I get this question a lot with regards to hygiene on the trail. I have seen and talked with a lot of heavy-miserables who don’t think about hygiene and after four days on the trail start getting bad ass blisters and general chapping. This of course is as pleasant as it sounds.
The ass blister problem gets exponentially worse the less breathable pants and clothing you have on. I have found a few solutions that work really well for me besides having light breathable clothing.
- wash at the end of each days hike
- bring a bar of chopped soap (usually weighing around 15-20grams for two weeks – see pics)
- use dried out wet wipes that are rehydrated with a little dash of water (when really cold out or no access to any water)
- if really cold out other than wipes I like to use heated up water and a wash rag
Dehydrated wet wipes work great, I spend a lot of time in the desert and rarely can I spare the water to wash and rinse with soap. And ass blisters? Wow, that sounds very unpleasant. I’m happy to say I have never experienced that.
Another alternative to the chemical filled wet-wipes could perhaps be the EZ-Towel!
http://www.officialeztowel.com/