I hunt whitetail in Pennsylvania and Ohio every fall, and I’ve spent more on scent control gear than I want to admit. After a few seasons of trial and error, I have a system I trust. Here’s what’s actually in my truck and what I think you should skip.
| Gear | Purpose | Use Frequency | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scent Crusher Ozone Closet | Pre-hunt clothing treatment | Every hunt | Bowhunters, stand hunters |
| ScentLok BE:1 Voyage Jacket | Active carbon clothing | Worn every hunt | Cold-weather sits |
| Dead Down Wind Field Spray | Spot scent control | As needed | Glassing, ground blinds |
| Sport Wash Detergent | Laundry | Before each hunt | All hunters |
| LaCrosse AlphaBurly Pro Boots | Scent-free walking | Worn every hunt | Wet terrain, dawn walks |
Scent Crusher Ozone Closet
The Scent Crusher Ozone Closet (or their portable bag version) is the foundation of my scent control. Ozone breaks down odor molecules including human sweat, smoke, and food smells that wash detergent can’t fully remove. I run my hunting clothes through it for 45 minutes the night before every sit, then store everything in a sealed scent-free bag. The closet version handles a full set of clothes plus boots. The portable bag is fine for hangs and weekend hunts. Ozone smells weird right after; let clothes air for 10 minutes before wearing.
ScentLok BE:1 Voyage Jacket
ScentLok carbon-impregnated clothing is debated, but I’m in the camp that thinks it helps. The carbon binds odor molecules between washes and reactivations. The BE:1 Voyage is what I wear for late-season cold weather. It’s quiet enough to draw a bow in (a real concern with stiff carbon fabrics), warm down to about 25 F with a base layer, and the fit allows shoulder mobility. You have to reactivate it in a dryer or ozone bag periodically. Treat it as one layer of scent defense, not a magic cloak.
Dead Down Wind Field Spray
Field spray is for the moment a deer comes in cross-wind and you need to lower your scent profile quickly. I keep a 16 oz bottle in my pack and spray hat, jacket, and pants once when I reach the stand and again if I move spots. Dead Down Wind uses an enzyme that breaks down odor rather than masking it. It works, but it’s a top-off, not a substitute for proper laundry and ozone. Don’t bathe in it; the residue smell becomes its own signature.
Sport Wash Detergent
Regular detergent ruins hunting clothing in two ways: residual fragrance and UV brighteners that make fabric glow under deer vision. Sport Wash is a scent-free, UV-free laundry detergent that I use exclusively for hunting laundry. I do one warm cycle with Sport Wash, then a second rinse with no detergent to be sure. Hang dry outdoors when possible to skip the dryer sheet smell that lingers in dryers even between loads. A jug lasts a full season.
LaCrosse AlphaBurly Pro Boots
Rubber boots are non-negotiable for scent control on the walk in. Leather and synthetic fabrics absorb every scent you cross including pets, gas, and lunch. The LaCrosse AlphaBurly Pro is the boot most serious whitetail hunters I know wear. They’re 18 inches tall (you can walk through creeks), insulated for cold sits, and the rubber is thick enough not to puncture on briars. Mine are five seasons in and still scent-tight. Wear them only for hunting and never for chores; keep them clean.
How to Choose
Build your scent control in layers. Start with laundry (Sport Wash), then add storage (sealed bag), then ozone treatment, then spray top-offs, then carbon clothing if you can afford it. Rubber boots are non-negotiable if you walk to a stand. The biggest mistake I see is hunters spendingcurrent pricing on a carbon jacket while still washing their clothes in Tide and driving to the woods in normal pants. The system only works as the weakest link. And no amount of scent control beats hunting the right wind. Check the forecast before you sit.
Frequently asked questions
Does scent control gear actually work?+
It reduces your scent footprint but won't make you invisible. Wind direction is still the most important factor. Treat scent control as one layer of many.
How long does ozone treatment take to neutralize clothing?+
30 to 45 minutes in a sealed bag with most consumer ozone generators. Hang clothing loosely so ozone can reach all surfaces.
Can I wash hunting clothes in regular detergent?+
No. Regular detergents contain UV brighteners that whitetail can see. Use scent-free, UV-free detergents designed for hunting.