Stinkness was..Re: [at-l] HYOH

[chaynes@javanet.com (Clifford R. Haynes)]

Nothing new about unstinking on the trail, on the AT anyway water isn't a
real problem other than you have to toad it a ways from the source. A sliver
of ivory or the soap of your choice, a bandana or backpacker towel, on
extended hikes I often carry an MT 2 liter soda bottle ( plenty of water for
heat to toe sponge bath or a shower, and doubles as a camp water hauler). As
far as washing off the top layer, well there is only more than one layer if
one doesn't wash. A lot of the smell also comes from synthetic fabrics folks
wear once the bacteria that causes the stink builds up it doesn't wash out.
There are several ways to beat it, don't hike and sweat in synthetics ( my
choice because I am a big fat sweat a lot kinda guy), I do my hiking and
sweating in cotton unlike synthetics the stink rinses out. You could buy the
new outdoor synthetics treated with chemicals that kills the bacteria that
causes the stink ( but since I have been exposed to lots of nasty chemicals
in my life I prefer not to wear it when I'm sweating and the pores are
open).  The third option and the one I use for hiking for trips of a week or
so between town stays  carry a spare change of cloths for town visits only
worn to town on a body cleaned before town resupplys or for that matter for
the trip home.
Now I suppose some folks would say I stink because myself and my gear have a
slight odor of wood smoke from my zip stove(yup I'm too lazy to carry liquid
fuel, and don't eat soak in warm water food on the trail) but since I'm from
Maine where there has been a long history of wood heat, well that hint of
wood smoke odor is normal. LOL well guess I'll just have to do all my hikein
in Maine and stay away from folks from away so as not to give backpackers a
bad rep.
----- Original Message -----
From: "kahley" <kahley7@ptd.net>
To: "Clifford R. Haynes" <chaynes@javanet.com>; <at-l@backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 3:51 PM
Subject: Stinkness was..Re: [at-l] HYOH


> Not flaming here.....but you seem to have found a way to
> unstink on the Trail and I'd really love to know the secret.
> Washing off the top layer is easy enough_if _here is water a plenty, but
> the stink??  Water doesn't really unstink you by itself and
>   I have clothes that still smell_after_washing them...
> How do you get unstinky_before_you hit town?
>