[pct-l] re: Groceries Hikers Buy...TP.

[Trekker4 at aol.com (Trekker4@aol.com)]

I can't imagine that paper towels are lighter than  toilet paper. Regardless, 
both REI & Campmor sell backpacker or outdoor  toilet paper, in small rolls 
with no cardboard. They are perhaps 1.25-1.5  inches in diameter, and each roll 
is wrapped in cellophane. I personally use,  and plan on, 1 roll per 3 days. 
A 5-pack from Campmor costs $2.00,  or .40 per roll, so some will say that's 
too expensive; however, it's also  convenient, sized right, and as light as a 
hiker is going to find.
    My toilet kit contains 3 rolls tp; a 6-inch,  U-shaped, AL tent stake for 
digging when a boot heel won't work; a  translucent (to see the fluid level) 
lighter for burning tp, which I do very  carefully; my headlamp, which goes 
onto my head when the kit goes into the  tent at night; and 4 extra alkaline AAA 
batts, 3 for the headlamp and 1 for my  tent light. The whole thing weighs 8 
oz right now, and will drop to 7 oz when  the alkalines get replaced by 
lithium's.
    Another source for small tp rolls is railroad  crews; they are issued 
small toilet kits with tp and sanitizer packets, at least  on the UP here in 
Alpine, a crew change stop. Beware of the sanitizer  packets; they're cheap and 
leak easily.  
 
Bob 
Big  Bend Desert Denizen
(Naturalized Citizen, Republic of  Texas)