This Military-Style ‘Tactical Shower’ Gets Me Clean in Half the Time

This morning, I completed a military-style workout—a grueling 30 minutes of sled pushes, wall hangs, and burpees. After it was over, with just 10 minutes to spare before I had to run out the door to an appointment, I gave my sweat-stained body a military-style cleanup by way of the “tactical shower.”

A tactical shower means giving your body a good old once over with a wipe, then (maybe) putting on some deodorant, sunscreen, and calling it a day. “Whether deployed or on base, active-duty service members can frequently find themselves in conditions where maintaining hygiene for their well-being is more challenging,” explains Justin Guilbert, co-founder of Bravo Sierra, a line of grooming products designed for (and tested by) military personnel. In other words, when soldiers are out in the field, showers are often few and far between, which means that they need to settle for a “tactical shower” with a wipe instead of a full lather-and-rinse routine.

Traditionally, some military personnel used baby wipes to get the job done, but as anyone who’s ever tried to “shower” with a baby wipe knows, they’re not exactly the most adult-body friendly.

Guilbert developed a product makes a full-body “tactical shower” possible, by way of large, biodegradable shower cloths that kill bacteria and all kinds of smells on your entire body. “It had to be sturdy enough to clean between the toes, big enough to clean a body, strong enough to kill BO bacteria while cleansing, soothing and locking moisture,” says Guilbert.

While I would hardly compare my post-workout, no-shower needs to the ones of active military personnel (not ever, not even a little bit at all), I was pumped when Guilbert let me know that the wonder of Bravo Sierra Antibacterial Body Wipes ($10) could be translated to fit my 9-to-5 lifestyle needs.

Bravo Sierra — Antibacterial Body Wipes (10-pack) — $9.00

“New York City in the summer is a fairly brutal experience,” says Guilbert. “A fast-paced life that integrates working out and working hard puts your body through a lot of exertion. The tactical shower is a perfect example of crossover application. Those who can’t, won’t, or just don’t have the time to shower after a workout, or a sweaty subway ride now have a refresh option.”

For all these reasons and more, the “tactical shower” remains a part of my post-workout routine (and my regular routine on days when I just don’t feel like showering).

When you do have time to shower, do it like a dermatologist:

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