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I have used them for years but plan to review my whole scent-free program.
What do you think of carbon scent suits?
- Thread starter Len Backus
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I think that the activated carbon is probably loaded before I ever get them and that a dryer is insufficient to reactivate them. That said I think they work because I take more care in prepping them for the hunt and keep them in sealed scent free bags until time for use. I would probably have similar results using non-carbon clothing clothing if I would take the same steps......but I use them and will continue to do so until someone proves what I suspect about the carbon being ineffective.
I have a pair of light coveralls that seem to work better than the other sets I have owned. It may just seem that way because I use them during our early archery season and the deer are less spooky and I am excited about hunting and go to greater lengths with my scent control. It is hard for me to say that they really work......but have absolutely no evidence that they do not work. I decided years ago not to take the chance.
I am in the market for a new set right now so am awaiting your review. Maybe your review will satisfy my doubts about thier effectiveness.
I have a pair of light coveralls that seem to work better than the other sets I have owned. It may just seem that way because I use them during our early archery season and the deer are less spooky and I am excited about hunting and go to greater lengths with my scent control. It is hard for me to say that they really work......but have absolutely no evidence that they do not work. I decided years ago not to take the chance.
I am in the market for a new set right now so am awaiting your review. Maybe your review will satisfy my doubts about thier effectiveness.
Len
Look at the new Moxy Scent Elimination System ("ozone" system) by Moxy outdoors. Supposedly you can "clean" your clothes in minutes with this system. Runs off 12v, car ATV or in camp and $500..
Supposed to work on boots, hats, clothes, and skin by totally eliminating scent causing bacteria.
BH
Look at the new Moxy Scent Elimination System ("ozone" system) by Moxy outdoors. Supposedly you can "clean" your clothes in minutes with this system. Runs off 12v, car ATV or in camp and $500..
Supposed to work on boots, hats, clothes, and skin by totally eliminating scent causing bacteria.
BH
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I actually saw that referenced somewhere, too. It makes sense to me. My son just re-built a home that burned down. The insurance company paid for the owner to place his stuff in a room to be ozonated to remove smoke smell. Worked very well.
RDM416
Well-Known Member
Like many hunters, I have used these suits for years while being somewhat skeptical about their effectiveness. Being an engineer, my curiosity finaly got the better of me and I decided to do a little research on activated charcoal.
For those of you who do not like to read here is the short version: Yes, activated charcoal does absorb scent molecules. NO, as used in the current types of "activated charcoal" sent control suits it does NOT work.
For those who want to know why, here is a short description of what I found out:
Activated charcoal is much like a very small sponge. It has little cavities and cracks that can and do capture scent molecules and trap them. In sufficient quanitiy the activated charcoal can absorb enough scent to provide the desired effect of minimizing human body odor outside the suit.
Here are the problems. Acivated charcoal will absorb ANY and ALL odors exposed to it until it is FULL. Just as running water into a dry sponge will eventually fill it up, the same thing happens when activated charcoal is exposed to odors, any odors. By the time your sent control suit makes it to the store it is FULL and cannot absorb any more scent molecules. The US Military uses a similar type suit for chemical warfare. The activated charcoal is used to absorb potential chemical or biological molecules. The suits are manufactured in a scent free clean room environment, then individually vacume packed. Once the seal has been broken, the suit is considered good for 24 hours then is discarded. "Discarded" not "reactivated".
Now, what about "reactivating"? Activated charcoal is "activated" at around 800 degrees F. Yes, that is 800, not the 125 to 150 degrees you will get in your dryer. No, exposing the activated charcoal to 150 degrees will not "partially" reactivate it. It does nothing.....nada, zip, zero........... The dryer may release some odor that is trapped in the fabric but is simply not hot enough to cause the charcoal to "open" up and release the trapped scent molecules. The end result. Your scent control suit is FULL of scent, and you cannot heat it up hot enough to reactivate it without destroying the suit.
What about all the evidence (deer downwind that did not smell you) that the suits work. What is at work is that many people take a lot of care to eliminate scent from thier body. Then they keep thier sent control suit in a scent controled environment, etc........in short, they take a lot of care with minimizing thier scent. That is what works, not the suit.
As for some of the new stuff that is basically using an ozone molecule, that could work. I have not looked at this stuff real close yet. However the general idea of saturating a garment in ozone should eliminate much of the odors contained in the garment. The ozone molecules trapped in the fabric "might" continue to eliminate odors for a few hours depending on the makeup of the fabric and how well it trapped the ozone molecule inside the weave of the fabric. From a scientific standpoint this method seems to have more promise than the activated charcoal. One of these days I will get curious enough to research that one too..........
For those of you who do not like to read here is the short version: Yes, activated charcoal does absorb scent molecules. NO, as used in the current types of "activated charcoal" sent control suits it does NOT work.
For those who want to know why, here is a short description of what I found out:
Activated charcoal is much like a very small sponge. It has little cavities and cracks that can and do capture scent molecules and trap them. In sufficient quanitiy the activated charcoal can absorb enough scent to provide the desired effect of minimizing human body odor outside the suit.
Here are the problems. Acivated charcoal will absorb ANY and ALL odors exposed to it until it is FULL. Just as running water into a dry sponge will eventually fill it up, the same thing happens when activated charcoal is exposed to odors, any odors. By the time your sent control suit makes it to the store it is FULL and cannot absorb any more scent molecules. The US Military uses a similar type suit for chemical warfare. The activated charcoal is used to absorb potential chemical or biological molecules. The suits are manufactured in a scent free clean room environment, then individually vacume packed. Once the seal has been broken, the suit is considered good for 24 hours then is discarded. "Discarded" not "reactivated".
Now, what about "reactivating"? Activated charcoal is "activated" at around 800 degrees F. Yes, that is 800, not the 125 to 150 degrees you will get in your dryer. No, exposing the activated charcoal to 150 degrees will not "partially" reactivate it. It does nothing.....nada, zip, zero........... The dryer may release some odor that is trapped in the fabric but is simply not hot enough to cause the charcoal to "open" up and release the trapped scent molecules. The end result. Your scent control suit is FULL of scent, and you cannot heat it up hot enough to reactivate it without destroying the suit.
What about all the evidence (deer downwind that did not smell you) that the suits work. What is at work is that many people take a lot of care to eliminate scent from thier body. Then they keep thier sent control suit in a scent controled environment, etc........in short, they take a lot of care with minimizing thier scent. That is what works, not the suit.
As for some of the new stuff that is basically using an ozone molecule, that could work. I have not looked at this stuff real close yet. However the general idea of saturating a garment in ozone should eliminate much of the odors contained in the garment. The ozone molecules trapped in the fabric "might" continue to eliminate odors for a few hours depending on the makeup of the fabric and how well it trapped the ozone molecule inside the weave of the fabric. From a scientific standpoint this method seems to have more promise than the activated charcoal. One of these days I will get curious enough to research that one too..........
RDM416,
That is kinda what I figured. I noticed that there was a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers which I am pretty sure alledged fraud. If they knew they were selling a product which did not work and stating that it did work they deserve what they get.
That is kinda what I figured. I noticed that there was a class action lawsuit against the manufacturers which I am pretty sure alledged fraud. If they knew they were selling a product which did not work and stating that it did work they deserve what they get.
