LUNATEC TREKR & SCRUBR CLOTHS
TEST SERIES BY NANCY GRIFFITH
LONG-TERM REPORT
January 15, 2012
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
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TESTER INFORMATION
NAME:
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Nancy Griffith
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EMAIL:
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bkpkrgirlATyahooDOTcom
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AGE:
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45
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LOCATION:
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Northern California, USA
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GENDER:
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F
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HEIGHT:
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5' 6" (1.68 m)
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WEIGHT:
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130 lb (59.00 kg)
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My outdoor experience began in high school with involvement in a local canoeing/camping group called Canoe Trails. The culmination was a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since my college days in Pennsylvania. I have completed all of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. My typical trip now is in the Sierra Nevada in California and is from a few days to a week long. I carry a light to mid-weight load, use a tent, stove and hiking poles.
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Lunatec Gear Year of Manufacture: 2011 Manufacturer's Website: http://www.lunatecgear.com MSRP: Scrubr: $3.00 US single; $5.75 US 2-pak MSRP: Trekr: $4.25 US single; $8.00 US 2-pak
Listed Weight: Scrubr: 7.5 g (0.26 oz) Listed Weight: Trekr: 9 g (0.32 oz) Measured Weight: Scrubr: 6 g (0.21 oz) Measured Weight: Trekr: 9 g (0.32 oz)
Size: Scrubr: 20 cm x 20 cm (7.9 in x 7.9 in) Size: Trekr 27 cm x 27 cm (10.6 in x 10.6 in)
Color Tested: Scrubr: Yellow; Trekr: Blue Each cloth comes in one color choice.
Made in China
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The Lunatec Scrubr is made from woven fibers of 60% nylon and 40% polyester which provide a coarse texture for scrubbing cookware. The Lunatec Trekr is made from 100% nylon woven fibers and is 75% smaller than a traditional wash cloth. Its texture is less coarse but still good for exfoliating skin.
Both cloths have an elastic loop sewn on the corner which can be used to hang the cloth for drying and also to hold the cloth in a compressed state when rolled up for storage. Both cloths are lightweight and quick-drying (15 minutes). Both claim to be low maintenance in that they rinse easily and completely and thus don't need washing. They also claim to be odor resistant due to non-absorbent fibers with rapid drying properties.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS & TRYING THEM OUT
My initial impression was how small and light these cloths are. When rolled up (as received) they don't take up much space at all. But then when I unrolled them, they are a good size for washing. The website states that the Trekr is 75% smaller than a traditional wash cloth but this must mean in total volume since the area is only slightly smaller than my other washcloths at home. The Trekr is more transparent than the Scrubr as can be seen the photos. Overall, both cloths are very much as shown on the website.
I used the Trekr in the shower and liked the texture for exfoliating. It seemed to really lather up the bar soap. I did find that when it was full of a soapy lather that I had some difficulty hanging onto it while wiping it across my skin. It is slippery and wants to bunch up instead of staying open so I had to use two hands at times to get the full size of the cloth wiping my skin. Since it doesn't really have absorbent properties, I had trouble rinsing my face. I normally 'rinse' my face by using my wash cloth to wipe off excess soap but the Trekr wasn't able to do this very well and I got soap in my eyes.
I washed a few dishes with the Scrubr and found it to work really well. I hung it on the kitchen sink fixture and noticed how water immediately started dripping out. When I went back in 10 minutes the top 2/3 of it seemed totally dry while the bottom corner was still a bit wet. I tried to wipe some sticky sugary residue from the counter and it did a great job of removing it. However, since it isn't absorbent I had to use a sponge to soak up the extra water from the countertop.
READING THE INSTRUCTIONS
There were some tips that came with the cloths. Trekr Washcloth Tips: - Never need to wash it as it rinses clean while using it. - Works best with soap and water. - When done using, fold it up and use the elastic loop as a compression strap to keep it bundled up. - It can get a little slippery because it lathers so well. Try sliding the loop over a finger and then wrapping it around that hand and then using the other hand for extra pressure. - Tidy up any fraying with a lighter or match.
Scrubr Dishcloth Tips: - Scrubr should last about 3 months with daily use. - The best method for cleaning is to add a little soap and roll it up into a ball between palms and rub it back and forth and then rinse it out. - When done using, fold it up and use the elastic loop as a compression strap to keep it bundled up. - Tidy up any fraying with a lighter or match.
SUMMARY
The Lunatec Scrubr and Trekr cloths are lightweight functional accessories for keeping me and my cookware clean while camping.
Likes so far: Light weight Small volume Texture good for cleaning (both skin and cookware)
No dislikes so far!
FIELD REPORT
FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During the Field Testing period I used the cloths for two backpacking trips and three camping trips for a total of 13 days. I also used the Scrubr for washing vegetables and dishes at home and the Trekr for bathing at home and while traveling.
Backpacking: Bucktail Path, Elk State Forest, Pennsylvania: 2 days, 15 mi (24 km); 55 to 70 F (13 to 21 C); 2,100 to 2,700 ft (640 to 820 m) elevation. Washed pot at dinner (chicken curry) and breakfast (oatmeal) using the Scrubr. I washed up after hiking using the Trekr.
Loon Lake, Sierra Nevada, California: 2 days, 10 mi (16 km); 40 to 65 F (4 to 18 C); 6,327 to 6,500 ft (1,928 to 1,981 m) elevation. I washed a pot at dinner (beef stew) and breakfast (oatmeal) using the Scrubr. I washed my face using the Trekr.
Camping: Poe Valley State Park, Pennsylvania: 4 days; 60 to 75 F (16 to 24 C). I washed my cooking pot after dinner and breakfast each day using the Scrubr. Meals included chicken & stuffing, beef stroganoff, scrambled eggs and oatmeal. I used the Trekr for showering.
Ole Bull State Park, Pennsylvania: 2 days; 65 to 70 F (18 to 21 C). Again I used the Scrubr for dishes and the Trekr to wash my face.
New Melones Reservoir, Sierra Nevada foothills, California: 3 days; 55 to 75 F (13 to 24 C). I used the Scrubr for dishes and the Trekr for showering.
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
The Trekr: I found this washcloth to be really useful for bathing on the trail, while traveling and at home. It is very light weight and easy to throw in my backpack or my travel toiletry case. It dries very quickly on the trail as well as in my shower at home.
It took me a little practice to figure out how to hold the cloth so that it wouldn't bunch up while I was wiping it across my skin. The instructions suggest hooking the loop around a finger and using the other hand to help. This works fine but I don't always find it easy to wash with both hands. I was able to wrap the cloth around my hand enough to hold it in place with one hand. I also got better at using it to wash my face without getting soap in my eyes. I have pretty sensitive skin but found the coarseness to be great for exfoliating without irritating my skin even on my face.
My favorite thing about this cloth is its ability to exfoliate. I found myself reaching for it in the shower at home for just this reason and missed it if it wasn't there.
The Scrubr: This dishcloth was great to use for washing dishes in camp. I typically use sand or a pine bough segment for scrubbing dishes but with the light weight of the Scrubr I found it well worth carrying. It has enough texture to do a good job removing food particles from pots. At times my pots had some fairly stuck on food such as oatmeal but never had anything really burnt on. The Scrubr holds those food particles so it then takes a little doing to rinse the fabric completely clean. With most food it was fairly easy to rinse these particles out but I found it harder to rinse out after scrubbing vegetables with it. However, after drying it was a little easier to shake them out.
I never washed the cloths separately but just kept them clean by washing with either with bath soap or dish soap immediately after using.
Both cloths roll up into a small package which is easy to take backpacking. I can toss the Trekr into my zippered plastic bag of toiletries and the Scrubr into my cook pot. The weight is minimal so they both seem to be worth carrying along especially on longer trips.
The cloths dry very quickly. On the Bucktail Path hike, it was the first decent day after a full week of torrential downpours due to a hurricane. The forest was soaking wet such that we found it impossible to start any type of fire. However, I hung the Scrubr overnight expecting it to be just as wet or even wetter by morning. To my surprise it was completely dry. In normal conditions, the cloths are practically ready for packing up after a good shaking and just a few minutes. The claim of drying in 15 minutes seems accurate in normal conditions.
SUMMARY
The Trekr and Scrubr cloths are very lightweight and functional travel cloths.
Pros: Light weight Quick drying Scrubr cleans dishes well Trekr is a nice exfoliator
Cons: Scrubr holds food particles
LONG-TERM REPORT
LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During the Long-Term testing period, I used the Lunatec cloths on three more overnight trips as well as multiple times at home. Besides the trail use, I like using the Trekr for exfoliating in the shower and the Scrubr for washing vegetables.
Overnight Trips: Spenceville Wildlife Area, Northern California: Elevation 400 ft (122 m); 40 to 50 F (4 to 10 C). I used the Trekr for washing up after hiking and the Scrubr for doing dishes in camp.
Western States Trail, Sierra Nevada, California: Elevation 1,900 ft (579 m); 29 to 53 F (-2 to 12 C). I used the Trekr for washing my face before bed and the Scrubr for washing out the breakfast oatmeal pot.
Lake Camanche, Northern California: Elevation 235 ft (72 m); 37 to 53 F (4 to 12 C). I used the Scrubr for washing out my risotto pot.
PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I am not a fan of carrying extra things on the trail so these two cloths seemed a bit unnecessary to me at first. However, they are so lightweight and stow so small that I find them very easy to take along for backpacking and even for air or car travel.
The Scrubr is especially useful while backpacking since I like to make hot meals. I'm always doing dishes even on an overnight trip. It has enough texture to do a great job at cleaning while being gentle to pots and pans (and to my hands). At Lake Camanche I made butternut squash risotto which was sticking to the pot during cooking and left a challenging pot to clean. I was going to just add some water and soak it but decided to just try the Scrubr on it without soaking. It all came clean with a little scrubbing in only two passes. I was really happy with this and was able to just rinse out the cloth and hang it to dry. There are times that I find the Scrubr difficult to rinse thoroughly but it did fine with the risotto.
The Trekr for me will be one that I will take on longer trips when I'm sure to be cleaning up. I don't always bother with a good bath for an overnighter and can use my bandana for washing my face. I really like how well it lathers and how it exfoliates without irritating my skin. I have always found the Trekr to be easy to rinse out to keep it clean and new looking.
The durability of the cloths has been very good. There is no fraying of the edges. All of the stitching is intact and the hanging loops are in place. The fabric itself shows some evidence of use with slight pilling but they generally look in good shape.
SUMMARY
The Lunatec Trekr and Scrubr cloths are lightweight, easy to pack and nice to have on hand for cleaning on the trail.
Things I like: Texture is great for scrubbing dishes (Scrubr) and exfoliating skin (Trekr) Lightweight Compact Size Dry Quickly
Things I dislike: Scrubr can be difficult to rinse out Trekr is slippery to hold when full of soap
This concludes my Long-Term Report and this test series. Thanks to Lunatec Gear and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to participate in this test.
This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1.
Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
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