I bought a used back and forgot to ask about if they were a smoker- How do I get the smell out of the pack?

Same thing happened to me once. Ugh! Saturate with Febreze. Then air out.

Same here... now I have to deal with it every time I blow the pad up. Since when do you have to ask if what you're buying smells like ----?! Incredible... I'm still trying to figure out how to mask the smell without using a spray thats going to attract wildlife.

Try this. Get a large garbage bag and a hair dryer. Cut a small hole in the bottom of the garbage bag. Turn you pack inside out if you can. Put the pack (or pad) inside the garbage bag. Close the open end of the garbage bag around the nozzle of the hair dryer and turn on the dryer. "Blow dry" the inside of the garbage bag (being careful not to melt the pack!) for ten minutes. The smell should be gone. Not really sure how it works, but from what I saw on TV here in Japan, it has something to do with positive and negative particles, couldn't understand the Japanese well enough. Supposed to work.

Edited by butuki on 06/03/2008 05:44:26 MDT.

I've used a product called mirazyme (I think McNett's make a similar product) that is made for removing tough odor's with success on mountain bike shoes(peeewww!) and wetsuits. Might be worth a try.

Also, check out this recent forum on Mirazyme:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/xdpy/forum_thread/13962/index.html?skip_to_post=103438#103438

Edited by ekim765 on 06/03/2008 07:38:42 MDT.

Try this: Hunter Specialties "Scent-A-Way" .... most Wal-Mart stores stock it in the Sporting Goods section. Most of these products that are marketed to hunters contain enzymes that eliminate odors - not just cover them up, and they are very reasonably priced. Besides using it as intended, I've used this stuff for years for all sorts of household applications.

What Ben wrote...Febreze Extra Strength Fabric Refresher to be specific. Spray once onto the inside and once on the back and once on the front and you should be fine. Febreze does do some strange stuff to ScotchLight materials, so be careful of that. It doesn't do anything to silicon coatings, nylon or polyester.

@ Mike Gardner:

I was the original author of that thread you referred. I couldn't possibly recommend McNett's Mirazyme highly enough. I just soaked my tent's footprint, my North Face duffel (ok, we were car-camping this time), my dog's jacket, and sprayed down my Thermarests (x2) with the same solution. I can't smell ANYTHING of skunk at all and the stuff hasn't even dried yet.

I'm unsure of it's efficacy on cigarette smells, however for foul odors like that of skunk, as you referred to my thread, it is THE BOMB people. McNett could do better to market this stuff more effectively. Get it at REI and other good outdoors outlets.

Nick

Thanks everyone- to save money I think I'll try the garbage bag idea first. If that doesn't work I'll go to REI and get the McNett's Mirazyme.
I already coated it with frebreze and it got about 1/2 the smell out.
I'll report back on the garbage bag thing.

Tad, some thoughts in no particular order:

*febreze works best when it's actually fairly lightly applied.
*it needs to have air contact, so if you can hang the pack and keep it open, it will work better.
*the extra strength fabric refresher is substantively different than the "normal" febreze and works substantially better.

These observations based on three years of de-smoking packs coming from our factory.

Febreeze it then throw it into the dryer. Air Cycle for a few hours. Works better with heat if they material can stand up to it. Throw in a dryer sheet if needed.

Or you can start smoking... wouldnt notice it if you werent such a prude! :P JK!

"I'll report back on the garbage bag thing."

So what happened? :)

Well, I didn't try the "garbage thing" I read Graham's post:
>*febreze works best when it's actually fairly lightly applied.
*it needs to have air contact, so if you can hang the pack and keep it open, it will work better.
*the extra strength fabric refresher is substantively different than the "normal" febreze and works substantially better.<

and thought I would try the "extra strength" stuff- and allow it to air out outside-
This worked- smell gone- you can't smell it holding the bag or when it's on your back, I just smelled it and if you put your nose directly on the fabric you can get a faint hint of smoke-
As far as I'm concerned it worked.

Edited by bestbuilder on 02/22/2010 20:04:33 MST.

+1 for mcnett after a 2 week trip on the coast everything smelt like bad feet, wet dog and bad seafood. All that stuff is now in a closet after that trip. Only photos to remind us not smells.

I asked the same question about a tent on here and somebody suggested I throw it in the freezer. It seemed to work. Worth a try anyway...

No, no, no.

The smell always comes back. The only logical solution is to start smoking, so you don't notice the smell. :)