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Hiking with Essential Oils
A well loved bottle of Digize that was a constant companion during a Machu Picchu Trek!
Hello friend! So you’re thinking of hiking with essential oils? Great decision! In preparation for my upcoming AT thru-hike I’m going ultra lite. Cut the handle off my toothbrush light. That being said there is one thingI can’t do without, my essential oils. I’m a big time user, lover and advocate of oils. Through trial and error I’ve learned which oils I can’t hit the trails without. Here they are!
Panaway Oil: This was my best friend on the Santa Cruz Trek and again in Machu Picchu! Hiking 6-9 hours a day left my shoulders & knees wanting some love! Especially on some more remote hikes where I’ve had to carry a heavier pack. Rubbing Panway on them every night was what they needed and they were ready to go the next day!
My pack will always have room for Panaway 🙂 I put a roller ball on the top so I can easily roll it over any problem areas.
Lavender Oil: This oil is known in the oil world as the “swiss army knife of oils.” Because it has a thousand different uses! It’s balancing, relaxing and is a gift to your skin. Hot spots & blisters can threaten to ruin a hike! Lavender soothe skin irritations. My feet were happy to see lavender every night & again the next morning. If I’m having trouble winding down at the end of the day (normally I’m not after a long day hiking, but you never know!) I’ll also rub it on my temples and under my nose.
Cypress Oil: I did several hikes in Peru that were just under 16,000 ft elevation. Those long hikes & high elevations made my blood feel sluggish, Cypress gave circulatory support & because of that is ALWAYS in my pack. I rub it on my feet, legs, wrists and neck.
Digize: Okay, this one is worth it’s weight in gold! This is a MUST have on all my travels and especially hiking adventures. If you know me then you know I like to try new & exotic foods. Sometimes that doesn’t go so well (like that one time I ate armadillo off the roadside in Colombia) but PTL for Digize and its ability to offer digestive support. I rub it on my tummy, put a few drops in my water or put it in a gelatin capsule to sallow. If you are on the fence about essential oils try this one, it’ll make a believer out of you!!
Ningxia Red: The Salkantay Trek leading into Machu Picchu is gorgeous. And definitely worthy of every hiking bucketlist. But man, is it HARD! Every time I saw another mountain climb, switch back or stretch a trail ahead of me I drank a Ningxia Red pack and it gave me the energy boost I needed!! Ningxia Red is an antioxidant drink that is conveniently packaged in individual packets (although when I thru hike I’m going to fill an empty smart water bottle full and ration it out along the way). THIS was my ULTIMATE must have! The MVP of this list!
Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier: I’m not a germaphobe. But I’m also not a fan of getting sick and missing out on my adventure. Going to the bathroom in the woods, with no running water? Thieves, Please!! Toxic-free, powered with essential oils, and keeps my hands germ-free on every hike!
Raw Elements Sunscreen: This isn’t an essential oil, but it’s so great that I need to mention it! The sun in Patagonia is FIERCE. So fierce that I lathered sunscreen on every half hour. This chemical, preservative & fragrance free blend is the only sunscreen I use!
Note: The only oils I’m referring to are Young Living Essential Oils. They’re the only ones I use and trust. These statements have not been approved by the FDA. (But they have been trail tested 🙂 )
Well, these are my favorite hiking oils!
Which oils have helped you on the trail? Any oily tips, tricks or questions?
Stay oily!
All smiles in Patagonia with my Ningxia Red!
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Comments 1
Only thing is that essential oils are a risk with bears, and in the normal glass containers are heavy. I had some tiny glass vials (think perfume sample vials) that I used on the AT last year in my first aid kit, I find tea tree and lavender to really cover a lot. Theives is a good choice though more spendy. Might be worth it though if you are afraid of noro. I also had some Zi Cao oil (not essential) that I had in a mini rolly ball, it was good for the insane amount of bug bites (I have never found any type of product, natural or otherwise, to successfully deter bugs off me) once in the mid-Atlantic area, though I eventually lost it. Definitely hang your oils at night in your bear bag!