Long backpacking trip with curly hair!

[liseling]

Hello!
I'm extremely excited about the backpacking trip Im planning this coming September in the islands and highlands of Scotland. I will be travelling there from where I live in California. It will be my first ever long backpacking trip, and I'll be out for about 4-6 weeks. I'm thinking that every 3-5 days or so I'll stay a night in a B&B, hostel, or other accommodation, but otherwise I'll be in a tent out in the middle of the countryside. One of the main snarls I can think of though (haha) is that I have thick 3b hair that's about mid back length. I typically use a bunch of gel to get my curls to not fly away in a cloud of frizz. It tangles EXTREMELY easily. And brushing it makes it more tangled because it turns into a poofball of fluffy frizz.

My typical haircare is to put a lot of nice thick conditioner in in the shower (no shampoo), detangle with fingers, scrunch out the excess (I dont rinse it out), then put a bunch of gel in and let it air dry overnight. Obviously going on a long backpacking trip I will be limited in a few ways - no shower/way to wet my hair enough to condition, and enough conditioner and gel to last 4-6 weeks would be too heavy to carry around in my pack.

I'm trying to think of ways to take care of my hair during this trip so it doesnt turn into a giant dreadlock that I have to shave off when I get back. I thought about protective styles like cornrows etc, but I had that done once when my hair was shorter and it was nearly impossible to undo the tiny braids and get my hair untangled again. So I dont want to go that route.. Has anyone been in this situation before??

[Wildcat Diva]

If it was me, I would heavily oil it and braid it in bigger braids than cornrows. Bun that. Maybe CO once I got to a hotel and scritch scalp and then start oiling and braiding again when I set out again.

Good luck!

[neko_kawaii]

I'd recommend double french/dutch braids that you redo once a day, possibly twice depending on how easily your hair tangles inside braids. If french/dutch braids are too difficult to do, then basic braids covered by a bandana are the next best option. And then detangle fully when you are in a B&B and able to wash it.

For conditioner, I'd look up the B&Bs etc, if they are in villages you can probably buy product there, or they may have product left behind by other visitors. A combination of that could get you through without needing to carry much the whole trip.

[MoonRabbit]

I did a long backpacking trip arcross the states 3 years ago. Hats, bandanas, braids and updos were my lifesaver. I didn't use oil because of the heat, it would have made a greasy mess on my neck and forehead with the sweat from all the walking. When ever it was time to set up camp I would always take some quality time to detangle my hair. I didn't mind if it looked horrible just so it was manageable. I stayed in a motel a few times for a good cleaning, other times it was a truck stop or fresh water streams. Best thing to do is keep as much friction and the environment away from it as you can.

[sumidha]

I'd also go with a crap ton of coconut oil and a bandana/scarf. And whatever form of 'up' that creates the least tangles for you, whether it's braids or buns or whatever. For me, french braids require way too much manipulation and separating the strands/re-braiding always causes tangles and breakage unless I'm super careful, but that's a YMMV thing.

When I've backpacked around in the past I took my most trusted brush, coconut oil and spin pins for bunning.

[lithostoic]

Definitely try an oiled bun. Personally I'd do 4 or 5 braids, but you said the takedown would be horrible.

[Hairkay]

I'd recommend double french/dutch braids that you redo once a day, possibly twice depending on how easily your hair tangles inside braids. If french/dutch braids are too difficult to do, then basic braids covered by a bandana are the next best option. And then detangle fully when you are in a B&B and able to wash it.

For conditioner, I'd look up the B&Bs etc, if they are in villages you can probably buy product there, or they may have product left behind by other visitors. A combination of that could get you through without needing to carry much the whole trip.

I'm in agreement with this. Your cornrows of the past were too small. You could also try just 4 cornrow like this if you're able to do them yourself. Ends can be in buns or left down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZ1M_3qIJo&t=260s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBIuD1AK1bs


If you're going in the summer then you can also get away with just water rinses and a tiny bit of oil in your hair.

[liseling]

Thanks for all the input! I guess if I braided in larger braids when my hair was still wet, before it dried and curled up it might give me a head start on keeping it untangled - then the once or twice a day unbraidings might be more manageable. I'll have to see how much coconut oil I'd need to carry to last the entire trip!

[Chromis]

Not a curly, but I do love backpacking. I normally do backcountry wilderness backpacking though so weight is a high concern to me.

I normally braid it in a single braid at the start of the trip and put it up with a plain Ficcare covered with a head tubie (Buff is the most common brand) and only take a comb and a few spare little silicone elastics for my tassel since they tend to break. If my braid starts getting too messy, I take it out, comb and immediately re-braid but that isn't every day. I do not normally bother washing it while camping and have done three or four weeks with no issue. It did get greasy, but meh, it was covered up anyhow! I'd save washing it for rest/town days, so as not to have to deal with wet hair. I would not bother with coconut oil if you go this route, just more to carry!

If you choose to use a stick or fork, one thing I recommend to to test fit with your pack to make sure it won't be bumping into it!

[Anje]

I'd recommend double french/dutch braids that you redo once a day, possibly twice depending on how easily your hair tangles inside braids. If french/dutch braids are too difficult to do, then basic braids covered by a bandana are the next best option. And then detangle fully when you are in a B&B and able to wash it.
Yep,. that's what I'd do too. If the hanging braids got too shredded and tangly, I'd probably work out a way to fasten them up (as heidi braids or bunned) and cover the whole thing with a bandana or a buff to keep the flyaways to an absolute minimum. For me (and my hair's quite a different texture), bunned braids don't accumulate tangles, but the hair going over the scalp to where it enters the braid does. Keeping that covered prevents that portion from getting windblown and tangled. In any case, you'll probably want to redo the braids at least every couple days just to be sure you're not leaving bad tangles alone long enough for them to reproduce.

[Cyclamen]

The key with braids is do not get tempted to have a pony tail or wrap bun for a day: it will tangle and without shower and conditioner it would take forever to detangle. Head scarf highly recommended.

[lapushka]

Lidl or Aldi do men's gels that are nice. In Belgium at least I checked the ingredients and the Lidl one for men and the Aldi one that is "extra strong" are OK (no drying alcohols). I've been using them for a while now. Each tube is 150ml.

I don't know what you come across in Scotland, but they sell gels in small tubes.