[pct-l] Hiker smells... (lol)

[jason moores]

I have shifted back to wool over the past two summers. I would often hike in a lightweight wicking tee or my UnderArmor base layer when it was cold. After weeks on the trail, no matter how I washed them they still stank(except when Donna washed them, I don't know what she uses but...Thank Donna!). UA and Smartwool both make lightweight wool tees that breath very well, are light, last much longer and are about $10 more than what I was spending on synthetics. When it comes to smell the wool kicks the synthetics butt. My syns. were unbearable after one day's use. I've never been able to raise that much stink in my wool shirts even after a week. I find that the wool is cooler and more comfortable when soaked in sweat than syns.. Also, my wool base layer is warmer for the weight than the synthetic and on the same par as the tee when it comes to odor. The newer "smartwools" don't have the old itchiness issues that uses to make wool difficult to wear. It's a few bucks more but I think that wool is well worth it(I also wear wool socks for all the same reasons-I do find that coolmax seems to smell less than most syns.).

The Wooly-Jackass


> Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:13:57 -0800
> From: Tortoise73 at charter.net
> To: alphabetsoupmmm at gmail.com
> CC: pct-l at backcountry.net; dvsteven at hotmail.com
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Hiker smells... (lol)
> 
> peoples' body chemistry is different as are peoples' sense of smell. also 
> one's tolerance for one's BO. then there is the difference between 
> different fabrics even though made of similar material.
> 
> I've used Patagonia Capilene and REI synthetic and never found the odor 
> offensive to me. I don't know about my hiking partners if I had any as well 
> as others.
> 
> So experiment and find what works for you.
> 
> Tortoise
> 
> <> Because truth matters.  <>
> 
> On 01/12/11 19:58, Alphabetsoup wrote:
> > I recently did some experimentation with clothing regarding odor, I came up
> > with the following conclusion..
> >
> > everyones body chemistry is different so this may not apply to everyone
> > but...
> >
> > Keeping your underarms, crotch and feet aired out and cleaned often seemed
> > to negate any serious odors. I did notice that most of the odor that
> > followed me around was in my clothing.
> >
> > I had two types of shirts during this particular 5 day hike.  A technical
> > fabric wicking sun shirt-long sleeve and a micro weight Smart Wool shirt.
> > The synthetic shirt was unwearable after only one day of use. whereas the
> > smart wool shirt barely had any odor after 4 solid days of hiking (16 miles
> > average per day) between Mt Laguna and warner springs with weather in the
> > 80's.
> >
> > I never used any deodorant; there was not any need for it that I could tell.
> > This goes to the basics of backpacking-Moisture Management and the correct
> > fabrics for your body to keep you dry.
> >
> > IMHO, of course
> >
> > On Wed, Jan 12, 2011 at 4:59 PM, Steven dvsteven<dvsteven at hotmail.com>wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Hi all,
> >>
> >> If this is a copy of a question that has already been asked of late then I
> >> apologize....
> >>
> >> Hikers as a whole (imho) get used to their own (and others) body oder (not
> >> a bad thing, yet a thing non-the-less).
> >>
> >> What does anyone do regarding this factor (I've never seen deodarant as a
> >> weight in a pack).
> >>
> >> What detergent works well to clean hiker funk in clothes (and in bodies in
> >> town?)
> >>
> >> Just a thought?
> >>
> >> Flying Tortoise
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> >
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