Part of my day job involves testing 'outdoors' stuff for shooting magazines and this includes Realtree gear. The latest stuff I've just been sent has just taken cammo to a whole new level.

This stuff - jacket, T-shirt, trousers, gloves the lot, is made with a system called Xscent. Basically, it prevents you smelling - and it certainly does. I've worn the gear for three consecutive, unwashed days - nice! - and not so much as a whiff of a dodgy armpit. I kid you not.

The Xscent treatment works by killing the source of body odour, which is caused by the excretions of bacteria that build up on the surface of the skin, especially around the warmer, more moist areas. Gets better, doesn't it?

Tiny, pure silver threads are used in the fabric weave and it's these threads that kill the B.O.-causing bacteria. Xscent clothing effectively turns you into a walking bacteria zapper. This is no wind-up - it really does work.

Xscent was developed in the U.S. for hunters and while you may struggle to see the application possibilities for angling, at least you can come home from a three day bivvy-up WITHOUT smelling like a polecat.

Oh, and these clothes are also made to incorporate another system, this time called Arctic Shield, which reflects around 97% of your body heat back toward you, via a flexible foil membrane and layering of special fabrics. Nothing I've ever worn is as warm as the jacket I'm testing right now.

I've tested countless items of clothing in my time but this stuff is the most amazing gear I've ever seen. And no, it's not cheap and I'm not on commission.

Peter Waller will sooooooo want this gear - angling tart that he is.

Please have a truck load sent to my house for review.

Talk about concealment!

Love to see some of that.

Even the older version of 'scent free' clothing where there is a layer of some scent absorbing material (activated charcoal I think) is quite a bit more expensive than normal gear but the guys who hunt game that could be spooked by man-smell (turkey, deer, pig, goat, etc.) are quite willing to pay the extra.

Newt, I've tried the activated charcoal stuff but it needs to be 're-activated' on a regular basis, unlike this Xscent gear.

I'm not kidding when I say I've never used, seen or tested anything like it. The thermal qualities of the Arctic Shield system have to be experienced to be believed, too.

Remember, Newt, this stuff was developed to allow your countrymen to haunt tree stands and duck blinds in temperatures that would have us Brits beset by inactive airports and terminal frostbite - which may well be one and the same.

Amazing clothing - truly.

You have a daytime job!?? Thought you just sat in
front of a TV & four bite alarms!!!!!!

Ignoring that Waller oik, I Googled 'Xscent' and found this gem of a user test;

'Manufacturer: Arctic Shield
Model: Xscent socks
Category: Hunting Outerwear

Purchase: These socks really do what they say. Wear them for a week and smell them. NOTHING--- and my feet stink, just ask my wife.

Likes: Everything

Dislikes: N/A I love them

Quality: Excelent quality

Summary: Everyone forgets about their feet and this product lets you forget them.'

I wonder if we wrapped ol' Waller in some of this gear we could 'forget' him?

After all - it gets rid of bad smells.

I'm as pure as driven slush mate!!

Wordbender - I agree the new stuff sounds like a huge improvement and lots less maintenance than the charcoal based ones.

I was mainly trying to make the point that hunters are very willing to pay a premium for any scent reduction and should be jumping at the new gear.

I'm wondering how long before they offer just the heat-reflecting version without the scent reduction for folks who like warm but don't mind a little odor. I think I'd go for some of that.

Not a usual problem for Brit anglers but if the air temp is around 40ºF/4-5ºC, you have a 10mph wind, and you are running your boat at 40mph into the wind so you have an effective 50mph breeze, you can get real chilly, real quickly. Likewise a duck hunter who is hunting in waders rather than having a blind appreciates the warmth but could care less about supressing scent since the waterfowl never get close enough to notice.

BTW - a 50mph wind in 40º temperatures gives a wind chill factor (the temperature the body is reacting to) of 9ºF/-12ºC which is brisk by any standards.

i've got some of the socks, not the 'xscent' branded ones, but they are identical, and i must say, having
parted with 14 quid for them i cant share your enthusiasm. comfortable yes, warm yes, expensive yes, much different to many other pairs of socks i have NO. having to pay for things often means you look at them more objectively

[ 03. December 2004, 10:11 PM: Message edited by: jeepster ]