Shaving while camping

**smackey** · 08-10-2010, 07:52 AM

Being a manly man I like to go camping whenever I get the opportunity. I definitely love a good shave (almost) everyday. There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to roughing it in the outdoors and shaving.

1. You're camping shave when you get back to civilization. 2. Who cares where you are, SHAVE!

Last week I went camping with a buddy who's also into wet shaving/DE blades etc. He didn't bring his shaving gear and I brought mine (I'm glad I did!).

I must say that even while camping you can really get a great shave. It's all about replicating the things you need to get a good shave at home. Hot water, a brush, bowl (a metal and enamel coleman camping bowl), maybe pre-shave oil (If you're into it), a good cream or soap, a DE razor (I use the merkur slant), and a nice blade (I used a derby extra for this outing). You'll need a mirror too, I've used the side mirror on my truck or a mirror on a string.

Firstly I boiled some water in a large pot over the campfire. I then scooped up the water in a metal mug threw in a couple of ice cubes from the cooler and then used a clean facecloth to get the hot water water onto my face. I scooped up some boiling water into my coleman camp bowl in order to heat it up. After emptying the water from the bowl, and applying some pre-shave oil to my face, I then began to make a lather using my brush and some proraso in the scolding hot bowl. Lathering up with this hot mixture felt especially good in the mid 50s F morning air. For a mirror I hung a small mirror on a string from a tree limb. After an especially enjoyable shave (minus a few insults from my companions) I rinsed with the water that remained in my mug and applied some moisturizer with a little spf 15.
All in all it was a most excellent shave and my friend, green with envy, vowed to bring his shaving gear next time he went camping.

Does anyone else shave while camping, have a similar story, or is opposed to it in general?

**bossdog79** · 08-10-2010, 08:26 AM

Glad to hear you got a good shave while in the great outdoors. personaly, I don't shave when camping, and at the deer camp I go to in the fall it's the quickest way to get pranked at night.

**BladeRunner001** · 08-10-2010, 08:36 AM

Man...that sounds like fun

.

**Squash** · 08-10-2010, 08:59 AM

I would make it much simpler, and try to spend my energy enjoying the things that are not at home.

**Defend Tacoma** · 08-10-2010, 09:34 AM

Haven't tried shaving while camping yet. I'll definitely be bringing my kit next time i go though!

**tripper** · 08-10-2010, 09:48 AM

shaving gear isnt worth humping in a gear sack

besides, im camping. if anything the stubble keeps me warm at night. and any nicks/irritation can cause problems if you get stream water around it later in the day. my friend got a fungal infection from this.

**Darth Indiana** · 08-10-2010, 10:02 AM

don't shave in the woods myself. besides i do most of my camping in the fall and spring, when i wear a beard for insulation.

**MikekiM** · 08-10-2010, 10:06 AM

I was on vacation last week.. We weren't camping, but we were staying at a beach house that inspired me to vacate the bathroom and shave outside at sunrise....

I've shaved out on my back yard deck four times since coming home and I love it!!

I warmed some water in a large basin, sat a mirror on the railing, hand lathered and had at it with a Mergress XL loaded with a fresh Derby.

Shave wise it was about the same as had I confined myself to the bathroom until the final rinse which was a wash cloth saturated with Poland Spring from the cooler...

**asmaan** · 08-10-2010, 10:17 AM

Depending of the duration, but generally no shaving.

**jdudley76** · 08-10-2010, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by MikekiM

I was on vacation last week.. We weren't camping, but we were staying at a beach house that inspired me to vacate the bathroom and shave outside at sunrise....

I've shaved out on my back yard deck four times since coming home and I love it!!

I warmed some water in a large basin, sat a mirror on the railing, hand lathered and had at it with a Mergress XL loaded with a fresh Derby.

Shave wise it was about the same as had I confined myself to the bathroom until the final rinse which was a wash cloth saturated with Poland Spring from the cooler...

Nice...mentholated lather outside on a sunny beach. Sounds great.

**skembomatt** · 08-10-2010, 10:55 AM

Last time I shaved in the outdoors it was in a LPOP with my battle buddy and it was a dry shave with water from a canteen. I think your experience sounds better.

I did shave while camping when when I was a scout leader and it's nice.

**fleabeard** · 08-10-2010, 12:24 PM

I'm an active leader with my son's Boy Scout Troop and I go camping with them every chance that I get. As a general rule, if we're just going for the weekend I'll shave before I go and wait until I get home to shave again. If we're going for more than a few days, I'll pack my Tech, some cream and a small boar brush, but still only shave when it starts to get scratchy.

**solar** · 08-10-2010, 07:14 PM

If its hunting/camping, I dislike the growth but don't bother with the shaving since I can never get the right feel I like at home.

If its far from home, and that can be more than "camping", I almost insist on bringing shave kit to a zone because it reinforces to me, that my circumstances do not dominate me. Think of John Cleese in The Meaning of Life as the British Army officer shaving in the middle of a Zulu attack and tut-tutting when a spear breaks his shaving mirror. You can refuse to let the situation control you, and bring a modified shave den to the forest if you like....

**Uncle Erik** · 08-10-2010, 10:07 PM

I haven't been camping for awhile, but I always made a point of not shaving. It's part of roughing it for me. Besides, a shave after a bit of growth is something I enjoy.

**wilsonent** · 08-10-2010, 10:49 PM

Well, you may not call it camping, but I spent last week with my wife in a local campground in our travel trailer. Took along my Gillette travel razor, Godrej shave round which I used as a shave stick, Feather blade, followed by a splash of Ogallala Double Strength. Used by C & E BBB which I stored in a pill bottle with holes in the top. I know, you backpackers and tent campers may say "That ain't camping dude" Well, that may be luxury camping, but I was going back and forth to work during the day, and camping out at night. Nice way to break up the workaday week. In any event, when I have backpacked in the past, I did not bother with shaving, but that was before I started wetshaving. I believe I could take along a light enough kit to make it feasible. I say good for you.

Jeff

**Gerald_G** · 08-10-2010, 10:56 PM

Never when backpacking, and ounces count. Usually not for long weekend trips etc. Only for 7 day or longer trips where I'm camping in a campground with sinks and mirrors.

**Brownbear** · 08-10-2010, 11:35 PM

Not when backpacking, but when car camping, yes. Much as you describe, although my last trip I took a black badger restore brush, an open comb new on a Bob's aluminum handle and a tube of Erasmic. Boil up a billy of water in the morning, pour it in the dish pan to wash face and shave away. The outside car mirror works fine. Good start to the morning.