Boy Scout Troop 849 - Toilet Kit

Troop 849
Manhattan Beach, CA
Boy Scouts of America

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Last Updated:
March 6, 1999

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	General \| First Hike \| Weekend Checklist \| Equipment Guide \| First Aid Kit \| Prohibited Items \| Trail Etiquette This entire guide is also available in PDF format (161k)

Equipment Guide

Toilet Kit

___Soap & lightweight towel
	A small bottle of biodegradable liquid soap does double duty as both hand soap and shampoo. (No we do not usually shampoo on weekend hikes.)
	A lightweight towel is used to dry your hands after washing. A cloth diaper makes an ideal towel. It is light, just the right size, and can be easily rolled up into a tight area. Any hand towel can also be used. Expect whatever you use to come home dirty.
	Campsuds is biodegradable and works well. About $1.25 for 2oz.
	Repackage about 1 oz. of soap into a small motel size plastic shampoo bottle. Refill as required before each hike.
	Put your soap bottle in a zip lock bag so if it leaks, it will not get all over your pack.

___Toothbrush & paste
	Get a standard toothbrush and a small travel size tube of toothpaste. You can also use an almost empty regular size tube of toothpaste as there is no need to pack around more toothpaste than you will need.
	Put your toothbrush and toothpaste in a zip lock bag to keep them together and clean. As a bonus, if the toothpaste tube should leak it will not get all over your pack.
	Cut off the end of the toothbrush handle to save weight.
	Avoid the classic 2-piece camping toothbrush as it is extra weight.

___2 Kleenex packets for toilet tissue
	Kleenex performs double duty for both sniffles and as toilet paper. Two pocket packs will suffice for a weekend hike. Replace it as required before each hike.

___Plastic wash basin (bottom of gallon water, milk, or bleach bottle)
	We do not pollute streams by washing in them. Our dirt and soap may very well end up downstream in another hiker's water bottle. Instead, a plastic basin is used to carry water away from the stream before we wash. A basin is also used by the cook crew for washing hands before each meal.
	Each Scout should have his own plastic wash basin. Wash basins can be made by cutting about 4" off of the bottom of a plastic 1 gal water, milk or bleach bottle. The resulting basin is cheap and very light. It does need to be replaced every year or two before it leaks.
	Old bleach bottles are sturdier and last longer. A jumbo size Cool Whip container is even sturdier.
	Put your towel and bowl in the basin before putting it in your pack. The basin will not get crushed as easily and will last longer. This also makes getting ready for a meal a little quicker if things are packed together.

___Sunscreen (SPF 30 minimum)
	A small container of sunscreen is needed. The higher the SPF number the better (30 minimum). Do not bring any more than you can use in a weekend of fun in the sun.
	The small 2 oz. travel size is adequate for a weekend hike. Be sure to replace or refill it before each hike.

___Chap Stick or Blistex
	Without protection, the lips tend to get chapped in the mountains. Bring along a small tube of your favorite lip balm.
	Get the kind that has built in sun protection.

___Insect repellent (in summer)
	Mosquitoes can be a real nuisance and make your life miserable. They can be plentiful in certain areas during the summer months.
	Get a small spray bottle (no aerosols) or a bottle of liquid repellent. You should not need over 1 oz. for a weekend hike.
	Products that contain DEET (like Jungle Juice) seem to work well. Dilute with water, if necessary, to get a concentration of not more than 40% DEET.
	Consider not bringing repellent on your first few hikes to save weight. You can borrow some if the need should arise.
	Liquid repellents can be repackaged into a smaller container like a motel size plastic shampoo bottle. Make sure to clearly label the bottle.