Soap?

Good to see a fellow BoyScout! I bring a small pack of wet wipes that I use every night for my face, pits, and feet. Then you can keep clean and easily pack out all your waste. Much more convenient than soap in my opinion. 

Side note: If the soap cleans you well, then it’s chemically reactive and will continue to react in the waterways. There will never be a soap that both cleans and does not chemically change the water it’s put into. Biodegradable is a useless term. 

Hope that’s helpful. 

Happy Hiking!

Benjamin Houldridgewrote:

Good to see a fellow BoyScout! I bring a small pack of wet wipes that I use every night for my face, pits, and feet. Then you can keep clean and easily pack out all your waste. Much more convenient than soap in my opinion. 

Side note: If the soap cleans you well, then it’s chemically reactive and will continue to react in the waterways. There will never be a soap that both cleans and does not chemically change the water it’s put into. Biodegradable is a useless term. 

Hope that’s helpful. 

Happy Hiking!

You know ive always heard that people like to use wipes but IMO they are so heavy and require a lot to get the dirt off. Embrace it. Good to see a fellow boy scout as well!

You have a wire brush with you, right?

I wonder just how sanitary washing in lakes and streams without soap really is.  I suspect this is a good way to spread fecal diseases because your ass is not clean.  If you must clean yourself do it away from water sources.

Tim Wheatleywrote:

You know ive always heard that people like to use wipes but IMO they are so heavy and require a lot to get the dirt off. Embrace it. Good to see a fellow boy scout as well!

You should try it. My 3 season base weight Is usually 4.2kg (9.2lb). A pack of 25 wipes from the dollar store comes in just under 95g (3oz) so definitely heavier than nothing, but it's not going to break the budget either. One pack will last me a whole week in the woods, and I don't try to "get the dirt off" it's just a comfort thing. I used to do nothing, which was fine when I did most of my backpacking alone, but I usually share a tent now and having my face, pits, groin, and feet wiped clean makes my partner and I’s experience much better. ;)

Also if the choice is rinsing off washing with water or wiping down, the latter is objectively superior. You can wipe down inside your shelter in any conditions with no water, soap or drying off!

No Rinse Body Bath is an alternative to wipes or sudsy soap.  Not for use in lakes and streams but with clean water and a sponge.