Poison Ivy Proofing wind pants/shirt?

[matt kirk]

I have an old pair of really lightweight (maybe M10? can’t remember the fabric) homemade pants that haven’t been used all that much (hence why they’re still intact). I also have a similar wind shirt with more wear. I want to use these items to protect me from poison ivy exposure on an upcoming bushwhack where it is apparently unavoidable and grows up to one’s armpits. No fun, I know, but it’s a short <1 mile stretch to a 70-mile unsupported adventure run. I want to go as light as possible. I’m wondering if there is a product I could spray on the pants/shirt that could boost their repellency to the oils of the PI. Would a DWR spray actually work against the oils or is there a better product? Thanks.

[Marcus]

I believe DWR is made less effective by Oils. DWR works by repelling the water due to an electrical charge. from what I understand, oil does not share this same charged property and thus is not repelled by DWR.

My guess is you need oil impermeable clothing, which I think would mean non-breathable like silpoly or silnylon. Even then, I would not trust that without testing at home (with canola oil maybe?). Even then, I would probably just use 55 gallon contractor strength trash bags or something similar.

My buddy got a horrible case of poison oak after the oils penetrated his long sleeve shirt. After seeing that, I would not chance oils penetrating any outerwear and would personally choose a mile of clammy discomfort over any chance the oils penetrate.

Having a tube of Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash may be worth while as well. If you wash it off quickly, I hear the oils have much less effect.

Good luck!

[matt kirk]

Thanks Marcus, good insight! Maybe I’ll just pick up a pair of tyvek coveralls or cheaper/lighter generic polypropylene coveralls for this short section along with gloves and shoe covers (which I already have for work) and just wad them up in a plastic bag after I get through. These coveralls are advertised as resistant to grease so maybe oils too? It would also make for an funny photo op!

[DWR D]

“upcoming bushwhack”

1) Upcoming when? If it is winter the poison ivy may have lost it’s leaves and be less of a problem…

2) if this is really like wading thru the stuff, you could also be potentially inhaling the stuff… especially if it is hot…

 

 

 

[matt kirk]

Doing this 9/9 so it will still be fully leafed out. Wasn’t planning on going full respirator space outfit. Was teetering b/w taping up my own homemade trash bag coveralls or dropping the $$ to get tyvek (or cheaper, thinner… potentially less effective?) ones. Haven’t ever really had a super bad reaction to PI exposure, but haven’t really waded thru a dense thicket of it either if memory serves.

[DWR D]

what ever you do, don’t burn it in your campfire… did that once… smoke got in my eyes… eyes swelled shut and itched like hell… doctor had to give steroid shots… not good…

[d k]

The bare branches of poison oak have given me my worst cases of weeping, itching poison oak rash, so I’d assume poison ivy in fall would be similarly bad.  I don’t think the oil is much lessened by the absence of leaves.

[matt kirk]

I think I’ve decided to go the DIY route and have put together a trash bag suit using three heavy duty bags, some duct tape and some cording I had laying around. Weight is 14.5 oz (ouch) should survive the brush and will get turned inside out and stored in my pack until I get to a trash can when I pass by the park office about 20 miles in. Hopefully this will keep me from getting rash… 

[Todd T]

a trash bag suit using three heavy duty bags, some duct tape and some cording

Yikes, that sounds miserable.  Maybe better than poison ivy but…it’s a close call!

[Sam Farrington]

Once on the Maine coast two of us beached our boat and took a walk to see the sights.  On returning to the boat, we realized that we had been treading through an area thick with poison ivy.  It was not waist high, but we were in bathing suits and our legs were totally unprotected.

We boated immediately back to the beach near the cabin where we were staying, and washed our legs and feet thoroughly with bars of brown soap.  There were no effects of the PI afterward.  I am an avid bushwhacker, but would not go through a long patch of PI up to my armpits.  I’d find another route or a detour or two.  But good luck with suiting up.

[Steofan M]

Trashbag suit might work well until you need to take it off, stow it then dispose of it without contaminating yourself or the person who just might pull it out of the trash for whatever reason…

I’ve had poison ivy, poison oak and worst of all: oak mites. I’d plan another route.

[matt kirk]

I’d love to use another route, but any deviation could result in an even worse poison ivy encounter, not to mention a time suck. I’m going off limited beta in uncharted terrain. At least I know what I’m up against here (sort of). As for the removal, storage and disposal of the PPE: I am planning on carrying gloves to help keep the oils off my hands when I (carefully) pull the suit off and inside out. It will then go in a plastic bag and into a trash can in the park. I don’t think rangers make it a habit to rifle through the trash. I’m carrying a bit of soap in case things get sloppy and I want to rinse in the nearest creek ASAP. Otherwise I’ll be sure to soap and scrub my arms at the restroom stop 17 miles further into the run…

[David Hartley]

Why not something like this:  https://www.lowes.com/pd/Trimaco-XL-Tyvek-Paint-Protective-Coveralls/50281813

Good for mold, lead, and asbestos and only $15 – seems likely to be good enough for poison ivy?

As with anything – the trick will be taking it off without cross contamination.

Bringing some soap that will work on breaking up oils and plan on thoroughly washing any skin that could have come in contact with poison ivy or the protective clothing is a good plan.

[Author]

Posts