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Feral Nature
05-25-2012, 11:24
I have never thru-hiked and was wondering if the famous "hiker funk" is body odor and dirt or is it also mildewed gear. Body odor is ok but I hate the smell of mildew. Just curious. :confused:

WIAPilot
05-25-2012, 12:14
I can understand not cleaning gear perhaps at hostels, but if I have a zero day or two at a hotel and my pack needs cleaning or I need to tackle the mildew issue with my tent - I'm doing so. Just because I'm going to be using them soon does not mean I have to wait until the end of the trail to clean them.

Miner
05-25-2012, 13:46
Usually, Hiker Stench is just from the lack of showers and laundry for several days. Also, some synthetic clothing seem to hold odor (ie. bacteria) even when washed so it comes back with a vengence after only a day. I found adding vineger to the wash helps some with this if your clothing is prone to it. Some clothing is made with anti-bacterial treatment which helps with odors (I buy my underwear and thermals this way).

As for mildew, just make sure you take time to dry out all your stuff at every opportunity. If you have been camping in rain and the sun pokes out of the clouds for a short time as you are hiking, stop and dry your stuff since you don't know if you'll see sun again later. On the PCT, we referred to this as Exploding Your Pack since someone walking along will suddenly see gear strewed all over the place drying in the sun. It looks like the person's pack exploded. Also, every time you go to town, dry your stuff out (hang it up somewhere such as your shower, over the heater, etc.)

Velvet Gooch
05-25-2012, 14:24
The detergent I've found best at neutralizing odors is Atsko Sport-Wash. I use it to wash everything from socks to packs to storm shells.

http://www.atsko.com (http://www.atsko.com)

Many of you are already familiar with another of Atsko's products, Sno-Seal.

ChinMusic
05-25-2012, 14:33
hiker funk and mildew


I think I met those guys in Virginia.

Feral Nature
05-25-2012, 15:05
ChinMusic, that is hillarious. Those would be awesome trail names...not for me though! I am a rancher so am used to funk and stench lol! Just can't stand mildew and I have a feeling that my pack will be exploding a lot!

Spokes
05-25-2012, 15:12
Never had a problem with mildewed gear on the trail and was always comfortable with my funk. Spent my quality time in town showering my body then finding a good AYCE to fuel up rather than washing out the pack. Gotta set priorities......

Odd Man Out
05-25-2012, 15:52
I was wondering the other day if mildew was a problem for people. Once established, it is almost impossible to get rid of. I'd hate to have a $1000 worth of gear ruined by that.

plurpimpin
05-25-2012, 17:02
If you pack properly (by which I mean don't bring abunch of stuff you don't need) then you will be almost completely emptying your pack at camp every day meaning your tent, pad, sleeping bag and other expensive gear will have time to dry out. I've never had an issue with mildew on past extended trips.

Pedaling Fool
05-25-2012, 18:58
I never had mildew form, but I did experience some times when the funk in my gear (near-mildew conditions) was difficult to control. But this only happens when I'm walking in very wet conditions for an extended period. Otherwise I'm good about airing my stuff out.

Mountain Mike
05-26-2012, 00:28
I never had a mildew problem with my gear following above recomendations. Wet packed stuff was pulled out when sun came out. I did have my cotton hiking T-shirt mildew. Had a streach where it was over a week without laundry & it just wouldn't dry being hung out during non hiking hours, even with a zero in the woods. Kind of ironic that it's hard getting a hiking T from a trail organization that isn't cotton.

Bronk
05-26-2012, 01:55
By the time all of your stuff dries out it will rain and everything will get soaked again. Actually, it will usually rain again before you get the chance to get all of your stuff dried out. If your tent doesn't get mildewy it means you're spending too much time staying in those dirty shelters infested with mice.

Connie
05-26-2012, 09:14
I had a week of steady rain at Long Beach, Washington State. I had a great tent. Nevertheless, I was miserable inside that enclosed tent. Finally, we packed up and got in the car. In spite of all my efforts at the shelter my glorious tent got mildew spots I treated with StarBrite Mildew Stain Remover risking bleaching out the color.

The next time I used it, at Samuel P. Taylor State Park near Highway 1 California I turned my self-standing tent around to the sun for half a day before packing up. The tent survived.

This is not what I want to be doing hiking or camping.

I use double-sided coated SilNylon tarps, now. Cuben might work better. At any rate, I shake the tarp to remove excess water, maybe wipe off the tarp with a MSR microfleece pack towel I can hang off the back of my pack to dry, and stuff the tarp in the huge mesh outside pocket on the back outer surface of my pack.

I use the exploding pack technique to dry out my tarp and anything else at every opportunity. I tell myself it is a rest stop and a photo op for landscape photography.

By this means, I haven't had mildew get on a tarp.