Seven Summits Quest

TP-101 – Toilet Paper for Hiking etc.

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by

charles.miske
in

Toilet Paper

It’s a necessity. Sure, I’ve used snow and leaves before. You have too, right? To be honest, there’s almost nothing as much fun as a chunk of solid styrofoam neve as toilet paper. You think I’m kidding?

Toilet Paper for hiking - two plastic bags and a little roll
Toilet Paper for hiking – two plastic bags and a little roll

You’ll want to carry the smallest lightest bit of toilet paper you can get away with, unless you’re on a porter or sled supported trip, then you take the whole roll. In the pic above, I have a ziplock baggie, with another ziplock baggie to put inside for the dirty used toilet paper. If you follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles MORE INFO you won’t want to be leaving your toilet paper anywhere outdoors. The stuff seems to last forever. Even in the Papuan Jungle there were old bits and pieces left over from previous Westerners.

Getting that little roll off of a big roll can be a challenge for some people. I know of people who go to a gas station or NFS bathroom and carefully unroll it off the big roll onto the little roll. That’s a real pain. I prefer to just save the ends of the rolls, when it becomes about 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick on the cardboard tube and stick them in a plastic bag in the back of the closet until I need them for a trip.

End rolls of toilet paper in a plastic bag waiting to be converted into hiking toilet paper small rolls
End rolls of toilet paper in a plastic bag waiting to be converted into hiking toilet paper small rolls

Over the years I have developed a little trick in which I squeeze and fold the paper tube liner until I can twist it out, leaving a small roll of toilet paper ready to go. Some toilet paper is glued onto the tube pretty firmly, so you’d have to slide your fingers around inside a little bit more to free the end. You can then put the resulting thin small roll of toilet paper inside your plastic bag for your hike, backpacking trip, or whatever it is you’ll need to do.

Two mini rolls from two end rolls of toilet paper. The tubes were folded and pulled out. Note that one has some paper still glued firmly to it.
Two mini rolls from two end rolls of toilet paper. The tubes were folded and pulled out. Note that one has some paper still glued firmly to it.

When I’m on an overnight or longer, I typically keep my plastic bags and mini roll inside whatever layer I’ll almost always have on. If I’m wearing a base layer with a Napoleon pocket, that’s a great place. If I have a puffy jacket that I’ll most likely put on before a trip to the “outhouse” I’ll keep it in there. I want it as close to me at all times as possible. You hate to get there and discover you forgot it.

Here’s a video showing the trick to get the tube out of your toilet paper

[vimeo 110856786]

If you have a better way, please leave a comment or better yet, post a video link for us. I’d love to get your opinion on this. Thanks!