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  1. #1
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Default Hair maintenance?

    Ladies, I have curly hair which I simply used a "pick" on when I was younger and did the AT in 1992. Jump forward a decade or two and now my curls are much longer.
    For those of you with long hair on the trail, how do you manage to carry along a brush? Is it in your pack all the time, in a bounce box, what?

  2. #2
    Registered User ShelterLeopard's Avatar
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    I carried a really small comb, and have fairly long hair. I kept my hair braided most of the time, worked pretty well.
    2010 AT NoBo Thru "attempt" (guess 1,700 miles didn't quite get me all the way through ;) )
    Various adventures in Siberia 2016
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    (and maybe 2018 PCT NoBo)

  3. #3
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    I have straight hair, shoulder length; never carried a comb or brush.







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  4. #4
    the dreamer stars in her eyes's Avatar
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    Default

    I have long, wavy hair that falls to the middle of my back. I'm going to chop it off for my thru, because I simply hate dealing with it during longer hikes.

    If that's not something you're interested in doing, then you could always braid it.

  5. #5

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    I carry a small folding brush with a mirror built into the handle. A lot of drug stores or places like Kmart have them. Weighs about 1.5 oz, but I find it worth it. I have straight shoulder length hair.

  6. #6
    Registered User Librarygeek's Avatar
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    I plan to cut my hair as short as I can stand before I start my thru. It grows fast, I'll grow it back out afterward.

  7. #7
    Registered User Fog Horn's Avatar
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    I braid mine. I have a burts bees comb that has wavy prongs on it. Does wonders getting through oily or wet hair.

  8. #8
    Registered User skooch's Avatar
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    keeping mine long and braided. carry a small comb but thinking of bringing a little conditioner
    Those that danced were thought mad by those who could not hear the music. George Carlin

  9. #9
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    I don't know how anyone could deal with a brush. My hair is fairly long, and even when I use a comb at the end of the day it gathers oil and dirt. That gunk would be nearly impossible to clean out of a brush.

  10. #10
    Registered User Fog Horn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by skooch View Post
    keeping mine long and braided. carry a small comb but thinking of bringing a little conditioner
    If you take some leave in conditioner and put it in a little bottle, your hair will still be dirty, but it might be easier to comb through. My hair gets greasy when it gets dirty, so I don't need the conditioner, I just need forty five minutes to comb through it if I get lazy and dont braid it

  11. #11
    Formerly thickredhair Gaiter's Avatar
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    i took a medium size comb like the one pictured below and cut off the handle
    Gaiter
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  12. #12
    Registered User skooch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fog Horn View Post
    If you take some leave in conditioner and put it in a little bottle, your hair will still be dirty, but it might be easier to comb through. My hair gets greasy when it gets dirty, so I don't need the conditioner, I just need forty five minutes to comb through it if I get lazy and dont braid it
    I'm hoping to only need conditioner after washing it as infrequently as I can get away with. I don't expect to take the braid out till then.
    Those that danced were thought mad by those who could not hear the music. George Carlin

  13. #13
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    My hair is normally hard and wiry, but feels so soft after taking a shower when I return from a week or more on the trail.

  14. #14
    Registered User TigerLily's Avatar
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    This may be a weird question, but I'm also planning on braiding my hair, and if the braid is tight enough is there a way to wash it while it is still in the braid?

  15. #15
    Registered User Fog Horn's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TigerLily View Post
    This may be a weird question, but I'm also planning on braiding my hair, and if the braid is tight enough is there a way to wash it while it is still in the braid?
    In my experience, its easier for me to have looser braids. Not free braids, but not tight braids, because my hair is thick and will stay wet in a braid for nearly 24 hours. Logically you'd think that if none of the hair is exposed it wont get dirty, but your head sweats and gets your braids get wet and dirty from the inside. If your hair is wet and stays wet it will start to do something like mold (I know its not mold, but being a military girl we often have to put our hair up wet into buns, and doing this for more than five days while sweating does something to it that makes it smell bad and get hard to comb). If you are hiking, you'll sweat. Not to mention, that the tighter the braids are, the more the pores around the hairline are being pulled, which leaves you open to a ridgeline of acne, and depending on how heavy your hair is, maybe even headaches.

    If you do the tight braids like the African Americans do (not corn rows, but long small braids) those seem to last weeks before needing to be taken out. I don't have experience with them, just thought I'd throw that out there.

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Amanita View Post
    I carry a small folding brush with a mirror built into the handle. A lot of drug stores or places like Kmart have them. Weighs about 1.5 oz, but I find it worth it. I have straight shoulder length hair.
    I use the same thing. I couldn't stand not brushing my hair at least once per day. And I like having the mirror too.
    Some people take the straight and narrow. Others the road less traveled. I just cut through the woods.

  17. #17
    Registered User Lillianp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Creek Dancer View Post
    I use the same thing. I couldn't stand not brushing my hair at least once per day. And I like having the mirror too.
    I used that comb thing. Until I lost it, so I bought another one, but it was nowhere near as good. Futzed with my hair style for a while but found that the pigtail style braids worked best (2 low on my head on each side).
    AT 2010 Feb26-Aug14
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  18. #18
    Registered User Different Socks's Avatar
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    Thanks ladies for the ideas. I like the folding brush w/mirror. i'll have to start looking for one.

  19. #19
    Registered User skooch's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Fog Horn View Post
    In my experience, its easier for me to have looser braids. Not free braids, but not tight braids, because my hair is thick and will stay wet in a braid for nearly 24 hours. Logically you'd think that if none of the hair is exposed it wont get dirty, but your head sweats and gets your braids get wet and dirty from the inside. If your hair is wet and stays wet it will start to do something like mold (I know its not mold, but being a military girl we often have to put our hair up wet into buns, and doing this for more than five days while sweating does something to it that makes it smell bad and get hard to comb). If you are hiking, you'll sweat. Not to mention, that the tighter the braids are, the more the pores around the hairline are being pulled, which leaves you open to a ridgeline of acne, and depending on how heavy your hair is, maybe even headaches.

    If you do the tight braids like the African Americans do (not corn rows, but long small braids) those seem to last weeks before needing to be taken out. I don't have experience with them, just thought I'd throw that out there.
    O
    Never hiked with long hair before and it really does get gross and sweaty now. I can totally see what you mean. The braids just wick the scalp sweat and drip. Maybe I can get my fingers lightly soaped and massage my scalp then rinse at camp then take the braids out and comb thru when I get to shower. I really don't want to cut it. It is beautiful in the non hiking world.
    Those that danced were thought mad by those who could not hear the music. George Carlin

  20. #20

    Default thanks hikers!

    wow! by reading this i just came up with an answer.

    imagine a brom....

    its a brush comb

    has only 2 rows of tines, or whatever bristles on a hair comb brush thinggy are called

    anyway, the comb has a tiny wheel you unlock and turn to release the tines enabeling them to be layed flat , and cleaned.

    when flattened, a small amount of denatured alcohol or a wipe cleans it easily.
    matthewski

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