As promised in the Partner announcement article, it’s time to provide a gear/product review for Crud Cloth!
After waiting for trails to dry up this spring and doing more gravel road running, I didn’t have a bunch of opportunities to try out a “shower-in-a-bag.” But after my recent BWCA Backpacking trip, I had the perfect scenario to give these a try!
Usually after a back-country trip like this, I’m either: 1) Washing off immediately in a nearby lake, 2) purchasing a shower at an outfitter, or 3) showering as soon as I get home.
Well, after this backpacking trip I used a Crud Cloth and couldn’t believe how refreshed I felt afterwards! And not only refreshed, but also CLEAN.
It was pretty crazy to be honest. I think the biggest testament to my experience was…after getting home and unpacking, I literally didn’t shower until the next morning! Yes, this included sleeping in my own bed at home.
Now maybe if I lived in a total zen environment and had free-time galore I would have showered sometime before going to sleep that evening, but that’s just not my reality being married with three kids under the age of eight in the house. I always want to hang out with them as much as possible after getting back from being in the woods – no matter how much I enjoy getting away and challenging myself on adventures, I definitely miss my family while I’m gone and I love the hugs when I get back 🙂
Regarding actual use, before you tear open the top, break the soap pod by smashing the bag as directed. If you open the bag prior to breaking the pod the soap could potentially leak/explode out when you smash the bag. Once the pod is broken, you just work the soap around/into the provided wash cloth for 10-20 seconds (that’s how long I did it for). After that, simply open the bag, grab the washcloth, and start getting clean!
I used the Peppermint scented cloth and liked it as it reminded me of the Dr. Bronner’s soap I bring with on outdoor trips.
Some additional highlights of the product include:
- Soap is made with 100% natural ingredients
- 100% cotton terrycloth, reusable washcloth
- 100% therapeutic grade essential oils + a cleanser made from plants in our soap pods (they also offer a scent-free cloth)
- Local! Invented by an active family right here in the Northland
I probably wouldn’t advocate for using these after every run/bike/hike/etc. as it ‘s easy enough to drive home most of the time (to help keep your seats clean on your way home, I’m a big fan of these). But for those times you are away from showers and in need of a serious cleaning, these get the job done wonderfully!!
Please reach out if you have any questions about my experience using Crud Cloths – I’m more than happy to answer them!
Have fun getting outside as the weather continues to warm up, and be sure to schedule some adventures of your own!