Toilet Essentials for Hikers

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Here’s an amusing thought. It’s recommended to practice everything at home before your first hike. Set up the tent, light the stove and so forth. I wonder if I should be the very first to recommend that novices dig a latrine in their back yards and practice the woodsman’s squat. It does take some practice.
Believe it or not, urinating isn’t a sanitation problem. Just pee away and out of sight. Please.
The other takes a procedure and some getting used to. Get at least 200 feet away from the lake or stream. Dig a small hole around six inches deep with a piece of bark or a small plastic trowel. Squat and go. Cover with the dirt you dug up and make it look like you never said hello.
Wipe if you wish with your toilet paper, wrap the used with some fresh and insert in a Ziploc bag.
Do not bury. Foraging animals will not allow TP to stay buried. Once dug up it often blows up onto a nearby bush for the next hiker to admire.
Do not burn. Used TP is not very combustible and it can be messy trying. Folks often give up and leave their surprises for the next camper.
It’s best to carry it out. Just find a secret, secluded place for it in your pack and forget it’s there until you need to remember again.
Clearing the bowels in an outdoor setting can be a mental thing. Some folks are very skittish about squatting, wiping and packing it up (no clean white bowl and seat, no dainty wipe-wipe, no rushing water).The utter rawness is overwhelming. Shy ones may even become constipated. Oh dear.
Think quick and clean. Like you’re clearing the mud from your boots. It’s OK. It’s natural. Ziploc and carry out used tampons, too.

General bathing 
Wash up with plain water or with biodegradable soap at least 100 feet from the stream or lake.
Same with brushing teeth.

Beware the Bum
Bug Toilet stories are easy. My wife’s first attempt with a trench was dismal.After 21 minutes of fussing she came back with a wad of toilet paper the size of a basketball. It took her ten minutes to psych up, one minute to let loose and ten minutes to wipe. Guess who had to deal with the basketball.
It’s all in your head, I said..
I was afraid that a bug was going to crawl up my bum,she said.

Was anything resolved? I guess: Some are never meant to enjoy or even endure the latrine hop.

Parting words
 ● Dig, squat, wipe, Ziploc, bury. Don’t be such a baby!
Get All You Need Here !


Backpacker's Start-Up: A Beginner?s Guide to Hiking and Backpacking (book) Get it Here !

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