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sirbingo
09-15-2006, 10:53
Since we talk about anything and everything hiking related here, I have got a question:

When I wear wicking material type shirts my arm pits get smelly a lot quicker then if I am wearing cotton shirts -- this is with or without deodorant. That's is why I prefer cotton shirts on day hikes....Does anyone else notice this?

bfitz
09-15-2006, 11:00
Yeah, I think it just wicks out the stink so it's not contained where you can't smell it. They keep a little stink in the wicks from last time too, even after a wash.

weary
09-15-2006, 11:17
Since we talk about anything and everything hiking related here, I have got a question:

When I wear wicking material type shirts my arm pits get smelly a lot quicker then if I am wearing cotton shirts -- this is with or without deodorant. That's is why I prefer cotton shirts on day hikes....Does anyone else notice this?


That's why I wear nothing but cotton in the summer -- and most times in winter.

Footslogger
09-15-2006, 13:24
Here's a thought ...have you ever tried the "sleeveless" style ?? Got a couple of them this past year and wore them on my section hike in Maine. Much cooler !!

Actually found mine in a sport shoe store. Sold under the Asics label.

'Slogger

Frosty
09-15-2006, 13:35
I don't notice the smell so much on day hikes. And on multi-day hikes I guess smellling bad is just part of it, like being dirty and needing a shave.

Wicking underwear and fleece bottoms smells even worse. Still, they beat cotton in my opinion (though every winter I see people snowshoeing in blue jeans and a cottom sweatshirt).

The worst for me was wearing long poly underwear non-stop for a week. Talk about reeking. I like to sleep on my side using one arm as a pillow. Couldn't do it that trip because raising my arms almost made me gag.

DrewNC2005
09-15-2006, 13:46
Sick............ ;)

MAD777
09-15-2006, 14:10
Merino wool doesn't stink! I know - sounds HOT! But wait, look at these super-lightweight short sleeve merino wool tees from Merino Skins Wool-Underwear.com (http://www.wool-underwear.com/) and
Smartwool http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47981217&parent_category_rn=4501409&vcat=REI_SEARCH

I love these for summer hiking!

attroll
09-15-2006, 14:28
All synthetics are like that. The yhold the odor.

Try a wool tshirt from smartwool. Pricy, but way worth it. They don't smell. Period.
I think you have this statement wrong. It is the cotton shirts that hold the oder. Synthetic shirts you can wash the order out of. The less cotton in the the better for not retaining oder.

Smile
09-15-2006, 14:49
Attroll's on the right track, definately stinkier in cotton, it also can stain and leave dark splotches if it's a light colored shirt, even after washing.

100% Polypropolene can get nasty though, especially if worn for a week before washing. GooGone spray, which no one will carry I assume because of the weight, should take it out, but your shirt in the pit area may smell like oranges for a day or so ;)

jlb2012
09-15-2006, 15:16
100% Polypropolene can get nasty though, especially if worn for a week before washing. GooGone spray, which no one will carry I assume because of the weight, should take it out, but your shirt in the pit area may smell like oranges for a day or so ;)

Dang - that's an idea that I had never heard of before - GooGone vs Polypro Stink

Creek Dancer
09-15-2006, 15:21
This is a funky thread.

SGT Rock
09-15-2006, 15:25
Just an observation over a few years with Polypro. Seems that you can wash the funk where it smells OK, but after it gets funked up, it seems to come back fast once you put it on and wear it a day or so.

Creek Dancer
09-15-2006, 15:40
Just an observation over a few years with Polypro. Seems that you can wash the funk where it smells OK, but after it gets funked up, it seems to come back fast once you put it on and wear it a day or so.

I am glad you said that because I thought it was just my stuff.

SGT Rock
09-15-2006, 15:44
I've got lots of polypro. It all reeks fairly quickly after it has been used heavily once. Seems the key is to wash in cold and no heat drying. Washing hot and drying hot not only can make it melt as testified above (never had that happen to me exactly) but seems to help lock the smell in. I read somewhere about the vinegar to wash the stuff to help it.

sirbingo
09-15-2006, 16:40
Merino wool doesn't stink! I know - sounds HOT! But wait, look at these super-lightweight short sleeve merino wool tees from Merino Skins Wool-Underwear.com (http://www.wool-underwear.com/) and
Smartwool http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47981217&parent_category_rn=4501409&vcat=REI_SEARCH

I love these for summer hiking!


YIKES!!! That t-shirt is 50 bucks!!!! :eek: I could never justify that to the wife! Looks like I'll just have to have smelly pits.

Chip
09-15-2006, 18:04
I've got lots of polypro. It all reeks fairly quickly after it has been used heavily once. Seems the key is to wash in cold and no heat drying. Washing hot and drying hot not only can make it melt as testified above (never had that happen to me exactly) but seems to help lock the smell in. I read somewhere about the vinegar to wash the stuff to help it.
I too have found this to be true. Wash in cold water and let items " air dry".
Cotton shirts hold too much sweat and are way too heavy. I have been using polypro for years but it will "out stink"cotton any day! :o :D

zuluhartzbackpack
09-15-2006, 18:11
I use vinegar in my poly loads of wash; works great!!

vaporjourney
09-15-2006, 18:28
I think all of this talk of the smelliness of polypro has gotten me to take seriously the idea of smartwool shirts. They are really only $10 more than capilene. Just won't think about them being 40 more than cheap polypro.

I had noticed that my short sleeve cheapo Champion polypro shirts from Target smelled aweful after a day or two, but i assumed that was just my body odor? Maybe the shirt really holds it and multiplies it. I just don't see how a shirt can help, once you start to sweat and stink, it can't go anywhere off your body until you bathe...

Creek Dancer
09-15-2006, 19:53
I too have found this to be true. Wash in cold water and let items " air dry".
Cotton shirts hold too much sweat and are way too heavy. I have been using polypro for years but it will "out stink"cotton any day! :o :D

Therein lies my problem. I've been soaking them in hot water and Tide. Sometimes twice if the funk is particularly bad. Taking laundry tips from guys. That is a first for me!:) Thanks!

Chip
09-15-2006, 20:57
Therein lies my problem. I've been soaking them in hot water and Tide. Sometimes twice if the funk is particularly bad. Taking laundry tips from guys. That is a first for me!:) Thanks!

Good luck, washing your polypro in cold water / air dry will help but it is not 100 percent all the time. I might look at wool too (for winter treks). ;)

Just Jeff
09-15-2006, 21:11
Taking laundry tips from guys. That is a first for me!:) Thanks!

Haha - imagine what my MOM said when she took sewing tips from her SON! :eek: Surreal...

Skidsteer
09-15-2006, 21:33
Somewhere along the way I got the idea in my head that the primary reason to wash polyester in cold water and air dry is to retain the wicking properties of the fabric. :confused:

saimyoji
09-15-2006, 22:35
Slight drift: your body odor is caused by bacteria feeding off your sweat, which will contain various substances depending on your diet. Try stopping the odor problem at the source, rather than reacting to it. I won't preach what you should be eating, but I know from experience that you can reduce body odors by controlling your diet.

There are certain places in the world where dietary habits are common and subsequently certain body odors are common. Perhaps this applies to long distance hikers?

Frosty
09-15-2006, 22:38
Attroll's on the right track, definately stinkier in cotton, it also can stain and leave dark splotches if it's a light colored shirt, even after washing.

100% Polypropolene can get nasty though, especially if worn for a week before washing. GooGone spray, which no one will carry I assume because of the weight, should take it out, but your shirt in the pit area may smell like oranges for a day or so ;)Smelling like oranges would be a definate improvement!

Smile
09-15-2006, 23:26
Therein lies my problem. I've been soaking them in hot water and Tide.

Tidefunk is a particularly offensive olfactory experience not only for yourself, but those downwind :)

I used to work with a guy who just always had a sort of bad sweet smell, but was always well groomed, turned out to be a Tide thing mixed with a house smell thing, somebody finally got the nerve to ask him to try a different detergent, bingo!

SGT Rock
09-16-2006, 01:35
Therein lies my problem. I've been soaking them in hot water and Tide. Sometimes twice if the funk is particularly bad. Taking laundry tips from guys. That is a first for me!:) Thanks!

Hey, we also have a tip to get FOUR TIMES the usage out of a pair of underwear. Let us know if you are interested.:cool:

fiddlehead
09-16-2006, 04:56
Check out a product called: X-static. They use a technic where silver is woven into the fabric. Seems silver kills bacteria and the long underwear made from the stuff doesn't retain body odor. Originally developed for astronauts because they were going to be in the clothes for a long time and couldn't wash them. The stuff really works.
Rainman tested it out for us in VT while working road construction for a week and claimed it didn't smell.

Smile
09-16-2006, 08:22
Hi fiddlehead, do you know where you can purchase this x-static? Maybe a good experiment


Sgt. Rock: Hey, we also have a tip to get FOUR TIMES the usage out of a pair of underwear. Let us know if you are interested..

:-? Uh oh, does this involve turning them inside out at any point?! I'm not sure my delicate ears are ready for such underwear-life-extending information! Especially if we know that somebody actually DOES this, we may not look at them the same ever again if we run into them......:eek:

SGT Rock
09-16-2006, 09:21
:-? Uh oh, does this involve turning them inside out at any point?!

Apparently you are already aware of the other male laundry saving techniques.:(

vaporjourney
09-16-2006, 16:44
has anybody seen the new Starter wicking shirts that walmart is selling. well, i hadnt noticed them last time i looked. they arent the typical synthetic feeling cheapo stuff you can find everywhere, but it feels like cotton. I'm not sure what smartwool feels like, but perhaps this is similar? The material was really dry and soft, didnt feel like the typical cold and meshy feel of polypro...

Just Jeff
09-16-2006, 19:24
I have one of those but I haven't hiked in it...I just wear it for exercise and stuff. It's more comfortable and less staticky than the regular synthetics.

Spock
09-16-2006, 21:35
Fiddlehead,
Nothing INHO is going to beat smartwool for long wearing with minimum stink. I have not had satisfactory results with silver treated clothing.

Once something is really stinky, OxyClean works pretty well. But if it's a hazard to health and safety, Mirazyme by Mc Nett gets the funk out of anything.

weary
09-16-2006, 21:51
I think you have this statement wrong. It is the cotton shirts that hold the oder. Synthetic shirts you can wash the order out of. The less cotton in the the better for not retaining oder.
That's not my understanding, but I only own one polyester tee shirt, that I rarely wear, so I'm no authority.

I stopped buying blended poly = cotton tee shirts years ago, partly because they seemed to retain odors, but mostly because I didn't like the feel.

I have never detected an odor problem with pure cotton. Sure they get smelly after hours of sweating, but the odor totally disappears with washing with Tide. I detect no difference between a brand new cotton tee shirt and one I've worn for months or years, as far as accumulated odors, or the development of new odors, are concerned.

WEary

DGrav
09-16-2006, 22:21
Ibex makes two very good wool hiking shirts, the Q-T and the Echo-T. After wearing my Echo-T for the first time I ordered another as soon as I got home.

Yes they are a bit pricey but well worth it:

Do not hold odor (not even smoke!)
Very durable
Fast Drying
When wet it stays the same temp as your body (no clamy feel)

fiddlehead
09-17-2006, 11:00
Fiddlehead,
Nothing INHO is going to beat smartwool for long wearing with minimum stink. I have not had satisfactory results with silver treated clothing.

Once something is really stinky, OxyClean works pretty well. But if it's a hazard to health and safety, Mirazyme by Mc Nett gets the funk out of anything.

Like i said, we have only had some friends test the X-static and they said it didn't smell after wearing for up to 5 days. We do sell a lot to hunters because they don't want their smell getting out. They say it works also.
I imagine your Smart-wool works how you say. I'm simply pointing out there's options for synthetics and they work. This stuff was originally made for the astronauts. Don't you think they thought of wool also?

LostInSpace
09-17-2006, 11:33
I am of the understanding that polyester does not hold the stink as much as polypropylene.

Malden Mills makes Polartec® Powerdry® with X-Static® (http://www.polartec.com/fabrics/odor.php). This is polyester with silver and is intended to be less stink-prone. InSport (http://www.insport.com/products.cfm?product_id=859&sub_id=88&main_id=16&is_discount=0)has a contract (http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/fashion-technology-trends/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=20902) to make short sleeve and long sleeve T-shirts out of this stuff for the Marines. It's a little pricey. You can buy the product directly , but your only choice of color from InSPort is coyote brown. If you search the web, you should also be able to find T-shirts of this stuff in black and camo, as I recall. :D


I don't know if it is the same thing, but try Sierra Trading Post (http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,12450_Medalist-Silk-Weight-X-Static-T-Shirt-Long-Sleeve-For-Men.html) ... $10.95 in a camo closeout!

boarstone
09-17-2006, 18:34
Try a product called Odor-ban. It can be found at Sam's club, comes in a gallon jug. Go by the directions, need to use very little of this stuff mixed in water to take out clothes odor. As always, do test sample on item before washing/rinsing the whole item. I was intriduced to it by my neighbor who used it for cats spraying...I used it on an elderly dog who had lost his water holding ability. I have "100 yr old" hardwood floors and it worked on that just fine. Ever since I have used it on/for countless things. Skunk/cat spray,garbage cans, rugs, mattress, clothes, boots/shoes, socks, furniture, car upholstery cleaner/refresher.....:) ...the list is endless...I'm sure you'll find other uses as well, works great for kennels and barns too.