Do you shave while in the BW? Do you quit shaving ahead of a trip to get that "rugged look" earlier while on a trip? What about after your trip... do you wear that rugged look home? Or shave it off at the outfitter before traveling home?

Seems guys with thin beards like to start early and wear it home? I've seen and electric razor in our group... once.

I don't shave on paddling trips. I shave until the trip starts and shave when the trip is over. My wife (and bow paddler) does not appreciate the rugged look, but tolerates it on trips.

TZ

Once mid trip and after the trip in hotel on way home.

TrailZen: "I don't shave on paddling trips. I shave until the trip starts and shave when the trip is over. My wife (and bow paddler) does not appreciate the rugged look, but tolerates it on trips.


TZ


"

+1 No shaving during trip. I’ll grow a stache and goat but the chops are thin at best. I’ll shave when I get home. Kids like to see it. Wife does not care for it.

Don’t shave on trips but always shave at home. A buddy who is a 20 yr+ military veteran shaves maybe every other day on trips. He just doesn’t feel right if he goes unshaven.

bobbernumber3: "Do you shave while in the BW? Do you quit shaving ahead of a trip to get that "rugged look" earlier while on a trip? What about after your trip... do you wear that rugged look home? Or shave it off at the outfitter before traveling home?

Seems guys with thin beards like to start early and wear it home? I've seen and electric razor in our group... once."

Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow

I stop shaving a couple of days before, no shaving on trip then I would shave at home. Last fishing trip to Canada 2 1/2 years ago I came home with a nice beard, still have today.

I shaved on my first 1 or 2 trips, I think, but never since then: too much bother. I cease shaving the day before I leave and then shave after the trip is done, usually at the outfitter, but occasionally I wait until I arrive at home. My beard is not something that enhances my looks!

i just let it go and grow.

Not me. Not sharing photos either :)

For the last year plus I shave for an event or 2-3 times per week. I do not recall ever shaving while on a trip, lots of reasons.
1. Razor and soap are added weight.
2. Bloodletting attracts mosquitos.
3. Creates a facial barrier to mosquitos.
4. The signal mirror is too small for shaving.
5. I'm not courting in the wilderness.
6. And it does add to the image of the wild.

No. Not since I was 20 or so, so nearly 50 years.

Only after 4 day-nights. I actually feel refreshed and more awake if feeling clean.

I shave before and after, not during.

I will do a little clean-up sculpting when I get home, but I have not had a clean shaven face since 1985.

Ausable: "My beard is not something that enhances my looks!"

I don't think I've seen a beard enhance anyone's looks.

The more I read this simple post the more it makes me laugh. It’s great. Simple topic with some humor. Oh the stuff we think about and discuss to get us through winter until we are back on the water.
Cheers!

No shaving during the trip and don't shave until I get home. The kids and grandkids like seeing papa with a beard but in the words of my wife, "looks good but if you want to get near me it needs to come off". Needless to say it comes off.

papalambeau: " No shaving during the trip and don't shave until I get home. The kids and grandkids like seeing papa with a beard but in the words of my wife, "looks good but if you want to get near me it needs to come off". Needless to say it comes off."

Sounds just like my wife

Mocha: "Not me. Not sharing photos either :)"

Hahaha


I’d rather bring other cleaning items... I have trouble enough shaving at home.

It’s no shave trip for me. I tried to shave the first year I went up using a small mirror and it was a blood bath!

No shave. I have a Fu that I have had for over 40 years, and I generally go without shaving at home for 2 or 3 days. Wife would prefer a clean-shaven husband, but she lost that battle long ago. Funny thing, but my two sons have beards and/or mustaches, and my oldest grandson is trying. Must be genetic.

I haven't seen my chin in 6 years.

I've had a beard for 40 years. I shave my neck area every day and continue to shave the neck every morning while tripping . I wash my face and hit my neck with the razor while it's still wet. It's no bother and I just feel cleaner and less itchy.

I have a beard so I don’t shave very often. The most I do is trim-but not while tripping.

Another in the beard club. However, I trim my beard very close before leaving. I have found my face stays cleaner. Same with a haircut: a short haircut before I go means less shampoo and much quicker under the cold "sun"shower.

Mike

As a female, I shave the day before we leave, and when we get back. My legs that is.

My husband has had a beard since 1981, I've never seen him without one. He almost had to shave it once when my son used his electric razor and changed the settings, but he managed to save most of it with a different style. For the BW he trims before we leave, and after we return. I like it.

No shaving for about a week before at minimum. A week's worth of growth keeps the mosquitos off that part of my face. Obviously no shaving in either, less to carry around, not trying to look all purty there.

awbrown: "I've had a beard for 40 years. I shave my neck area every day and continue to shave the neck every morning while tripping . I wash my face and hit my neck with the razor while it's still wet. It's no bother and I just feel cleaner and less itchy."

That’s what I call clean unshaven!

I shave every couple of days while camping. I can do it with just a razor and water so it is no big deal and saves me sawing through it afterwards. Our preferred trips are around 10 days. So it’s pretty long if I don’t keep on top of it. Plus, I trip with my wife and she’s not a fan of facial hair.

bhouse46: "For the last year plus I shave for an event or 2-3 times per week. I do not recall ever shaving while on a trip, lots of reasons.
1. Razor and soap are added weight.
2. Bloodletting attracts mosquitos.
3. Creates a facial barrier to mosquitos.
4. The signal mirror is too small for shaving.
5. I'm not courting in the wilderness.
6. And it does add to the image of the wild."

Only downside of not shaving (except looking like a wanna-be junior high tough guy) is I hate putting sunscreen on an unshaven face. My trips aren't generally long enough to warrant it, but I'd shave every few days to avoid slathering sunscreen onto my growing whiskers.

Have not shaved since 1978- why start now? Phot from Yesterday on a BWCA portage.

DanCooke: "Have not shaved since 1978- why start now? Phot from Yesterday on a BWCA portage.
"

You win Dan.

I usually shave at least once, typically the next to last day, and on longer trips maybe 2-3 times. For me it’s part of a ritual that goes way back.

When I was a lad my troop when to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico for a backpacking trip. On the first day in base camp we watched other groups hiking in from the mountains after their 10 day trips, and they all looked pretty beaten up and sloppy. So we started our 10 day trip, and on the 9th evening boiled up a bunch of water and washed our clothes, hair, faces, and those who could shaved. The next day we hiked into base camp looking good, and some people asked if we were just getting ready to start a trip.

I still end canoe trips this way. The last day or day before, I get myself clean and put on clean clothes and shave. I paddle out just like I paddled in.

I don't think I've seen a beard enhance anyone's looks."

Ouch!
I haven't been clean shaven for 25ish years. Not since I was on a Volunteer fire dept. (shave it off or burn it off). My girlfriend, now wife, laughed at me when she saw me clean shaven during that time, as I had a beard when we started dating.
So based on that I think she would disagree.

Now I keep it trimmed up when I'm in the office and let it grow when I'm not.
Neck gets cleaned up at least weekly, but not on trips.

Had to trim off about 7 inches after 15 months of working from home. It also went grey during that time so my brother told my youngest nephew I was Santa and his eyes grew to the proverbial saucer size, as his jam headed towards the floor. I could just see him going to pre-school saying "I met Santa and he's my uncle".
His oldest son has only called me Santa since then, and gets the kick out of it like you would expect from an older brother whos 12 years old.

Full beard for 30 plus years, white most of that time now. With the suspenders, I was referred to as having an "Un-Orthodox Amish look.

I never shave on a trip.

I have a full beard.

I don't shave on trips...the cord isn't long enough!

When I was 12, my father taught me how to be a man. He brought me into the bathroom picked up a razor and ate it!!!

You know what they call people without beards?

Soledad: "When I was 12, my father taught me how to be a man. He brought me into the bathroom picked up a razor and ate it!!!


You know what they call people without beards?


"

Soledads?

I don't shave on trips. I usually shave after I get home. However, one time it took two years of being home and two more trips for that to happen.

I don't. (legs) But I'm almost never out of treated long pants since I seem to be chigger bait. But my husband takes a lightweight electric shaver he bought for trips and shaves at least every other day. He says the itching bothers him too much and it's too hard to shave with a razor. The razor noise seems out of place, but whatever keeps him happy.

Nope, not on trips. I carry enough of what my children call creature comforts. Not carrying another.

Beard > No Beard

NOPE! Not me. At the end of the trip at the outfitters.

I switch to shaving in the evening. Best way to get the sunscreen off!

This is the man I married (1967):









This was the "the beard is temporary" stage (1985):







This is about 20 years later (probably 2005):






And this is last summer at Poplar Haus:







Haven't seen him without the beard since the late 80's, and for the most part, I like it. I do wish he would keep the neck trimmed, but I think I lost that battle a few years ago. We just celebrated our 54th wedding anniversary last week, and he doesn't tell me how to wear my hair, so (except for the occasional reminder about getting a haircut and a beard trim) I don't tell him how to wear his.

He never, ever shaved on a canoe trip.

I usually shave bofa.

DanCooke: "Have not shaved since 1978- why start now? Phot from Yesterday on a BWCA portage.
"

Dear Santa, I have been very good this year (well, reasonably good and that one incident with the shampoo, opossum, whiskey and Kilt was totally not my fault) so I would like new CCS tarp for christmas please.

Usually I shave a few days after the trip. My wife likes my face clean. But after May's trip I let it go and haven't shaved since. My beard grows slow so it's about an inch and a half now. With thinning hair on top, I gotta do something!

bobbernumber3: "

Ausable: "My beard is not something that enhances my looks!"

I don't think I've seen a beard enhance anyone's looks."

James Harden would disagree. Google him with/without a beard

Historically I would allow my beard to grow just prior to and during my trips. Upon a request from my wife, last year I began shaving every other day and appreciated how nice it was to be 'clean'. Easier to remove sweat, dead bugs and general tidiness. I leave my moustache alone as it has been a part of my persona since 1981. Great question.

I've always considered shaving to be highly over-rated!

Hans Solo

bobbernumber3: "

Ausable: "My beard is not something that enhances my looks!"

I don't think I've seen a beard enhance anyone's looks."

Nothing really enhances our looks... we’re guys... haha! Maybe a trim from time to time... someone said they got bugs in their beard... I can’t say I’ve had that problem in my fifty years of back country travel. If anything it keeps them away from your face. Helps with blocking sun also... but one thing about shaving... if you have a camp mate that shaves. Make sure they nick themselves. That way should you get one of those hungry vicious bears they’ll be more apt to go after them giving you a better chance to climb a tree.

I never risk messing with a razor in the woods but I shave as soon as we come out. Mine grows in patchy and I don’t want to hear the abuse from family and friends when I get back.