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Leave no trace guide practice keeps the backcountry wild for everyone who comes after you. This roundup compares five field-tested products by how well they help you dispose of waste, wash without polluting, and pack out what you bring in, from an ultralight cathole trowel to biodegradable soap, so you can travel light and leave nothing behind.
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By Jake Thompson
How to Follow a Leave No Trace Guide
Leave No Trace is built on seven principles, and a few key items make them easy to follow. A good leave no trace guide focuses on disposing of waste properly, minimizing impact, and packing out everything you carry in. Start by understanding three habits that matter most on the trail.
Dispose of Waste Properly
Human waste is the biggest impact most hikers create. The standard is a cathole dug six to eight inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites, which requires a proper trowel. In fragile alpine zones or where regulations require it, you pack waste out in a sealed bag instead.
Toilet paper must always be packed out, since it does not break down quickly and wildlife digs it up. A good leave no trace guide treats a trowel and pack-out bags as core gear, because handling waste correctly protects water sources and keeps the backcountry clean for the next hiker.
Wash Without Polluting
Soap and food scraps harm water sources. Even biodegradable soap should be used at least 200 feet from any lake or stream, never directly in the water, and only in small amounts since these soaps are concentrated. Scatter strained dishwater widely away from camp and water.
Choosing the right products makes this easy. Concentrated biodegradable soap and no-rinse wipes let you stay clean without introducing chemicals into the environment. This part of a leave no trace guide protects the very water you and the wildlife depend on, so wash smart and well away from any source.
Pack It In, Pack It Out
Everything you carry in must come back out, including trash, food scraps, and hygiene items. Odor-proof and opaque bags make packing out waste and trash manageable and far less unpleasant, and a dedicated stuff sack keeps it separate from your food and clean gear.
This principle extends to the small stuff. Micro-trash like wrapper corners and orange peels counts, and fruit peels do not break down as fast as people think. A thorough leave no trace guide means carrying out every scrap, leaving the site exactly as wild as you found it.
Top Picks: Essential Leave No Trace Gear
With those habits in mind, this leave no trace guide lines up five field-tested products, each making a principle easy to follow. The table sums up the essentials, and the reviews below explain who each one suits and the trade-offs to weigh before you buy.
| Gear | Role | LNT Principle | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Deuce of Spades | Cathole trowel | Dispose of waste | Digging catholes |
| WAG Bag | Pack-out waste kit | Dispose of waste | Fragile and alpine zones |
| Dr. Bronner’s Soap | Biodegradable soap | Wash properly | Dishes and bathing |
| Pack-Out Bags | Trash and TP bags | Pack it out | Toilet paper and trash |
| Wilderness Wipes | No-water hygiene | Pack it out | Multi-day cleanliness |
The Deuce of Spades – Best Trowel
The Deuce of Spades by TentLab is the lightweight standard for digging catholes. At well under an ounce, this tempered aluminum trowel digs the six-to-eight-inch hole Leave No Trace requires far better than a tent stake or trekking pole, and its clever handle doubles as a grip for tougher ground.
It can feel thin in very hard or rocky soil, where a heavier trowel digs easier. But for the vast majority of backpackers who want featherweight, effective waste disposal, it is the gold-standard tool that belongs in every kit.
WAG Bag – Best Pack-Out Kit
A WAG bag is the solution where catholes are not allowed. These human-waste kits use a gelling agent and an odor-proof outer bag to let you pack out solid waste safely, which is required in many alpine areas, deserts, and heavily used zones where burial would pollute or never break down.
They are heavier and bulkier than a trowel and cost more per use. But for fragile terrain and regulated areas where packing out is mandatory, a WAG bag is the responsible, no-compromise choice for handling waste.
Dr. Bronner’s Soap – Best Biodegradable Soap
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile soap is the perennial backcountry favorite for good reason. It is highly concentrated, so a little cleans dishes, body, and hair, it is made from biodegradable ingredients, and it is cheap and widely available, making it the versatile choice for low-impact camp hygiene.
It must still be used at least 200 feet from water and in small amounts, since even biodegradable soap harms aquatic life if dumped in a stream. But used correctly, it is the simplest way to stay clean responsibly.
Pack-Out Bags – Best for Trash and TP
Opaque, odor-proof pack-out bags make carrying out waste and trash painless. Lightweight dog-poop-style bags work perfectly for packing out used toilet paper, while a larger opaque stuff sack holds them and your trash out of sight, keeping the job manageable and your pack clean for the whole trip.
They add a small chore to your routine and must be disposed of properly at the trailhead. But since burning or burying toilet paper is ineffective and harmful, these bags are an essential, no-excuses part of any leave no trace guide.
Wilderness Wipes – Best No-Water Hygiene
Sea to Summit Wilderness Wipes keep you clean on multi-day trips without a water source. They let you wipe down at the end of a muddy day without introducing soap into the environment, weigh almost nothing, and are especially handy for longer trips and camping with kids far from a shower.
Wipes are not biodegradable in a cathole and must always be packed out, never buried. But used and carried out responsibly, they are a convenient, low-impact way to stay comfortable in the backcountry.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few questions come up again and again when hikers read a leave no trace guide. Here are quick, practical answers to help you tread lightly.
What are the seven Leave No Trace principles?
They are: plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of others. Together they form a framework for enjoying the outdoors while preserving it, and a little gear makes several of them much easier to follow.
How deep should a cathole be?
Dig your cathole six to eight inches deep and four to six inches wide, at least 200 feet from water, trails, and campsites. Cover and disguise it when finished. Always pack out toilet paper rather than burying it. In fragile alpine areas or where required, use a pack-out waste bag instead of a cathole.
Is biodegradable soap safe to use in a stream?
No. Even biodegradable soap harms aquatic life and should never be used directly in a lake or stream. Carry water at least 200 feet away, wash there with a small amount of soap, and scatter the strained wastewater widely. The word biodegradable describes how it breaks down on land, not permission to pollute water.
Do I really have to pack out toilet paper?
In most places, yes. Toilet paper does not break down quickly in typical backcountry conditions, and animals dig it up, leaving an unpleasant mess. Sealing it in an opaque pack-out bag is lightweight and easy. Some areas allow burial in a cathole, but packing it out is the cleanest, most reliable practice.
See More:
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- Camping table review
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Final Thoughts
A good leave no trace guide is really about a few habits and the gear that makes them easy. The Deuce of Spades and a WAG bag handle waste, Dr. Bronner’s soap keeps washing clean, and pack-out bags plus wilderness wipes carry everything out. Master these basics, follow the seven principles, and you will leave the backcountry as wild as you found it.
