 I had longer hair, long enough to put into to braids, pigtails. I did this after each wash and really didn't have to take them out again until the next wash. Also when wearing a ball hat it was comfy to have a ponytail hang out the hole in the back of the cap and keep my neck open.

In 2004 I went "butch", I hated it. My hair grows fast and with in 2 weeks it was not butch just short and I found I got a greasy hat head everyday. Yes, it was easier to wash with just a cupful of water but I hated it and I like short short hair. I have had a burnt scalp with short hair.

I am currently trying to let my hair grow so I can either get it in a braid or elastic for my upcoming hike. Unfortunately I cut it last spring and now I doubt I am going to get it long enough for the start of the hike. DANG!!!

Grampie
12-12-2006, 10:20
During my thru in "01" I stopped at Trail Days. They were giving free buzz cuts to hikers. While waiting in line to get mine I watched a girl hiker with long red hair get one. She just sat there and cried thru the whole experience. :(

Frolicking Dinosaurs
12-12-2006, 12:27
I am currently trying to let my hair grow so I can either get it in a braid or elastic for my upcoming hike. Unfortunately I cut it last spring and now I doubt I am going to get it long enough for the start of the hike. DANG!!!Sue, maybe you could start out in the cooler weather with it down and it will be long enough to put up by the time it gets hot?

Hammock Hanger
12-12-2006, 15:52
Sue, maybe you could start out in the cooler weather with it down and it will be long enough to put up by the time it gets hot?

Hoping so... It was just getting to a good length at the end of my FL Trail hike. I thought my long distance hiking was at an end so I was rash and cut it!!! Funny thing is when I started on the FL Trail I had red hair. When I got home I cut it. It grew back in gray, not a speck of red. Wonder if that had anything to do with my hiking partner????:rolleyes:

BYC
01-01-2007, 21:37
A couble of years ago I rode across the US on my bicycle. I had short hair. It was always a bad hair day. Maybe the bike helmet had something to do with it. But as it grew it drove me nuts. I spent $60 on hair cuts over the course of the 3 month trip. I vowed my next extented trip my hair would be long enough to pull back into a hairband. Except for my bangs and a few loose strands I'm there. I won't be hunting down a barber/beautyshop every 3 weeks or spending money that could go towards ice cream.
Both lengths have there plus and minus.
I should have gray hair at my age. Why hide it.
Barbara

Dancer
01-02-2007, 17:24
I have new insight into this. It has been a long time since my hair was shorter than shoulder length and I just got it cut off my shoulders and layered over the holidays. This past weekend I went a couple of days without washing it and couldn't believe how horrible it got! When it is long it holds up much better to infrequent washing. When I decide to thru I will definitely grow it long.

Rainbow
01-02-2007, 17:51
I've hiked long distances with my long hair in a pony tail or braid and found it to work great. The pony tail keeps the hair off my neck when I'm sweating. My hair is very wavy and would look quite wild if I didn't pull it back. A quick brush in the morning and I'm good for the day. Rainbow

Hammock Hanger
01-02-2007, 17:53
I have new insight into this. It has been a long time since my hair was shorter than shoulder length and I just got it cut off my shoulders and layered over the holidays. This past weekend I went a couple of days without washing it and couldn't believe how horrible it got! When it is long it holds up much better to infrequent washing. When I decide to thru I will definitely grow it long.


My thoughts exactly!!

Bread
01-02-2007, 21:42
Mine's long and I'm not even thinking about cutting (or coloring) it.

Dancer
01-05-2007, 16:59
Mine's long and I'm not even thinking about cutting (or coloring) it.


I'm a Gemini with ADD. I have to have change in my life even if it's just my hair style or color. I try not to change jobs or homes more often than every two years so sometimes I get so itchy for something new that I head for the salon and I'm good for a while. Crazy but it's my 'fix'. That may be one reason (of many) that I'm still single. The same man for the rest of my life??!! I'm don't date alot but I do get bored easily.:rolleyes: :)

Cuffs
01-05-2007, 17:50
I'm a Gemini with ADD. I have to have change in my life even if it's just my hair style or color. I try not to change jobs or homes more often than every two years so sometimes I get so itchy for something new that I head for the salon and I'm good for a while. Crazy but it's my 'fix'. That may be one reason (of many) that I'm still single. The same man for the rest of my life??!! I'm don't date alot but I do get bored easily.:rolleyes: :)

I read youre going to soruck! we need to share stories! was married once, but have been single (by choice) for over 9 years. Love it!!!

Havent decided on what length yet, but I now I will color along the way! Grew up mouse brown. Moved to FL, went blonde for 18 years, now kinda red/blonde and love it!! I color at home, no need to spend the $$ at the salon! I save my $$ for hiking and eventually a plastic surgeon! HA!

Dancer
01-05-2007, 18:01
I read youre going to soruck! we need to share stories! was married once, but have been single (by choice) for over 9 years. Love it!!!

Havent decided on what length yet, but I now I will color along the way! Grew up mouse brown. Moved to FL, went blonde for 18 years, now kinda red/blonde and love it!! I color at home, no need to spend the $$ at the salon! I save my $$ for hiking and eventually a plastic surgeon! HA!

I know I'm getting off topic but I can't wait for the SORUCK! Just reserved my bunk today (just got the ok for the days off) and can't wait. See you there.:banana

yael
01-05-2007, 22:04
I hiked last year and started out with hard to manage shoulder length curly locks. After just the Hundred mile wilderness I was ready to get rid of it. Leaves, twigs and bugs all enjoy it immensely. The deer flies are especially happy to get caught up in any hair longer than a couple inches. In Dalton Mass I buzzed it all the way down. Sure, i got a few wierd looks and a couple nasty comments but managing it was so much easier. Just find a stream to dunk your head in! Plus, it really does grow back eventually.

Pokey2006
01-06-2007, 07:38
Long, in low-riding pony tails while you're hiking in the heat. Gets it off your neck to keep it dry and sweat-free, other wise low maintanence, and if it's long, it doesn't get too greasy after days without washing.

Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-06-2007, 08:39
A thought - I'm seeing a trend here: those with lots of hair (thick hair - curly hair) seem to be opting for very short styles while those with normal to thin hair seem to prefer long and ponytailed or braided hair.

Penne
03-10-2007, 20:33
A thought - I'm seeing a trend here: those with lots of hair (thick hair - curly hair) seem to be opting for very short styles while those with normal to thin hair seem to prefer long and ponytailed or braided hair.

I have thick hair and I'm planning on starting with it long. Right now its longer than shoulder length, but not what I would call long hair. I'm thinking I'll wear it up most of the time, braids, high ponytail/ pigtails, and Gibson Girl style ( http://intimelyfashion.com/hair/gibson2.htm )--I need about another two inches for that style. I figure, if I don't like it, I'll cut it.

For those going long, how many hair ties do you think you'll go through?

Marta
03-11-2007, 17:50
For those going long, how many hair ties do you think you'll go through?

I found hair ties up and down the Trail. I don't use them for my hair, but I picked one up in Maine to hold the compactor bag/pack liner closed when my rubber band broke. I'm using that same band still, eight months later.

How many you'll need for your hair depends on how often you'll lose them. :D

Marta/Five-Leaf

Obsidian
03-11-2007, 18:43
I have long thick hair and there is no way I would cut it, it drives me crazy when it's shorter and the end of the hair tickel my neck or ears..

with long hair I can tie it up and keep it off my neck and it's nice and cool and out of the way

Penne
03-11-2007, 21:17
I found hair ties up and down the Trail. I don't use them for my hair, but I picked one up in Maine to hold the compactor bag/pack liner closed when my rubber band broke. I'm using that same band still, eight months later.

How many you'll need for your hair depends on how often you'll lose them. :D

Marta/Five-Leaf


Marta, I just finished reading your trail journal from you 06 hike as prep for my own SOBO hike. It was a very engrossing read.

I traveled Europe for 7 weeks with the same hair tie--somehow I managed not to bring any others and never remembered to buy any. By the end of the trip all the elastic was snapped and I had tied knots in it to fill in the gaps of elastic.

Brrrb Oregon
03-13-2007, 19:44
This is something I've thought about a great deal. For religious reasons, we women don't cut hair (on head). My hair is past my waist. But I also wear it up most of the time, except at night, and under a veiling. That way it's out of the way and off my neck, to cut down on the bug risk. I'd probably learn to sleep with it in a braid too. I can manage up to 3 days w/o a wash, if desperately necessary, could possibly go 4. But I've camped and washed it in cold water so, it doesn't bother me. Hope that helps.


Both lengths have there plus and minus.
I should have gray hair at my age. Why hide it.


Ladies, chop the mop. Long hair and long distance hiking just don't jive together.

I'd make sure I could get it out of my face, because I hate hair in my eyes, but that's me. I'm over 40 and the youngest in my family, so I don't sweat the gray. After a couple of days, I find that I don't sweat the sweat, either. I know--ick!--but it's the truth. As long as I can get my face and neck clean, I can learn to live with hair that hasn't seen shampoo in awhile. It just depends on what your tolerance for sweaty scalp and/or a wet head are. If you can't stand either, I guess I'd consider whacking it off and finding someone to cut it again when I hit a town.

My mom is nearly 80 and still has dark brown hair (right, Mom)....I figured that it is either going to go grey over the years or overnight when I just can't keep a straight face anymore. My husband's hair is a lot grayer than mine, he sees no reason I shouldn't be happy with my real color, neither do I, and so that's that.

If you stop and think about it, there were women who walked from Missouri to Oregon or California before the turn of the last century, not only with long hair but pregnant and/or nursing. They got a zero day to have the baby, and unless the stock needed a rest or the wagon needed fixing, that was it. Shampoo had not been invented, nor Goretex, nor alcohol stoves. The one thing they had in common with long-distance hikers is that it wasn't long before mirrors became a rather minor concern.

Do what you think will cause the least interior complaining. It's a long walk.

Marta
03-13-2007, 21:04
Marta, I just finished reading your trail journal from you 06 hike as prep for my own SOBO hike. It was a very engrossing read.


Thanks for the compliment. And have a great hike! Are you planning to go this year?

Marta/Five-Leaf

sbank03
03-16-2007, 20:02
Long hair all the way for me. Natural length, which for me is just to my waist. Short hair grows & flops into eyes, etc. Buzzed hair makes sweat roll directly into eyes & ears. Cornrows last a long time, as someone pointed out.

ms doolittle
03-18-2007, 18:23
My hair is exceptionally long (down to my mid-back) and very straight. It's also very oily in the summer time. Especially when it's windy, the hair goes back into a pony tail. I just don't think I could handle having my hair short with the type it is.

I've had cornrows before but I never thought about it for a thru-hike. I think it's a fantastic idea!

It's completely a personal choice. If something doesn't work for you while on trail, I can't imagine it being that hard to remedy it.

Jester2000
03-18-2007, 18:58
First time even reading the Women's Forum, and sorry to interrupt by posting, but just wanted to throw in that anyone thinking about getting a short cut might wait until you get to Damascus, as by then you'll have a better idea of how your hair is working for you.

There's always someone in vendorville cutting hair, and Bill's Buzzcuts and Tractor Supply is usually available in the campground -- our motto: "Satisfaction Guaranteed, as long as you're not terribly critical." Bill's can also be found at various locations in PA in July.

Good luck!

Hounoki
03-27-2007, 04:15
I'm pretty excited about this myself, my hair is down to my lower back and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll ask my hiking partner to cut it ear-length on the trail, even though I'm *only* hiking half.
This of course means it will not have time to grow back much before I get home, and my boyfriend will cry.

..tehe.

Heater
03-27-2007, 05:26
First time even reading the Women's Forum,

'bout time!
I mean... you do wear pantie hose when hiking.


Right? :-?

flyingduckmonster
03-30-2007, 12:37
Okay, this may sound strange but what about coloring?

I plan to mostly-shave mine (and give it to Locks of Love or St. Baldrick's, depending on timing) before I leave and dye what's there purple. Just 'cause I like having purple hair and can't get by with it in my corporate job.

This won't work for everyone, though. ;)

I say go with what you've got--you're going to be dirty most of the time, and you'll probably want a hat for sun protection. The extra time/effort of dying it wouldn't be well spent, in my opinion. (Unless it makes you feel a lot better about yourself, of course. Doing what makes you happy is important.)

Starsongs
08-07-2007, 00:32
My hair grows long and thick very quickly. I was wondering about whether, I should keep my hair long or get a buzz cut to optimize my comfort. Any suggestions?

Starsongs

Lilred
08-07-2007, 16:05
I've hiked with long hair and with short hair. I prefer hiking with short hair. It's off my back, but more important to me, when I sleep with long hair, for some reason when I'm on the trail, it gets caught under me and I end up pulling my own hair when I try to roll over. It just plain gets in the way. Also, if I want to wash it on the trail, it's a lot easier to wash short hair than long. just my opinion ymmv.

skinny minnie
08-10-2007, 20:09
A thought - I'm seeing a trend here: those with lots of hair (thick hair - curly hair) seem to be opting for very short styles while those with normal to thin hair seem to prefer long and ponytailed or braided hair.

I second that.

My hair is super thick and curly - def. not wash and go before I chopped it all off. Now that it's short, all I use is water and a little bit of conditioner to style it. I can go a very long time without washing. Just wet a bit in the morning, and it reactivates the conditioner already in there. Use a really sparing amount, though - and not on the scalp. I can't live without bandannas, though. I use one as a wide head band. Keeps the craziness tamed a little, and my hair out of my face - which seems to be a common complaint. Plus, not to be a total girl, but it looks cute!

A short cut is beyond easy, and most people can find a flattering one. What's not to like, when you're going to be in the woods anyway?

Yahtzee
08-10-2007, 22:01
I have beautiful thick luxurious dark hair that is evil when long and sweaty. Had a fellow hiker cut mine off with a Swiss Army Knife in Southern Virginia. It had to go right then and there. If you have thick hair and sweat, I'd go shorty short and enjoy watching it grow back in as you go.

Y

birdygal
08-11-2007, 16:03
I had long hair for so many years I just recently cut it short. It is so much easier to care for. I seem to be a tick magnet I can't spend 5 mins in the woods without getting a tick on me. It is much easier to find them in short hair.

oreotragus
08-12-2007, 19:35
I plan on doing a SOBO thruhike when I graduate college, and I want to keep my hair long. My hair is currently mid-back, and I want to grow it out longer because I am a bellydancer. In my "ideal image" for myself as a dancer, my hair is navel length. Two of my favorite bellydancers, Zoe Jakes and Ansuya, both have very long hair.

I have attached pictures of them both. I want my hair that length!! :)

Phoenix Rising
08-12-2007, 22:52
Did you know that if you get your hair cut at Great Clips and donate it to Locks of Love (min of 9 inch ponytail needed) they will cut your hair for free?

My plan is to grow it until it is long enough to donate again (my guess is about 4 weeks into the hike) cut it to a short bob and dye it stop light red for a week or 2 then at trail days have it shaved off and let it grow until the end. That way when I complete it should be at a length that can be shaped into something better.

Where else is it acceptable by the general population to have bright red hair or a shaved head? I know it will be ugly, but who cares?!?!? It’s the trail and aren’t we going against what is normally expected if us just by going hiking for months on end?