Cloth menstral pad - recommendations anyone?

[CynJ]

I was wondering if anyone had any experience/recommendations on the reusable cloth menstrual pads? I like the look of the Lunapads and their inserts as a replacement for disposable pads. I don't get grossed out by blood/bodily fluids so washing isn't an issue (ziploc bag and campsuds for the win).

FWIW I know a lot of folks are in love with the diva cup or sea sponges but I can't use them.

Anyone use these cloth pads?

[Water Rat]

I haven't tried these, but did want to offer a thought on the produce and maybe break the ice and get other females to chime in.

I think my biggest concern would be the material it is made out of - cotton fleece. If you are hiking someplace out west, where the trail is dry, I can see the material as not being a big factor. However, the humidity on the east coast (and damp feel in general) would make me a little nervous to be using anything cotton. I would be concerned about the pads not properly drying and being less effective for absorption and I would also be worried about camp suds not getting the pads clean enough. Blood/bodily fluids don't bother me, but Ziploc bag washing doesn't give things a very deep cleaning. Add the decreased ability to get the pads properly dry and it becomes a very hospitable environment for bacteria.

If you go this route, I would take more pads than you need/would normally go through and then make sure they are properly washed and dried in town. Bounce box them when you don't need them and then carry a little extra weight when you do.

[illabelle]

I'm past the age of needing to use anything, but I've heard that many women use hormonal treatment to halt or greatly reduce menstrual flow during a thru-hike. Don't know the details, or if this is an option for you, but worth considering.

[Just Bill]

For the bacteria issue...
In scouts we used blue sponges and simple cotton dishrags for cleanup. One of the dad's was quite fastidious regarding keeping clean.
At the end of the day he collected all the sponges and rags and simply boiled them for a few minutes to ensure they were bacteria free.

I'd imagine the same practice would work fine with this product.

Not sure why a bit of AquaMira and overnight soak wouldn't safely work either for that matter.

[CynJ]

I carry eyedrop bottles of both bleach and vinegar - either would do the job of helping to sanitize but I like that AquaMira thought too!

I actually hike in cotton underwear I just haven't found synthetic panties that don't chaff.

I've seen some of the reusable pads in non-cotton versions so that could be an option. I just hate ordering stuff on the internet with either having seen it in person myself or getting a real recommendation from someone who has.

[Water Rat]

Since the site advised to use cleaners that were less harsh (and no chlorine bleach...for anyone out there reading this thread!), I just mentally discarded the bleach option. Vinegar would work, Aqua Mira could work... For the price of these pads, I would be hesitant to use any cleaning product that might cause them to decrease absorption. Hopefully, someone can chime in who has used these pads and can tell us a bit more!

As these are pads and are made to absorb, I would still question their dry time on the trail. Underwear and rags are made of thinner materials and will dry faster. I can think of several days in the NE this summer, where these pads would not have dried.

Please do not take my words as an argument against these pads! It just might mean that you need to carry a few more and give them a good wash & dry in town. For the amount of time you will need them on the trail, this is definitely something that can be worked around.

As for underwear that doesn't chafe (and, possibly a whole other topic), have you tried Ex-Officio? Smartwool makes a nice wool underwear (sounds itchy, but that is not the case)

[Casey & Gina]

I actually hike in cotton underwear I just haven't found synthetic panties that don't chaff.

I don't like synthetic materials directly against my skin, and would not want chemically-treated ExOfficio underwear up against that part of my body, so I understand. We got Icebreaker 100% merino wool underwear, but cotton is both cheaper and more durable.

One of the main problems with cotton and hiking the AT is that it does not dry fast. We use flat cotton diapers for our son but drying is the biggest pain. What works well is planning to have your main break from hiking midday rather than the evening - this way the sun is in full force, temperature is higher, there's no shortage of light, etc. This is when we stop and wash cookware, dirty clothes, dry out anything wet from a rainy night before, eat the biggest meal of the day, etc. If conditions aren't great for drying a campfire really helps. That said, hemp is both significantly more absorbant and dries faster than cotton, so I would suggest getting some hemp material and making your own pads. My wife uses a diva cup (though I wouldn't, lol!), but I plan on making hemp diapers for our son.

Another case for making your own is that you can make something that is flat and requires folding into layers to use. This way, like a flat diaper versus a prefold, it can be much more effectively washed and dried much faster than a product which has many layers sewn together.

[squeezebox]

Sounds like there is a niche market to fill for the hemp pads and diapers alike. Maybe once you have your design figured out, go into production.

[TinyLegs]

I use Luna Pads and I clean them with vinegar. They do take a long time to dry, but I just carry extra with me. I really like the luna pads because they come in a few different sizes. I have a really light flow, so I can change the inserts multiple times without having to change the actual pad. I've been using the lunas for about two years and the first set I bought are still in great shape (though the light colored ones will show some staining if not rinsed out right away). Luna also sells carrying pouches, and I have found those to work really well for carrying used pads until I can thoroughly wash them. One thing to consider is that typical disposable pads usually have some anti-smell qualities, and so there is more of an odor with luna pads. I haven't found that to be a serious issue, but it might be different for people with heavy flows.

[MN Star]

I have used these products as liners, and bought some heavier pads as a gift to my green cousin. She loved them!

I actually met the sisters who run the company and got a free sample at my local co-op. Sweet girls that really have a nice business!

The best part is the awesome fabrics to feel cute even when you are bleeding on them.

http://partypantspads.com/

[MN Star]

Forgot to add, you get a free sample as a new customer!

[Water Rat]

I use Luna Pads and I clean them with vinegar. They do take a long time to dry, but I just carry extra with me. I really like the luna pads because they come in a few different sizes. I have a really light flow, so I can change the inserts multiple times without having to change the actual pad. I've been using the lunas for about two years and the first set I bought are still in great shape (though the light colored ones will show some staining if not rinsed out right away). Luna also sells carrying pouches, and I have found those to work really well for carrying used pads until I can thoroughly wash them. One thing to consider is that typical disposable pads usually have some anti-smell qualities, and so there is more of an odor with luna pads. I haven't found that to be a serious issue, but it might be different for people with heavy flows.

Feel free to not answer this question, but I am now genuinely curious about the dry time for these pads. In your experience, about how long does it take to dry a pad? I mean, just in a regular line-dry environment without humidity? I can think of some friends who might be interested in this product. I would imagine they would want to carry enough pads to get them through their period and then wash in town. On the other hand, they might want to carry only as many as they absolutely had to carry.

[TinyLegs]

From my experience with just a typical line-dry it takes about 6 hours for the pads to dry out. The liners take less time since they are thinner and smaller, which is one reason I like to swap out liners often so that I don't bleed through to the actual pad. Swapping liners definitely wouldn't work for someone with a very heavy period.

[Water Rat]

Wow - That is less time than I suspected! Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question.

[CynJ]

This has turned into a great discussion!

I am leaning towards the Luna Pad simply for the ease of swapping out inserts. I'm using them not only for my period but for everyday because of what I call my sneeze-n-pee problem (lol I'm on two separate water pills and ALWAYS have to pee). I think they are going to work well for that.

[virginia jen]

I used 2 elemental new moon pads (newmoonpads.com) as liners with diva cup on my through hike last year. I switched to this combo probably 4 years ago now, and haven't had any issues. On the trail, I just tossed pads in with my laundry. Yeah, sometimes it was embarrassing when splitting laundry with 4 guys. But whatever. The pads are well made, last a long time (I still use the two I had on the trail), and easy to care for. Unlike traditional pads, I never had problems with chaffing. And diva cup + 2 liner pads = 1.65 oz