Ultralight Toothbrushes: Count Those Grams, Love Those Pearly Whites

The Toob

Consider this an adventure into the extremes of ultralight backpacking gear. It’s a place you go once you’ve moved beyond cutting ounces and entered the sub-ounce realm of counting grams. And in this realm lies the genre of ultralight toothbrushes. Here are some of the options.

The Toob
It’s the “fun go-anywhere refillable toothbrush!” The key feature is a refillable mini-tube of toothpaste that hides in the handle. It runs $5 and is available in blue, pink, black, and white. A set of two replacement brushes costs $3. A long-standing item in the ultralight toothbrush world, the Toob is well reviewed and much used by Philip Werner of SectionHiker.

Z Packs Ultralight Travel Toothbrush

Z Packs Ultralight Travel Toothbrush
The toothbrush, extension handle, and full (refillable) mini-tube of toothpaste add up to a miniscule 13 grams (.43 ounces). Add a knee-buckling 8 additional grams if you want to schlep the carrying case as well. $2.95.

Rolly Brush
Let your tongue do the work with the “World’s Smallest Toothbrush!” Simply pop one of these disposable mint-flavored things in your mouth, roll it around against your teeth with your tongue, and voila! your mouth is somewhat cleaner (and minty fresh). $5 for a six-pack.

Colgate Wisp

Colgate Wisp
A disposable, pepperminty (or spearminty) toothbrush that requires no water and is good for multiple brushings in the backcountry. A “freshening bead”

in the brush dissolves as you use it to flavor your teeth-cleaning experience. It’s the top pick in this excellent thru-hike toothbrush review. A 16-pack will set you back around $8 on Amazon.

Liberty Mountain Ultralight-Sport Fingertip Toothbrush

Finger Toothbrushes
These ultralight silicon scrubbers—such as the Liberty Mountain Ultralight-Sport Fingertip Toothbrush—slip over the tip of your finger, which you then insert into your mouth for the brush action. They weigh virtually nothing but require you to stick a backcountry-grimed funk finger into your mouth—not the most hygienic solution.

Alternatively, you can just shoulder the burdensome weight of your regular toothbrush from home and get on with it.

Keep smiling out there!