What's Your Solution for "Privacy" in a Public Camping Area?

[nc_robin]

There's probably a fairly easy DIY version of this http://www.orangemud.com/collections...oducts/thewrap that would work nicely. A little more security than simply wrapping a towel around - I never seem to be able to hold a towel up and manipulate clothes at the same time. But a towel that secures itself could be quite sufficient. And it could be made with a lightweight 'camping towel' that could do double duty.
Robin

[rhjanes]

Under the tarp. No big deal. I also orienteer. We change in back seats. Or just open both doors of the car, with another parked next to it and change. We don't go Full Monty. But we change down to underwear. Some of us old types, we strip to shorts, and who cares who sees. Lay out all your clothes first. Unzip things. Consider the steps. Do like the old shirt off, new on. then shorts/pants. etc. Not strip down all the way.

[Rice-N-beans]

I car camp, so if i have to change or something, I'll use my vehicle as a shield,or go inside my truck and change. My favorite camp site has nice restrooms with showers, so i mostly use that.

[Landmark]

These are all great insights - seriously. Thanks to all for sharing!

[Bobwhite215]

I also camp with Scouts. I usually change at night in the dark. I will put on my next days clothes before I go to bed, and am good to go when I roll out of the hammock in the morning.

[Nighthauk]

I camp with the scouts as well. I am usually the last in bed and the first one out so I change as needed and in the dark. Really doesn't matter. If it did I have a winter style tarp with the doors that I just shut and good to go.

[ntxkayakr]

These are all great insights - seriously. Thanks to all for sharing!

Privacy with just a tarp is a major concern for many people, some use it as an excuse to camp in tents. This is a good topic to discuss. Most public areas have a toilet or bathhouse which is the safest due to law and consequences. I prefer tarp doors or something hung there but would not risk it if there were a lot of curious kids around.

Does remind me of my Dad who spent far to much time with indigenous people and didn't care. During the off season we were swimming at a public beach near Rio de Janeiro. No one else was there because the water was cold (July) and all changing places were closed. I just put my jeans over my wet suit for the bus ride back to a friend's house. However my Dad insisted on completely changing and all we had was a tiny hand towel 12"x24". Before he was done a bus full of kids and nuns came. Dad was calm as ever but i got freaked out a bit. Visions of nuns with slapping rulers and all. Hope a nun does not chase you down while you are changing under your tarp. lol.

[olddog]

I had to think about just how I managed this. We don't have scouts with us but we do have children and ladies at times and we aren't in public campgrounds. Most of us tend to spread out for some privacy and to avoid the snoring. Shortly after setting up camp I have done a bit of recon to find that perfect spot to take care of 'bathing'. MADD777 explained his method of cleanliness using a 1 qt. baggie, piece of microfiber towel and no rinse soap. I've been using it ever since. In our H&H areas there is normally some place you can get out of site for 10 or 15 mins. Even in a campground I believe that I could find that secluded spot. Nothing beats climbing into a hammock clean and in fresh clothes. As far as changing clothes. In the evening I have already changed into clean compression shorts and shirt at the bath, and put the kilt back on. At night I just remove the kilt and hang it over the end of the hammock RL and climb into the hammock. In the morning I get out of the hammock and throw the kilt on. It takes less than a minute to be covered. For anyone to see anything they would have to be standing at the end of my tarp and watching. Which just doesn't happen. With the situation of being a scout leader, I think I can understand your reservations. You're not so much protecting the scouts as you are protecting yourself. But to those scout leaders who are willing to make that sacrifice I commend you. Thank you for giving of yourself to provide our youth with an experience of the outdoors.

[5th]

I just change in my hammock.

[ntxkayakr]

I just change in my hammock.

This works just fine especially for the final underwear change which is critical if you don't want to risk being required to register as a s-predator for the rest of your life. I got over being embarrassed back in the 1970's when I lived in a palm leaf hut in an Amazonia village. The indigenous people had never seen white women or children before so peered through the walls at us for days all day long. No privacy except in my hammock a bit.
You can also wear a simple loincloth instead of underwear like primitive people have done for thousands of years. String/mule tape around the waist with long narrow piece of cloth suspended from it between your legs. This is fast and easy to swap out without removing your pants, but it does leave your thighs bare. My indigenous friends taught me how to wear these in the jungle, they dry out very fast while you bathe in the river. One can be washed and reused for many days on a long trip. Only problem is that your white side thighs look silly until you tan them up a bit and you must tuck it up every so often so nothing hangs out. These with or without a kilt or chaps have been and still are used because they are very simple (but require a bit of technique to use well) and are much more comfortable than a grass skirt like Ed Stafford often uses on his TV shows Marooned and N-Castaway on Discovery Channel. Those are very problematic is many ways. Makes me laugh when the skirt catches on fire. NOT recommended! LOL