I'm just throwing this out there for an FYI or food for thought. I'm not saying I have abandoned my use of O3 for treating gear, but I was a bit disappointed with the most recent results of O3.
There is probably no odor that's nastier than used neoprene. It brings a whole new level to the term "stench".
We went canoeing last week and the water was cold enough to wear neoprene socks in my wet shoes. Lord, did they stink afterward. I've encountered that nastiness many times after paddling but I've never experimented with O3 to remove the odor, so I decided to give it a try.
I first let the socks dry, and then I stuck them in garbage bags with the O3 hose inside each sock. The only result after treatment was the socks smelled like O3 and stench. After a day of airing them out, the O3 smell went away but the neoprene stank remained...I do believe it was slightly less rank, but the O3 definitely did not deodorize them.
So, what does this mean for hunting gear applications? I don't know for certain. Maybe the structure of neoprene does not allow the O3 to fully permeate deep into the fabric? IDK.
Maybe O3 is fine for certain gear items and not for other items.
I still go back to my beliefs on odor and deer...I try to minimize odors as much as possible. I don't believe total odor elimination is possible, at least not to a deer's nose. If each and every odor reduction tactic I employ adds up to only a 10% reduction in my odor, then I feel I've increased my odds 10% that I won't have a complete odor bust. I'll gladly take 10%.
FWIW, I mixed up an ounce of Atsko Sport Wash and soaked the socks for less than 1 minute. The stench was immediately gone, and I hadn't even laundered them yet.
There is probably no odor that's nastier than used neoprene. It brings a whole new level to the term "stench".
We went canoeing last week and the water was cold enough to wear neoprene socks in my wet shoes. Lord, did they stink afterward. I've encountered that nastiness many times after paddling but I've never experimented with O3 to remove the odor, so I decided to give it a try.
I first let the socks dry, and then I stuck them in garbage bags with the O3 hose inside each sock. The only result after treatment was the socks smelled like O3 and stench. After a day of airing them out, the O3 smell went away but the neoprene stank remained...I do believe it was slightly less rank, but the O3 definitely did not deodorize them.
So, what does this mean for hunting gear applications? I don't know for certain. Maybe the structure of neoprene does not allow the O3 to fully permeate deep into the fabric? IDK.
Maybe O3 is fine for certain gear items and not for other items.
I still go back to my beliefs on odor and deer...I try to minimize odors as much as possible. I don't believe total odor elimination is possible, at least not to a deer's nose. If each and every odor reduction tactic I employ adds up to only a 10% reduction in my odor, then I feel I've increased my odds 10% that I won't have a complete odor bust. I'll gladly take 10%.
FWIW, I mixed up an ounce of Atsko Sport Wash and soaked the socks for less than 1 minute. The stench was immediately gone, and I hadn't even laundered them yet.