Apr 16, 2020
Peeing, pooping and periods. Oh yeah, we're "going" there. The founder of Kula Cloth, Anastasia Allison, joins us to talk about how to do all three of these things comfortably in the backcountry. Do you 'drip dry,' or 'shake it off'? What about if you pop a squat and notice a trail cam pointed at you?
1:30 - 'Snain' - snow up high, rain down low
4:00 - unannounced sunrise concerts in the backcountry, courtesy of
a packed in keyboard and violin
4:45 - going from working in parks, to becoming a police officer,
to entrepreneurship - Kula Cloth is a non-microbial cloth that
helps you "go" wherever you need to
8:30 - On stealing toilet paper from another camper's backpack, and
realizing you don't actually know HOW to go potty in the woods
11:45 - PEEING. Drip dry? Or, the 'aggressive shake-off'?
12:00 - It's important to stay dry and clean in the backcountry.
Otherwise you're looking at chafing, UTIs, or plain old
discomfort
13:00 - When peeing, be mindful of water sources nearby. Try to be
200 ft away
13:30 - How to pee? There are all kinds of ways. There's the trusty
'ol squat, or if you're in a climbing harness or drysuit, products
like the SheWee or TinkleBell or SheFly pants.
14:45 - Even if you shake off after peeing, you're probably still
going to have some residual moisture
16:00 - Description of a toilet bag
17:00 - Kula Cloth and other pee cloths are there to help you pat
dry
18:00 - Caring for a pee cloth on a long backpacking trip
23:45 - POOP. That moment when you ask for the trowel and everybody
knows where you're going
25:00 - You should be packing out toilet paper. Is it awkward
shoving it in a clear ziplock bag and toting it to and from camp?
Yes. One tip: Cover your poo baggie with duct tape.
26:00 - Digging a 6- to 8-inch hole sounds super easy, but it
doesn't feel quick when you really need to go. You can pre-dig a
hole as soon as you set-up camp.
27:00 - Nobody wants to show up to a campsite with a bunch of small
rock shrines, which are actually just small poop temples for people
who didn't bother to dig a hole.
28:00 - Toilet paper doesn't just disappear, especially in desert
and alpine environments
28:30 - "Blue bag" areas - places where you're regulated to pack
out your poop. (Also a good idea to be blue-bagging in snow-camping
situations.)
30:00 - Blue-bagging can feel a little weird. It's like picking up
dog poop, but you are the dog.
30:30 - go2 Outdoor Essentials
32:00 - "CuloClean" squirt nozzle for water bottle
33:00 - On husband-wife intimacy when it comes to poo in the
backcountry
38:00 - Burning toilet paper - yay or nay?
39:30 - PERIODS.
40:30 - Menstrual cups, like Diva Cup and Pixie Cup. If you've ever
thought of trying one, the ease of having your period in the
backcountry is a huge perk.
41:45 - If you use tampons/pads, you're going to need to pack out
the spent ones, preferably keeping them alongside your food so
they're not a wildlife attractant.
47:30 - South entrance to Yellowstone... the notorious sign, "Bears
and Menstruation." It's scaring everybody!
48:30 - What's the evidence on bear attacks being correlated to
periods? Not much.
48:45 - "Night of the Grizzlies" book
50:00 - Worst thing ever: Popping a squat and then seeing a trail
cam pointed at you
57:00 - Knockin' rainbows on the Snake for a Fish and Game
bounty
1:00:01 - Toilet paper shortage has been serendipitous for Kula
Cloth