View Full Version : Terminal Hiker funk?
RockStar
08-24-2007, 21:36
Ladies, and stinky boys...I attempted a Thru in '06. I made it to Bly Gap and hiked back out...My Hiker funk seems to be deep within and rears its icky smell everytime I sweat. I have NEVER in my ENTIRE life smelled like an ONION when I sweat. I also had never hiked more than a day. Sure my B.O. was just as bad as the next persons but, this is a VERY NOTICABLE difference. Have any of you experienced this? I am so weirded out. I can't keep it to myself any longer and don't want to bother my Doctor with my B.O. Issues. lol
I have switched deodirant and Antiperspirants with no change. :rolleyes: :( granted the smell good pit stuff works as it is suppose to but, my job causes me to sweat a LOT and by the end of the day...well I smell like I've been carrying peeled onions under my arms. Maybe this condition is also exaggerated by my HATRED of Raw onions. Sorry to be so icky.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-24-2007, 21:55
I have stinky pits as well. I clean my pits with alcohol gel every morning before putting on the strongest antiperspirant I can get - Mitchum is the strongest available without a prescription. Solves my problem all day even when I hike.
Since you included stinky boys, I will actually reply on the women forum. I would say it is your diet. Like they say, you are what you eat. You sweat is made up of what you eat and drink, which would explain why people think those of different cultures smell bad. Simple solution; either expand your diet if it is very limited, use less of a favored spice that may make up every meal, or just eat different stuff.
toddhiker
08-24-2007, 22:17
Rockstar...Rockstar...Rockstar...
I didn't want to mention it but.............................:eek: :eek: :eek:
I hear aliens have a funkalicious odor to them.:p
Just kidding!!!! When you told me about this at Blackie's Hang I honestly didn't laugh because when I stink, I STINK! I think (no data to back this up) that I must stink QUICKER than average.
I too, use Mitchum. It works best. I'm gonna try Dino's alcohol idea on my FHT hike.
Sorry no new ideas, mainly just had to say something!!!
I can get pretty ripe when hiking, but having picked up a few thru hikers and shuttled them around, Uh they stink. I have not met any that didn't.
So, if you are worried about being "different" the non-stinkys are the exception. However, I have had the experience of sweating out my scent by savvusauna, or extreme heat . try it , it makes no sense but I find the sweating cleans my sweat glands out. What you eat and drink may have an effect too.
Oh, sorry-- I didn't see this was the womens forum. I just saw it in the new posts and clicked on it.
budforester
08-24-2007, 23:38
Probably diet. The odor compounds in onion and garlic are released by enzymes when the bulb is cut. If quickly dehydrated or cooked, little of the parent compounds are converted to odor. In your body, the remainder are metabolized to form the odor. That can be excreted in sweat, and a little goes a long way. Those substances are said to be good for your heart and arteries BTW. If you wish to reduce onion and garlic in your diet, and you are not cooking with fresh ones, note that processed foods, dry mixes, and restaurants often use lots of dehydrated onion and garlic.
Landshark
08-26-2007, 09:09
It could also be your clothes holding the "aroma" (shirts, bras, etc). Maybe a problem with your brand of laundry detergent or even a problem with your washer. The washer in our apartment building does not agitate and does not rinse well. Clothes come out worse than when they went in...sometimes they even seem to smell like whatever the previous user of the washer had on his/her clothes. Or your closet or dresser could be damp. Depending on your living situation you could even have a mouse carcass under the rug in your closet or something.
Try getting some strong powdered laundry detergent like tide and some oxy-clean powder and going to a laundromat and rewashing all of your everyday stuff. I don't mean just hiking stuff--my work clothes get pretty stinky from all the stress! You could try freshly washing ALL of your clothes. Washing just the top level of the dresser drawer and putting it back on the musty older stuff underneath that you rarely wear won't help.
Or, are you on some sort of medication? Both prescription meds and herbal remedies can metabolize in different ways and come out your pores.
Finally, don't sweat (pun intended) about going to the doctor about it. They've heard it all! You could have something going on with your metabolism, kidneys, etc that is causing you to break down foods differently. And I agree that it could also be your diet!
oldfivetango
08-26-2007, 09:15
Kosmic Zian told me about the Naturally Fresh(unscented)deodorant
stone.It WORKS.
Also,are you sure you are not diabetic?
I would second the "watch your diet" suggestion as well.
Oldfivetango
essential oils......try some.......they wont make it go away but might help....and i have heard that lavender repells bugs.....and smells pretty darn good IMO...
and now enjoy my boy slim......slim goodbody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mc6kTkG_Jk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ3HMQ_LyZY
and i will officially never post in this forum again;)
RockStar
08-26-2007, 11:19
Rockstar...Rockstar...Rockstar...
I didn't want to mention it but.............................
I hear aliens have a funkalicious odor to them.
Just kidding!!!! When you told me about this at Blackie's Hang I honestly didn't laugh because when I stink, I STINK! I think (no data to back this up) that I must stink QUICKER than average.
I too, use Mitchum. It works best. I'm gonna try Dino's alcohol idea on my FHT hike.
Sorry no new ideas, mainly just had to say something!!!
HAHA I will try to get some Mitchum.
Kosmic Zian told me about the Naturally Fresh(unscented)deodorant
stone.It WORKS.
Also,are you sure you are not diabetic?
I would second the "watch your diet" suggestion as well.
Oldfivetango
I just had al sorts of bloodwork done last month and she didn't mention anything like diabetes. I do have issues with low blood sugar but, keep it under control with fresh fruits and non sugary snacks.
My diet isn't the best but, it isn't the worst. I drink water 90% of the time or more. I don't eat onions unless they are cooked well done and I have always added lots of garlic to my meals. I also TRY to eat less carbs and more salads. As I am trying to lose weight. Which I have done before and had no onion aroma in the pits.
I don't think it's my clothes b/c honestly, a few times I have come out of the shower and decided to go comando for a while and the SAME thing happens when I start to sweat. It's sultry here in the south.:) Like I said, I didn't smell like THIS until hiking. I have sweat a LOT before and it just smelled like everyday B.O.
I have known a lot of people that have high metabolisms and sweat ALL the time. They usually just have a musky smell. I had heard people say sweat smells like onions but, thought it was a joke. Until now. Jokes on me! Literally!
I am perplexed but, going to try a few things mentioned. Thanks!
Hey, I used to sweat continuously throughout the day, even in the winter. I now use "Certain Dri" antiperspirant that literally stops any and all sweating in my pits. Even when I exercise, that area stays mostly dry. It's not perscription; I get mine at CVS. Happy hiking, hopefully sans the smell!
It's a bacteria smorgasbord. :eek:
I think that FD is right, cleaning w/ alcohol would kill the bacteria.
Some fabrics like polyester absorb the body's oils and odors more than others. I prefer wool because it does not stink as bad as poly, and it's warm when wet.
Egads
aaronthebugbuffet
08-26-2007, 18:39
Take some chlorophyll supplemements. It helps with body and waste odor.
budforester
08-27-2007, 08:12
I googled up something; sounds plausible. I don't know enough metabolism stuff to confirm, and this was message- board stuff. Crux of it was that high metabolism of fats with low availability of carbs yields ketones (onion smell). Translation: hungry hikers burn fat and smell like onions. Here's a link (http://acefitness.infopop.net/3/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=799290654&f=7662946696&m=829103162).
Frolicking Dinosaurs
08-27-2007, 08:17
Ketosis (the body ridding itself of Ketone bodies due to low-carb dieting) also produces bad breath. Generally, if ones carb level is low enough to produce the onion smell in sweat, they know it because of the breath issues.
RockStar
08-27-2007, 08:32
ahhhhhhhhhh
If I might also suggest a weekend at a spa. Mudbath, manicure, pedicure, etc.
I'm not sure any of this will help the odor thing, but who care's.
RockStar
08-27-2007, 15:02
If I might also suggest a weekend at a spa. Mudbath, manicure, pedicure, etc.
I'm not sure any of this will help the odor thing, but who care's.
HA! Wouldn't that be nice! :p I might get a free mudbath next week near Damascus if the rain has its way!
buckowens
08-27-2007, 15:36
Rockstar,
Roo is going to laugh when I show her this, as we discussed her oniony smell on our hike of GA. Being only 9, she has not had body odor very long, but it is definitely an onion when she does!!
taildragger
08-27-2007, 15:48
You could always try dressing like a hippie, that way people just think its more natural :D
RockStar
08-27-2007, 16:52
You could always try dressing like a hippie, that way people just think its more natural :D
Then I'd have to wear patchouli ick! ;)
Then I'd have to wear patchouli ick! ;)
I was walking in Target the other day and there was a guy wearing patchouli :cool:... It's a very distinctive smell...
Not that that has anything to do with anything... just thought I'd mention it :)
warraghiyagey
03-19-2008, 07:51
Ladies, and stinky boys...I attempted a Thru in '06. I made it to Bly Gap and hiked back out...My Hiker funk seems to be deep within and rears its icky smell everytime I sweat. I have NEVER in my ENTIRE life smelled like an ONION when I sweat. I also had never hiked more than a day. Sure my B.O. was just as bad as the next persons but, this is a VERY NOTICABLE difference. Have any of you experienced this? I am so weirded out. I can't keep it to myself any longer and don't want to bother my Doctor with my B.O. Issues. lol
I have switched deodirant and Antiperspirants with no change. :rolleyes: :( granted the smell good pit stuff works as it is suppose to but, my job causes me to sweat a LOT and by the end of the day...well I smell like I've been carrying peeled onions under my arms. Maybe this condition is also exaggerated by my HATRED of Raw onions. Sorry to be so icky.
Hey Stinky. Don't sweat it!
http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/laughing013.gif
Seriously, likely it's diet/metabolism/body chemistry. Was your hike a catalyst to this new odor?? Not sure- but for sure - as was said before - you are what you eat.
I've actually heard of people having this issue simply by switching vitamin or herbal supplements.
Hope this helps.:)
OMG, this was the funniest, strangest, most informative thread I've read in a while. :clap
desdemona
03-19-2008, 23:54
Oy but I think its all these synthetics!! I wouldn't go back to cotton for hiking, but I sure am glad to wear it when not hiking. I feel like a stanky monster after 6 hours, so I can only imagine what you thru hikers must stink like. Yikes!! :D
(I'll check on the onion thing, I hadn't noticed that. I'm guessing also that hikers eat more fat on the trail.)
--des
dessertrat
03-20-2008, 05:48
Definitely ketosis. The low blood sugar you mentioned probably means you start burning fats sooner. You may not notice the breath because almost nobody notices their own breath. There is not much to be done about it-- if you are losing weight, as most hikers are when they are on the trail-- then you will eventually enter ketosis and stay in that state until you start getting more calories in than out.
Maybe eating more would help?
riverroyer
03-21-2008, 18:46
I work with onions everday so I know the smell. Suggestion: I have been using a Salt deodorant I get in a Health Food store, rinse in water, rub it on and it works great, no chemicals, no fragrances.
Great. A thread I can have a hissy fit in!
I need to vent about Burts Bees deoderant. Which used to be very cool, very effective, and primarily essential oils with a lemony smell.
Two things have me aggravated.
First, this stuff is not cheap, but a bottle would last a really long time, like almost six months or more in my experience. Nice for the summer, not gooky or heavy.
When it first came out it came out in a 6.8 ounce size, for $8.00. In the photo below you can see the price tag, along with the date the store put it on their shelves
(11-25-06).
Then, a year later ( yes, it can last a LONG time), they did away with the larger size, and now put out like a 4.6 ounce size - same price! Check out the date on the little bottle of 10-25-08.
Then, I found out the reason why. Burts Bees sold out to the same co. that makes CLOROX! I won't be buying any more burts bees products to say the least. When I contacted them about the size change, they said that they were just doing that to give people more product - to me that says. "A big corporation bought it, made it a smaller size, changed the formula (the ingredients are different and it does not smell the same in the new small bottles) AND are suggesting to retailers to keep the same price.
I guess they think all consumers are stupid and won't notice. I did.
Ok, I feel better now, thanks for listening! :)