I have fallen for so many gimmicks over the years relating to hunting, I thought that I would let other folks try out the Scent-Lok suits before I did. How many of you folks out there have tried one and in your opinion do they work as advertised?

Thanks,
X

X

Provided you utilize the suit properly, ie, activate the carbon, and cover yourself completely, including your head, the system works quite well. However, if you are hunting with a guide, he must wear the same gear, or you are wasting your effort.

Thanks BGTV,

Anybody else have any experience with this product?

Hey X,

They work wonderfully if you stay down wind of your intended prey. I have seen them used, I have been where they where used and I have heard of there use. After all this I am not a beleiver that they are the end all. Exhale 1 time and you are no longer scent controlled. I read a doctorial thesis on smells and fragrant release and you would be suprised to know that odor is admitted from around your eyes.

They will -HELP- if you use all the other tactics but will not allow you to just throw it on a bumble through the woods undetected.

I feel they are best used from a elevated stand on a variable wind day.

ED

If you want to give it a try save your self some cash and buy a military surplus chemical warfare suit...it uses the same technology; in fact it was developed for the military..

However, I have seen soldiers wearing these on an E & E exercise trying to evade the dog handlers...the dogs found them without exception!

Thanks guys,

That's what I was wondering. I have had "scent free" rubber boots on and been trailed to my tree stand by a dog before. After that, I quit worrying about wearing rubber boots.

I just think it would be so hard to remain scent free that it would not be worth the effort. It just surprises me that there is so much hype out there over these suits. Most of the time if something doesn't work they do not stay in the market place long after the word gets out.

Thanks for the information guys. Any more folks have any experience with them?

X

I think they work, but you have to do your part, which can be difficult or impractical at time (e.g. keep non suited parts as scent free as possible, I suppose that would include your weapon etc). I have found the suits to be semi-ok if you are stationary, I don't much care to wear one while I move about - too restricting and uncomfortable. The suits are also fairly noisy. Maybe these drawbacks have been corrected in later models??
- mike

I've been following some similar discussions on other message boards. Interestingly, there is no real evidence that they can be "re-activated" by a clothes dryer. Activated carbon used in industrial applications must be heated to 752-1472 deg. F. in an oxegen deficient atmosphere in order to be completely "re-activated" (Paraphrasing from the first link). There are no scientific studies available that either prove or disprove that the activated carbon in these suits can be sufficiently re-activated by being placed in a clothes dryer. Here are 2 good links. The first is from a detractor of the suits, biologist Michael Corrigan. The second includes some retorts to his claims from SentLok and others who defend their effectiveness.

Corrigan explaining why these suits can't work as claimed

Response from Scent-Lok

E O got it right. We exhale a lot of stink. The breathalyzer is an example. He drink alcohol and breath some of it it out. Garlic is another example. It shows up well. We expel urine that stinks and we also expel the same food and drink smells with our breath. Fog on glass when we breath on it demonstrates that. The suits are gimicks that may lead to blown hunts when they inspire a Nimrod to truly believe that the game animal can't smell him.

My son bought a set of Scent-Lok clothes this past summer and has been wearing them while he is out scouting and video taping the deer. He claims it has helped him out several times while in the tree stand, deer have walked past him downwind and never paid any attention. One time, a doe walked up the same trail he used to get to his stand, then milled around directly under him for about 20 minutes before bedding down right there.
he has the gloves, face mask, hat plus the pants and shirt.
Does it work...under these conditions I'd say yes it does. I wouldn't wear it out west while walking around elk or mule deer hunting with a rifle, but several bow hunters I know have worn it for several years and swear by the stuff. They have told me many times about elk coming in to the call on the downwind side and not being blown out. They might catch a faint whiff but it doesn't seem to bother them like wearing regular clothing would. The one guy just shot another big 6x6 last week from about 20yds. To each his own!

I won't buy the scent lock suits. You know what works pretty well? Those pop up tent blinds! I have had deer brush up against them many, many times with me inside all wide eyed waiting to get busted.

NEVER HAPPENED YET!

The best thing about them working is you will kill a lot of deer. I certainly have.

I have never used them but can almost guarantee from past hunting experiences that nothing works better than playing the wind in your favor. I have hunted as scent free as I could get with the little soap, detergent, deodorant, and spray kits and have hunted when I must have smelt awfull to a deers nose. (just after work in an underground coal mine, fifth day of camp etc.) Either way it allways seems to come down to having the wind in your favor.

Ann-
I think those pop up ground blinds are neat too, but they're kinda hard to use when I'm huntin' from a tree stand!
No doubt, the best scent control is keeping downwind of your quarry, but that can't always be done, especially in tree stand hunting so those scentlok suits are still worthwhile, IMO.

Do not waste your money on these suits. Just parctice good hygene with anti bacterial soaps (scent free of course). Make sure your clothes are clean. And above all.....stay down wind. HUnting this way I to have had deer come in down wind and was not detected (without any scentlock suit!)

IMHO the benefit of these suits is no where near what many hunters THINK they are. They cost to much and are the latest "fad" to real in all the gulable archery hunters. Save your money. There are no short cuts!

[ 09-24-2003, 04:37: Message edited by: Iron Buck ]

I think its a blue gosling designed solely to capture hunters. Dope the wind and you'll be a lot better off than wandering around in some space suit. Also learn the dynamics of air movement on a still day. Learn to be still. With the wind in my favor and BEING STILL, I have had deer walk up within hand shaking distance while wearing blue jeans, shiny cowboy boots and multi coloured rodeo shirts. (with pearl buttons I might add)

Iron Buck,

I'm with you on this. Besides the drug smugglers have tried using this to hide the drugs and money from the dogs in airports and such places. It doesn't work. The dogs find the stuff all the time. Cleanliness in the field translates to a full freezer at home. Lawdog

I train dogs to pick up intruders, we have tried scent lock suits and we still find the bad guys.

This is what happends with your scent.
Every second of the day skin cells, (called rafts) are falling off your body or are exhaled. These look like a small corn flakes. When they hit the ground they start to break down. The bacteria doing the breaking down gives off a gas, its this gas that the dog (or deer/pig/bear/whatever)can smell either on the wind or on the ground. On hot humid days the rafts may rise on warm currents. In the snow the rafts are still there but are closer to the ground. If you brush by some tall grass or brush you'll leave the rafts on them. As you sit still the rafts are forming a pool around you, the size (circumference)depends on how long you've been there and if theres any wind. If you wade a stream you'll be leaving rafts traped in water drops all over the place.

Point is you can't lock your scent in, just hunt with the wind in your face, thats all you can do.

Bakes

I bit the hype and bought the camo pants and coat. They work fine as camo and IMO they may even extend the time until the game smells you but you can't "Forget the wind and just hunt" like the ads say.