This is a review of the best biodegradable soap for camping, hiking, and backpacking 2024.
Hiking, camping, and backpacking can be dirty activities. Biodegradable soaps are the best option for washing your hands, face, and body when in the backcountry. They are also versatile enough to clean your backpacking cooking pots, sporks, and more. When using products like these you must also follow the Leave No Trace Principles. Let’s take a look at which soaps are best suited for your needs.
How We Tested
All the Biodegradable Camping Soap in this review have been extensively evaluated and researched by the expert author who has many years of experience in Thru-Hiking, Backpacking, Hiking, and Bike Touring. Some of the backpacking soap was purchased by the author for this review and tested in the backcountry following leave no trace principles. The research, testing, and experience of the author have combined to come up with the list of the best biodegradable camping soap for 2024. Read the Review Policy for further details.
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Best Biodegradable Soaps For Backpacking 2024
The Best Biodegradable Soaps For Backpacking are:
- Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap
- Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash
- Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash
- Coleman Camp Soap Sheets
- Sierra Dawn Campsuds
- Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
Best Biodegradable Soap – Overall
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap
Pros:
> Can wash your body, hair, clothes, and dishes.
> Affordable
> Vegan and Cruelty-Free
Cons:
> Can cause irritation to some people who have super sensitive skin
Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap is a popular favorite among backpackers and campers. This biodegradable liquid soap uses all-natural and vegan ingredients that don’t pose any threat to the environment.
It is made with plant-based ingredients, with no synthetic preservatives, thickeners, or foaming agents. Alongside that, this soap is cruelty-free as it has never been tested on animals.
If that wasn’t enough, this is also a very affordable soap that anyone can get their hands on.
I have used this soap to wash my hands, face, body, clothes, dishes, and hair and used it as shaving cream. This has been my product of choice for most of my backpacking trips and bike touring trips for more than 10 years.
Overall, this is the best biodegradable soap for camping, hiking, and backpacking.
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Best Biodegradable Camping Soap
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash
Pros:
> Can be used to wash your body, and it is often used as an alternative to shampoo.
> Secure Lid
> Affordable
Cons:
> Small size
The Wilderness Wash by Sea to Summit is another versatile product, that can be used to wash your body; as shampoo; for dishes and to wash your clothes.
When I tested this product thru-hiking I found it to be extremely concentrated. The soap is quite thick and lasted me a lot longer than I expected. It comes in a durable bottle with a small and secure lid, so you can be comforted to know that it will be safe inside your bag.
I found this product to be gentle on my skin when I used it to wash my hands, hair, and body. It is the complete body wash.
Overall, this is a very affordable product, which is available in a number of sizes. However, it is worth noting that all the sizes are quite small. Therefore, even though the formula is concentrated, you may run out quicker than you realize.
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More Biodegradable Camp Soap
Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash
Pros:
> Easy to Use
> Compact size
> 50 Sheets per pack
> Lightweight
Cons:
> The container is not waterproof so if it comes in contact with water all the sheets will clump together
The Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash is a type of biodegradable soap sheet. When you just want to wash your hands or quickly clean a couple of plates, these soap sheets are the way to go.
All you have to do is open the container, and pull out a sheet. Then wet the sheet to make the soap lather. These sheets are ideal as a body wash, as they need to be pulled out with dry hands.
This hand wash has a light green tea fragrance. In each pack, there are 50 soap sheets to use.
Although, it is worth noting that the container isn’t waterproof. As a result, you need to be careful where you put this container. If it does get wet, then it is possible that all the sheets will get wet and clump together.
Thus, these are useful when you need to quickly wash your hands, but you need to be vigilant to keep the container dry.
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Coleman Camp Soap Sheets
Pros:
> Convenient small flip top container is small enough to fit your pocket
> Easy to Use
> TSA Approved so can be stored in your backpack or luggage when going on flights.
Cons:
> Can take a while to dissolve properly
Camp Soap Sheets by Coleman, are another soap sheet variety that you can try. These sheets are quite similar to the product above, however, these are completely unscented.
They are stored in a flip-top case that can fit in your pocket or bag. These sheets have been TSA approved for traveling in your carry on luggage or backpack. Great if you need to fly to your next adventure.
This product is a lightweight alternative when you want to bring soap on a trip.
You can use these sheets to clean your hands, dishes, and even clothes. All you need to do is get a sheet out and add some water to activate the sheet. In each packet, you will receive 50 sheets, which will work with either hot or cold water.
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Sierra Dawn Campsuds
Pros:
> Can be used to wash your face, hair, clothes, or dishes
> Compact travel size
> This soap uses oils that may deter insects
> Long-Lasting – A little goes a long way
Cons:
> Not everyone has been keen on the scent this soap gives off
Sierra Dawn’s Campsuds is another form of liquid soap. It can be used to clean your hands, face, hair, dishes, and clothing.
If you need something cleaned or washed, then this soap can do it. It also comes in a travel-size bottle, which makes it the ideal size to pack with all your hiking or backpacking gear.
Not only can you use this soap to clean everything, but it uses lavender, peppermint, and citronella oils. These oils can give you extra protection against insects but in reality it doesn’t work that well for most people. If it works for you, then great.
This soap is 100% biodegradable, as it is made with a blend of purified water, natural fragrance oils, and vegetable-based cleaning agents.
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
Pros:
> Convenient resealable packet
> Gentle on the Skin with the right pH balance for human skin.
> Contains vitamin E and aloe vera to create a pleasant smell
> Compostable
Cons:
> For use on the body only
Sometimes you don’t have any water available. As a result, this is where Sea to Summit’s Wilderness Wipes come in handy. These are super thick fiber wipes that are extremely gentle and soft on your skin.
They remove unpleasant odors and salt from your skin, with no need to rinse off afterward. These wipes are generally used as a body wash rather than dish soap.
They have been specially formulated to be gentle on the skin and the environment. The wipes contain vitamin E and aloe vera. They have also been pH balanced for the human skin, but are completely comfortable after use.
Overall, the biodegradable wipes are great for use in dry areas.
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Biodegradable Soap Comparison Table
| Brand | Type | Sizes |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap | Liquid | 2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz, 32 oz, 1/2 gallon, 1 gallon |
| Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash | Liquid | 1.3 oz, 3 oz, 8.5 oz |
| Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash | Sheets | 0.5 oz |
| Coleman Camp Soap Sheets | Sheets | 0.3 oz |
| Sierra Dawn Campsuds | Liquid | 2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz, 16 oz, 1 Gallon |
| Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes | Wipes | 8 oz (15 wipes) – 17 oz (32 wipes) |
Biodegradable Camp Soap Buyers Guide
Scented or Unscented Biodegradable Soap
If backpacking in bear country, you will not only be carrying a Bear Proof Canister and Bear Spray, but you will also want to opt for the unscented biodegradable soaps.
Scented Biodegradable Soap
Scented biodegradable soaps are great to give you that fresh smell, or add a nice smell to otherwise gross-smelling clothing. Some are known to assist in repelling insects. But I have found that this doesn’t work very well for me. Some use essential oils for the nice smell and some use synthetic fragrances. I like both lavender and peppermint.
Scented wipes are great to use to freshen up in dry places such as the desert.
Unscented Biodegradable Soap
Unscented biodegradable soaps are the way to go when hiking, backpacking, and camping in bear country. These freaky animals have a keen sense of smell and a more neutral soap is better. Having said that, they will be able to smell the lack of smell anyway. If you have skin allergies, the unscented may be a little better on the skin.
Biodegradable Soap vs. biodegradable Wipes
What are the advantages and disadvantages of each and which one is better for you.
Biodegradable Liquid Soap
Typically, these biodegradable liquid soaps are much more versatile and have plenty of uses. Alongside coming in conveniently small bottles or containers, that don’t take up much space on your own bag, or can fit inside a pocket. Biodegradable liquid soap is very concentrated and only a very small amount is needed to be used.
Biodegradable Soaps are versatile and can usually be used for not only washing a dirty sweaty face or as a biodegradable shampoo, but can also be used anywhere on the body, to wash clothes, dishes, and more.
Biodegradable Wipes
Biodegradable Wipes are great for wiping down your face, arms, and body. Many people use them to clean up after a bathroom break on the trail. They can also be used to clean dirty dishes but that is about it.
While these Biodegradable Wipes do break down in the environment they should be either buried with your toilet poo or carried out with you.
Biodegradable Soap and the Environment
Although biodegradable soap is better for the environment, it can still harm the environment. You need to dispose of these soaps in the correct way as you don’t want to affect any water sources. Even though biodegradable soap is better, it can influence water quality.
Therefore, when disposing of any soap including biodegradable soap, dispose of the water at least 200 feet away from any water sources. As it is the soil that will biodegrade the soap, it does not impact any aquatic life.
Biodegradable soaps are different from traditional soaps, as they don’t contain any man-made ingredients or chemicals. They are normally made from vegan or vegetable-based ingredients.
Conclusion
Ideally, you want to use as little soap as possible. However, if you must use any kind of soap, then you should use biodegradable soap. In this article, I have given you the best biodegradable soaps that you can use right now.
If you care about the planet, then I would recommend switching to one of the biodegradable soaps mentioned in this gear review for your next hiking or backpacking trip.
Overall, here are the Best Biodegradable Soaps for Hiking:
- Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Soap
- Sea to Summit Wilderness Wash
- Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash
- Coleman Camp Soap Sheets
- Sierra Dawn Campsuds
- Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Really Need To Use Biodegradable Soap For Hiking?
Whether you are hiking, backpacking or camping, you want to try and have the smallest impact on the natural environment around you.
Therefore, one way of going about this is using little to no soap. If you are planning on a long hiking trip, then you may want to take soap with you, but the soap you are using should be biodegradable.
How Do I Know If My Soap Is Biodegradable?
It should say on your label if the soap is biodegradable. However, soap is considered to be biodegradable, if bacteria can break the soap down to at least 90% water and any organic matter in 6 months.
Also, a biodegradable soap will contain all-natural ingredients and no synthetic chemicals.
How Long Does Biodegradable Soap Last For?
Normally, biodegradable soap should last around 6 months before it starts to degrade.
Is biodegradable camp soap any good?
Most biodegradable camp soaps are super concentrated and can be used for almost anything around the camp, from washing your hands, face, and body to washing dishes and clothes. This versatility makes biodegradable camp soap perfect for your next camping trip.
BikeHikeSafari Gear Review Process
The author, Brad McCartney from BikeHikeSafari is a small independent adventurer and outdoor gear tester who owns and runs BikeHikeSafari.com.
BikeHikeSafari is not part of a large blog network and is proudly independent. All reviews on this site are independent and honest gear reviews of outdoor products by the author.
The author, Brad McCartney is a very experienced triple crown thru-hiker, adventurer, and bike tourer having spent 1000s of nights sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag (Read more). He was a manager of an outdoor retail store and is very experienced in what is important when using and testing gear for reviews like this.
BikeHikeSafari will never receive any money for reviews and they do not accept sponsored reviews on this website. All the comments about the gear reviews are from the author based on his years of experience. Hope this independent review was helpful for you.
