Joe Louis gives himself a haircut

 

My hair is similar to many of my girlfriends: thin, dark, and high maintenance. In warm countries, hair adds extra sweaty heat. In showerless countries it can get knappy and smelly. So what’s the best solution? Shave it off!

It’s cheap and will leave you with a rugged look appropriate for backpacking. Take it from me, bears are hairy creatures.

 

Do it for the clipper
You’ll want to buy hair clippers to shave your head. You can also use them to maintain your beard (mostly the guys). In developed countries, most large department stores will have expensive brands such as Phillips. After some searching, I bought a much cheaper generic one in a supermarket in China. Airport electronic shops are another place to look, especially if price isn’t too much of an issue.

Take it to the mess hall
Shaving your head is a messy affair. It’s best to do it when you have a private room. You can do it over the sink in front of a mirror or over some newspaper placed on the floor. It’s nicer not to clog the drain with all that gunk.  Another option is to do it in the open air.

One step at a time
Clippers often come with attachments for various lengths. If you’re concerned with how your bareheaded will look, start with a high number like a 6, and work your way down as you are comfortable.

Trim your hair in steps.  First the lower part of your head, then work your way up, trimming out sections from ear to ear.

Fix ‘er upper
If you don’t like the result you can always go to a barber and have him clean it up. He may even charge less for a five minute job.