Backcountry deodorant

[Greybeard]

Do any of you backcountry hunting folks use a particular unscented deodorant? I'm an experienced hunter and I'm very familiar with staying down wind and the futility of trying to stay scent free for days on end so I'll just stop you there. Just looking for brands or types of unscented deodorant that work well for you.

Thanks!

 

[WIbiggame]

I use dead down wind stick deodorant for whitetails stand hunting here in WI. I would say back country hunting there is no place for it. Just added weight.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I use cheap whatever brand unscented deodorant after the last shower I take before I hit the trail but after... well is what it is...

In my opinion merino is your best option.

 

[rmyoung1]

Purell hand sanitizer in the ‘pits works pretty well

 

[Potsie]

A good dose of wet wipe elbow grease on the ol' "stinky triangle" is about it for me.

 

[Gellar]

I use hs scents scent free deodorant everyday even when not in the backcountry. My pits get a red rash if I use a scented deodorant. When I am in the backcountry I carry wipes for the pits, crotch, and face.

 

[Pucky Freak]

I use Dead Down Wind deodorant for day hunts.

IMO it is a worthless item for backpacking. Not worth the weight, plus it will barely make a dent in your overall scent reduction unless used in conjunction with scentfree soap, shampoo, plus a breath neutralizer.

I am a clean freak and bathe every evening while in the backcountry and have done about 8+ months total accumulated time on these kind of trips. The only time I do not do this is if it's well below freezing and I hardly sweat that day. After I bathe I rinse the clothes that I got sweaty/dirty and hang them out to (partially) dry overnight. The breeze infuses them with natural scent that works better than any kind of scent cover up IMO. Once you put on the slightly damp clothes the next day your body heat will completely dry them out in less than an hour, as long as they are quality back-country clothes and not cotton, etc.

A better strategy altogether: talc powder plus learn all the tricky things the wind does (eddies, swirls, thermals, pools, gusts, etc). Every year I get better at playing the air to my advantage and I am beginning to see how much more important this is vs. scent control or even camo.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

There's more fun stuff to worry about than deodorant in the woods.

 

[El Jason]

Wet wipes and distance from your hunting buddy.

 

[p_ham]

Step 1: catch packrat.
Step 2: tie his legs together so he cant get away.
Step 3: rub the little fella all over your stinky bits. (Pack rats usually smell like juniper berries.)
Step 4: turn him loose and find another when he turns skanky.



I usually just run a wet wipe or 2 through everything every few days. I like the Preparation H wipes, they're witch hazel and clean very well. Don't bother with deodorant til the ride back home.

 

[sdkhunter]

My preference is anything with a lavender or spring fresh scent - refreshing and works great!

Joking aside, I normally try to use just a cheap non-scented one from a department store… However, before my 2017 hunting season I didn’t pay that much attention, just grabbed one that had looked like what I had bought in the past… Used that one stick for the last 2 seasons… So after my hunting season last year, I realized that it was a women’s spring fresh scent or something like that – must have worked cause I shot the 2 biggest bulls of my life in 17/18 – my point is, I don’t think it matters… If you want pit dip, bring some along (maybe even a travel size), if you want to go ‘al-natural’ – don’t think it matters…

 

[WyoDoug]

I use non-scented soaps for hunting, no deodorant. Just cleaning with nonscented soap and water is all I do. I use nonscented detergent for all my hunting clothes. I do not buy into the scent block type technology. If you get upwind of elk, they will smell you regardless. Above using unscented products for hygiene and cleanliness, I play the wind and thermals to my advantage as much as I can. I just am not convinced the scent block type clothing or sprays are worth the investment.

 

[Ajax2744]

I don't use deodorant when hunting. Just play the wind and scent doesn't matter. That being said I do carry a gold Bond friction stick for any chafing that might happen and you could probably use it as deodorant if you wished. It's unscented and works great

 

[COEngineer]

This is what I use. Put some on after my last shower at home and then add a layer of it every morning before I get out of the tent.
Arm&Hammer Unscented Anti-Perspirant

 

[Bambistew]

I use a cheap travel version when on long backpack hunts. By about day 4 I can't stand smelling myself...

 

[Schism]

I’ve been using Arm & Hammer unscented from Wally World. Cheap and readily available.

Edit: See the link COEngineer posted above.

 

[MTelkHuntress]

I just make my own deodorant with witch hazel for day hunts....but for backcountry, there is no hope, you will stink. Wipes are really the best option for trying to stay a little clean. The cow elk that almost stepped on me while I was napping didnt seem to mind my stink too much.

 

[WyoDoug]

One thought too is if you are in an area with heavy hunting pressure it don’t matter if the elk is smelling you. They will take what they perceive to be the safest route and that could mean your way. Bigger elk I doubt you would see this because they don’t live long and get big by accident. In heavy pressure you are more likely to see younger ones.

 

[hank4elk]

I mix pinion pine pitch with a bull turd, preferably fresh &................Naah, I PTA wash every day if possible & use basic no smell anti-perspirant.............

 

[WyoDoug]

I mix pinion pine pitch with a bull turd, preferably fresh &................Naah, I PTA wash every day if possible & use basic no smell anti-perspirant.............

I got some stories like that LOL. When I was a youngster just startin out on deer hunting, they kept bitchen about my dad's coffee. He got a stick out of the buffalo pasture next to us and used it to stir the coffee. No one complained about his coffee after that LOL.