Backpacking equipment--deodorant over knife?

Calebklyne said:
i find after a couple days of not showering i stop smelling like b.o

this guys seems a bit misguided tho somethings he carries are completely useless in the woods imho
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The question is, what do you START smelling like!? :D Sorry couldn't resist...
 
i confess that i couldn't read the article - i can't knowingly waste five minutes of my life that frivolously.

sounds like he doesn't know that there are plenty of deodorant sources in the wild to use anyways.

vec
 
Trying to understand what use deodorant could have in the bush (other than making oneself smell better to raccoons) I decided to investigate.

As a service to the community, and just out of curiosity, I just ran an experiment.

Just so you know my brand of stick deodorant/antiperspirant will not take a spark from a GG firesteel. Nope, not even if you crumble it.

Even applying direct flame to said deodorant with my trusty Bic lighter didn't work: this stuff simply doesn't burn. Deodorant/antiperspirant simply isn't a good fire starter.

While I didn't try it, I don't think this stuff has any nutritional value whatsoever and may, indeed, cause harm if ingested. Says right on the package Warning! For external use only!, so don't count on it as an emergency food.

The only possible use I can see for this, other than pleasing raccoons, would be to lubricate the socket of your bow drill. Might work for that.

In conclusion, I believe I'll forgo carrying it on the trail. Your brand or requirements may vary.
 
Chances are you'll find FK in the wilderness splitting logs with my six pack abs out smelling like Old Spice. Yup. Chances are...
 
dawsonbob: LOL

Maybe you can see if it has any grit and therefore can be used to strop knives? Or if it prevents rusting? :D
 
Raining said:
dawsonbob: LOL

Maybe you can see if it has any grit and therefore can be used to strop knives? Or if it prevents rusting? :D
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It doesn't seem to have any grit whatsoever, so stropping is out: it acts more like a lubricant than a stropping compound.

Don't know if it a.) stops rust, b.) causes rust or, c.) is totally useless for stopping under arm wetness in squirrels.

More testing is needed.
 
I personally liked how he mentioned he only had a keychain light "that lasts 100s of hours so you don't even need a replacement battery" but mentions carrying a bottle specifically for piss. That way you don't have to find your way in the dark night to urinate in the woods (easier than in a bottle?).

BUT IF YOU HAD A FLASHLIGHT...
My opinion? This guy is a nutter.
 
somber said:
I personally liked how he mentioned he only had a keychain light "that lasts 100s of hours so you don't even need a replacement battery" but mentions carrying a bottle specifically for piss. That way you don't have to find your way in the dark night to urinate in the woods (easier than in a bottle?).

BUT IF YOU HAD A FLASHLIGHT...
My opinion? This guy is a nutter.
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Well, of course he's a nutter, by our standards. He might be considered a guru on his planet, though. Ya just can't tell.
 
The author of the article is writing about ultralight/fastpacking as applied mostly to the Appalachian trail. "Resupply days," "bounce boxes," hitching a ride back from town..." This is not written for the wilderness hiker, or the back country camper. It is written for the hiker that will stay relatively close to civilization.

Quoted from the article..."Often I take nothing and get email addresses of other hikers who took my picture. Cameras are not for the views (they never look as impressive as real life) but to take pictures of people—that’s what you’ll treasure over the years."

I don't want to see anyone else, but those I'm camping with, on my trip.

The last camping trip I took started an hour's worth of driving on dirt roads from town. My idea of hiking is going where one is unlikely to see another hiker for the entire trip, and everything you need you better carry, because there are no post offices to accept your "bounce box." Sharing e-mail addresses is not my idea of hiking.

"Hey, I just got my pack weight down to 0 lbs. I pack up 50 lbs of stuff into two boxes and send them to destination towns. I hike to the first town, get my box, unpack my tent and sleeping bag and go to sleep. The next morning I get up, pack up the box, and send the box to the third town on the list. Then I hike to my next destination town and pickup the second box, unpack my sleeping bag and do it all over again. This gets packed up and sent to the 4th town on the list. Repeat as necessary."
 
hlee said:
"Hey, I just got my pack weight down to 0 lbs. I pack up 50 lbs of stuff into two boxes and send them to destination towns. I hike to the first town, get my box, unpack my tent and sleeping bag and go to sleep. The next morning I get up, pack up the box, and send the box to the third town on the list. Then I hike to my next destination town and pickup the second box, unpack my sleeping bag and do it all over again. This gets packed up and sent to the 4th town on the list. Repeat as necessary."
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Yeah, a true wilderness experience.

Sounds more like a track meet that just happens to take place on the trail, with long range resupply.

To each his own, I guess.
 
You guys are just ignoring the often-occuring situation wherein you come across the camo-bikini-ed voluptuous women who already have their ARs and ammo belts, but are truly have a yearning for a nice-smelling trailsman who may have an aching back they can rub.

Expand your imaginations!
 
Kismet said:
You guys are just ignoring the often-occuring situation wherein you come across the camo-bikini-ed voluptuous women who already have their ARs and ammo belts, but are truly have a yearning for a nice-smelling trailsman who may have an aching back they can rub.

Expand your imaginations!
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Oft occurring situation? I've been waiting around 65 years, and it hasn't happened to me. I won't say that it couldn't, just that it hasn't happened yet.

Still, with my expanded imagination, there's always hope.
 
It would be nice to have a sturdy frame pack that tipped the scale at 1 lb.

If carrying 10 lbs for 20 miles hurts, then how does carrying 50lbs for 60 miles of rocky mountain wilderness trail feel? Surprisingly, not too bad- if you are carrying elk parts out with you. There's an elk ham, about a liter of water, rain gear, and a few other things in this pack. That log was icy and really slick.

I don't remember leaving those ties to dangle in the wind. Glad they didn't catch on something...
 

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dawsonbob said:
Oft occurring situation? I've been waiting around 65 years, and it hasn't happened to me. I won't say that it couldn't, just that it hasn't happened yet.

Still, with my expanded imagination, there's always hope.
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I've seen LOTS of pictures. Honest. :D
 
A guy that doesn't carry a knife ...... -----LAME!!!!!

LOL -He certainly is not borrowing my knife either. At east have a SAK and a pack of matches.

From what he said, I think he is a mooch and he tells others that they should be mooches too. Maybe we should all be mooches.
 
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First off like many people here if I'm wearing pants I'm carrying a knife and if I'm out of the house I have my Tenacious and Leatherman Core on my belt plus a lighter, keychain light and other odds and ends that come in handy on a day to day basis not just hikeing. To be fair this guy might make a 100 hikes and never need any survival gear BUT then on that 101 trip he could become a corpse sickle cause bad weather hit and he cant make shelter or fire. Oh I love the bit about how he just expects to be able borrow a knife whenever he needs to cut something yeah unless he meets up with someone like himself and they done carry one either. Oh well if he gets darwin'd it's his own fault.
 
His point about deodorant seems foolish, when hiking in New Mexico we were told never to bring things like deodorant or tooth paste into bear country because the smells would attract them to your campsite. I also did not like how he continues to say that anything he has forgotten he will "borrow from someone he meets". This seems to say that he is never more than a few miles from roads or towns. Along with a knife and fire making kit, I would NEVER go without a map. Much more than just "for fun", a survival necessity.
 
I used to get all bent out of shape about non-knife carrying folks on the trail. I don't bother anymore. Mainly because they CAN AND DO go their whole lives without ever needing a knife on the trail. I've seen so many web-articles, books, how-to's and gear for the ultralight hikers that it is foolish to believe the statistic are that high for "no-knife" related survial situations. It is just a different style of camping. I steer clear of it because I don't like being disconnected from nature. Not that the UL crowd doesn't experience nature.... I just feel they are spectators rather than participants.

I did UL trekking for about 5 years before realizing how miserable I was. I love gettin down and dirty!

Rick
 
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