Is Scent Lok a gimmick??

[WidowEater]

Im not trying to bash anything here but as a traditional bowhunter and hunting with traditional archery is always a close encounter scent control is a big issue.

Ive always told people the best scent control clothing is to stay downwind.  Is there anything to scent lok or are they just good marketers?

[Indiana Jones]

I personally don't think its a gimmick, but I still play the wind.

[John3]

Hunt the wind, be clean and save your money... I used the old "classic" green SK for years and didn't have any deer that I knew of wind me,,, but I started clean and always hunted the wind.


JDS III

[blueslfb]

Short answer is yes!!!!

[Steve O]

Yes.

Tha carbon needs over 800 degrees to "reactivate"...that takes one heck of a dryer    

With that said, I admit to having a liner when they were first out and I did not do as much research...

[shedhunter]

i'm sure it helps......but really...."forget the wind, just hunt" is pure BS.  Tried it and for me its a waste of money. Just my 2 cents worth, 8^)!   ron

[non-typical]

It does if you're a pro-staffer..

[joe ashton]

I don't care what you wear if that buck gets down wind he will smell you...  On the other hand Tiffany is HOT.

[Mechslasher]

the best gimmick out there and i wish i would have bought stock in it years ago!

[pintail_drake2004]

Ive tried it and can see no noticable results. The stuff is very HOT to wear and ya sweat your butt off-thus adding more scent. Save your money! i play the wind and if i feel like it i spray down with some sort of cover scent. ya will NEVER get all the human scent gone.

[rod sarver]

Like we all know the wind is the main thing, I think the best thing I do is keep my huntin camo away from strange oders that is not in the brush. I think my best cover scent is wood smoke from my wood stove because they smell my stove all day and nite. Just last nite I had 6 does come in down wind and messed around in the corn for 10 min. and then walked less than 8 yds. from stand. never busted me. thats my 2 scents - Rod

[Chimaster]

I don't know for sure if it really works or not. I have one set of coveralls that I've only used a few times. But if someone wants to give me some new stuff I'll give it a try!!!

[wtpops]

I have never tried any of it, I just watch the wind, now with that said i think that if it makes you a more confident hunter it migtht be worth it. For example I like wood arrows i would love to shoot wood arrows but they are not stright enough or consistant enough in spine, now i am by no means good enough so that the differance between aluminum and wood would make any differance in my shooting but in my tiny little anal mind it makes a differance. I am more confident shooting aluminum there for i do shoot better, even though i know its all in my head, it works.

The same could be said for sent lock, if it makes you a more confident hunter you will probably be more successful. Just my 2cents

[Pinelander]

Gimmick? Yes, based on the re-activation thing and the ad saying forget the wind. But I do think the main thing that turns people off about it, could very well be the one thing that actually helps to some degree. It's the fact that the garment does NOT breath well. In other words, it contains much of your scent because it doesn't breath well. You just have to know how to use it (like putting it on AFTER you arrive at your hunting location). Obviously, it's worthless for most southern hunters. For us northerners, it's a very good windbreaking garment when utilized with layering. There is no substitute for playing the wind and staying as clean as possible.

I would rather stay clean and keep as much of my scent contained as possible, than use "cover scent" to mask human scent. A deer's olfactory senses are so acute they can pick apart 3 different scents... the fox pee, the racoon scent, and YOU... all at the same time. I would bet they can determine if a Doe passed on a trail 5 minutes ago or 2 hours ago.

I have noticed that on the farm, deer are accustomed to smelling humans at a distance and if the scent is faint they appear to act like no big deal, no danger. Sometimes and unfortunately for them, I was a mere 20 yards away when they thought I was 200 yards away. Scrubbing like a surgeon before going out and containing your scent as much as possible... works!

Ever had those heavy coveralls on when it was cold and when you unzipped the torso you could feel the heat escape into your face? Well, it's not only heat escaping, but human scent as well. Something to think about....

[Curveman]

I think it helps make your new scent smell like old scent. I know it doesn't work completely because I was wearing layers of it one time then cut one that cleared out the van!  

[hvyhitter]

Curveman, If you would have said it worked great for containing that, I would have bought a case of the underwear for my hunting buddies before we go to deer camp............

[trapperDave]

Here is a running report of the carbon suit scam maintained by T.R. Michels:

 http://www.trmichels.com/ActivatedCarbonScience.htm

Here is another article on the carbon suit scam with the test conducted by JA Shivik, Ph.D with search and rescue dogs.

 http://www.outdoorscentral.com/artman/publish/article_169.shtml

Here are Lessons from the U.S. Army CANE Exercises:

 http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/cpc-pubs/war_next_time/schneider2.pdf


Here is a good overall article on the subject by a biologist with a Science degree who has worked in the environmental protection field for more than ten years:

 http://www.fastestbows.com/articles/corrigan/scent_suits.htm

Here is a follow up article on the subject:

 http://www.fastestbows.com/articles/corrigan/scent_suits_deuce.htm

This is the Virginia Tech paper on partial desorbed activated carbon between temperatures ranging from 100–649°C which is above 212degrees F:

 http://www.ce.vt.edu/program_areas/environmental/teach/wtprimer/carbon/sketcarb.html

You can also read the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Engineering and Design, Adsorption Design Guide, Design Guide Manual No. DG1110-1-2, which shows that the only method to fully re-activate saturated activated-carbon, you must heat it to approximately 800 °C or 1,472 °F, in a controlled atmosphere of low oxygen concentration to reduce the possibility of combustion.

Here is a little article that touches on the manufacturing of your commercial carbon suit compared to the military unit:

 http://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/NULLO_-_Making_Good_Scents_105/4_Old_1_New_Scent_Control_Strategies.shtml


The facts go on and on. Bottom line, on this planet, using materials from this planet, and using the laws of science from this planet; it is impossible for your commercial carbon suit to work for you while hunting as you claim. Your carbon suit is fully saturated at time of manufacture, there is no method known to man for your saturated carbon suit to be desorbed, and the only methods known for your saturated carbon suit to be partially desorbed is greater than any temperature reached by any household dryer manufactured. Even if you had access to technical heating equipment to safely bring the temps of your saturated carbon suit above 212degrees F, it is a losing battle as you will have a continual loss in the ability for your suit to be partially desorbed. The highest grade sealed military unit is worthless beyond 1 use, 45 days of being unsealed, or 6 washings. Your commercial suit is worthless the moment it is manufactured.

[wingnut]

Ok, that being said, does it reduce the amount of human scent so that the deer smell you but think you are 200 yds or more away when you are actually 20?

Mike

[Justin Falon]

I bought a suit about 10 years ago.  I wore it once.  I did have a 115" buck come to the base of my tree and start licking the steps.  Had he not been directly beneath my stand, I may have shot him.  

I took the suit off, sold it, and have been working to stay out of sight and downwind ever since.  

Have we all tried the gimmicks?!  

Nuff said.

jf

[Bamboozle]

I really believe it flies in the face of common sence to think the stuff can work. You expell untold human odor with each breath you exhale. I did not read the attached reports posted above but maybe that fact is in there some place. Unless you dress up like one of those old time deep sea divers with the big brass bubble helmet on and have SCUBA gear to breath.....you simply can NOT get away from watching the wind. Dang....I forgot about the camo breath gum.
Being clean....and a little smoke if hunting in an area where smoke is commonly present I have found to be the way to go. But, you can smell like the s*#% house door on a tuna boat and if the wind is right a deer simply will not smell you.