Outdoor Soap

[+Kit Fox]

I'm curious as to what your preference is for backpacking and hiking soap.

 

Any brands to avoid?

Edited July 2, 2008 by Kit Fox

[+Mule Ears]

I'm really pleased with Campsuds for handwashing, wound cleansing, and degunking sunglasses and other small gear. The advantage of Campsuds over conventional bar soap is that it requires very little water to lather up and rinse, and leaves no unpleasant fragrance or slippery residue.

 

My little bottle of Campsuds lives in the center console of the Jeep, and I'm in the habit of slipping it into my pocket (along with a small roll of TP) when I make a pit stop, since these essentials are often missing from gas station restrooms.

[+TotemLake]

I'm really pleased with Campsuds for handwashing, wound cleansing, and degunking sunglasses and other small gear. The advantage of Campsuds over conventional bar soap is that it requires very little water to lather up and rinse, and leaves no unpleasant fragrance or slippery residue.

 

My little bottle of Campsuds lives in the center console of the Jeep, and I'm in the habit of slipping it into my pocket (along with a small roll of TP) when I make a pit stop, since these essentials are often missing from gas station restrooms.

The residue also breaks down very well once it enters the ground. Standard caveats apply about not being too close to running water when dumping it the rinse water.

[+Monkeybrad]

I am very fond of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap. I always carry it with me as a back-up and even use it at home sometimes. As with any "all-in-one" product, there are compromises, but overall it does the job pretty well. I love it as a body wash, as a shampoo it dries my hair out a little if I use it for more than a few days, as a toothpaste it is effective, but leaves a distinctive aftertaste, but those are all of the cons i can think of. Overall, I have been very happy using it.

[+Mule Ears]

The residue also breaks down very well once it enters the ground. Standard caveats apply about not being too close to running water when dumping it the rinse water.

 

I'll keep that in mind in the unlikely event I encounter a water source in my desert wanderings

[+mousekakat]

Wow, things sure have come a long way since we used Ivory soap when I was a kid because it was 99 44/100% pure and floated so you didn't have to worry about it sitting in the sand and getting nasty!

 

Naomi

 

[+Mule Ears]

Wow, things sure have come a long way since we used Ivory soap when I was a kid because it was 99 44/100% pure and floated so you didn't have to worry about it sitting in the sand and getting nasty!

 

Naomi

 

I have nothing against Ivory or other bar soaps. But in my situation--desert hiking in which all water for drinking and washing has to be carried--it just takes too much water to lather and rinse thoroughly with regular soap. And I'm no expert, but there may be some environmental objections to using these soaps in the outdoors. I use so little soap on my hikes that this would be a non-issue, but backpackers who live on the trail for days at a time, washing themselves and their gear in close proximity to heavily used trails, they take this stuff seriously. (Cue TotemLake--he probably knows this stuff cold.)

[+TotemLake]

Wow, things sure have come a long way since we used Ivory soap when I was a kid because it was 99 44/100% pure and floated so you didn't have to worry about it sitting in the sand and getting nasty!

 

Naomi

 

I have nothing against Ivory or other bar soaps. But in my situation--desert hiking in which all water for drinking and washing has to be carried--it just takes too much water to lather and rinse thoroughly with regular soap. And I'm no expert, but there may be some environmental objections to using these soaps in the outdoors. I use so little soap on my hikes that this would be a non-issue, but backpackers who live on the trail for days at a time, washing themselves and their gear in close proximity to heavily used trails, they take this stuff seriously. (Cue TotemLake--he probably knows this stuff cold.)

Yah I'm on trails used by hundreds if not thousands of people per year. The accumulative effect of non-biodegradable or slow to degrade things such as standard soaps (be they Ivory or otherwise) will amaze you.

 

Plant sensitivity to soap film is pretty high too. Especially some ferns which can wilt at the slightest touch of the natural oils from your hands.

[+TotemLake]

I did a little research on soaps, Ivory in particular and the question came up with 99.44% pure of what? Two parts vege oil, one part animal fat, and the .56% is impurities they can't seem to get out.

 

The biggest issue with soaps in the past were phosphates. They don't break down so well and caused excessive algae growth in the water. When the algae died, the decay would eat up the existing oxygen in the water then suffocate the fish, thus creating deadzones. The Gulf of Mexico is famous for this right at and outside the Mississippi River delta.

 

All soap water, regardless if the soap is "biodegradable", should be dumped about 200' away from any source of water and in a 6"-8" cathole, then backfilled. This allows the bacteria in the soil to eat the chemicals and break it down to something safer like bacteria poop.

[+Runaround]

I use Dr. Bronners. The lavender scent isn't very manly but it cuts the multi-day trip funk better than the other scents. Just don't get any in your eyes. It really stings.

[+mousekakat]

I did a little research on soaps, Ivory in particular and the question came up with 99.44% pure of what? Two parts vege oil, one part animal fat, and the .56% is impurities they can't seem to get out.

 

The biggest issue with soaps in the past were phosphates. They don't break down so well and caused excessive algae growth in the water. When the algae died, the decay would eat up the existing oxygen in the water then suffocate the fish, thus creating deadzones. The Gulf of Mexico is famous for this right at and outside the Mississippi River delta.

 

All soap water, regardless if the soap is "biodegradable", should be dumped about 200' away from any source of water and in a 6"-8" cathole, then backfilled. This allows the bacteria in the soil to eat the chemicals and break it down to something safer like bacteria poop.

 

In my defense, it was when I was a kid and I'm in my 40's now

 

I use Dr. Bronners. The lavender scent isn't very manly but it cuts the multi-day trip funk better than the other scents. Just don't get any in your eyes. It really stings.

 

Lavendar is a good skeeter repellent, so use that for your excuse for not smelling so manly

 

Naomi

[+...The Girl]

I use Dr. Bronners. The lavender scent isn't very manly but it cuts the multi-day trip funk better than the other scents. Just don't get any in your eyes. It really stings.

I don't know which I'd rather smell; "multi-day trip funk" or "multi-day trip funk" infused with the scent of lavender. I have long associated the scent of lavender with an old woman's bathroom. ... and not the grandmotherly-bakes-yummy-chocolate-chip-cookies-reads-her-grandkids-bedtime-stories sort of old woman ... but the scary-hey-my-cats-told-me-to-tell-you-my-diaper-needs-changing-and-there's-a-nest-of-something-itchy-living-in-my-hair sort of old woman.

 

I was going to follow all that up with "Crim and I use 'BrandX' soap" but ... neither of us can remember what we use.

[+TotemLake]

I use wipes. They're waterless and take the funk away without leaving you smelling... frilly. They also pack down very small as trash. Concerned about odorifous things in your backpack? Get O.P. Sacks They're good at what they do. I made my daughter carry one with dog poop in it once (Not that I haven't done it myself). She thought for sure she was going to suffer the entire day. She was so impressed she bought some to carry her food and trash in on her hikes.

[+Monkeybrad]

I use Dr. Bronners. The lavender scent isn't very manly but it cuts the multi-day trip funk better than the other scents. Just don't get any in your eyes. It really stings.

 

I don't care for the lavender, i use the peppermint or the almond. Almond smells better to me, but the peppermint leaves you feeling fresher and has that "tingle".

[+Runaround]

I didn't care for the almond scent. The peppermint made me feel like I bathed with my toothpaste. I guess that's why they make 4 scents.

[+currykev]

According to my Australian compadres....because I'm English I don't use soap!

[+TotemLake]

I use Dr. Bronners. The lavender scent isn't very manly but it cuts the multi-day trip funk better than the other scents. Just don't get any in your eyes. It really stings.

 

I don't care for the lavender, i use the peppermint or the almond. Almond smells better to me, but the peppermint leaves you feeling fresher and has that "tingle".

Just a thought for overnight backpacking...

 

If you're going to use things to make you smell good, you might want to try avoiding food like odors for the 4 footed critters as well as the flying stinging critters.

Edited July 4, 2008 by TotemLake

[+Mule Ears]

I wouldn't want to have any floral or botanical fragrance coming off me during the buggy times of year.

 

An alternative to soap: A buddy of mine is a retired Army officer who served in Turkey. The local Army post hosts foreign exchange officers for training, some of them Turks. My buddy acts as a sponsor--tour guide and concierge--for these guys. Last year, we took three Turkish officers on a hike/climb to my adopted cache The Rock at Pena Blanca. After our climb, the Turks broke out a big pack of baby wipes for a thorough sponge bath before we headed on to the next cache. They have a cultural/religious bent for cleanliness, and the baby wipes are cheap and practical.

 

The two-hour drive home with five hikers onboard was a lot more pleasant than it would otherwise have been

[+briansnat]

I use Dr Bronners. I prefer the lavender. Not crazy about the peppermint and only use it when I can't find the lavender.

[+AndrewRJ]

I use wipes. They're waterless and take the funk away without leaving you smelling... frilly. They also pack down very small as trash. Concerned about odorifous things in your backpack? Get O.P. Sacks They're good at what they do. I made my daughter carry one with dog poop in it once (Not that I haven't done it myself). She thought for sure she was going to suffer the entire day. She was so impressed she bought some to carry her food and trash in on her hikes.

Just make sure she doesn't get those mixed up...

[jaukulele]

no soap, for sure. if i'm gonna rough it, i'm gonna get dirty.