How do I estimate toilet paper requirements?

[ssloane]

I'm doing the South Coast Track in Tasmania - could be 9 days depending on weather.
I've seen estimates of how much protein I should eat each day, how much water to drink and so on. But I've never seen an estimate of how much toilet paper to pack.

All jokes about using stinging nettles etc aside, is there any rule of thumb? Presumably it would be different for ladies and gents (we are ladies).

Any help out there?

[GPSGuided]

How much do you use at home over 9 days? Add 59.56%.

[Lotsafreshair]

Exactly! Don't forget the Dehyde Dance. Instead of reading the newspaper tomorrow, take note of how much you scrunch or fold.

[alanoutgear]

My advice is to overestimate your needs. A roll of toilet paper weighs very little with the cardboard core removed, and you can vacuum pack it into a small parcel. You might save 50-100 grams by cutting down, but if you run out ...............

I did the OLT (8 days including Pine Valley) a couple of years ago with some female friends and they ran out of their shared toilet paper at Kia Ora. I had started with two half rolls, one ready to go and the other vacuum packed (in case of emergency), so I was able to make their last three days on the track less stressful than they had been as they were getting low and rationing out sheets, and certainly than it was going to be after they ran out.

There are no jokes about running out of toilet paper - I speak from experience. DO NOT believe those who will tell you that dry grass and leaves can make an acceptable substitute for toilet paper. They are only useful as kindling.

[Mark F]

Many years ago I was on a Southern Ranges and PB trip with a fellow who budgeted 4 sheets per day. After a day of less than solid motions we found the value of tp was around $1 per sheet.

[GPSGuided]

$1 a sh!t is a bad deal. Guess who'll be carrying the coins after. I'd sell in packs starting at the lowest notes denomination ie. $5 and paid in notes.

[Wollemi]

"When future historians cast around for symbols of our current age of consumerism, I reckon they'll be hard pressed to go past toilet paper.
...the dominant global culture of the west insists we cut down one of our major sources of oxygen - trees - at a rate of 27,000 a day so even our most humble citizen may wipe their bottom."

http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/c ... 2wvg1.html

[Swampy460]

one sheet per "visit" ,,

you fold the sheet into quarters
tear the corner off so that when you unfold your finger goes through
after the "visit"
place finger through hole and wipe using finger
then as you withdraw the finger through the hole
wipe finger using sheet
NOTE, dont pick your teeth using that finger

Swampy

[dannnnn]

# of squares you need per wipe; multiplied by
# of wipes you need per dump; multiplied by
# of dumps you need per day; multiplied by
# of days; multiplied by
# 2

[Lizzy]

Always a good idea to have your own roll each- this way you are not transferring germs to each other & easier to monitor your usage. Obviously make sure it is waterproofed. Soggy TP is not much fun

[tibboh]

Read ILUVSWTAS's trip report on their walk in the Eldon's and you may recalculate your requirements on the high side. You can never have too much. It't easy to overuse the stuff

[GPSGuided]

What do people do when there's a persistent down pour?

[geoskid]

What do people do when there's a persistent down pour?

Imodium?

[Lotsafreshair]

A cork.

[Lotsafreshair]

Sorry, couldn't resist. Seriously though like Geoskid, Immodium... Gastro Stop, whilst also making sure you're hydrated enough with something like Gastrolyte.

[GPSGuided]

Misunderstanding there guys and gals! "Down pour", as in rain and storm, not the medical kind. A question brought on by the earler "soggy" TP comment. LOL

I was wondering about geoskid's Imodium comment, thinking that may work, by delaying the need to go and wait out the rain. But when LOFA came in with the cork and electrolyte rehydration, it dawned on me that we weren't on the same page.

[geoskid]

I knew what page you were on, I was just being mischevious.

Raincoat? - or poo tube? ( but this would be a exercise in concentration in a tent - not one that I would be prepared to try )

[GPSGuided]

I knew what page you were on, I was just being mischevious.

Oh good! Then it's you who led LOFA astray!

Let me read up on that Imodium again. You might be onto something there. Will need to work out if it has the pharmacological power to actually impact someone. Never used it for that purpose...

Add: Ok, Imodium being an opioid receptor agonist, it can induce constipation. Umm... Or just bring some codeine containing Panadeine or Panadeine Forte. Good for muscle aches and joint pains too.

[norts]

If you are getting out of the tent strip off your lower layer and just wear a rain coat. Your legs get cold but you don't get your bottom half clothing wet. Balancing on top of a sputnik on High Moor in howling wind and rain is one of my more memorable trips to the toilet.
I always carry my tp in 2 lots, that way if one lot happens to get wet I still have a back up lot.
Lots of times I have heard people on the OLT lamenting they didnt bring enough. One time a couple were asking for spare tp. She thought he packed it, he thought she did!

[Son of a Beach]

Always keep the TP in a zip-lock bag. Never remove the roll from the bag. Only remove what you are going to use at the last moment.

Keep the zip-lock bag upside down when in use, and closed when not in use.

Before packing the TP, remove the cardboard centre, and pull a little TP out from the centre. When using, pull on this bit from the centre.

The zip-lock back is a nearly waterproof TP dispenser. Works very well.

Between that and your raincoat, you shouldn't have too much trouble.

I've been on long walks with rain every day, and never had a problem with it.

[Son of a Beach]

PS. Snow makes for excellent TP substitute. In fact, it is so good, that I prefer it over TP when available (as long as it's fresh and soft, not hard and icy). Yes, it is cold on the nether regions - obviously.

[madmacca]

I normally budget about 1 roll per person per week. I have never used anywhere near that much, but as it is not heavy, I would rather bring some back with me, than not have enough while out bush.

The problem with TP is the bulk, rather than the weight. I keep the cardboard core to help the roll retain its structure, but squash the roll flat to save some space.

I also carry a small pack of wet wipes to clean up if necessary. (these are heavier, so I try to be economical in my usage of these, but sometimes 1 wet wipe beats sheets and sheets of regular TP if things get messy).

I keep my TP in a resealable ziplock baggie to keep it dry, and a 30 ml bottle of hand sanitiser lives in there too so that there are no excuses in terms of clean hands afterwards. My 'poo kit' lives near the top of my pack, so that I can grab it easily if I am caught short on the trail.

[Strider]

Too bad if the sanitiser leaks...

[GPSGuided]

Too bad if the sanitiser leaks...

Then you have sanitised TP.

[Giddy_up]

Biodegradable wet ones for me, only need one per sitting and they smell nice.

[Son of a Beach]

TP breaks down quite well sitting in just water in our normal suburban environment. Apparently it takes a LOT longer buried in wet dirt in colder regions out bush.

Has anybody tried seeing how well wet wipes break down at home? I know that we can't flush them down the toilet because they'd wreck the pumps in our domestic sewerage treatment plant.

[GPSGuided]

Even TP varies in their biodegradability rate I suspect, as observed by leaving them in a clean toilet. Some disintegrates in hours while other "higher performance" models hang intact for days.

[Swampy460]

And apparently normal facial tissues ars not suitable for flushing either as they take longer to breakdown.

Sawmpy

[Son of a Beach]

Which is another good point... when basing your requirements for bushwalking on your home usage (plus extra for 'the runs'), be sure to use the same brand, or to re-evaluate all over again if using a different brand. Not all TP brands are equal in the amount on the roll, and in the amount required for each wipe.

[whynotwalk]

What a great thread! Again ... I kept looking for the "like" button, or even the LOL button!

In addition to the sensible advice on toilet paper quantity (yes, do overestimate!) you might want to consider using "flushable wipes". We call these "Swipes" ... noting that there's a silent "R" in front Kleenex and various other companies make these. At the end of a long walk these can help clean up your nether region, and - let's be frank - reduce that overpowering whiff that tends to grow the longer you're out there.

... you did ask

cheers

Peter