how do you fix the issue smelly armpit in the wilderness?

do you bring along deodorant? can baking soda relieve smelly armpit odor?

When hunting I use non sented wipes. Same when solo in avid bear country. For general outing or when winter camping then I usually bring pit stick,No bugs or bears to worry about then.

I use wipes and unscented soap.

what is a pit stick /

Oh.... Around these parts it's a slang term for deodorant. Sorry about that.

I don't much worry about smelly pits when in the wilderness.

Soap or wipes. Or sometimes I just 'forget' to take my allergy pills.

The original plain white Ivory soap works well.

Rubbing alcohol, methanol, or waterless hand washing gel. Methanol/denatured alcohol can fuel a stove, disinfect splinter forceps, and provide a highly efficient local cleansing. Disinfects as it cleans. Lighter than water, for a given volume. Makes one smell like a brewery, briefly. Not for internal use. Not for use on broken skin. Don't wash up near an open flame. We used to use rubbing alcohol/isopropanol for back rubs and cooling the fevered child, until we decided that inhaling the concentrated vapors was ill-advised: try not to inhale while cleansing. Some sort of alcohol is often a component of wet wipes.

Tequila would suffice in a pinch. I have never used wine for bathing, but would suggest a dry white, crisp and a bit woody. Champagne baths are a popular indulgence in luxury spas, and one should never venture into the wilds without a magnum of Dom.

You don't. Disregard the issue until you return home.

The vintage soap ad portrays a highly polluting practice.

Baby wipes for general body hygiene. After the armpits are cleaned, apply deodorant just like you would at home. There are many traveler sized deodorant sticks that take little space or weight in any pack. As for the possibility of deodorant attracting bears...after a lifetime of outdoor travels and adventures, this is not on my list or radar of possibles that I worry about.

I am allergic to most deodorants...been using a thai crystal salt for ten+ years and its great. 1 usually last s me at least a year...at $10 (YMMV) well worth it. Whole Foods like stores carry it...no affiliation BTW..maybe order it thru local pharm.

+1 body odor falls into the NBD category. If you are hunting some of the odor blocking/absorbing clothing may prove beneficial, but for your olfactory receptors it's something to just deal with. Your dog won't care and he/she has a much more acute sense of smell than we humans.

That suggests another approach: if you don't like the way you smell,roll in something that smells better. Unfortunately, there are, on the forest floor, more things that smell good to dogs than smell good to people.

Strong antiperspirant deodorant is the only thing that works for me. So, it's either that or nothing. Everything else is a waste of time.

I would rather take the few minutes per day to maintain some semblance of hygiene. Nothing worse then having camping and or hiking partners who do not take the time to wash up some key body areas on a regular basis...

I don't know if I will ever get eaten by a bear because of my choice of deodorant or not, but raccoons have gotten into my bear bag up a tree before and have eaten my toothpaste of all things. Bears aside the bugs around here love the smell of anything like deodorant and appear to bite less when I use unsented wipes. It may be all in my head.

I prefer to hunt with bow, so sent discipline is big in that regard. True, a deer can smell much better than a human but I take all steps to at least reduce my odor.

Campfire smoke. Works great on the dog, too.

+1 on the crystal deodorant stones.They work on neutralizing the bacteria that makes body odor.They do not melt in high heat like waxy deodorant sticks.works on stinky feet also....

BOATMAN
John

Then I'll bet you would not have enjoyed a three week trip I once took with two companions. It was cold (-20F was warmer than average)and at altitude and we shared a north Face tent, ripening together. No issues as a result of that practice.

Our trip ended with a helicopter flight and the first thing on the agenda was a long shower. On other trips in less severe circumstances either swimming or a solar shower has worked very well. I don't deliberately try and render myself smelly and dirty in the woods,, but depending upon the mission and the circumstances, hygiene can easily become an exceedingly minor issue.

Have a wash (soap and water works quite well) and stay away from synthetics materials especially old or heavily used (even though washed and clean before use) base layers. X-static or merino wool base layer would be useful. Soap will also vary in its ability to reduce bacteria. i.e. Bog Myrtle or medicated Tea Tree oil soap will perform better and can be useful at keeping the flies off as well. I prefer the smell of Bog Myrtle over the Tea Tree though.

A small aerosol deodorant (travel size) will also double up as an emergency fire lighter.

You're right of course....the poster is from the late 1800's when pollution wasn't a popular concern.... Using a folding basin, dip out the water, warm it if that is your preference, and take it 100'-200' away from the lake or stream. Soap (not 'bath bar') is completely biodegradable in soil. Use it to shave, shampoo, and wash up, and then dump the grey water in a cathole. I hate to stink, even out in the woods.

Yes there are always extenuating circumstances for not being able to always maintain hygiene. However the plaintive and oft excuse of "we are just camping/hiking", IMO does not constitute a reason not to maintain basic hygiene...

THANK YOU for mentioning the toothpaste!

My wife looked at me like I was crazy the last time we went camping. In fact, she's made it a running joke whenever we're outside.

I plan on showing her this post to (maybe) make her realize I'm not full of it.

I'd rather have a armpit smelling trail partner than a dragon breath partner.

And +1 on the deodorant crystal stone.

Man, what's even more crazy was the fact my mountain house pouches were barely touched. ( suppose I can't blame the coons for that)
The wildlife officials out here reccomend all smelly items be hung in a bear bag, especially Toilitries because apparently that attracts unwelcome visitors worst than actual food at times. I got the bears figured out, but those raccoons are crafty little bas***ds.

Going without freeze dried scrambled eggs is one thing, but spending 4 days without toothpaste is hitting below the belt. Regardless of the survival shows, using a spruce twig as an improvised brush is no fun at all.

This is a good discussion. I have reread it prior to posing this question.

Suppose I am in a survival situation. It’s not critical. It’s more like an unplanned camping trip. I have a source of water. I have some supplies such as toothpaste and a tooth brush but I want to save what little toothpaste I have for my teeth. Another relevant piece of gear I always have on me is the Ultralight / Watertight .3 but I want to save the Antiseptic and alcohol wipes for first aid. The only clothes I have are what I am wearing. What can I do?

Jeanette Isabelle

crystal deoderant ammonium alum works.

Lee

Not certain that I grasp the question, but then, I often don't. Suggest substituting Dr Bronners soap for toothpaste: it is usable for washing clothes, brushing teeth, and personal hygiene. Alternatively, soap and toothpaste only contribute a little to the hygiene experience: use plain water for hygiene, while wearing the clothes, and drip dry.

where do you find deodorant crystal stone? I never heard of it.

Amazon carries Crystal Body Stick Deodorant

Usually in places like Whole Foods or Sprouts, the larger type healthy grocery store set ups that have hygiene products. I actually get/got mine at a super high end foofoo grocery store, every city has these ridiculously high end grocery stores we avoid because you need a Range Rover or BMW to park in the lot. These stores usually sell a whole range of bath and body products you don't find in the normal grocers.

I actually started using them because my pit sticks would melt in the heat of my car, sitting in my bag all day. The crystal is just a rock sized...well crystal rock looking object you get a little wet and apply like you normally would. No scent but you don't have a scent either.

Russ,that is the stuff I use. I get it at Meijer's grocery store here in Michigan.They carry it in Health and Beauty.....

BOATMAN
John

I get mine at Sprouts, but having no idea where picard120 is located, I went with a retailer available to most anyone on the WWW.

I usually use a little hand sanitizer for water-free clean ups. This tones down the goat-like scent that descends after a few days. It also makes DW a much more amicable tent-mate, especially when used on my feet before bed (geez, what died in here?).

Even rinsing with water is a good idea, to remove the salts that can cause a lot of skin irritation, usually in places where you'll suffer the most on an extended trip.

EDIT: Please don't use methanol for cleanup. It's quite toxic, and can be absorbed through the skin.

I you have a GNC in your area they carry stick type.

Lee

"how do you fix the issue smelly armpit in the wilderness?"

Hike alone :-)

Pete2

Another vote for mineral salts (aka. deodorant crystal). The spray is easier IMO. I think people have been using it for a couple thousand years. And it doesn't stain your shirt pits like most deodorants do.

where do I get mineral salt spray?

Donning my contrarian hat:

Is it a good idea to defeat natural thermoregulation systems for aesthetic reasons? (That's what antiperspirants do, including mineral salts.)

At the mall, sure. But out in the wild? Hmm.

+1 for deodorant crystal. I am interested in the spray. Anyone have a link?

There is a difference between antiperspirants versus deodorants. Antiperspirants actually block your pores and keep you from sweating. Deodorants kill the bacteria that eat the salts in your sweat and cause body odor.

Try amazon.

Lee

Amazon, Whole Foods, drug stores, health food stores, etc. The spray is just mineral salts dissolved in water. Do a google search for "crystal deodorant spray" and you'll find a gazillion places to buy it.

How do I fix it? I make her sleep OUTSIDE the tent.

Problem solved.

Wear wool. Synthetic fibers will smell like godzilla after a day or two. Wool doesn't smell that bad.

If it's too hot for wool you'll be wearing loose fitting clothing anyway.

I've never needed any kind of deodorant outdoors.