The Stench Factor Q/Poll

[Gris]

This subject came up this weekend in the context of an extended BC trip my daughter will be taking this summer.

 

[sapblatt]

Keep it clean

Gris-
this has only been tested in 2-3 night situations, but with much physical exertion and a lot of deep stench! I find that alcohol wipes, or unscented, hypo allergenic baby wipes do a remarkable job of keeping you from being completely disgusting to anything around you. I find 3 or 4 of them at the end of the day do a great job. As for hair...I have still not managed to open and try my no rinse shampoo...a good thing at the end of a long hike is that you are just too damn tired to care. I suppose on a longer trip in the usmmer I would use it or at least put my head under a waterfall...but not into any ponds after that prior thread regarding leeches!

 

[Gris]

Yup, first thing my totally civilized wife said to my daughter - "baby wipes." Damn, i hate her for being so frick'n smart! She makes me look like the idiot I am ...

 

[TCD]

When it's warm enough and there's water. For a few days at Duck Hole over Labor Day, I'll swim every day, at least for a couple minutes. No soap.

(In Nepal, 14 days between showers. Expedition hygiene: just wear the same clothes the whole time, and burn them with he rest of the trash at the approved burn site in Gorak Shep.)

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Baby wipes. I don't know. Anything that makes me smell good enough to eat I tend to NOT rub on my body.

Keith

 

[Stan]

There's usually a water source for some sort of bathing even if it is a sponge bath without the sponge. I always carry hunters wash cloths (name???); they're like baby wash clothes but larger and supposedly help mask human odors for better hunting.

 

[redsock]

When I took a NOLS course (semester in Alaska), we were not allowed to bring anything like baby wipes or deoderant. Since, we were in bear country almost the whole time, they didn't want the bears to be attracted to the smell of the deoderant. The two showers I took during that Summer were the best I ever took.
Don't know if where your daughter is going in BC is bear country (though I assume it probably is). But she might want to take the bear issue into account.

-Redsock

 

[Chip]

I still use Dr. Bronner's for dishes, body wipe and hair, but have some concern re. the increase in animals in the area and it's smell.
Redsock, does NOLS say anything about Dr. Bronner's ?

 

[Seeker]

I'll take a splash when I have the option--wet down the hair and so on. And I swear by baby wipes--they can help prevent crotchial discomfort, which can be very important!

If bears are a concern (not something I'd worry too much about in the NE) would bet you could find some that are unscented.

 

[twigeater]

I like a swim, as long as the water isn't too cold and the leech factor is low. But for a real washin', I take Dr Bronner's and water off into the woods (well away from the water source) - sometimes just in my cookpot or a collapsible bucket, or a camelback works well as an outdoor shower. Sometimes I add some warm water, sometimes not.

 

[jbrown]

Fill the ol' platypus hoser, find a convenient stump or other sittable surface, sitting on the hoser = instant water pressure and a decent shower. Peppermint castille soap very nice for body, bad for teeth (yuck!)

 

[Chip]

I'll take a splash when I have the option--wet down the hair and so on. And I swear by baby wipes--they can help prevent crotchial discomfort, which can be very important!

If bears are a concern (not something I'd worry too much about in the NE) would bet you could find some that are unscented.

There are plenty of black bear in CT, NY and MA. One stole a backpack from 2 hikers on the AT in CT last week.
Heck, our Town had a contest last year to name the local sow and her cubs. Racoons, skunk, coyote, bear.
No need to attract more attention than needed.
I've seen Bronners recommended to reduce human scent for stalking animals, but I have not
seen anywhere that the peppermint smell attracts them.

 

[twigeater]

Fill the ol' platypus hoser, find a convenient stump or other sittable surface, sitting on the hoser = instant water pressure and a decent shower.

LOL, never thought of that!
I hang my camelbak from a tree then squeeze the bite valve and the water comes out much like water from a hose. Good for rinsing in camp as well.

 

[chomp]

I keep baby wipes in the car... for bathing when I am DONE hiking. I never do much bathing while in the backcountry. In the middle of summer, I will take a dip and rince out sweat-stained clothing, but in addition to remoting odor, removing salt helps lower the chances of chaffing. I barely have enough energy to cook when I am backpacking, so bathing of anyh sort is usually right out of the question.

 

[poison ivy]

I'm a big swimmer, so I tend to end up taking a dip in most of the swimming holes I find along the way. If that's not an option, I usually sort of wash off with my bandana and some water in my cookpot at the end of the day.

I also try to remember to stash some baby wipes in the car... particularly if someone is picking me up after a couple of days in the woods.

- Ivy

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I like to bathe with a soap and water. I fill my water bottles, head far from the water, and wash my hair first. Refill the bottles, and wash the upper half of my body, refill again, and wash the lower half. I think the hair-washing gives me the most 'bang for the buck'. A clean head of hair really makes me feel better (you wouldn't know that from looking at me)

I only bother with on days longer than three trips, or it the first day is rainy, and the next sunny. Less chance of doing this in winter. Pouring ice water over one's head to rince out the shampoo, tends to make one cold very quickly.

 

[Puck]

Nothing gets one up int he morning like unzipping a sleeping bag to release all of the locked up stench vapors.

 

[sapblatt]

Crotchial Discomfort

--they can help prevent crotchial discomfort, which can be very important!

Crotchial discomfort...that was the phrase I was looking for in my post!

 

[woodstrider]

Dirt- deadly stench or extra layer of protection?

Your call. But I know I actually sleep better if I am not covered in a layer of sticky filth.
And though I do find my own filth much more charming then another's, there was that time last summer when I took a sponge bath in below freezing temps. I was getting ready to drive to the airport and home and even I did not find my stench charming. In fact I was sure that I'd be escorted off the plane- before it took off. It was really interesting to observe that the water froze as soon as it ran off my bod. I hope never to have to do that again. Jumping into the car and driving like a fiend with the heat cranked up was pure pleasure- though I did not defrost for some miles.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Nothing gets one up int he morning like unzipping a sleeping bag to release all of the locked up stench vapors.

Ever sleep using a VBL, and having eaten beans the night before?