"Copied off the internet"
10 Points on Proper Care for Activated Carbon Suits
1. All Scent Lok branded garments use carbon derived from charred coconut shells. Coconut carbon has smaller pores than most other carbons making it one of the best available carbons for adsorbing small molecules associated with human odors.
2. To reactivate carbon garments, put them in a household or commercial dryer for 30 to 40 minutes on a high heat setting. The heat makes the bonded human molecules move rapidly (become more energetic) and the motion breaks a percentage of the molecules free from the carbon (carbon is not affected by the heat) and allows them to escape out the dryer vent. The energetic molecular motion is very similar to why there are expansion joints in highways and steel bridges. Without expansion joints our highways and bridges would buckle from energetic molecular motion or expansion when temperatures exceed a mere 90 or so degrees. The reactivation process should be repeated every 4 to 6 hunts. Due to the extreme amount of odor coming out of your hair follicles, mouth, nose, and hands, head covers and gloves should be reactivated more frequently than the jacket and pants. New carbon garments should always be reactivated prior to use in the field, because they are loading up as they hang in the store.
3. All carbon garments should go directly from the dryer into an air-tight storage container (garbage bag, carbon bag, or a Scent Tote) that allows no outside odors (air) inside. Never put scent wafers, pine boughs, dirt, or any foreign items in the container with your suit because their odor molecules will prematurely load up the carbon, requiring more frequent reactivations, and shortening the life expectancy of the suit. Carbon suits have a life expectancy of about 8 years with average use and proper care before they can no longer be effectively re-activated.
4. Carbon lined garments must be kept in their container until used in the field (not even to be wore in the vehicle). When finished hunting the suit goes back into the storage container prior to getting back into the vehicle or walking into the house. Do not wear carbon garments in the house, car, getting gas, in restaurants, etc., just hunting.
5. It is advised to wash all undergarments in a non-scent detergent and taken care of them (storage unit) in the same manner as the carbon clothing.
6. Scent-Lok branded garments can be washed periodically (once or twice per season) if they have physical dirt or blood on them. This can be done in a washing machine using a small amount of scent free detergent for carbon clothing (preferably Scent Lok’s or Scent Blocker’s). Suits should be air-dried in the dryer first to assure there is no shrinkage. Once air-dried, reactivate them with heat as described in section two.
7. There is no need to spray scent inhibitors over your suit.
8. It is advised to shower and shampoo with non-scent soap, and use a non-scent
anti-perspirant prior to going hunting.
9. Always wear clean knee high rubber boots in conjunction with your suit, and wear your pants outside of the boots instead of tucking them in. Every time you take a step a puff of air comes out of your boots and the carbon in the pant legs will adsorb it.
10. Keep your fanny pack or backpack scent free by frequently washing it in scent free detergent, and keep your loaded pack in its own air-tight container. Nearly every hunter gets into his or her pack every day they hunt to reload or reorganize it before or after each hunt, and they never wash their packs. Hunting with an unwashed pack is like taking a large human scent wick in the tree with you. So, if you don’t keep your pack clean and get winded, don’t blame it on your carbon suit.
An activated carbon suit will only take care of you if you take proper care of it and everything else you take hunting with you. A properly cared for suit wore in conjunction with scent free accessories will make a huge difference in the amount of deer you get close to.
-John Eberhart
Sent from my
Sit drag, Ernie's outdoors linesman belt,
At 20' up