All Terrain Wonder Wash
Initial Report
8 October 2009

Long Term Report 18 January, 2010

Name: Dawn Larsen
Age: 48
Gender: female
Height: 5' 4" (163 cm)
Weight: 165 lb (75 kg)
Email address: vicioushillbilly AT yahoo DOT com
Florence, South Carolina USA


Backpacking Background:
I used to backpack in college a zillion years ago and just in the last few years have backpacked some private trails in Tennessee, Missouri and most recently South Carolina. I have been an avid car-camper for eleven years and I have kayak/canoe camped for four years, both in South Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri and Arkansas. I use a lot of the same equipment for both. I hike hilly/rocky trails especially in Missouri (my home state) and Arkansas. I live in South Carolina and am busy checking out the terrain here with my sixteen year-old son.

Product Information
Manufacturer:  All Terrain
Year of Manufacture:  2009
URL: www.allterrainco.com
Listed Manufacturer's Volume: 12 fl oz (355 ml)
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price: $6.99 US
Types: Peppermint and Fragrance Free
Made in USA



Ingredients listed on the back of the bottle: Purified water, Sodium Coco Sulphate, Coco Betaine, Coco Amide, Peppermint Oil, Vegetable Glycerine, Sodium Chloride (Sea Salt), Olive Oil, Citric Acid, Tea Tree Oil, and Food Grade Caramel Colorant.

I wish the company listed the ingredients on the website.  It would be nice to know what they were before I might buy the product.
 
When I opened the bottle, I immediately noticed that the peppermint scent is very subtle.  I chose the peppermint option because I like the aroma and  peppermint soaps make my skin tingle.  However, when I used this product in the shower the first time, it doesn't make my skin tingle as much as other peppermint soaps do.  I'm trying to decide whether I like that or not and will test for it.  In the summer, tingly is nice, but when camping outside in the winter and either using cold bath houses or washing my face with cold water, tingly can be almost painful.  This soap also doesn't lather very much, which is probably better for the environment.  I washed my hair with it and it does not leave a residue like other "all-parts" liquid soaps.
 
I wonder if it will clean other things, like dishes? The bottle says it cleans hair, face, and skin. It would be nice, when camping, to have a product that would really clean everything. I will test on dishes when camping.
 
I will use this product daily as a body wash, in the shower, as well as camping to see how it affects my skin over time. 
 
What I Like
It does seem to be gentle enough to use as a shampoo
 
What I Don't Like
It doesn't produce much lather

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Long Term Report
18 January 2010

Field Conditions

Dreher Island State Park, Prosperity, South Carolina in November:  There are several hiking trails at this park.  The park is on an island surround by a big lake.  The wind from the lake carries a lot of moisture into the campsites and trails.  Temperatures averaged 45 degrees F (7 C) during the day and got down to 36 degrees F (2 C) at night.  There was a bathhouse that we used on park property.

Camping on private land near Sumter, South Carolina in November:  Temperatures were about the same as above.  No bathhouse or running water.

I backpacked a trail along the Buffalo River, Arkansas one weekend: Trail was hilly, rocky, slushy with snow and mud.  This trail was 12 miles (19.3 km) that generally wound around and followed the Buffalo River.  Temperatures averaged about 35 degrees F (2 C) during the day and below freezing at night. There was some sleet and snow when we were hiking, but not much.  Mostly, it was just cold.

Stewardship Loop in Harbison State Forest, Columbia, South Carolina:  I hiked about 2 hours on the first warm day in about a week.  Temperature was 47 degrees F (8 C).  This produced ice melt from frozen rain earlier in the week.  This was a 3 mile (5 km) trail with about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) worth of off-trail paths. Restrooms that were available with running water.

Everyday:  I use this everyday in the shower.  I also carry a small bottle of this in the car, because I just never know if there will be soap in a public restroom or not.  

Field Observations
I use the Wonder Wash everyday in the shower because I figured the best way to tell if a soap is good for your skin is through daily use.  I tend to have really dry skin in the winter. I have not noticed that daily use dries my skin more, as well, I have not noticed that it softens my skin either.  It seems to be a very neutral product, which seems to lessen the dryness because it is neutral, but not add any oil or softening agents.  I have not used it daily to wash my hair.

Since I am testing the peppermint soap, I was concerned that there would be too much mint in it and it would make me cold in the winter.  There's nothing like trying to bathe in a cold bathhouse with peppermint soap!  However, the Wonder Wash seems to just smell minty.  It doesn't really make my skin tingle.  I like the tingly sensation in the summer because it seems to make me feel cooler.  So, this is a good soap for winter camping.

The soap is concentrated and a little goes a long way, but it really does not lather much, which is probably best in the field with no running water or facilities.  I put it in a smaller bottle to use in my car and on camping trips.  Even though it doesn't lather very much (and I'm trying to decide if I like that or not), it rinses off very well, which is a good thing.  I have tried washing dishes in it and I suppose it works OK although the company doesn't specify that I should use it that way.  

Summary
This soap is a good daily soap for personal use (skin, hair, hands) especially in the winter when too much mint might make it cold on my skin.   

What I like...
Easy on the skin
Concentrated

What I don't like...
Doesn't lather very much

This concludes my Long Term Report.  Many thanks to All Terrain and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to test Wonder Wash.