sentlok, does it work

[cabinfever]

I hunt a canyon that is infamous for swirling winds. I heard more deer snorting last year than I ever care to hear again. That said. What's the scoop on this scentlok? Does it really work. I must say, I am very suprised that I haven't heard more testimonals about it. The few I have heard have been mostly good. It's very pricey!I'd like to get some thoughts from guys that have used it here in the west, before I drop the money.

Thanks
Mike

 

[Lien2]

Good post cabinfever.
When this stuff first came out, it was supposed to be the best think since sliced bread. Within the last couple of years there has been a few people/organizations come out and say it doesn't work because most residential dryers do not get hot enough to "regenerate" the carbon to reactive the suit, making it useless. I have a Scentlok suit and believe in it. I read an article that delt with this very subject a few weeks in a magazine. In english, it said that the carbon suits are like a sponge, even when a sponge has been rung out and is still a little wet, it will still soak up more water. Meaning, the carbon might not be 100% regenerated and fresh after being heated in a standard residential dryer, it will still reactive enough carbon fibers to absorb more scent.
I still believe you can't be careless with foreign scent even with Scentlok. But if you take precautions with your own scent, use a scent eliminator, etc. wearing one of these (Scentlok, ScentBlocker) suits definitely will help, not hurt. Any little advantage I can get makes me that much more confident.
Good luck!

Lien2

 

[BigPig]

My personal take is that it may help if you are a treestand hunter from back East who drives his 4 wheeler into the field, stops 100yards from the stand, changes into Scent Loc clothes and then hikes the grueling 100yards over flat ground to climb into his stand.

Seriously, it may help out some on the first day or so of your hunt, especially if it is not too strenous. But after a few days of hunting hard your sweat and BO funk will infiltrate the suit rendering it no better than standard garmets. Plus there is scent everywhere, on your hands, your hair, your pack, your truck seat, your breath, etc. There is no reasonable way to control your scent 100% when out on a long hunt in the sticks. And there are no dryers to reactivate the carbon. I think a good washing with scent control soap works just as well as Scent Loc clothes. I have also known Scent Loc stuff to make hunters lazy about hunting the wind. They think it will allow them to make mistakes. Not true. Ultimately, hunting the wind is the only real solution, and more often than not, mountain winds betray you. That's bowhunting.

Scent Loc may help under ideal conditions, but it sure isn't fool proof.

 

[cabinfever]

Thanks for the info. I read some reviews on a bowhunting web site. Again some were good, but one guy scientificly explained why carbon based scent clothing is a complete scam, yet others swear by it. I think I will just stick with the scent wash detergent, hand soaps, and sprays for now, and more importantly try and keep the wind in my face.

Mike

 

[c3]

I have a set of light weight scent loc. I can assure you that it keeps me from smelling my own stinky self after 4 days in the back country bivy hunting for elk at 9000' to 11,500'.

It's worked well for me, but I still get busted if the elk are straight down wind. Is it necessary, No. Does it help, a little. Are there better ways, yes, stay down wind at all costs

Cheers,
Pete

 

[cabinfever]

Have you guys heard about the new xscent. This stuff is suppose to kill the bacteria that creates the odor. Apparently the U.S. Army bought over 5 million pairs of xcent socks and they work very well preventing foot rot and odor. I also read a scientific article done by a guy who is not an endorser of the product. It makes sense to me and is a lot cheaper than scentlok. Cabelas offers it at a resonable price. Consequently, your never going to eliminate all the scent.

mike