Survival Hygiene While On The Road

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Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

You have the tactical training, you’ve got the tactical watch, pants, plans and boots. By now I am sure you have a bag filled with all sorts of hi tech tools for water filtering and purification, navigation, self-defense, first aid and fire craft.

Have you considered Tactical Hygiene?

As preppers and survivalists, there are many bases to cover and it’s only natural that things like fire and self-defense adjust themselves way up on the scale of importance. In the many bags we create for our excursions, be it any of the following:

The Bugout Bag
The INCH Bag
The 72 hour kit
The Get Home Bag

What I see consistently lacking is the focus on hygiene. Aside from the alcohol wipes that are part of your first aid kit, do you have anything in your bag to use for personal hygiene?

The issue, of course, is that personal hygiene is always linked to water usage. In order to be clean, we must use the precious water we need to survive. When water is in short supply or if you are on the go, hygiene just takes a backseat, until things go wrong.

The truth is, poor hygiene and sanitation will take you out long before most doomsday scenarios. If you suffer from infection because of poor hygiene, it will be very hard to overcome without modern medicine.

Would you believe me if I told you that hygiene preparation is possible without carrying or using any water? You will find out all about this incredible option in this post about three military grade products from a company called Combat One.

Military Hygiene in the Field

The very best example of hygiene practice in the field comes from our military documentation and history. Whether we are talking about simple hygiene while on hiking adventures or true long term survival situations brought on by cataclysmic events, the military has experienced it all. They have analyzed and quantified the information which is precious to those in the civilian ranks.

The information below comes from the military field manual on hygiene and sanitation. It backs the previous statement which details the importance of good hygiene and sanitation. I was shocked to find the number of nonbattle injuries to be so high.

Of course, some of these are mechanical injuries as well but the fact that it shows up in the military’s field guide for hygiene and sanitation should let you know where the majority come from.

“20 percent of all hospital admissions have been from combat injuries. The other 80 percent have been from DNBI [a military person who is lost to an organization by reason of disease or injury]. Excluded from these figures are vast numbers of service members with decreased combat effectiveness due to DNBI not serious enough for hospital admission.” – FM 21-10 Field Hygiene and Sanitation

So, we find that injuries and illness plague even our strongest men and women in the military and much of this is due to poor personal hygiene and sanitation. I pose this example to assure you that this can happen to you.

There are a vast number of issues that stem from poor practices. You will not want to experience any of them if you can help it. Below is just a small sample of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa that can affect your body.

Hygiene Issues

The trouble with having no solution for cleanliness is that your body quickly becomes an inviting home for bacteria, viruses and even fungi. One of the most common is Athletes Foot which is a pretty common fungus that affects with modern hygiene practices. Your body will play host to many more dangerous bacteria if you don’t take the steps to fend them off.

Good personal hygiene is the number one preventative when it comes to communicable disease. Basic handwashing goes far and that won’t change when you are in the field. Most people don’t even think about handwashing when they are on the move.

If you find yourself running from a disaster or some other imminent threat you will rarely have the time or the resources to wash your hands.

So, what types of ailments will you be contending with if you decide to put hygiene on the back burner?

Fungi and Parasites

Malaria – Caused by parasitic protozoan Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness that kills large numbers of the human population. It is one of the deadliest illnesses in history.

Amoebic Dysentery – The presence of single-celled amoebic parasites in the bowels is the cause of Amoebic dysentery. It is characterized by blood, pus, and mucus in diarrhea. It’s not a pretty situation.

Bacteria

Typhoid – This infection is a product of the salmonella typhi bacteria. It can hide in your body for up to 30 days before making you sick. You will have a high fever, constipation, and headache.

Cholera – This bacterial infection spreads in the small intestine. You can imagine what comes next. In a survival situation, cholera has a good chance at taking you out because you will be terribly dehydrated from diarrhea.

Virus

Common Cold – The common cold changes up so often that it is impossible to create a cure for it. The best defense is not coming in contact with the virus. By now I hope you know what that means.

Influenza – The flu shot has become a hotly contested topic as of late and whether you opt for it or not you should take precautions against this virus. You will experience those terrible aches and pains, vomiting and fever.

Combat One Solutions

Combat One offers the most efficient and effective solutions for personal hygiene that I have seen on the market. They pack well because of their shape and size but it’s the performance that tells the story with these products. They were designed for military use and have become a favorite of many branches.

This message from the Combat One website explains why Combat One is the product to pack for your hygiene needs.

“Backed by proven medical technology and years of testing in both clinical and field settings, Combat One is a favorite among U.S. Special Operations Forces and professional athletes alike. Whether it’s on the battlefield or on the playing field, Combat One is the preferred hygiene solution both Warriors and athletes need to help them perform at their best in all situations.”

The time has come to add a serious level of personal hygiene to your bags, preps and other areas of your preparedness plan. In the profiles below you will find three of the powerful products offered by Combat One. Each offers the powerful formulation that utilizes the antibacterial properties of colloidal silver to keep you clean and keep your body safe from pathogens.

Field Foam

You will find a strong lather and about 240 applications in each bottle of Combat One’s Field Foam. It is the best product for really covering every inch of your body. The foam offers that powerful lather to lift dirt and bacteria off the body.

Each foam bottle contains 3.7 fl oz of formula.

Combat One foam helps support a more thorough application by making it easier to see where the formula is being administered, assuring coverage of the affected areas.

Recommended as an adjunct for therapeutic modalities (electrical stimulation, dry needling, cupping, ultrasound).
Friction tools easily guide across the foam and allow the formula to thoroughly absorb into the skin.
Non-greasy.
No sticky residue or film after application.
Approximately 240 applications in each bottle.

Precaution: Not intended for oral ingestion. If unintended effects occur, discontinue use. May cause eye irritation. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Colloidal Silver, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Allontoin, Beta-Glucan, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Lauryl Clucoside, Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG/PPG-4/12 Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Field Spray

Combat One spray provides effective cleansing of problem areas without the risk of touching and contaminating the area of concern. It offers fast and straightforward application that works at any angle. Even upside down.

Each spray bottle contains 1.7 fl oz (50 ml) of formula.

Directions: Dispense spray directly onto targeted area, according to protocol. No rinse needed.

Precaution: Not intended for oral ingestion. If unintended effects occur, discontinue use. May cause eye irritation. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water.

Tactical Bath

Used in place of a normal bath, these thick durable towels can be used anywhere needed, including the perineal area. Combat One rapidly air dries, eliminating the need for towels.

Each bath contains 8 pre-moistened cloths.

Pre-moistened disposable cloths.
Air dries quickly, leaving skin feeling clean and refreshed.
Approved for use in sensitive areas, including mucous membranes.
Safe to use as often as needed.

This skin defense formula is designed to nourish the skin while optimizing the pH of the skin, which helps defend against many field acquired conditions.

To Use: Cleanse with both sides of cloth. Use all eight (8) cloths for a full bath. Allow to air dry.

Eight (8) cloth full bathing system directions:

Face, neck and chest
Right arm/right rib cage
Left arm/left rib cage
Groin
Right leg
Left leg
Back
Buttocks

Closing

There are many exciting things to pack in bags for terrifying SHTF situations. Who doesn’t love a great tactical tomahawk? The problem is, you cannot slice microbes no matter how sharp your blade is. In preparedness, we must draw a careful balance between the excitement of being a real-life batman and actually preparing for the threats we may face in a disaster.

In any disaster scenario around the world, bacterial infections can become an issue. I encourage you to be prepared with these great products from Combat One. We are all fans of military surplus so why not deal with our hygiene needs in the same way that special forces soldiers do? Whether you pack the tactical batch, field spray or field foam, you will find a compact and effective solution to your needs.