Battling Residual Hiker Stench

[ThoughtFoot]

So I completed a thru-hike of the AT GA-ME 2007. My one-year-aversary of starting out was this past week, and I wanted to get my tried and true gear out for a jaunt. But all of it still REEKS! The sleeping bag, my tent, my pack, everything. I've tried leaving it in the sun and weather (day 6, still stinky), washing it (been through 3 washes a piece), febreeze just makes it smell like febreeze for a few days. Any suggestions on how to beat the hiker stink out of well worn gear?

[ThoughtFoot]

and by 2007 I clearly meant 2008.

[Two Tents]

I do not know. I never thought much about it. After you fabreeze it then go on the trail in a few days you will stink too and not really notice it. I guess hitting the trail is the only sensible thing to do.---Happy trails --- Two Tents.

[JAK]

Natural materials have a natural stench. Un-natural materials have an un-natural stench.
If really bad I would try burying it in the garden for a few weeks or months. Maybe plant some tomatoes in it.

[Two Tents]

Jak, I must say you think deep thoughts sometimes.---Two Tents.

[Two Tents]

All I can think of is maybe someone who hunts has an idea. I know hunting clothes gets funky.--- Two Tents.

[Lyle]

Just go out hiking again. Second or third day, and your old gear will smell just like home again. Guaranteed.

[Skyline]

Natural materials have a natural stench. Un-natural materials have an un-natural stench.
If really bad I would try burying it in the garden for a few weeks or months. Maybe plant some tomatoes in it.

Not sure if you were being serious, but burying gear for awhile can get rid of odors.

A friend's pack had been skunked at a shelter during a weekend hike, and he tried everything he knew of to get rid of the skunk stench. Nothing worked.

Then Rusty, of Hard Time Hollow in VA, told him to bury it in a shallow grave for a couple weeks. He did, and when he dug it up no more skunk stench. He had to wash the dirt out, of course.

When an old mountain man talks, it pays to listen.

[Jeremy from FL AKA?]

This worked well for me after my Florida trail hike. You sweat all day, and sometimes at night, and your gear gets very...VERY stinky, and moldy. What I did was set up buckets with a large amount of concentrated soap/detergent perhaps 1 qt or more per 5 gallon bucket, and just let them soak for 5 dayS to a week. Then I washed them, and dryed in the sun. This worked for me, I hope it does for you.


Jeremy from FLA

[Jeremy from FL AKA?]

I did this to my tent, sleeping bag, cloths, socks, back, stuff sacks etc.........obviously.

[skinewmexico]

Wash it in Vinegar.

[bullseye]

You might want to try this. Check out the testimonial tab-it sounds like it might be just the thing you need.

[Gaiter]

may your celebration should include a trip to the dumpster and to an outfitter

[Panzer1]

Its ruined. Buy some new gear.

Panzer

[BigCat]

Wash it in Vinegar.

works quite well

[Snowleopard]

If it's mold or mildew, you've got a problem. Did you store the stuff damp? Detergent plus chlorine bleach might kill mold and mildew, but might damage some gear. Test what you do on the gear you like least.
--Walter

[Rain Man]

This topic gets discussed periodically.

Another thread with links to other threads.

RainMan

.

[SunnyWalker]

Thoughtfoot: is the pack a external or internal???!?!?!?? Thanks.

[Sky.King]

I've always heard that baking powder is good for removing odors from the fridge, so maybe you could sprinkle a fair amount of the stuff on it, let it sit for 30-mins or so, and then vacumn it off. Then turn your bag inside out and do it all over again.

Baking powder is really cheap stuff, so why not give it a shot. If it works, I'm sure everybody would appreciate knowing about it.

[Toolshed]

**Warning ..... long answer*****
So I picked this tip up from a chemical engineer on another climbing forum a few years ago. Seemed cheap and easy so I decided to give it a try. It has worked phenomenally well.

I generally always wear REI or other outdoor branded synthetic underwear - Daily. polypro tops, bottoms whatever.

Over time, though especially if I have worn them continuously on trips, the bacteria smells build up and multiple washings cannot get rid of the odor which magically appears once the material has warmed up on your body.
The thought process is this - You need enzymes to get rid of the odors and almost all detergents, well all but removed enzymes due to pollution factors in the 70s (Suds in waterflows- anyone remember?).
So the Detergent that still has enzymes is "Biz" I was skeptical after I read the tip, but finally some some at a supermarket one day and picked up a box (Many stores do not carry it).
I followed the recommendations from the other thread and filled a bucket with hot water and a scoop of biz and let it dissolve and then stuffed it with polypro and let it sit all weekend.
after the weekend, I drained the bucket and the water was black (Most of my polypro is black, though) I then ran my clothes through a regular wash cycle with regular tide detergent.
I wore the underwear the next day and Voila!!! no odors. In fact, I took the rest of my polypro and followed the same process the next few days as I really wanted to test all my underwear out and was concerned I would confuse which underwear I put through the process.
No odors. none - even after multiple days wear - It was like they were new again. I did find out that after a couple of months, I would have to put everything through the process again, but I don't mind, since Biz is cheap and it saves the cost of replacing synth underwear and biker shorts. I have followed this process for about 3 years now, I now also add a half scoop of Borax to the bucket of dissolved Biz - I don;t know if it helps, but it seems OK.