Best way to groom yourself before a long trek.

I'm going on a long trek soon. What is the best way for a man to groom himself "down there" before heading out?

Yes, I'm asking this question seriously. Shave, no shave, trim. Just looking if for advice on the following.

Shave?!!

REAL men use lighter fluid and a Zippo.

This method also takes care of lice, jock itch, and libido

lowbudgetfun wrote this:

Quote:

Yes, I'm asking this question seriously. Shave, no shave,
trim. Just looking if for advice on the following.

Well how about just doing whatever you normally do "down there"?

What kind of "trek" are you talking about?

Please don't pollute the streams. Carry baby wipes, use them along with a good deodorant and antiperspirant, pack the wipes out of the backcountry (in a ziplock bag), and dispose of them properly in a bear-proof dumpster.

More seriously, if you are worrying about this, you aren't ready for more than a dayhike. Getting out on a real backpack means you will have to go without your daily shower. Forget about shaving anywhere during your couple of months on the AT, PCT, or JMT. Basic hand washing is pretty much the maximum hygeine (minimum of 200 feet from the streams and lakes, please - don't pollute the water sources that we all have to drink from). Don't even think about washing clothes until you get home or get to a re-supply location.

Well, you could shave while on the trail. But that's just more weight (shaver, shaving cream), and more space taken up in your bear canister.

And who wants to smear sweet smelling shaving cream anywhere on their bodies when there are bears lurking about?

Don't baby wipes have a fragrance too? :-)

Ed G wrote:

Yes, of course you should maintain good hygene and shave your pubic hair.

Ed
Wouldnt that be a little bit painful?

Try this:
http://recadmin.ucsd.edu/WO/forms/2005/backpacking_equipment_list_05.pdf

If you use baby wipes and/or deodorant, use a non-scented brand.

Yah, I may be in the minority here, but I do bring deodorant even when backpacking. But I definitely bring an unscented kind. When I'm hiking I definitely need to be "de-odor'd" :-).

Ooops, probably TMI :)

As a resident of the SFBay Area, my observations indicate that only people of a certain orientation are so fastidious about their, ummmm, bodily hygiene when spending more than a partial day on the trails. The rest of us don't really care (though we have noticed that the people in the traditional after-trek pizza stop tend to move to the far end of the establishment).

"Shave? Shave? We don' need no stinkin' razors! Just pull the hairs out one at a time!"

Good grief.

Guys, guys, guys, you have it all wrong. You should braid it before a long hike. Keeps it out of the way and if you need tender for your fire you have it handy.

Quote:

)

lots of Brut aftershave :P

Well, you laugh, but I recently camped in a campground on my way to start a backpacking trip. In the morning, while using the rest room, I noticed a guy in there simply reeked of after shave.

All I could think was how lucky he'd been that this particular campground (apparently) didn't have a bear problem. If he'd been in Yosemite or someplace like it, even a travel trailer wouldn't have protected him.

POM-AID. Keeps 'all' your hair looking sharp for those unexpected backcountry encounters.