I have a question regarding the rate of consumption of certain consumables. I understand that this could vary quite a bit depending on the person and the year.
I specifically wonder about sunscreen - being from, the East I don’t spend too much hiking time in the open. How much will I use? 1oz/wk? More? I plan on covering up pretty well with long clothing.
Also curious about DEET usage rates.
What has your experience been?
Kwijibo
Being fair-skinned, and hiking quite a bit in the sunny Southwest, I’ve been able to limit my need for sunscreen by using clothing as a barrier. But since the sun’s UV is only of real concern between the hours of ~10am and 3pm during prime hiking season, here’s one way to do the clothing routine without having to stay covered up all day long in hot weather:
-Wear convertible pants, switching to shorts in the morning and late afternoon as desired.
-Wear a short-sleeve shirt and carry separate sun sleeves for UV protection. A company called Moeben makes these, or you can fashion your own from an old l/s shirt. Long sleeves are quite a bit warmer than bare arms, so it’s nice to be able to dispense with them for a portion of the day during hot weather. Also, most long-sleeved shirts feature materials/construction that are more insulating than the lightweight, wicking, knit polyester s/s shirts designed for hot weather, so with the sun-sleeves approach you get to wear the latter rather than enduring the former. (UPF clothing is mostly hype in my experience. I don’t know anyone who’s ever received a sunburn through a non-translucent t-shirt. This is good news, as most UPF clothing doesn’t breathe or wick very well.)
-Wear a ball cap with detachable neck cape, such as the OR Sun Runner cap. The cape/veil is noticeable warmer to wear than just the cap, but the coverage is hard to beat. Alternatively, a wide-brimmed “cowboy hat” along with a collared t-shirt or bandanna around the neck might do. In either case, a little sunscreen might be needed along the neck in back and on the sides.
-If making your own sun sleeves, you could add back-of-hand coverings as well, which can be retracted into the wrists when not needed. Or use UPF gloves (if you dare to endure sweaty hands that won’t radiate heat well). Otherwise, plan to carry enough sunscreen to cover the backs of the hands (2 dollops each day). A little 'screen on the nose and face couldn’t hurt either, for preventing a burn from reflected UV off the ground, if you’re especially sensitive.
You should be able to get by with a very small amount of sunscreen each day if using these techniques. The “convertible clothing approach” also gives you the option to get some sun exposure as desired, which will provide beneficial vitamin D that helps the body to defend itself naturally against UV damage. And of course, sunscreen is not a perfect defense against the sun’s UV in any case, so is not just a nuisance to carry and use en masse each day, but is actually a less effective approach to sun protection than using a physical barrier at the time of day of greatest need.
blisterfree
If you keep covered up like Blisterfree and me, you’ll barely need an ounce per month of sunscreen. I only use it on the backs of my hands and on my temples. Also, be sure to protect your entire face when hiking on snow between 10 and 4. The reflected sunlight can cook your skin real fast.
DEET consumption varies wildly. In some places you might not need any (large parts of SoCal) while others you’ll want to bathe in it (Oregon?). I always carry a real small container of DEET, maybe one ounce. You can always buy more along the way. Trail towns always carry DEET, so no need to mail it for resupply.
bowlegs
I wore no sunscreen in SOCAL. I wore very lightweight pants and a super lightweight white shirt. Additionally, I draped half of a XXL white Capilene 1 shirt over my head secured by a white visor. Finally, lightweight sun gloves were great to avoid sunburn on your hands.
Sun will actually be a bigger problem in the Sierra if you have much snow. It is very common to burn your lips, nose and neck in snow. Take sun protection lip balm in these areas.
It may sound strange to wear long sleeves in the desert. I started this year on May 21st and wore the long sleeves until Wa when I switched to either short sleeve or no shirt. I also wore the long pants until WA where they pretty much were shredded and I switched to shorts.
gg-man
Figure out how often you need to apply these various items. Example (for me): sunscreen–twice daily on lower face (I wear a big hat), backs of hands. I don’t use any when traveling in forest, though. Bug repellent–evening and (rarely) morning on backs of hands (I use a bug net and spray my clothing with permethrin after every second or third laundering, so I don’t need repellent elsewhere). Hand sanitizer–after every potty break and before handling food. Allow a bit extra for fire starting or an outbreak of “trots.” Tooth powder–twice daily (I’ve spent so many thousands of $$$$ on restorative dentistry over the years that I religiously keep my teeth clean.)
I then get out the bottles, weigh each one, and keep them in my bathroom at home. I apply each item according to schedule for 2 days. At the end of the second day, I weigh the bottles again, find out how much I used, and divide by 2. That’s the amount I allow per day. It doesn’t hurt to allow a little extra. And yes, you definitely need lip balm with sun protection!
For everything except the hand sanitizer, I’ve found that the tiny dropper bottles sold by Gossamer Gear, Mountain Laurel Designs or Lawson Equipment (and also available from US Plastics) are big enough for several weeks worth of the stuff. Your Mileage, obviously, May Vary!
Time release DEET is probably more effective–that’s what the US Military specifies in malarial areas, along with permethrin sprayed clothing.
grannyhiker
I don’t like skin cancer, so I use about 3ozs a week sometimes more, like when Im in the Sierra. You can never use too much sunscreen. Definetly wear a hat and long sleeve shirt. I did short sleeve once on PCT and felt that longsleeve is much cooler.
Guino