Scent Lok, is it worth it?
Equipment
Hello all,
I'm new to this forum and new to bow hunting. I only just bought my first bow about three months ago. I'm loving this sport and can't wait for hunting season to come. Any who, my question to you all is, this expensive clothing, i.e.: UA and Scent Lok. Is it really worth all the money? I guess I should be specific, UA i'm not considering due to cost. I can't afford that stuff. Scent Lok is a bit more realistic but still expensive. Wearing normal camo that has been washed in the proper soap and sprayed down with some scent killer or something, is that just as good? I've been hunting this last year with a smoke pole, so i've still got a bit to learn about this spot and stalk stuff. For years i never payed any attention to stuff like this since I was a rifle hunter.
Any true insight would be great. Also on a side note, if this stuff is the way to go, what line should I go with for bowhunting? I hunt area 7 in Colorado.
A great tip for a new bow hunter is start paying attention to the wind direction, then learn about thermals...........Native Americans killed a lot of food on that knowledge.
I don't know if the scent loc works , it may help , but it is not necessary and .....Welcome
I think the wind will be much more of a reliable scent reducer than the clothing you mentioned. Also, for mountain hunting I believe there to be better clothing out there than UA or Scent Lok. I'd be looking into a merino wool or synthetic layering system, something quick drying with moisture wicking ability. A few layers that you can shed or add as needed based on the physical aspect of the hunt.
Welcome to Bowsite.
Scentlok is a hoax - the greatest archery hunting has every seen. It will do nothing to minimize your odor let alone magically encapsulate it. Save your money for arrows and broadheads.
The scent loc clothing will not eliminate your human odor, but it is some quality clothing.
Nothing against Scentlok, but grizzly, please define quality? It likely is just fine back east in a deer stand, but when hiking and hunting mountains (OP is in Colorado) there are so many better options out there.
A lot of guys will buy it not for it's scent reducing "qualities" but because it is good clothing.
I don't own any myself, but if it's what you want, then go for it.
As Nick mentioned, much better options out there there will serve all the purposes you mentioned.
I believe they were also sued for their false claims?
I've owned lots of different hunting clothing over the years and most got trashed after a few seasons. My scent loc clothes have been solid for a decade now. No fading, tearing, or any noticeable breakdown, comfy and nice all around. I have no complaints. I could care less about scent reduction (the OP's primary question), nothing will eliminate human odor, but it is some quality clothing IMO. It's not all that pricey compared to many other "quality" brands.
borrow a scentlok suit from someone, let a big fart in it, wait a few seconds and you will have your answer.
One thing to keep in mind when you see the tv guys pushing products, it's not because they believe it works it's because they get paid to push the stuff.
No. Save you $$$ and spend it on good optics/footwear/arrows/bow.
coloradokid: Welcome to Bowsite.
I have the Scentloc Savanna EXT jump suit and I like the material it is made of. It will not prevent a deer from smelling you. Neither will rubber boots, or any other product on the market. That is the truth.
Scent control is very important and the more you can do to minimize your order the better. But the best thing you can do is really pay attention to the wind and be constantly aware of it. Use it to your advantage in your ambush spots and try to avoid leaving scent on the deer trails going in and out of your hunting spots. Avoid touching brush and move your stand locations often. If you ever get busted from a tree stand, don't hunt out of that tree again. Even if you only move a few trees away it will help you when that deer that busted you is looking at that tree and not the one you are now in. Deer rarely forget. I like to stay mobile. Mature bucks are really good at patterning hunters. Good Luck and Enjoy. Lots of good hunters here.
Stay downwind, stay still, stay quiet, and wear whatever ya want.
"I think the wind will be much more of a reliable scent reducer than the clothing you mentioned. Also, for mountain hunting I believe there to be better clothing out there than UA or Scent Lok. I'd be looking into a merino wool or synthetic layering system, something quick drying with moisture wicking ability. A few layers that you can shed or add as needed based on the physical aspect of the hunt. Welcome to Bowsite."
100% ditto...
Welcome to Bowsite Coloradokid. You will get many opinions on this forum, and if you can wade through a lot of it that isn't worth much, you can find some really good info from guys that know their stuff.
Scent Lok can work, but there is so much more than just putting on the clothing. You have to have a clean body, clean equipment, clean truck, etc. You also have to work at keeping the clothing clean. It is a lot of work, but it does help.
The most important thing is to ALWAYS pay attention to the wind, no matter what you wear. Scent Lok makes some nice gear, but so does Cabela's, Day One Camo (Bowsite sponsor and one of my favorites) and others. One set of clothes won't do it. Plan on investing in several sets depending on the weather and how you hunt.
Welcome to the world of bowhunting! Feel free to PM me if you want more specific info.
THANK YOU EVERYONE!! This is kinda what I expected, Ironbow thanks to you for sure for having some other lines that I can look into. Most of the research that I have done has told me that wind and terrain are the two biggest factors when stalking an animal. I was curious if all these very expensive clothing lines were worth it, from what i've read thus far, it's open to opinion. I will look into this Day One Camo. A quality set of clothing for my love of hunting will be nice.
I don't think so. The most important thing I have learned in 25 yrs of bowhunting is wind direction and how you hunt/scout/ get to your stand with wind direction consideration. People, including myself, have long underestimated the sense of smell for deer. All deer, not just mature bucks. It is their #1 line of defense.
Kid, look for quality clothing this time of year at deeper discounts as the seasons come to an end. Look online at places like camofire.com, etc. You can find great clothing at good prices. The core4 element gear is pretty nice for mountain hunting and nicer on the wallet. Don't be afraid to get solid colors from discount sellers for base layers etc either. You can pick up good merino wool baselayers and socks from steepandcheap.com very reasonably priced. I might like good gear to wear but that doesn't mean I'm not cheap! Ha! Just be patient and shop around, you have a long time to shop between now and September.
Welcome to bowsite coloradokid!! I agree with everyone else. It does nothing to help you. As for quality. Well I wouldnt use it for any mtn hunt or spot n stalk hunt. Not that its bad quality. A few more options to look at are. Core4Element, Cabelas, First lite, Kryptek etc. If you want to spend more money look at Kuiu or Sitka. Nick mentioned layering and Merino. Both very important things to consider. I have actually branched out and started wearing solid colors some what as well on spot n stalk hunts. If a person is moving they will spot you if your wearing camo or not.
The guys are 100% right about scent-lok.
Once you understand how carbon "captures" scent and the fact is does "fill up", you will realize that something hanging on a rack in a store for a period of time is "full" and will no longer work.
On top of that, it takes somewhere around 1500 degrees to "recharge" carbon. Carbon will capture scent again but you won't have any clothes for it!!!! LOL
Yeah, definitely a gimmick that has made millions. I do know a lot of guys that still purchase the stuff because of the quality of the garments.
I admit it, lots of times when I'm looking around in a store for hunting clothes I'll think "Hey, that looks nice...." then when I check it out at least half the time it is something scent-lok. Been tempted to purchase a few things just cause I like the garment, had nothing to do with the supposed scent-lok feature.
I'm still blow away by the number of guys who think scent-lok stuff is God's answer to scent control!!!
Look at it this way; if it did work, it would be unethical to use. Most game animals use their nose like we use our eyes. If we became invisible to them, we would no longer be hunting, just killing.
Ziek,
Maybe we shouldn't use camo either? Is it fair to hide from their eyes?
Not sure I understand your philosophy there on scent elimination.
Have a good day.
Say what you want but I bought some at the end of the season closeout and the quality of the garment is very good. I love the jacket I bought. I did end up getting the UA pants instead as they just fit better. I am not worried about the scent control abilities or lack there of. The garment itself is a very high quality garment and I really like it. It is only on season 3 but still wears and feels like new. As far as scent control, I play the wind as much as I can and I do use Nose Jammer and have had luck with bucks and does coming in from down wind. I know for a fact without Nose Jammer they smell me.
cover sprays and clothes may help. Why not try it? But, I still hunt the wind no matter what.
The best places to find deals on decent gear right now is cabelas bargain cave, and Sierra mountain outfitters. Use the discount codes and coupons. I have some scent lok stuff but it does nothing to contain scent. I just got it for over 50% off and it's decent quality. For cold weather, the cabelas wool stuff is hard to beat for the prices.
The three things that I've learned about clothing over the many years I've been hunting is, 1. buy good quality clothing that is quiet, 2. don't wear cotton underneath and against your skin, and, 3. layer, layer, layer.
"I was curious if all these very expensive clothing lines were worth it, from what i've read thus far, it's open to opinion."
Just realize most of the guys saying the clothing is worth it are not saying that due to scent control issues, they are citing the reason and the clothing may be good. BIG DIFFERENCE
You may or may not think the quality of the garment justifies the price, that is a matter of opinion, but the concept that the material contains scent is inaccurate, has been scientifically and leglly debunked, and is really not disputed above.
heck, the companies themselves don't even make the same claims they were making in the 90's and early 2000's before the lawsuit and science was front and center on the scent control message.
