[pct-l] Sunscreen on the trail

[Ryan Hull]

I usually try to cover up as much skin as possible: long pants, long
sleeves, baseball cap with a bandana draped behind to cover my neck and
ears, and light gloves.  If I didn't use trekking poles I probably wouldn't
have bothered with the gloves, but having my hands exposed to the sun in
front of me all day was turning them into leather, sunscreen or none.

I may give the gel-type sunscreen a shot, but for the most part I've found
light-colored, loose, breathable clothing to be just as comfortable and
less of a nuisance than constantly worrying about sunscreen.  It kept my
skin comparatively clean too.

I did apply sunscreen to my face through the sierras.  Even then I still
peeled a bit by the end of it.


On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:37 PM, Mary Kwart <mkwart at gci.net> wrote:

> Hi--
>
> I start hiking using sunscreen on my face and hands, but stop using it
> very much because I wear long sleeves, long pants and a floppy hat. I
> should use it more on my face, though. I carry a small squeeze bottle
> of 50 SPF in a front waist belt pocket of my backpack.
>
>  I found it really didn't make that much difference using it on my
> hands--they were getting browner and browner. SO, I met a hiker named
> Hiking Dude who turned me onto this cool trick--I bought a pair of
> men's light weight nylon dress socks in the next town for 50 cents at
> a second hand store. I cut off the toe of the sock, then cut a small
> hole on one side for my thumb--making them into fingerless
> gloves--they protect the tops of my hands and are not hot. I used them
> for 600 miles on the Arizona Trail last year and still have the same
> ones.
>
> I am worried a bit about skin cancer because my parents used to go to
> the beach when I was young and I burned a lot.
>
> --Fireweed
>
> On Tue, Feb 12, 2013 at 3:07 PM, Claire Persichetti <
>  c.e.persichetti at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>  > Hey everyone,
>  >
>  > I'm wondering what your thoughts are on the necessity of carrying
> and using
>  > sunscreen throughout the trail. Should I expect to use it just in
> the
>  > desert section or count on using it the entire length of the PCT?
> As a
>  > non-sunscreen wearer in general, my inclination is to just pack
> some for
>  > southern California, but I'm curious what others have had luck with
> in
>  > terms of sun protection.
>  >
>  > Thanks!
>
>
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