I attempted a really nice long hike the first week of August in 2020. It was a journey that I haven’t heard of anybody trying. I was going to hike 170+ kms along what I called “The South East Fundy Super Trek + 10”.
That never happened for a multitude of rookie mistakes that I’ll get into in another post, but one of those reasons was because of how dirty and gross my pack and poles are.
I used a great pack that I received as a replacement when I was on the Appalachian Trail. I had about 1126kms until the end, and Osprey provided me a new pack because a stitch came apart.
So the pack I was going to use on my Super Trek had been used for thousands of kilometers of backpacking. I also must explain that I sweat a lot, I’m kinda gross.
When I had to pull myself from my Super Trek, I had fallen ill. Not just because of a few rookie mistakes but also I figured it was probably because of all the bacteria that was in my pack and on my hiking poles.
When you hike, you don’t even realize that your gross hands come into contact with your mouth, and for me it’s often, because I sweat so much. I wipe my forehead, mouth, eyes, and my hands are on my poles, my pack, they’re on everything.
I also know from playing hockey that if I wear an unwashed athletic article of clothing, I don’t feel so well because of all the bacteria, so why would a backpack be any different? I mean, I did hike a third of the Appalachian Trail with it strapped to my back, I’ve hiked many weekends around the Maritimes with it, and… I sweat a lot.
So I decided to give my pack a bath.
Soapy Backpack Soup:
* Liquid laundry soap, the same amount you’d use in the laundry.
* OxyClean, 1/4 cup
* A tub.
* Hot water.
* Scrub brush.
First, draw a hot bath for your back in a waterproof tub.
Add pack to warm water making sure to completely submerge the pack but first make sure all twigs from previous hikes are removed. They cause drains to be plugged – landlords hate that. Let pack soak for 5 mins.
Second, if desired for a little more intimacy, light candles and dim bathroom lights.
If romancing your pack isn’t for you, simply add liquid laundry soap and OxyClean with another round of hot water.
Mix like it’s a margarita, and let pack soak in the soapy marinade for 20 minutes so it really absorbs the flavours.
Then using brush, scrub the hell out of it. Get everywhere. Your pack was set in dog shit somewhere and you didn’t know it. Your sweat skin cells are an extra coating, and there’s a bit of pee there too.
See that above pic. Gross. I rinsed that sucker about 3 times. It came out sparkly, so sparkly that it was too shiny for a picture, ok, I admit I forgot to take one. Let dry in the open air outside or inside, et voila! Clean pack! And maybe 5 pounds lighter.
My advice to you, if you backpack often, or even day trip often, it’s probably a good idea to wash your pack, Maria did and even though it wasn’t as dirty as mine it turned out great!
I’d love to hear from you! Any questions, ideas or what not, [email protected]
Happy trails!