Thread: Outdoor Gear

My interest is in best shaving gear for extended trips into the backgountry. Weight is an important factor, since I am concerned with backpacking, and primarily by foot power. I have a possible strop solution, when Mr. T. Miller decides to market his new product. I am looking for other ideas on gear. I assume stainless might be a good option for a straight, hollow and not to big, Light scales. Wondering about unscented, biodegradable soap and anything else useful you might think up. Yeah, some might say why shave in the backcountry, and while I might not bother on a three day, I'd much prefer it on longer hikes. I would just feel better. I look forward to ideas, suggestions, experience from anybody who shaves in the wilderness.

I spend a lot of time where I have to be up out of bed and ready to go within a few minutes of a phone call. So I have a few ideas that may help you:

1. find a biodegradable soap that is VERY slick, even if it doesnt lather much. Put it on with your hands and shave with a nice stainless razor (I do this all the time)

2. get an unscented shaving soap in a travel tub and a shaving brush with nylon bristles and a stainless razor.

3. I would look for a stainless steel razor with aluminum or stainless scales, I had one of those a while back and it was built like armor, never tarnished or got damaged while being tossed around. There was never any rust and it was just excellent for travel, it wasnt pretty, but it was a workhorse.

I can shave in about 3 minutes if I use a slick soap without a brush and a razor I stropped after its last use. Its not as good a freshly stropped razor and not as luxurious as a nice shave with a great brush, but its quick, clean, and comfortable.

I went to a buddy's cottage last year for a couple of days, and because it had yet to be fully built, they didn't have running water or many other luxuries. The outside of the building was pretty much done, but the inside was all exposed, sweet-smelling pine -- so we were essentially camping with a roof over our heads.

I didn't bring one of my straight razors that weekend, but I had my DE, brush and some shaving cream. Using some bottled water, I whipped up a lather with the brush in the palm of my hand and shaved outside in the morning sunlight with a hand-held little mirror. Another unshaven buddy who was there too asked, "Is shaving really necessary?" I replied that no, it wasn't; but when you're as passionate about shaving as myself, the process is just so relaxing. Especially in the middle of nowhere, with trees all around you.

Next time I go somewhere like that, I'll be sure to bring one of my straight razors, since it'll really up the ante. I didn't want to bring it last year because I was concerned about packing my strop, fearing that I might damage it on the trip.

Will you be in bear country?

Originally Posted by Hawkeye5

Will you be in bear country?

Why, do you shave bears in Tennessee?

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

Why, do you shave bears in Tennessee?

Probably the bears are usefull for the HHT!

In bear country you try to have things unscented. Bears have very good olfactories and can smell anything! Even the peanut oil from film cameras. That's why those have to go in bear bags and bear lines.

When I went backpacking (2 weeks) in the outbacks, the bears and mountain lions have almost no human contact. So they're not afraid of humans and when the smell something strange, they'll check it out. If the scent is on you, they'll attack.

So I've been through the same thing Toddo goes through. For those two weeks I completely skipped out on shaving. Two weeks with no civilization and you had to carry absolutely everything with you including food and water (water had to be purified). At those times even razor, shaving soap, and brush became too onerous to carry around. Gotta cut those out since they weren't necessary. A lot of things, though small would build up weight, had to be cut out. A deck of cards for example. Too much weight. Either get rid of it completely, or just carry the pips in the corner from the corners of the cards.

For a something short less than two weeks or if you're somewhat tangible to civilization, I'd say if it's something you absolutely need, an all stainless steel razor, and unscented shaving soap. For the brush, I think you can get either boar, synthetic, or semi-sythentic. If you are in bear country, synthetic would definitely be the best choice. Boar hair or any animal hair in semi-synthetics might produce too much smell.

Unscented is definitely the way to go for bears, critters, and mosquitoes.
I recommend due diligence when it comes to non-scented products as that can often mean no scents added but if the soap is marrow based etc. it may have a natural scent that must might be yummy to bears.

Good luck with your adventure.

Proraso products are good to keep the bugs off as they contain camphor. I used them in a large working camp around the GBL

I think a stainless razor would be best too. Less likely to tarnish and should hold an edge longer. A paddle strop for touch ups or perhaps a swaty if you're good with the smaller hones. For cream I'd take Lush Ambrosia. No monkeyin' around with brushes at all and you can transfer a very small amount into a small squeez bottle for a long trip because you only need to use a very small amount to get a super slick shave.

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