Where/how often do you shower?

[mires]

Now I'm not talking about in your every day life here. I am talking about when on a trip and not staying in hotels. I read all of the trip reports that I can and see a lot of folks gone for weeks or months on end. I would love to do this one day, for at least a few weeks, living out of my vehicle with a sleeping platform and all that jazz. My question is how often do you usually go without showering, and when you do, where does this shower take place? Sorry for a silly question if it is indeed a silly question.

[LeoLR]

Mornings and bedtime. Im sorry but I like to be clean. :sombrero:


I also wear tucked in shirts on the trail and have real silverwear and flatware. So roughing it is not my area.

[mires]

I am a daily showerer as well as we all should be lol. But if you are on a long trip, where are you showering twice a day. ?

[Hill, Bill E.]

I try and get at least one shower a week. (when out rambling around:snorkel:)

What I do in between, is use unscented 'baby' wipes, and wash up in the tent/rig/behind a tarp.

I know that in places like Moab*, and areas of Colorado, there are areas you can get a hot shower for a few bucks.

Having been a Pipefitter, and working in hot places like boiler houses and paper mills, I had to have a shower after work!

But while in the service, you get used to going without a daily shower, and sometimes even weekly showers.

That's where I started using the 'baby' wipes. Not as satisfying as a nice hot shower, but it gets the job done.


Solar showers work OK, if you're in a warm place. Otherwise, like at the cabin, I use a tank on top the woodshed, it has a garden hose sprinkler head on it, and I fill it with water heated on the stove.

Hope to have the suana built next year:coffeedrink:


* The grocery store in Moab (City Market) has a list of places that offer hot showers.

[LeoLR]

I am a daily showerer as well as we all should be lol. But if you are on a long trip, where are you showering twice a day. ?


At camp. I have a portible shower stall. My wife got me in the 2 shower a day habit and its hard to break. I carry alot of water if I dont have a water source. But we always camp by rivers or pond.

[cort]

Zodi extreme and a pop up porta shelter. 1...or maybe 2 times a week. It does have a way of invigorating you.

[mires]

At camp. I have a portible shower stall. My wife got me in the 2 shower a day habit and its hard to break. I carry alot of water if I dont have a water source. But we always camp by rivers or pond.


I'll admit. If I had enough time to shower in the morning, I definately would. I sleep until the last possible minute lol.

[1leglance]

Being an amputee I have to sit to shower which makes things tough...
So I normally either use the baby wipes each night before bed or will take advantage of the hot water system on the Sportsmobile to do a rag wipe down.

Then about once a week I can manage to put together a longer stay and setup the rear shower on the Sportmobile and use the folding toliet as a shower seat.

I hope to get my wife out more which will mean daily or every other day showers for sure, but with 16gal of water on board I am ok with that.

[LeoLR]

I'll admit. If I had enough time to shower in the morning, I definately would. I sleep until the last possible minute lol.

I get up at 8:30 and shes up by 10am which gives me time to have my coffee, take my shower, and pack everything up but the tent and shower. After she showers I pack up the last couple things and we are moving by 11am.


I make time up in my driving. :sombrero:

[aires35]

I was in the Marines in Desert Storm. I cracked-up at this letter that my sister sent me saying how cool it was that they had these trucks come around to the troops with these portable showers. At the time it had been 4 months since my last shower. We went 6 months total. Daily hygiene consisted of brushing teeth, washing hair, and using a rag with warm water and a bar of soap to get the important crevices cleaned. Once you're out there, you'd be amazed how little you really need. As my wife likes to say, "Americans are so obsessed with bathing." I will say that just daily washing of your face, brushing teeth, then once a week, really thorough sponge bath is all that is needed. This is my experience.

[aires35]

Being an amputee I have to sit to shower which makes things tough...
So I normally either use the baby wipes each night before bed or will take advantage of the hot water system on the Sportsmobile to do a rag wipe down.

Then about once a week I can manage to put together a longer stay and setup the rear shower on the Sportmobile and use the folding toliet as a shower seat.

I hope to get my wife out more which will mean daily or every other day showers for sure, but with 16gal of water on board I am ok with that.
Agree, the usefulness of baby wipes could not be overstated!!!

[theksmith]

baby wipes rock!

however, i've also found these are tough, very wet, and work even better: http://www.rei.com/product/730067

sometimes i use cheap unscented baby wipes to get the major dirt off, then one or 2 of those for final cleaning.

of course portable shower systems are great when you have the time to setup and/or the water available! working on a hot water shower system for the jeep right now.

[mires]

baby wipes rock!

however, i've also found these are tough, very wet, and work even better: http://www.rei.com/product/730067

sometimes i use cheap unscented baby wipes to get the major dirt off, then one or 2 of those for final cleaning.

of course portable shower systems are great when you have the time to setup and/or the water available! working on a hot water shower system for the jeep right now.

I'll keep that in mind. The reviews look great!

[007]

I feel pretty gross the first week, but by the next week Its all good and I feel fine.

[RTO_Tracker9]

We shower once a day using our Solar heated "Road Shower". We use a portable 12v air compressor to pressurize the Road shower and it is nice having some sort of shower capability. We use it for just about all of our water needs while camping or on the road.

The number one reason to have some sort of shower setup is too keep the wife happy! I have learned that if she is miserable while camping then I will be miserable while camping, on the road home, at home, and the rest of the week!! Been there, done that, learned from it!! :)LOL!! :oops::camping:

[Fireman78]

I try to get under that nice Zodi at least every day. Unless there are creeks I can dip into. Not showering is just gross. Smelly, nasty butt. Seriously gross, the longer one goes, longer he won't smell himself. (Olfactory fatigue). I had enough time going without in the Army and US Forest Service. I don't even like being on trips where others have an opportunity to, but simply don't.

[Corey]

At home I have to shower at least twice a day, just comes with the job.

Camping every day.
Makes it easy with a Zodi Hotman Extreme and a Porta-Privy shelter.

When backcountry camping out in the woods, I always camp near a water source such as a creek or river, and can fill the Zodi there.

Also if no one is near, I will dip into the stream and bathe, sans soap of course.

And I agree, not cleaning up is gross.
Been around a few who do not keep clean while camping, and my nose takes offense to it.
Not much difference than smelling a bad fart.
I hate being around stinky people.

I can see having to not shower for prolonged periods such as the military (I have heard stories from my oldest son and others) but if out camping and you have the room for the gear, use it :D

[Purple People Eater]

I just use a wet hand towel and wipe off a couple times a day. What really gets to me though, is my hair. I have super thick hair so sweat and dirt just stay in there. After 2 or three days, it gets stinky and itchy, so I fill a cup with water and pour it over my head, scrub down with a small bottle of hotel shampoo and rinse it out again with the cup. Works for me. My body odor has never really been a problem, especially when I'm very liberal with the deodorant.

Although, if you're on a trip with me and this proves to be inadequate, please tell me. I'll figure something else out. :victory:

[jim65wagon]

With four people packed in the Tundra on a trip it gets rank if we skipped showering. We have been known to use the wipes if we have plans to move out early in the morning, but we usually shower in the morning while the coffees brewing.

If we get really gross after a day hike or some other mucky adventure we'll shower in the evening....unless there's a creek, river, lake, ocean etc, then we swimNwash....

The Triton portable hot water heater works great if you've got the water

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4775771410_fbd81daa49.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jim65wagon/4775771410/)

[The Swiss]

Really depends on the situation.A lot of out-door activities involve water anyhow :sombrero: But as a general rule:

Hot weather or after a dusty/dirty day: Thoroughly wash myself before dinner camp and in the morning.
Cold weather and "clean" day. Just the thorough morning wash.

If showers are available, I like to shower daily. If there are no showers, good personal daily hygiene and regular change of your base layer clothing will keep you socially acceptable for a long time. However, after 4 to 6 days I like start looking for a shower - at a truck stop for example - as my scalp would start itching; I always have the feeling that I don't get all the shampoo out of my hair if I don't have lots of hot water. However, my progressing bolding process will solve that problem over time :elkgrin:

[zimm]

im not one for winter trips so, its easy.

sponge, bucket, chair ='s clean me and CLEAN SHEETS at the end of the day. cold water on my head in the morning.

[Fireman78]

I remember being without a shower for about two weeks while on a string of fires in Nevada. Eventually the entire crew took my lead and showered with the tank water, the booster line and used Silvex (firefighting foam) for shampoo. Another was in the Army, we used to pass a jar around the bay and pluck ticks off of us after a field excersize. Most I ever had was 28. I think the record was 40. Pretty gross indeed!

[Flounder]

I've done so many 10-14 day trips sans shower, I couldn't count them all. Many of those trips were as a mountain guide or sea kayak guide. On some of my longer trips, I've gone as long as 50-75 days without a shower. This doesn't mean I'm unclean. I'm the Howard Hughes of the backcountry. That's helpful in the sense I do my best to stay clean, which makes getting clean easier. In warmer climates, the best thing in the world is a well timed rain shower. Love that.

I remember on one trip I arrived at day 20 of 97 days with my last baby wipe in hand. I distinctly remember feeling depressed there would be no more baby wipes.

[R_Lefebvre]

I don't.

I jump in the lake. Good enough for me.

It's one of the things that's different about camping up here. You're always within spitting distance of a fresh water lake.

[Martinjmpr]

Depending on the temperature and the time of year I'll do a "whore's bath" from the waist up on a daily basis: Water and a washcloth and soap. If it's cold I'll heat some water up on the stove. If I'm on or near a highway, I'm not shy about using rest areas or truck stop restrooms for my daily clean up, either.

I'm a bit obsessive about my hair as well (hey, at 48 I figure I'm lucky to have hair so I want to take care of it - my brother is only a year older than me and he's been balding since he was in his 30's :elkgrin: )

Even though I spent a lot of time in the Army I don't like being too grungy.

Actually, that's why the trip I took last year to Nevada was one of the best ones I've ever been on. I went with Bob and Jan (CanuckMariner on this forum) and Bob's girlfriend Sue and we trekked our way across Nevada. What was cool about it was that every night but one we stopped at a natural hot spring. So no matter how dirty, dusty and sweaty we were, we would end the day by bathing in a nice hot spring!

Then, the next morning, I'd take my canvas bucket and a towel down by the spring and give myself a "shower" with the hot water, rinse off real well and then jump back into the spring again. It meant that I started every day fresh and clean. Of course, you have to be pretty comfortable with nudity if you're traveling in a group like we were, but for the 4 of us it was no big deal. Not sure my wife would have been as enthusiastic about it if she was there.

It was so great that now whenever I go anywhere I want to check and see if there are any natural hot springs there. It basically made a primitive camping trip downright "civilized!" :sombrero:

[Lichen]

One of the nice things about camping is that you don't have to take no stinking shower. Wet wash cloth, or baby wipes, or baby powder. If I stink too much, move farther away from me. Camping showers - good grief.

[Maximus Ram]

ok, so for those that have a portable shower - either the eccotemp or the zodi - how well do they work ? do you run the pump off of your truck battery or have a seperate one ? I've looked at both and for the price, the eccotemp seems to be good.

[Corey]

My Zodiac is hand pump powered, that is the one I reccomend.
Search Cabelas site for Zodiac Hotman Extreme.
I retrofitted a kitchen faucet sprayer to it, and it works very well.

Sorry my Droid picks the words as I type, need to turn off that feature.
Zodi not zodiac.

[UK4X4]

Shower.......replaced

with unscented baby wipes

Rivers

Ponds

the sea

wet towel rub down etc etc

usually soap not included unless required


hair if left unwashed after a month it cleans its self, the greasy feel disappears and the hair looks great...
in the last two weeks before the miracle effect it does look a tad gross though - push through the boundry and it looks great !

[SWbySWesty]

I run a $15 solar shower. But I'm in California and the desert so temps are decent with lots of sunshine. Take the shower BEFORE dark. Just strap it to the roof while you drive your trail during the day and POOF, HOT SHOWER after rolling into camp. (or as mentioned, heat it up and pour into bag)

I hang it on a tree usually with some rope. I generally camp away from campgrounds so the nudity thing is no problemo.

One of the best parts of a trip was showering, then climbing to the roof of my Jeep overlooking a valley and yelling since nobody could hear me! Very liberating! The gf got jealous and joined me up there.............

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs173.snc1/6488_758133681897_3620585_43832564_2311781_n.jpg
(yes, that nail was previously there...I would never nail a tree)

[evldave]

I do a wipe daily (sometimes twice), with a shower if I'm travelling through someplace that has showers. Always hated not having a shower on mtn bike days...between the dust or mud and my sweat, it was a pain to get clean!

But just got an eccotemp and will be trying that out this winter. It's a 5 minute setup (I used quick connects), so should work well for after-bike/hike clean-up.

[Errant]

Depends on the type of camping I'm doing: Zodi Instant Hot and Cabela's Shelter, solar shower on top of the Disco, or wipes. Once a day, then usually a quick wipe down before bed. As said before, these are amazing:
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/safetycentral_2122_16342153

[robert]

I've got a Solar Shower that I use sometimes as well as a Coleman battery powered shower setup (http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-827b500t-Battery-Powered-Shower/dp/B0009PUT0C). Heat some water on the stove, dump it in the collapsing water bucket, drop the pump in the bucket and go to town. It'll hook up to a Coleman water jug too.

I also have a small 1.5 gallon (IIRC) pump sprayer that works well. Dump some hot water in it, pump it it and you're good to go. The handle can be used with or without the wand; used without the wand it's easy to wet yourself down, soap up then have pressurized water to rinse with.

When on foot or if I can't use a shower setup I either heat water and wash face and important parts with a washcloth or use handiwipes. One of the few things I was looking forward to about getting older was not worrying about acne, but I sweat a lot and find I still get it if I don't wash my face well. :(

[Flounder]

Seems once every year or two I see someone down by a pristine stream with a bar of soap launching rafts of bubbles down the creek. That's a major no-no.

[evldave]

Seems once every year or two I see someone down by a pristine stream with a bar of soap launching rafts of bubbles down the creek. That's a major no-no.

Agreed for regular soap (even 99.9% pure ivory!). Best bet is camp soap, biodegradeable soap are both ok...you can get 'green' soap that is ok for this purpose. If you aren't gonna use the good stuff and wash like normal, make sure you are 100' or more from teh stream (makes it hard to use a pump), really just use 'green' soap and you're good to go :)

[WJinTRSC]

My Zodiac is hand pump powered, that is the one I reccomend.
Search Cabelas site for Zodiac Hotman Extreme.
I retrofitted a kitchen faucet sprayer to it, and it works very well.

Sorry my Droid picks the words as I type, need to turn off that feature.
Zodi not zodiac.

Does anyone know how the pressure compares between the Extreme Handpump Models and the Battery-powered pump models? I'm really interested in getting one of these, but I'm concerned about a lack of pressure for my g/f's hair and mine as well, which is very thick. Thanks!

I really like the Extreme Model (KISS), plus, I think I could use the burner as a stovetop for cooking as well. :chef::coffeedrink:

[Corey]

Does anyone know how the pressure compares between the Extreme Handpump Models and the Battery-powered pump models? I'm really interested in getting one of these, but I'm concerned about a lack of pressure for my g/f's hair and mine as well, which is very thick. Thanks!

I really like the Extreme Model (KISS), plus, I think I could use the burner as a stovetop for cooking as well. :chef::coffeedrink:
Here is the pressure one can expect from the model I have and doing the kitchen sprayer mod to it.

Excuse the dirty white table, there is a big fir tree over it, and also over my rig.

YouTube - Zodi Extreme Series Water Heater/Shower Part II

PS, these come in handy too for washing the dishes.
This is why I like to camp near a water source, always have water for a hot shower.

[WJinTRSC]

Thanks for the help guys! Please tell me more. I like the pressurized tank idea. I've often considered similar ideas. I still need to heat it as well too and I want to keep it simple. I need something quick and simple that I can use in any weather.

I'll check out the Youtube clips when I get home and it's not blocked. Thanks again!

[Flounder]

Agreed for regular soap (even 99.9% pure ivory!). Best bet is camp soap, biodegradeable soap are both ok...you can get 'green' soap that is ok for this purpose. If you aren't gonna use the good stuff and wash like normal, make sure you are 100' or more from teh stream (makes it hard to use a pump), really just use 'green' soap and you're good to go :)

Biodegradable does not mean safe to put directly in a water source. Washing away from water sources is standard practice regardless of the soap you use.

[Blain]

Baby Wipes are the stuff! Great substitute for when you don't have access to a portable shower. And still leave the fresh cleanliness fell after. Put the package in a boiling pot of water prior to using and instant hot shower!

Or ya could take a water bottle shower, if your really feeling the urge. Just have a few extra bottles around.

[Corey]

Yes, I use the CampSuds, but I never wash in a stream with it.
Amazon, REI, many places carry it.
I get the same 4 oz bottle above with the screw on cap.
I have a 2 oz one with the squirt cap placed in my rig for emergencies, but the 4 oz one is the one in my camping gear.

By the way, this soap replaces:
dish washing soap
shampoo
hand soap
shower soap

It suds up well in cold water just fine.

http://media.rei.com/media/692852Lrg.jpg

[007]

...
I have a 2 oz one with the squirt cap placed in my rig for emergencies,...


Curious, what type of emergency would warrant a 2 oz bottle of campsuds?

Is it to plug the wound or clean up the crime scene?

[Corey]

Curious, what type of emergency would warrant a 2 oz bottle of campsuds?

Is it to plug the wound or clean up the crime scene?
I guess people have no imagination anymore.
Lets say you are out driving somewhere in the woods and you gotta take a crap.
Most people like to wash their hands off after crapping.

Or lets says you are doing a roadside repair, or better yet, picking up trash from the side of the road when out 4wheeling with your buddies, and you get something filthy on them and you want to clean your hands off or your friends want to clean up.

Soap comes in very handy in these type of situations.

Explain what you mean by wound or crime scene, I am very interested, and I am sure others here are too.

[Corey]

Man, I use to use that stuff twenty years ago.
Have not bought that in a long time.

[Flounder]

www.drbronner.com

cheaper than camp suds, equally biodegradeable, and lets not forget that fresh tingly feeling.

buncha germaphobes :)On a mountaineering trip years ago, I got stuck in my tent during a 72 hour storm. I remember passing at least half an hour reading all the weirdness written on my bottle of Dr. Bronners. The Dr. actually is an interesting story himself if you ever care to look it up.

[Fireman78]

I guess people have no imagination anymore.
Lets say you are out driving somewhere in the woods and you gotta take a crap.
Most people like to wash their hands off after crapping.

Or lets says you are doing a roadside repair, or better yet, picking up trash from the side of the road when out 4wheeling with your buddies, and you get something filthy on them and you want to clean your hands off or your friends want to clean up.

Soap comes in very handy in these type of situations.

Explain what you mean by wound or crime scene, I am very interested, and I am sure others here are too.

I agree... several years back I was rafting the Dolores river in CO and a lady in our group almost lost her hand in some sort of oar/oar holder mishap. I was the only medic there, I used my handy campsuds to wash her up and then suture a nasty wound. The hard part was getting her to a hospital. I keep a 2 ounce bottle in my truck too... don't feel bad.. :)

[robert]

I keep a small bottle of Camp Suds in each vehicle too (obviously in the camper). It's great for cleaning up after walking through that patch of poison ivy or really any task where you want to get cleaned up better than just a handiwipe (which I also keep). Personally I try to keep my truck and equipment clean as it last longer that way. Having stained seats on your daily driver isn't exactly appealing.

Honestly, my $5 (on sale) plastic Home Depot pump sprayer works great as I said before. Plenty of pressure to wash hair, not that I have much, and easily does one person with less than a gallon. No problem spraying hot water either. If you're really lazy just get the metal version and you can do like my brother who sets his right on top of his Coleman stove to warm the water. Watch the end of season sales at the box stores and you can get them cheap. Most of the wands you can just screw the tip directly onto the handle or it's pretty easy to shorten them yourself.

[R_Lefebvre]

Soap comes in very handy in these type of situations.

Oh, it's not that it's not handy. It's just, the in thing to do is buy it in little 1/4 ounce packets from a fancy brand name at an expedition boutique shop. Camp Suds is SOO gauche. Don't forget to pack your little packets in a nice Pelican 1020. ;)

Personally, I carry a more serious hand cleaner for cleaning up after trail repairs. Camp Suds ain't gonna do it. There are waterless ones available. Wipe the bulk of it off on a paper towel, but it would be nice to rinse the residue off somewhere. I forget the brand. It's like green slime. Works great. Not labelled as biodegrable, but that's a somewhat overused term anyway. Crude oil is biodegrable.

[Richie]

It's hard for me to fully wake up without a shower. It's kind of like my morning coffee. Also before bed. If I go to bed sticky from sweat, I'm uncomfortable.

So twice a day. :sombrero::sombrero:

[1leglance]

I totally agree on the Dr Bronners...both the quality of the product and the fun of reading the bottle.
I am all about things that serve mulitple uses...and Dr Bronners can be used as body wash, shampoo, dish soap and even toothpaste.

Oh and as to emerg uses how about as a lube with reseating beads, and other times you need a little slippery stuff.
I have also used it to coat a pan/pot before placing on a fire to lessen the soot buildup.

[AxeAngel]

Oh, it's not that it's not handy. It's just, the in thing to do is buy it in little 1/4 ounce packets from a fancy brand name at an expedition boutique shop. Camp Suds is SOO gauche. Don't forget to pack your little packets in a nice Pelican 1020. ;)

Personally, I carry a more serious hand cleaner for cleaning up after trail repairs. Camp Suds ain't gonna do it. There are waterless ones available. Wipe the bulk of it off on a paper towel, but it would be nice to rinse the residue off somewhere. I forget the brand. It's like green slime. Works great. Not labelled as biodegrable, but that's a somewhat overused term anyway. Crude oil is biodegrable.


The amount of money spent on "in" things on this forum baffles me. Spending good money on camping utensils as opposedto just using some old metal utensils or ikea brand or liquidation sales. Some people spend more on custom built storage bins or pelican cases than I have invested in all my equipment.

-Sam

[Corey]

The amount of money spent on "in" things on this forum baffles me. Spending good money on camping utensils as opposedto just using some old metal utensils or ikea brand or liquidation sales. Some people spend more on custom built storage bins or pelican cases than I have invested in all my equipment.

-Sam
That is called freedom to spend your money wherever you want, welcome to America.
I enjoy spending my hard earned money on a few nice things for camping.

If I was just starting out camping like I did many decades ago, yes, go with the cheap stuff, I did, and I still have most of it too including the silverware from the 50s or 60s I used even this year.

I am not a youngster anymore, and I like to have nice stuff to pass on down to my sons when I croak some day.

And yes, I spent a small fortune on two storage bins that will never leak or break if dropped, and the new silverware I just bought will bring a smile to my face everytime it gets used.

[mountainsoul]

If your best friend asks you to briefly step into the shower to soap down his back, is that technically counted as one?

[Wyowanderer]

It depends on what I'm doing. Last May in Four Corners, I rarely went more than a few days without one. I have a 7 gallon reliance jug filled with enough hot water from my coffee pot to make it pleasant, put it on top of the camper, screwed the cap that I've rigged with a sun shower head on, tipped it on its side, and washed down. A few minutes with a bar of Grampa's Pine Tar Soap is a delight. As for privacy, I do it in the dark.
On weekend trips or when I'm closer to fresh water I'll shower daily.
All that said, I don't see a shower as a necessity. A quick daily wash with a washcloth, a small container of water and a bar of soap will suffice for weeks. It'll keep me from smelling foul and keep the grunge off the sleeping bag. I like to be clean but I don't need to be squeaky clean. Showers are a luxury for me when I'm camping.
I'm working on installing a small water pump into the threaded bung of the reliance container so that I can avoid needing to lift it onto the roof of the camper. It'll sit on the tail gat that way and be a bit easier on the back.

[R_Lefebvre]

The amount of money spent on "in" things on this forum baffles me. Spending good money on camping utensils as opposedto just using some old metal utensils or ikea brand or liquidation sales. Some people spend more on custom built storage bins or pelican cases than I have invested in all my equipment.

-Sam

Just in case it was missed, that was intended to be tongue-in-cheek. ;)

[007]

I guess people have no imagination anymore.
Lets say you are out driving somewhere in the woods and you gotta take a crap.
Most people like to wash their hands off after crapping.

Or lets says you are doing a roadside repair, or better yet, picking up trash from the side of the road when out 4wheeling with your buddies, and you get something filthy on them and you want to clean your hands off or your friends want to clean up.

Soap comes in very handy in these type of situations.

Explain what you mean by wound or crime scene, I am very interested, and I am sure others here are too.

My curiosity was not regarding the use of soap...I'm an avid user of it for the mundane - non emergency tasks you just described.

I was actually inquiring as to why you felt the need to carry an extra 2 oz bottle of campsuds for "emergency use".

Although lacking imagination, I do contemplate gear selection, and pack only necessary items that I can access easily when their need arises.

Did you just mistakenly use the word emergency, or is there a reason for packing an extra bottle of soap to handle a situation that posed immediate risk to someone? It just seems to me that the first bottle would suffice.

[R_Lefebvre]

I think you're reading WAY too much into the use of the word "emergency".

I keep a half-roll of toilet paper in a cubby box in my truck for "emergencies". I carry several full rolls in my camping trailer. Is that somehow illogical?

Sometimes (well, most of the time) I don't have my trailer with me. A flattened half roll in a ziplock bag takes up less room.

[AxeAngel]

Just in case it was missed, that was intended to be tongue-in-cheek. ;)

Ditto. Didn't mean for anyone to get defensive. Spend your money where you like. I am all for increasing corporate profits.

-Sam

[JerryYukon]

I'm not much for showers when I'm on the road. I can go weeks without one. I seem to adapt fairly well, although when I do get one, I love it. I'm an advocate of lakes and rivers, but I don't use soap. All natural.

[Corey]

Anyone ever had this happen before to them when without a shower or a way to bathe for a long time?

My father told me a story many years ago when he was in the Philippines during WW II.
They were unable to bathe for a long period, and worked in the heat for a long time.
After several days everyone in his unit their armpit hairs became thick like wooden matchsticks, then they all fell out.

It must have been some pretty groady conditions.
He also picked up skin cancer from over there that did not appear until around 1975.

Sam, no offense taken earlier, I enjoy jump starting the economy ;)
The past few years have been very good here at work.

[007]

I think you're reading WAY too much into the use of the word "emergency".

I keep a half-roll of toilet paper in a cubby box in my truck for "emergencies". I carry several full rolls in my camping trailer. Is that somehow illogical?

Sometimes (well, most of the time) I don't have my trailer with me. A flattened half roll in a ziplock bag takes up less room.

I'm not sure if its illogical for you or not, but it would seem that way to me. My philosophy and travel needs could be very different than yours however.

My philosophy is to travel compact, light, and efficiently as possible given my needs.

Adding redundant or unused items to the kit seems illogical to me, especially when occupying multiple storage places. If its something you need available immediately- then it should be placed where you can get to it immediately.

Unless you will be sudding up and wiping your arse in the cab of your truck it, really doesn't need to be packed in there. Wouldn't it make more sense to pack those items in one spot where you could easily access them from the outside of the vehicle whether you are camped or hopping out to take a dump?

[R_Lefebvre]

Where, exactly, would you propose to store something like that, that is not in the cab of the truck? Do you have a toilet paper holder on the tailgate of your truck next to the bumper dumper? I have never suffered from volcanic diarrhea, so grabbing a roll out of a cubby box is not an issue. (well, not since that business trip to San Louis Potosi, MX anyway...)

I already stated, I often use my truck without my trailer. On day trips, I have a roll stashed in the back of the truck. I also have an emergency tube tent, silver blankets, jumper cables, etc. stashed back there "for emergencies", and they haven't been used either.

The lengths to which some of you guys will go to make an issue out of nothing is staggering.

[Accrete]

my wife and i just sold our first adventure rig combo, but what we did was lots of sponge baths as others have noted above, and every-other-day take a nice one-gallon-shower through a simple set up. My wife found a small 1 gallon garden sprayer. We would heat up a kettle of water and pour it into sprayer after pouring in about half-full with cold. A few pumps and wala nice hot shower with pressurized water. Crazy thing is i usually have water left over and use it to clean the shower basin.

Yes on the Dr. Bronner’s soap. We've used it at home for nearly 20 years. And at home? I take showers when i feel it's needed. I'm a neat person, though i'm not sure the human body needs a shower every day.

[Corey]

http://hotjugz.com/

No, it is not porn.
Cheaper than my Zodi though, and heats in the sun.

[Lichen]

I consider keeping at least 1/2 roll of toilet paper in the cab to be perhaps the most important piece of emergency equipment to be carried. Try finding something to replace it in the desert.

[adventureduo]

Usually every other day or every couple days. Really depends what we are doing, if we are moving every day or if we have a base camp. Also, depends on what the weather is like. If its freezing in the winter, not as often. If it's hotter than heck in the desert and im sweating all day.. then more often. Baby wipes inbetween just like everyone else stated.

[RMP&O]

When traveling...once every 3-7 days. A wash up every day is nice though using the MSR water bladder and the super small nozzle.

At home, every other day. I am not a dirty or stinky person and believe in conserving water. Soap, I like anything made from tea tree oil at home or traveling.

Can't believe some of you people take a shower 2x a day! I mean after sports or hard dirty work it is nearly required. Otherwise it just seems very wasteful to me.....

But us Americans are very wasteful people so :rolleyes:

Oh and I only flush the toilet every 2nd to 3rd pee to also conserve water.

[RMP&O]

I'm not sure if its illogical for you or not, but it would seem that way to me. My philosophy and travel needs could be very different than yours however.

My philosophy is to travel compact, light, and efficiently as possible given my needs.

Adding redundant or unused items to the kit seems illogical to me, especially when occupying multiple storage places. If its something you need available immediately- then it should be placed where you can get to it immediately.

Unless you will be sudding up and wiping your arse in the cab of your truck it, really doesn't need to be packed in there. Wouldn't it make more sense to pack those items in one spot where you could easily access them from the outside of the vehicle whether you are camped or hopping out to take a dump?

some people use toilet paper for more than just wiping their arse.....

[007]

some people use toilet paper for more than just wiping their arse.....

I guess that explains why they pack several rolls of it...

[RMP&O]

I guess that explains why they pack several rolls of it...

well since we are this topic....

some people crap more than others too yeah know. I know people (who I have lived with) who can use up a roll in maybe 2 days. Me? Same roll lasts me at least 2 weeks! :Wow1:

[007]

well since we are this topic....

some people crap more than others too yeah know. I know people (who I have lived with) who can use up a roll in maybe 2 days. Me? Same roll lasts me at least 2 weeks! :Wow1:

Alot has to do with technique, If you squat and spread, its a much cleaner release than merely plopping on a seat all willy nilly like.

[mires]

I always figured this thread would end up in the crapper, but not so literally:sombrero:

After the last couple of pages, I'm a little sorry I started it lol. I didn't realize so many people would have so much input on the subject.

[Corey]

Can't believe some of you people take a shower 2x a day! I mean after sports or hard dirty work it is nearly required. Otherwise it just seems very wasteful to me.....

As mentioned earlier, twice a day on work days, only once on the weekends.

I have a job where I can get very sweaty, and it is also hot in my job running heavy equipment, and quite often I am around dirt.

If I sat behind a desk and wore a suit or white collar clothes, I would only need to shower once a day.

Also some people sweat more than others, I tend to lean towards that end.
I can not go to bed having that sweaty feeling.

[Mamontof]

Alot has to do with technique, If you squat and spread, its a much cleaner release than merely plopping on a seat all willy nilly like.

Originally Posted by RMP&O /well since we are this topic....

some people crap more than others too yeah know. I know people (who I have lived with) who can use up a roll in maybe 2 days. Me? Same roll lasts me at least 2 weeks!


In other side some use a toilet/bide , well America huge and not all like to

use finger and paper ....when have warm water and air to clean ... (safe a tree use a water instead paper )


By the way shower on trail nice to have in many reason , so i use

combination of alcohol , baby wipe , solar shower and whatever water in my

way (creak , river , pound ctr )
In winter snow batch in the morning work better as double espresso:wings:

[mires]

I too have a job that gets me all dirty and sweaty. For this reason, I just shower every night before bed. I would shower 2x a day but it tends to dry my skin out.

[TangoBlue]

Some of us take preparations for evacuation a little more seriously than others...

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp22/TangoBlue/CIMG0726.jpg

[Mamontof]

[QUOTE=TangoBlue;725193]Some of us take preparations for evacuation a little more seriously than others...

Okay Hi lift i can understand , shovel too but AX ......You confuse me :Wow1:

I wish i have that Idea :wings:

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae15/mamontof/Things%20in%20Life/SDC12922.jpg

[Corey]

Some of us take preparations for evacuation a little more seriously than others...

Someone needs more fiber.
When one has to chop, dig, or use the trail version of the jaws of life to excavate, more fiber and water need to be added to the diet.

[SWbySWesty]

This thread was about showering...not going to the bathroom. FYI........

[jeepdreamer]

Where= under the shower head
How= well...nakid' of course!:wings:
sorry...coudn't resist!

[mires]

Where= under the shower head
How= well...nakid' of course!:wings:
sorry...coudn't resist!

I see you're a Texan so I'll let it slide :sombrero:

[WMac]

Daily, My ZODI shower is one of the best investments I added to the Conquest.

[Fish]

I swear by baby wipes in the truck. I've been meaning to add some Dr. Bronner's somewhere in the truck.

And I'll share a tip. Do not confuse baby wipes and Clorox wipes while attempting a quick swipe in the dark.

[mires]

I swear by baby wipes in the truck. I've been meaning to add some Dr. Bronner's somewhere in the truck.

And I'll share a tip. Do not confuse baby wipes and Clorox wipes while attempting a quick swipe in the dark.

LMAO. Just how many kinds of wipes do you keep on hand?

[Ruined Adventures]

I was in the Marines in Desert Storm. I cracked-up at this letter that my sister sent me saying how cool it was that they had these trucks come around to the troops with these portable showers. At the time it had been 4 months since my last shower. We went 6 months total. Daily hygiene consisted of brushing teeth, washing hair, and using a rag with warm water and a bar of soap to get the important crevices cleaned. Once you're out there, you'd be amazed how little you really need. As my wife likes to say, "Americans are so obsessed with bathing." I will say that just daily washing of your face, brushing teeth, then once a week, really thorough sponge bath is all that is needed. This is my experience.

Take another look at Aires35's comment. It's easy to forget while we're "roughing it" with warm Zodi showers, enjoying beautifully exotic locations while our troops are overseas in less than desirable conditions. I understand feeling it's gross to go more than a day or two without showers, so I just wanted to point that out. We appreciate your service Aires35 and the other vets here on the portal :victory:

PERSONALLY, the more I rough it the more I enjoy my trips. The longer I have to wait between showers, the more thankful I am for a quick shower. I guess you can say I'm forcing myself to appreciate the simple things that we take for granted...like hot water from a tap. I'm lucky enough to have a girlfriend who can stand the smell and even push her limits too. We can easily go a few days to a week before a wet-wipe scrubbing is needed in the backcountry.

We carry a $10 solar shower on our rig, a cheap shower curtain, and a $5 piece of Dri-Dek to stand on, for those times that we're just to smelly to handle. We carry a sponge and use the water as sparingly as possible. Like others mention here, it's refreshing just to get the face and hair wet occasionally.

We carry a Sea to Summit Kitchen sink which folds up small, weighs 6.4oz, but carries 20 liters of water. We use this to carry water from water sources and keep the runoff far enough away so we can do our part to "Tread Lightly".

When I keep the gearlust under control, pack less crap, and save the money for go-go juice I get more adventure per dollar and I can go farther and farther from home. I find it inspiring to read comments like the one from Aires35. While daydreaming of fancy showers, this keeps me grounded and serves as a reminder to strive for the minimalist route. :sombrero:

There's some pretty impressive setups available out there, but if your fairly new to camping, I challenge you to take the simplest approach when you can stomach it...Once you get over the "icky-ness" it's very rewarding. I'm aware many of you are like Corey and have done the minimalist thing for years so comfort is prepared. In my opinion you've earned it! I'm sure one day I'll be in that same boat.

Look at me, I'm on a rant...Okay, I'll get off of my soap box now. By the way, I'm not knocking you guys with all the bells & whistles, or expensive toys. I'm just saying that doesn't work for me if I want to get to the places I want to go. :smiley_drive:

[Corey]

There's some pretty impressive setups available out there, but if your fairly new to camping, I challenge you to take the simplest approach when you can stomach it...Once you get over the "icky-ness" it's very rewarding. I'm aware many of you are like Corey and have done the minimalist thing for years so comfort is prepared. In my opinion you've earned it! I'm sure one day I'll be in that same boat.

Look at me, I'm on a rant...Okay, I'll get off of my soap box now. By the way, I'm not knocking you guys with all the bells & whistles, or expensive toys. I'm just saying that doesn't work for me if I want to get to the places I want to go. :smiley_drive:
Thanks aires35 for your service!

Red, great read.
As stated I use to enjoy taking a week or longer and backpacking around the perimeter of Mt. Rainier known as the Wonderland Trail.
That was years ago though, and since then a few health issues have popped up.
One being (which I do not like to discuss on a public forum) requires me to shower daily or be very uncomfortable, and using baby wipes, a sponge, or a washcloth would not solve the problem.

As long as I can have a few things such as a way to shower (or a creek to bathe in) and something other than a log to straddle over to do the poo (been there/done that) I am pretty content and happy when in the outdoors, and will camp pretty much anywhere.

I am also finding out the older I get my nose seems to be more sensitive, and I get nauseated and sick being around certain smells including B.O and tobacco smoke, or the smell of tobacco on peoples clothing.

Thanks for not knocking some of us either that bring more than others do to the outdoors.
The ones who do cut down others for the gear they have/bring along on trips sound like whiny little (fill in the blank) :D

[Ruined Adventures]

Thanks for not knocking some of us either that bring more than others do to the outdoors.
The ones who do cut down others for the gear they have/bring along on trips sound like whiny little (fill in the blank) :D

I completely agree. I was trying not to sound like "one of them" and I hope it didn't seem like I was calling you out. I was just saying you had good reasons for having such a nice setup that you stated before. :drool: I just hope after a few years I will have a rig that everyone will drool over too! I did want to emphasize to the folks shopping for new showers that they could save some coin, and use it on their next flight or tank of gas. I'm sure one day I'll have a nice shower, but I'm resisting right now since we're pinching pennies to save for an overland Pan America adventure. The more we save, the farther we'll get.

I'm familiar with the Wonderland Trail, being from the NW I go to Washington several times a year to visit family. I usually fly into Seattle then end up driving to the TriCities and back. If I can't squeeze in time to camp near "the big mountain" then I at least try to take Chinook Pass as I'm passing thru. It's one of my favorite drives on the planet. Last year we backpacked thru the Carbon Glacier area and it was amazing! The rest of the Wonderland trail is on my life list, but I have to settle for little chunks here and there. I always feel funny flying with my backpacking tent and sleeping bag, but it's so worth the stares I get at the airport. Comes in handy when you miss a flight too :coffeedrink: I'm all about squeezing in a trip where & when I can.

[Corey]

No, it did not sound that way at all to me coming from you.

Chinook Pass is a great drive, and that is not to far from me, basically off the same street I live on, just head East from my place and you run into it.

If you came down 410 heading West too then you were in the Greenwater area.
That is where I have camped, explored, and have gone 4hweeling for the past few decades.
So much beautiful places to camp there and get views of Mt. Rainier too.

The Carbon Glacier area is beautiful.
I took my oldest son when he was around 5 and we backpacked in from the Ipsut Creek campground up to the Glacier and camped in the backpack camp for a few nights.
Have gone there backpacking too many times before I took him there.

We use to car camp too with the tent trailer in the campground there and use that as basecamp, then head out for the day to hike up around the glacier.

Look forward to your Pan America trip report here in the future.

[Ruined Adventures]

No, it did not sound that way at all to me coming from you.

Chinook Pass is a great drive, and that is not to far from me, basically off the same street I live on, just head East from my place and you run into it.

If you came down 410 heading West too then you were in the Greenwater area.
That is where I have camped, explored, and have gone 4hweeling for the past few decades.
So much beautiful places to camp there and get views of Mt. Rainier too.

The Carbon Glacier area is beautiful.
I took my oldest son when he was around 5 and we backpacked in from the Ipsut Creek campground up to the Glacier and camped in the backpack camp for a few nights.
Have gone there backpacking too many times before I took him there.

We use to car camp too with the tent trailer in the campground there and use that as basecamp, then head out for the day to hike up around the glacier.

Look forward to your Pan America trip report here in the future.

Didn't realize you were in Auburn. Small world, my uncle lives about 30 minutes west of you, down 410 overlooking Commencement Bay (lucky guy). I guess you could say that's my base camp on the west side of the mountains.

Unfortunately, now vehicles cannot make it past the ranger station at the Carbon River access. They blocked it off due to the road being severely washed out at several points. The only way in is on foot, bike, or horse. On a positive note, because of this we saw very few people on the entire trip. When we were at Ipsut Creek Campground the only other group camping there was the forestry workers who were working on the trail ahead.

I hate to say it, but it'll be a long wait on our PanAm trip report. The earliest we are departing is January 2012. I've got a lot of possessions to liquidate and a ton of work to do on the truck until then.:victory:

[Corey]

Yes, that was a sad day when that access road to the campground at the NW entrance to Mt. Rainier park got washed out.
I really enjoyed car camping too in those sites.
We always had deer walking right through our campsites.

Going over the high one lane bridge going into there and to reach Mowich Lake and the Evans Creek ORV area is a trip, you are up so high over the river below, it is spooky looking down below over the bridge.

If you are out this way next summer, shoot me a PM, as I am always up to taking a trip up to FS roads 70 or 73 there at Greenwater to camp.

I should be getting out next weekend or not to long from now to scout out a place around ten miles up FS road 70 where I camped around 2000 or so.
Looking to see if it is still there, and if so, I cam going to arrange a camping trip for some from my forum to go up and hang out for a long weekend next summer.

[craig333]

I wear a cheap pair of rubber flip flops when showering. Doesn't take up much space. Quantity of showers depends on many factors.