A little Tyvek loincloth project

[Dave Heiss]

Silly, yes, but last summer on a backpack into the Pasayten wilderness, a few of the campsites I had were well exposed. Meaning there were no places to slip away to and wash up. I stripped and washed up anyway and thankfully no one strolled by (good for them!), but it got me thinking about making a loincloth style wrap that I could wear while soaping up and rinsing off. The recent stay-home order in Washington State was a good time to play around with the idea, and it was a super simple project.

Two pieces of Tyvek from a cut-up pair of coveralls I had on hand, a little cord, and some Tyvek tape. Total weight… 1.0 oz!

I had thought about buying a rain wrap (which would also do the trick) or cutting up some old silk boxers I found in my drawer, but this was more fun.

[Edward John M]

Totally different from the picture I had in my head

[Mike B]

Much better then the picture I had in my head :)

[J R]

Would you two please post the pictures you had in your head? ;-)

[Edward John M]

OK To me what is pictured is a “Lap-Lap” and a loincloth is a long rectangular strip of fabric passing over the crutch/genital area held in place with a cord around the waist. I’ve never worn one but apparently they are very comfortable

[Dave Heiss]

I had thought about a simpler flap kind of covering, like shown here…

… but in the end I decided that was a little too little. Edward is absolutely correct in that traditional loincloth/breechcloth designs wrap underneath as well as having flaps that hang down in the front and the back. Sorry for the poor choice of words in the title description, but I didn’t know what I made was actually a lap-lap.

As for the images it brought into your heads, I have no control over THAT  :-)

[SIMULACRA]

Hey, why cover up at all? Let it all out. Besides, it’s National Hike Nude Day coming up on the 21’st. The perfect opportunity! :)

[David Thomas]

Since Tyvek coverall suits (ankles to wrists) are $4 each in quantity, how about starting with one of those and cutting away everything you don’t want?  Cut it down to a pair of shorts, and then cut the inseam to make it breezier and squat-compatible.

Take a little more off each trip and at some point, when other camper run away screaming, add back the last bit.

[Adam Kilpatrick]

This is interesting

I definitely like the idea of rain wraps/technical kilts for such purposes. Need to actually get around to messing about with that idea. Certainly with the right styling it makes it more useful eg for town days, hut use etc, with the right design getting decent wind/rain blocking functionality while still getting airflow, and also functional use as a small ground cloth/shelter adjunct.

With shelter adjunct I’ve been thinking a bivy adjunct could work well… right kind of size and shape… with a very light WPB (or near waterproof, breathable fabric) to greatly aid in waterproofness of the top side, bottom end of a bivy (eg over substantial mesh sections on the bivy itself, eg a Dimma bivy). Only need a couple of strategic cam-snaps to hold it in place.

[Sharon Bingham]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I think this is a great idea, and incidentally, I love the styling too. Nice attention to/eye for detail on a simple piece that just needs to be functional!</p>

[Anonymous]

Probably could get away with a simple bottom apron style as well since once assumes that if you see/hear anyone come near, you will turn to face in their direction if you got no backside covering.

I’m guessing you’re using a bivy or a hammock, rather than a tent?

[Dave Heiss]

Hi Justin,

I use a tent (Tarptent Protrail), but I don’t like washing up inside it. The required gymnastics are beyond my flexibility range. Your apron suggestion is a “duh, why didn’t I think of that” idea.

BPL members really know how to pare down an item to the bare -pun intended- minimum.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Watch out for wind!

I did a trek in Nepal in 1999 and brought a skirt which turned out to be very useful for washing up underneath at the public water in little villages. The locals were even polite enough not to watch. You little non-bifurcated running shorts should work well in out not-so-modest yet prudish culture.

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