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Stinky Pack


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  • #1235792
    Pat Rabun
    BPL Member

    @prabun

    Locale: Southwest

    What do y`all do to get "hiker smell" out of your packs? I have a pack that is distinctly ripe and I need to clean it. I`ve heard Woolite and vinegar mixed works well. Any ideas?

    #1496232
    David Chenault
    BPL Member

    @davec

    Locale: Queen City, MT

    Take it to the drive-in car wash. Blast it with soap, then really blast it clean with plain water. I presume most of the funk is living in the harness padding, and in my experience this is the only thing which gets into that well.

    Some of those 5 oz packs might not hold up to this, tho. ;)

    #1496233
    M G
    BPL Member

    @drown

    Locale: Shenandoah

    I hear that "Douche" can help remove stink from a pack or from mildewy smelling tents, and other gear. Have not tried this myself however.

    #1496242
    Dan Cunningham
    Member

    @mn-backpacker

    Locale: Land of 12,000 Loons

    Douche?

    I can see somebody in line at the grocery story with douche, vaseline, and a condom trying to explain themselves.

    "Uhhhh, well the condom is an emergency water container, the vaseline is to make tinder from cotton balls, and the douche is for my backpack, which has some odor to it."

    #1496276
    ben wood
    Member

    @benwood

    Locale: flatlands of MO

    dan

    now that was funny!!!!

    #1496277
    Diane “Piper” Soini
    BPL Member

    @sbhikes

    Locale: Santa Barbara

    My G4 has velcro on the shoulder straps. You're supposed to stuff your extra socks in there for padding. Instead, I'm going to try stuffing white sage in there for stink resistance. So far so good. At least the pack smells more like sage than stink.

    #1496338
    C. M.
    Member

    @cmanco

    Locale: Mid-atlantic

    Many of us used this with our kayaking equipment, as it would get a nasty wet river smell. I recently did it with a pack. Just find a container big enough to submerge your pack in and fill it with water and add a little vinegar. You don't need a lot of vinegar. For a 54 gallon kayak that I filled completely with water and stuffed all my gear into to clean when i filled with water I only put like a pint of vinegar if even that much.

    Vinegar and water will do the trick with just about anything stinky :)

    I also have tried washing them in the washing machine with extra tide and oxiclean and then spraying some febreeze and the hiker stink still was overpowering.

    #1496460
    Brad Groves
    BPL Member

    @4quietwoods

    Locale: Michigan

    I don't. Revel in the glory of a well-used pack…

    #1496470
    Vick Hines
    Member

    @vickrhines

    Locale: Central Texas

    1. Don't take it to a car wash. The high pressure can delaminate the polyurethane coating whether you use detergent or not.

    2. McNett's Mirazyme was developed for deodorizing wetsuits and other sports gear. It works even for seriously rancid pack straps after a 5-month hike. Vinegar is the next best choice, but use very low concentrations; acid degrades nylon.

    #1496492
    Pat Rabun
    BPL Member

    @prabun

    Locale: Southwest

    Thanks everyone! Great ideas here. I tried the vinegar and it appears to have removed most of the smell. Hope I didn`t use too much….

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