caring for scentlok suits
09-14-2002, 10:58 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: palmyra ny USA
Posts: 3
caring for scentlok suits
I am looking for info on caring for scentlok suits.I just got one and was wondering if I should wash it before hunting with it or just throw it in the dryer. The directions say that all I need to do is throw the suit in the dryer and it will be scent free. Is this really true?????? I mean does this take care of the scent on the outside of the suit??? I would really like to hear from someone who has owned a suit for a while and can tell me what to do and if washing the suit a lot causes the carbon to be washed out. Anyone got any suggestions for me???
09-17-2002, 08:53 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Duluth MN USA
Posts: 20
RE: caring for scentlok suits
i got a suit this summer and was having the same problem trying to figure out what to do. the day it came from cabelas i took it out of the bag and put it in a rubbermaid container with a bunch of pine bows. last week, two months later, when i was getting all my hunting gear cleaned and aired out i opened that container and there was no smell of the pine bows. the other container without scentlok smelled very strong of pine. the suit will collect scent on the outside, as well as inside. until i figure something better out i am going to put the suit in the dryer after every couple hunts and air it outside for a few hours, store it in its own bag(so it collects a minimum amount of scent when i am not using it) and only wash it in mid and end of season. in the past i have always liked to put cedar bows with all my gear. i still do this with everything except the scentlok.
09-17-2002, 09:09 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 2,994
RE: caring for scentlok suits
I hope it's a given that you are keeping your clothes clean and scent free, as well as your person.
Carbon suits absorb odor. Any odor. For them to work properly, I would first wash them in a carbon friendly wash, like Atsko Sportswash (the best, in my opinion) in hot water. While your washing them, remove any residue and fluff you see in your dryer and run it empty on high while you are washing the suit. This will heat it up, as well as help to eliminate any built up laundry odors (detergents, dryer sheets, etc).
Dry the suit on High for about an hour. Immediately store it by itself (no pine boughs or scent wafers as the suit will absorb those odors and be unable to absorb your scent when needed) in an airtight container (HS makes big scent proof plastic "ziplock" style bags that work well). I then put this bag in a plastic tub with my other clean and scent free hunting clothes.
Only put the scent lok on when you get to the field, and away from your car. When done, put it immediately in it's airtight container, again away from the car.
If it's kept clean (not a lot of sweating, no visible dirt, etc) you will only have to regenerate it by drying on high for another hour (after the dryer has run on high empty) every 10 hunts or so, varies by how much and how long you hunt.
It works well, but is not a miracle. Don't treat it like this, and it quickly becomes just another layer of very expensive clothing.
Thought I should add, any clothing I plan to wear outside of my carbon suit (I use a liner system) get's the same treatment as my carbon liner. I haven't been busted by a deer since 1997.
Edited by - Rangeball on 09/17/2002 11:10:14
Carbon suits absorb odor. Any odor. For them to work properly, I would first wash them in a carbon friendly wash, like Atsko Sportswash (the best, in my opinion) in hot water. While your washing them, remove any residue and fluff you see in your dryer and run it empty on high while you are washing the suit. This will heat it up, as well as help to eliminate any built up laundry odors (detergents, dryer sheets, etc).
Dry the suit on High for about an hour. Immediately store it by itself (no pine boughs or scent wafers as the suit will absorb those odors and be unable to absorb your scent when needed) in an airtight container (HS makes big scent proof plastic "ziplock" style bags that work well). I then put this bag in a plastic tub with my other clean and scent free hunting clothes.
Only put the scent lok on when you get to the field, and away from your car. When done, put it immediately in it's airtight container, again away from the car.
If it's kept clean (not a lot of sweating, no visible dirt, etc) you will only have to regenerate it by drying on high for another hour (after the dryer has run on high empty) every 10 hunts or so, varies by how much and how long you hunt.
It works well, but is not a miracle. Don't treat it like this, and it quickly becomes just another layer of very expensive clothing.
Thought I should add, any clothing I plan to wear outside of my carbon suit (I use a liner system) get's the same treatment as my carbon liner. I haven't been busted by a deer since 1997.
Edited by - Rangeball on 09/17/2002 11:10:14
