Owner Review: Mont Bell O.D. Paper Roll

Report Date: June 7, 2006

Navigation Reviewer Background Product information in brief Website Introduction Features and Design Field Performance Summary

Reviewer Background

I enjoy walking in all its manifold forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultra-light enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight (before food and water) of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of “lighter is better,” within the constraints of budget and common sense.

Reviewer Information

• Name: Edward Ripley-Duggan
  
• Age: 52
  
• Gender: Male
  
• Height: 6’ 1” (1.85 m)
  
• Weight: 215 pounds (98 kg)
  
• erd@wilsey.net
  
• Catskills, New York State
  
  

Product information in brief Manufacturer: Mont Bell URL: http://www.montbell.com Product: Toilet paper Year of manufacture: 2005 MSRP: $3 US (per roll) Unperforated, single-ply Manufacturer's stated weight: n/a Measured weight (analog scale): 4 oz (115 g) Measured sheet width: 4 in (10 cm) Measured roll diameter: 3 in (8 cm) Color: cream

Website

Mont Bell (also listed variously on their website and elsewhere as MontBell and Montbell) is a Japanese gear manufacturer with a U.S. presence via their Boulder store and catalogue. Their English language website is well designed and easily searched.

Introduction

Japan has a long and superlative papermaking tradition. Mont Bell's toilet paper may be an unusual manifestation of that country's fascination with paper, but it's certainly a useful one. The problem it addresses is that "leave no trace" philosophy dictates that I should use alternatives to paper for hygiene (e.g. leaves, rocks, snow etc.), but, practically speaking, there are many occasions when these materials are not available or simply won't do the job. While regular commercial toilet paper has its occasional place outdoors, it is not very biodegradable (if buried, depending on the soil, it is known that it may take years to break down, and in some settings will never decompose). Therefore, it should be either burned (with extreme care, potentially creating a danger of fire) or must be carried out. While on a day hike, or even a backpack of a couple of days, this may be an acceptable solution, carrying used TP for a long haul is a nasty business. Mont Bell's O.D. Paper Roll is one solution to this quandary. It is (according to the website) designed to be soluble and biodegradable.

Features and design

Image courtesy of Mont Bell

When I first saw the Mont Bell O. D. [standing for outdoor, according to the Boulder flagship store] Paper Roll, I was immediately impressed at how light and thin the paper was, yet how surprisingly strong. There's no cardboard core to the roll, which saves both weight, volume, and waste, and the only wrapping is a paper sheath that can be discarded pre-trip. The paper is unperforated, i.e. the roll is a continuous sheet, but (because it is such a gossamer-thin sheet) sections are easily torn off. For short trips and for the emergency bag, it's best to unroll a section of the main roll and keep it folded in a Ziploc baggie. For longer trips, the entire roll may be hauled along. I've been using it for well over a year, and the two rolls I originally purchased have lasted very well. I still have one roll remaining, after extensive use. Despite the price, it's pretty economical stuff if used carefully.

Field Performance

I have used the O.D. Paper exclusively below treeline (about 4000 ft, 1220 m), primarily in the Catskills and Adirondacks, both summer and winter, at temperatures between -10 F (-23 C) and 85 F (29 C), rain and shine. When there's snow in the mountains in winter (not to belabor the matter too much) I usually use the TP first, followed by an application of balled snow. I have generally carried the waste paper out regardless in a sealed bag, as much a result of habit as anything else. However, I have on a few occasions had to leave it in place, and am pleased to report that, unlike regular toilet paper (which forms hideous, ugly festoons come thaw), there's no little or no sign of the O.D. Paper when I've wandered by the spot in the spring.

Placing the paper in water, I can see why this is. Unlike standard American toilet paper, which retains its structural integrity almost indefinitely, the O.D. Paper breaks down into small fibers quite quickly. These fibers (simple cellulose from a plant source, I assume, as is most paper), should decompose fairly rapidly. At the very least, they will meld unobtrusively with the soil. I would not use this product above treeline, where soils are thin or non-existent, or in very dry environments. In such settings, usually carrying out is the best procedure for both faeces and paper. I would also caution that letting this paper get wet in storage will quickly render it useless. If I am carrying a roll, I store it with my hand sanitizer, etc., in a tiny dry bag, otherwise I'll use a Ziploc as previously noted.

I have found that often a single layer is not adequate enough for good wiping (under some conditions there can be leak-through), in which case it is better used with the strip of paper doubled or crumpled as a pad. It's soft enough to be comfortable, certainly better than most leaves. I do wish it were made slightly wider, as 4 in (10 cm) is close to the minimum width for the job. Beforehand, I dig a six-inch (15 cm) cathole. After use, I combine the paper with the faeces, using a stick, to accelerate decomposition. In our rather damp climate, I would expect breakdown to be rapid, although I have to admit that my intellectual curiosity has not yet led me to unearth such a cache a few months later. There are limits. I'll usually cover the refilled cathole with duff or leaves after having topped it with a rock, if available, to prevent animal incursion. If I've done my job well there will be no sign that I've been there.

While I'll freely admit that this brief review may have its comic aspects (or disgusting, depending on outlook), there's nothing particularly funny about finding piles of toilet paper scattered around in wilderness areas, which is a phenomenon I see far too often. If toilet paper must be used and left, this is the paper to use.

Summary

The cardinal rule in wilderness travel is to leave things as they are found. This toilet paper minimizes the impact of a necessary human function and, used properly, facilitates a "leave no trace" approach. Even for users less careful than I about disposal, the solubility of this paper means that in any area with regular rain even casually scattered sheets will tend to break down much sooner than regular toilet paper.

Pro

• Lightweight but quite strong
• Soluble, quickly breaks down to fibres when wet
• Biodegradable

Con

• Sheet width a little narrow
• Must be kept dry (more so than most toilet paper)