A few more questions

[Doc]

This is a great forum. Let me pick your brains some more.

1. Washing in the field.
I've never found a very satisfactory way of doing this. Any recommended biodegradeable soap, or other ideas?

2. Field guide to trees
Any recommendations?

3. Platypus water carriers - a lot lighter than a rigid plastic water bottle, and apparently guaranteed not to leak. Then again, they kind of look fragile. Any experiences?

4. Spruce/pine tea. Saw RM brew this up and drink it - I got the impression he wasn't enjoying it very much.....Lots of references to spruce tea in wilderness literature, but only as a treatment for scurvy. Anyone tried it? Anyone like it?

 

[Adi007]

I used to feel like that about these until I went into a local outdoor shop where they had a filled one so i could jump on it (and I ain't small :-D ). Nothing happened! However, they do seem vulnerable to puncturing (but they are multi-layered).

I've used many and never had a problem.

3. Platypus water carriers - a lot lighter than a rigid plastic water bottle, and apparently guaranteed not to leak. Then again, they kind of look fragile. Any experiences?

 

[Viking]

Let see if I can help you with some of you questions

3. Platypus works great, had mine for years, take very little place when empty.

4. Spruce buds and pine needles makes a very good tea. Pine contain a lot of vitamine C especially in the winter time.

 

[Tony]

This is a great forum. Let me pick your brains some more.

1. Washing in the field.
I've never found a very satisfactory way of doing this. Any recommended biodegradeable soap, or other ideas?

baby wipes are very good as well. keep them wrapped in a bag or something and they stay moist for ages. If you have no spare water to wash with they are great for the nether regions and feet.

 

[Stuart]

1. go for a swim!! but seriously collect enough water to wash with, boil some in your billy can and add it to the rest if you want warm water and choose a site to wash which is some distance away from the river so as not to contaminate the river with your soap

alternitavley there are body washes available with do not require any water and evaporate off the skin (very cooling :shock: )

one of these is dry wash from life venture who also sell biodregradable soap

www.lifeventure.co.uk/washgear/soaps.shtml

there are many sources for biodegradeable soap this one is my favourate

www.drbronner.com warning its a bit strange :-?

even if it is just because when your board you can read the bottle, read the labels here

www.drbronner.com/story.html#labels Warning this could take you a while


2. a field guide to trees um not sure of a good one there may be a collins gem version though these are always handy as they fit in a shirt pocket



3. platypus water carriers, I did some testing of these for the M.O.D
we threw them (and a number of other brands) off buildings etc
the platypus bags are punchered very easliy, the zip on the BIG ZIP platypus is very very good (the bag actually torn on the concreate before the zip went) its a shame the bags isnt better

the best hydration bladders by far are the dormadry bags from MSR
they survived being thown from building and moving vehicals and even being run over by a landrover when half full

4. spruce tea I tried it once and didnt think much of it, but them i was told at the time that i was preparing it wrong

 

[Tony]

This is a great forum. Let me pick your brains some more.



4. Spruce/pine tea. Saw RM brew this up and drink it - I got the impression he wasn't enjoying it very much.....Lots of references to spruce tea in wilderness literature, but only as a treatment for scurvy. Anyone tried it? Anyone like it?

Try Grand Fir needles.

 

[Roving Rich]

Try asking the tree before you pluck em. I like it especially with honey.
My platipus leaks at the filling valve MSR domidory fits the side ex army side pockets and yoke configuration.
I have a great collins photoguide that covers all uk flora, forna and fungi in one book, with a plastic cover.
I want source for soap too. The kind that can be used for you and your clothes (as mentioned in Clearwaters rising)
Rich

 

[Stuart]

Hi rich see the Dr bronner soap link above as a source for soap to wash everything

lables are funny too :-D

 

[Justin Time]

for the soap the lifeventure range is worth checking out and is available in lots of outdoors shops:
http://www.lifeventure.co.uk/washgear/soaps.shtml

For a tree guide, the best I've got is the Collins Field Guide, not top pocket size, but comprehensive, well illustrated and has a handy key for sorting out the conifers. It makes it's way into my day pack or coat pocket quite a lot.

Cheers
Justin

 

[maddave]

Hi Doc

1. Washing in the field. I take a small washkit, but if you're caught short 3 small logs in a triangle on the ground with a binbag or other waterproof material filling the depression in the middle will act as a washbowl and horse chestnut leaves crushed up will give you a mildly antiseptic soap alternative.

2. The collins field guide to trees of Britain & Europe is a good one, and I believe they do a pocket sized version. Available from Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0002192136/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_5/202-5940954-4919047
and the pocket sized one here http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/000711074X/ref=pd_sim_b_dp_4/202-5940954-4919047

3. If you're after drinking on the move then Platypus or Camelbak systems are good. But a really robust water carrier is the Ortlieb water bag in various sizes. Wiggle do them here http://www.wiggle.co.uk/default.asp?Category=Water Containers&referid=out

4. Pine & spruce tea. Very good for you but I hate the taste personally. I'd rather have some chickory coffee or similar.

Hope this helps

 

[Powderburn]

Wow, some good answers so far.

1. Washing: Tony mentioned baby wipes. I carry them everywhere. Great for cleanup after changing a tire on the side of the road, or killing some of the B.O. out in the woods. Nice addition to T.P., too.

Another "must have" is Purell hand sanitizer. A little dab with a splash of water really makes a difference when you scrub yourself with it. Not as nice as a bath, but it will help cut the dirt and get rid of your stink. Jeff Randall highly recommends using it to dry your feet before changing into fresh socks in the wet jungles of South America.

3. Platypus bags: I have a bag similar to the Ortlieb Dave posted the link to. I don't know who made mine, but it's still going strong after 7 years of use. The bag isn't as stiff as the Platy, but holds up well because of the nylon cover.

 

[woodsitter]

I think that the major benefit of a platy is that you can press out al the air. When hiking, your backpack is by definition unstable when it contains a half empty bottle. I hate that. Mine is doing fine for 6 years now, no complaints.

On the washing, you can perfectly shower with 2 litres of warm water. If you have a pan and a kettle just heat one of them (not to a boil, just until it gets to hot to handle). Fill half of it in the pan and then fill both of them with fresh water. Pour one of them over your head (slowly) while rubbing your hair and your body with your other hand, keep a cup of so, left in the pan. Take your soap or shampoo, wash your hair (you will need the last cup of water from the first pan), soap the rest of your body. Rinse slowly with the remaining water. It works fine. It works even better if a friend helps you with the water. You can use both hands and spill less water, its much more efficient. (in a more intimate friendship you could handle the water yourself while your friend does the rubbing … )

 

[TAHAWK]

"Washing in the field"

:idea: Ever try a natural sponge? I have found you can get a lot of gunk off with just the sponge and water. They weigh next to nothing dry, compress, and stay soft.

 

[al]

simple soap, its unscented so doesnt cause rashes or smells, u can get it from any chemist

 

[Doc]

Thanks guys - as always, loads of practical info at the click of a mouse. I guess that if I'd asked for, say, a baboon castrator, someone would have found a source for it.

Fascinating the Dr Bronner stuff - the 'pope of soap'......

 

[woodsitter]

http://search.ebay.com/search/searc...=&ebaytag1code=0&st=&SortProperty=MetaEndSort

 

[Doc]

No entries found for baboon castrator! I stand corrected.

 

[Stew]

Wouldn't a knife or elastic band do the job?

 

[maddave]

I tink they used shears !! see below

 

[Doc]

Now, that is a whole new ball game......