Awesome guys, I have plenty of options now. I'll have to sit down one weekend and try em out.

Eugene, I already tried Rogue hazelnut brown nectar to no avail. Nope, still smelly, but now slightly buzzed. The stink...'tis a mighty beast ;)

Try Mirazyme by McNett. I used it on my pack that had hiking funk and it worked fine.

+1 vinegar. I've used this on most of my synthetics where regular detergent just wouldn't get the stink out. Works rather well (and cheap too boot).

Ammonia works too, though that is a little more serious and I'm not certain how you'd wash that out of the pack once applied.

Good luck

hey. i use an ancillary of natural and/or organic products...
baking soda combined with "grab green"-- a newly discovered brand in that delivers a killer dose of plant-based cleaning expertise. having tried many others (bio-kleen, seventh generation, planet), i've found grab green to be the forerunner. of choice is their "3-in-1" UNSCENTED detergent. packed in self-dissolving pods, i've found this product thoroughly cleans my gear and most importantly, keeps artifical and unecessary chemical-based compounds out of earths' bounds. it's a bit on the expensive side, (hit me up with a pm and i'd be happy to drop you a sample).
provided you've a big wash sink (or bathtub), you can still use the pods (no goopy aftermathe).
in truth, b.o. is an unavoidable by-product of vigorous outdoor activity and unless garments, etc. are tended to with the meticulous care that they so deserve (i.e. regular washings), the harsh reality is that you might just be stuck with it, and that stinks.

In case anyone was interested, here are my findings:

1) Boiling- did nothing to the odor
2) Freezing - did nothing to the odor
3) Vinegar - worked somewhat, but wary of use as I think it lead to a little color fading
4) Mirazyme by McNett -made a very noticeable difference, but lingering odor remained

and finally...the one that got it all out...


http://www.petco.com/product/111573/Simple-Solution-Extreme-Stain-And-Odor-Remover-for-Pets.aspx
(thank you doggy that pooped in my apartment)

The Simple Solution Pet Odor remover contains denatured ethanol...anyone know if that's safe for wp/b fabrics?

Caveat: the Simple Solution Pet Odor remover is scented (pretty sweet smelling). Ingredients are Purified water, denatured ethanol, non-pathogenic bacteria, natural enzymes, mild detergent, fragrance.

Edited by Konrad1013 on 01/25/2013 00:51:22 MST.

edit: I saw you DIDN'T necessarily want to go the Mirazyme route...

Edited by pillowthread on 01/25/2013 01:50:18 MST.

Konrad,

"Caveat: the Simple Solution Pet Odor remover is scented (pretty sweet smelling). Ingredients are Purified water, denatured ethanol, non-pathogenic bacteria, natural enzymes, mild detergent, fragrance."

Be sure to either rinse extremely well or keep all platinum a safe distance away from your "new" to you pack. ;-)

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=72580&skip_to_post=619313#619313

"(thank you doggy that pooped in my apartment)"



Amazing, the things we are sometimes thankful for!

It stinks that the condition of the pack was so terribly misrepresented. Glad you found a solution to your problem. Thanks for sharing the answer to it with us. Now we can all benefit from your success.

Party On,

Newton

www.odorzout.com

HTH

KJ

Edited by f8less on 01/25/2013 12:09:17 MST.

McNett makes a treatment that uses microbes to literally eat the organic compounds that stink. it's also easy to use. I found it didn't get the stink out of shoes, only lessened it. However, it transformed my tent back to brand new.

Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/McNett-MiraZyme-Enzyme-Based-Odor-Eliminator/dp/B0009RRTO4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359143016&sr=8-2&keywords=McNett+MiraZyme

Wow...you must really have wanted the pack - what is it? I hope you at least gave the seller a bad review on eBay.

So, here's a product that's designed particularly to de-stank from sweat: "HOGWASH". http://stokedskateboards.com/organic-hogwash-spray.html

Now, it was originally, literally, developed to de-stink pig sweat, but it's marketed to skateboarders now (skate pads and helmets take on a rancid stink that make an eBay-find backpack seem lightly fragrant) and I can tell you that the stuff works very well. The link above goes to a skate shop that sells it. Here's the company site: http://www.ohogwash.com/

Thanks guys,

A couple posts above this one, you'll see that I ended up trying some home remedies, the McNett Enzyme wash, and finally some pet odor remover (which actually worked). The McNette worked out pretty well, but it was the pet po0p/pee odor remover that worked best. I bet that hog-wash stuff would work great too!


My question still stands...anyone know if denatured ethanol is safe for wp/b membranes like eVent/goretex?

Edited by Konrad1013 on 01/25/2013 15:28:16 MST.

Konrad,

Try looking at this table.

http://cool.conservation-us.org/coolaic/sg/bpg/annual/v11/bp11-33.html#table1

I tried to copy and paste the entire table but it became a word jumble! ;-)

It seems like Goretex for one is OK with alcohols (i.e. resistant).

ALCOHOLS PTFE PVDF

Amyl Alcohol R R
Benzyl Alcohol R R
Butyl Alcohol R R
Ethyl Alcohol R R
Isobutyl Alcohol R R
Methanol R R

Note:

Chemical Compatibility Guide

Key:

r=Resistant
l=Limited Resistance (testing before use is recommended)
n=Not Recommended
.= Insufficient Data

It doesn't reference eVent only Goretex.

I hope this helps answer your question.

Party On,

Newton

:D

I do a ton of MMA / Muay Thai / Jiu Jitsu training which means basically means I'm dripping in sweat for hours at a time and eventually the smell stops coming out of your clothes when you wash them .... using Sports Wash (that's its name) or similar sports detergents has worked well for me ... my understanding is that there are certain bacterias that simple detergent / washing don't kill .... or something along those lines ... might work for you ....

I ride bikes a lot and the helmet gets stinky from the sweat if left you just use it and just hang it up after each ride. I now rinse it off every time but also I got advised to air it out in direct sunlight as well. So that's wjat I do now. Get home quick rinse under the tap and let it sun dry. Hasn't smealt yet. Not sure but might be worth a try of the back pack????