what about those legs?

[dixicritter]

Wow!! it was simply a broad generalization and a compliment to woman that KirkMcquest made. Sheesh don't get your ...e... panties in such a wad over something so minor. I can't even see where it was rude.

I did not quote McQuest. I posted a general warning to some others and the posts were deleted that I was talking about. This is the FEMALES forum NOT intended for males to post in in the first place. And YOUR post is rude.

[Happy Feet]

You'll see as you go how important it is for YOU to shave. There are usually razors in the showers and you can use them - or not. For me, I did sometimes and sometimes I did not. When we got up in CT, even the GUYS talked about shaving their legs (one did - poor guy, it took him FOREVER)! It made it easier to see the nasty ticks.

[Icicle]

Last year I only shaved in towns. I know some girls didn't shave at all - but I am not that brave. My legs don't bother me too much - but I can't take underarm hair!

I don't do the Brazilian or wax - but I do have a scissors and cut it short - it seems cooler that way. A Brazilian or shaved, for me is too, um...uncomfortable....

[Casper]

If you've never tried it, I would NOT recommend shaving the lady place just before a long-distance hike. (Try it at home first if you want to see how it feels.) Skin that's never been exposed bare before is sensitive/tender and when the hair grows back it is ITCHY! I never had trouble with chafing, just the weird feeling of being bald :-) If you're interested in forest management, try TRIMMING. You can use a cordless beard trimmer (seriously) that comes with different lengths of comb so you can leave some undergrowth for a buffer. (It's nothing I'd carry in a pack, though.)

[I sure hope the woman who thought the underwear discussion was too intimate is following this one.]

[mindi]

Underarm hair is probably the only thing that's going to bug me, I'm going to take a couple of those little Noxzema bikini razors so I can just swipe it over every couple of days. I normally shave my 'lady place' but I stopped just in preparation for my hike (even though it's a whole year) because I wanted to get used to having it again and I didn't want to deal with the itchies on the trail. I'll probably shave my legs when I get into towns, I don't really care if they're hairy.
Mindi

[Catsgoing]

Natural Let It Grow............ When camping or when I was able to hike. I wasn't out there to meet and marry anyone.
Just let it grow. The hair on your legs feel funny in the breeze.........
The Men Just Look Like The Hippie Days While Hiking Most Don't Shave there face that is.................

[Rain]

Shaving isn't really a big issue for most women on the trail. I carried a lil' disposable for my underarms (cause I just couldn't stand long underarm hair, I tried to, failed) and shaved my legs every few weeks, whenever I was lucky enough to get a hotel/motel/hostel room. A few have given up ever shaving their legs again, their leg hair is already thinning and turning lighter so its less of a worry for them now.

[Kozmic Zian]

Yea, Magic Powder....

PEEEUUUUUUUUU!!!!!! Please use at privy.

KZ@

[Yo-Yo]

One of the things that I am looking forward to on the trail is getting away from all the things that us girls have to do to stay "pretty" by the standards of our society. I've been telling my friends how excited I am to not have to shave my legs and armpits for as long as I want. They think it is disgusting. The longest I have gone with out shaving was five weeks during my trip to through Europe and it didn't bother me at all. Actually, I was quite proud of it. I would show off the armpit hair every chance I could get. My male hiking companion was not impressed at all (HA HA). I loved it. I just can't wait to be out there and just be how God created me. No make-up...no shaving...no deoderant...who cares what you wear...how much better can it get?

well I am that way all the time as far as what I wear goes and not wearing makeup I just say if some one don't like the way I look they can just look the other way. I always have been that way with dressing. In school I always wore overalls and gean jacket the teackers would always say why don't you dress like all the other gals and I would tell them cause I ain't all the other gals
HA HA HA HA but then too
there was always a note at eh bottom of all my report cards that said
LINDA DOES NOT LIKE TO FOLLOW THE RULES, SHE WOULD RATHER MAKE UP HER OWN
plu

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

[I sure hope the woman who thought the underwear discussion was too intimate is following this one.]

I forgot about her. She's probably passed out on the floor if she's seen this discussion.

[atraildreamer]

You can always just wax and send yourself those waxing strips in your bounce box. It'll keep you hair-free longer.

Can you use those strips to repair rips in nylon? Could save you some weight.

Then again, just use duct tape and show the men who is really the toughest on the trail!

[Lilred]

I'm lucky to have been blessed with red hair and very light body hair. I can go for a week without shaving my legs and you still have to look real close to see I have hair on my legs. Armpits are the same way. My shaving isn't a daily thing and never has been by any means.

[Pest]

It really upsets me that so many women are raised to believe that a normal part of their body is disgusting.
So there's my 2 cents...
mle

I hear that. Hair on a woman is natural and normal. Hair is not dirty and the hair on our heads does have insulative properties.

I only shave my legs in the summer and I quit shaving under my arms when I was in my early teens.

[VictoriaM]

I don't think it's disgusting because I was brainwashed by the patriarchy or any of that BS. I think it's disgusting for me because I feel dirty when I'm covered with body hair. If I don't shave (at the very least) every other day my skin crawls like I'm covered with bugs. I hate how body hair feels. I'll be carryng a razor for my whole hike.

Now, a question. Baby powder is a pretty good shaving gel alternative, but I'd be worried that the smell would attract bears and other wildlife. Would it? Or is there unscented baby powder? I'm planning to bring baking soda for most of my cleaning needs, so I might try using it to shave to see if it works the same.

[frieden]

I used to shave with a lighter. It worked pretty well.

[Pest]

I don't think it's disgusting because I was brainwashed by the patriarchy or any of that BS. I think it's disgusting for me because I feel dirty when I'm covered with body hair. If I don't shave (at the very least) every other day my skin crawls like I'm covered with bugs. I hate how body hair feels. I'll be carryng a razor for my whole hike.

Now, a question. Baby powder is a pretty good shaving gel alternative, but I'd be worried that the smell would attract bears and other wildlife. Would it? Or is there unscented baby powder? I'm planning to bring baking soda for most of my cleaning needs, so I might try using it to shave to see if it works the same.

Exactly, every women has a right to choose how she deals with hair based on how she feels about it as opposed to how her culture feels about it.

As I get older I find it less and less scary to do what I want.

[Smile]

I think once you get out there on a thru-hike you may find that it's one of the least important things you'll be concerned with (if you're out there at least a few weeks anyway)

To each their own, enjoy the hike and the freedom it lend you to just be yourself - no matter what you look like! ;-)

Just dont' shave in water sources please.

[Dancer]

There might be a thread on this and it is somewhat off subject but what about the hair on your head? I wash my hair every day and hate to have dirty or oily feeling hair. I have below shoulder length hair and am trying to decide if I should cut it really short, shave it, corn-row it or just try to wear it up and get used to it. What do you ladies do?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

There might be a thread on this and it is somewhat off subject but what about the hair on your head? I wash my hair every day and hate to have dirty or oily feeling hair. I have below shoulder length hair and am trying to decide if I should cut it really short, shave it, corn-row it or just try to wear it up and get used to it. What do you ladies do?

I cut mine into a short, but definitely feminine style that requires no tools or equipment to maintain. At home, I use a volumizing gel and blow part dry - finger style. When in the woods, I comb and style with fingers (no gel).

[Dancer]

thank you FD! I love that picture. You look so happy! That is what it's all about. We can discuss gear and hair and all that all day long but in the end we all have to do our own thing to get that smile. God bless.