Stink less

[TurboPants]

I have some polyester blend running t-shirts that stink within 20 minutes of wearing them even just sitting around. Based on my research polyester stinks and once it does, good luck getting the smell out unless you have special detergent. How much better are the merino wool shirts on stench? It's not that I'm trying to smell good on trail because I know that doesn't happen, I just don't want to use materials that stinks before you even put it back on. I see long sleeve merino tees selling for $40-70. It's hard for me to justify that price for one t-shirt. Do they have to be 100% merino? Is it worth it or should I just accept the stench and use the $15 poly blend shirts??

[fredmugs]

I hike with a guy locally who took a merino wool shirt on his thru hike and he said it never stunk. I'm in the same boat as you - I would love to have a shirt that won't stink but it's hard to pull the trigger on the cost.

[geomaniac]

Ive found pretty decent Merino wool sweaters at Target on occasion for cheap. I have also bought merino blend T-shirts made by woolrich that are really nice. I think I got those from either Campmore or REI, I cant seem to remember just where I found them, but I like them.

[ChinMusic]

How much better are the merino wool shirts on stench?

Almost no smell at all. I swear, you could go without washing a merino wool shirt for a month on the trail and it wouldn't stink. I'd get picked up by a local for a ride into town and they would actually question whether I was really a thru-hiker because "You don't stink". YMMV

[Teacher & Snacktime]

You could always shave your armpits too.

[ChinMusic]

You could always shave your armpits too.

uhhhhhh, that would be an "no"

[Coffee]

My main hiking shirt this year was a long sleeve Smartwool and I wore it many times for days on the trail without washing. Sometimes I would rinse it out in a stream without soap but usually not. I couldn't detect any smell from the shirt itself and I wore it on the plane ride home (after washing) without offending anyone, as far as I could tell.

My convertible REI pants were another story. They just reeked after a day of use and I still detect a faint smell even after a few washes. I'm not sure if there are pants made of material that won't reek after a day or two.

[TurboPants]

Thanks for the replies. Guess the merino is worth it!

RamblingHiker, were your REI convert pants merino though?? Most of those khaki colored pants are polyester. So that would fall into the instant and permanent stinker category. The stench of butt sweat and trail farts could definitely accumulate to be a bad thing!

I was at a shop in gatlinburg where some hikers stopped to charge phones and they smelled like a forest fire in a swamp of BO hehe. I don't want to be like that if I can help it, just to not burden others. I could care less if I stink to myself.

[Chair-man]

I prefer a short sleeve button down shirt that way you can open the front for max ventilation. If you get a synthetic shirt make sure it has antimicrobial treatment to prevent order. Right now I'm thinking about getting this shirt <click

[Coffee]

The REI pants are polyester which accounts for the stink. I haven't seen lightweight wool pants for hiking but I might look into that in the future. Also wool underwear could work out better than the ex officios I used.

[TurboPants]

Hmm I heard ExOfficio had pretty much the best underwear known to man, not sure how to you could do better. I was under the impression they sold partially merino undies already. Maybe yours weren't?

Chairman, that shirt looks nice but it's polyester. It does have the antimicrobial treatment but that will only do so much when the garment itself is made of polyester. I have a runner's tee that I was given when I ran in a local marathon. It was 100% poly but had anti microbial and it still stinks. Just warning you in case you do buy it thinking it's the answer.

[Coffee]

Hmm I heard ExOfficio had pretty much the best underwear known to man, not sure how to you could do better. I was under the impression they sold partially merino undies already. Maybe yours weren't?

Mine are not merino. I was actually very happy with the ExOfficio briefs in terms of performance. And when rinsed out, even without soap, they didn't hold that much of an odor. However, on a couple of occasions I didn't rinse it out and the next day it definitely held an odor.

[Chair-man]

Hmm I heard ExOfficio had pretty much the best underwear known to man, not sure how to you could do better. I was under the impression they sold partially merino undies already. Maybe yours weren't?

Chairman, that shirt looks nice but it's polyester. It does have the antimicrobial treatment but that will only do so much when the garment itself is made of polyester. I have a runner's tee that I was given when I ran in a local marathon. It was 100% poly but had anti microbial and it still stinks. Just warning you in case you do buy it thinking it's the answer.

I saw that, the shirts I have now are nylon and aren't too bad with the odor. I've read that the antimicrobial treatment only last for several washes anyway. I would definitely stay away from any shirt that says microfiber, while they wick and dry fast they smell the worst. I'm going to try washing my shirt next time I go out. I carry a 4 liter Platypus water tank that I could wash it in.

[Stir Fry]

Almost everythin I have now is Marino. I have used the Marion T for 18 days Its a lie to say it does not sting at all, but a nylon shirt stinke worse after 1 day. The bigest disadvantage to Marion is $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[Ken.davidson]

Go to Goodwill, ACTS or other thrift store you will be supprised to see what you find. I have purchased three Marino shirts in the last couple of weeks.

[TurboPants]

Never thought to check the thrift stores, that idea has promise! Cheapest long sleeve merino t-shirt I've found is at steepandcheap and that's $48 lol. Can't get over how pricey these things are!!

[Coffee]

Never thought to check the thrift stores, that idea has promise! Cheapest long sleeve merino t-shirt I've found is at steepandcheap and that's $48 lol. Can't get over how pricey these things are!!

Not particularly durable either. I have a couple of holes in my smartwool shirt that I've had to sew up and I've only used it maybe 30-35 times this year. I would think at least 4 or 5 would be needed for a thru hike of the AT, PCT, or CDT.

[FarmerChef]

Not particularly durable either. I have a couple of holes in my smartwool shirt that I've had to sew up and I've only used it maybe 30-35 times this year. I would think at least 4 or 5 would be needed for a thru hike of the AT, PCT, or CDT.

I met up with a hiker whose silkweight merino long sleeved t lasted the whole hike. It had plenty of holes in it by the end though. The midweight's fare much better.

[TurboPants]

So would a 150 or 200 be considered a mid-weight? I've read some reviews that thru hikers said they made it the whole way with a 150wt LS shirt. BUT, they probably didn't wear it every day and/or had a short sleeve shirt for hiking. I'm also thinking a dedicated merino wool LS shirt would be ideal for sleep clothing, along with bottoms. That way even less odor gets transferred to the bag.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

The bigest disadvantage to Marion is $$$$$$$$$$$$$.

Yeah....she's not a cheap date.