Charcoal is carbon.  Activated charcoal, or carbon has been treated with oxygen to open the millions of tiny pores between the carbon atoms.  Synthetic media substrates, in our case non-woven polyester, is then impregnated with finely ground carbon coatings, and heat set to retain those coatings in the media.  The large surface area of activated carbon works by molecular action to pull and hold noxious odors in the millions of tiny pores in the media coating as those odor molecules come in contact with the carbon – a process known as adsorption.  The amount of odor causing molecules trapped in the activated carbon is dependent on the amount of activated carbon in the medium and by how thick the activated carbon layer is.

This is why we only use the highest quality carbon coatings in our filters which are ground to an extremely fine particle size with a coated thickness of ½ inch to increase the surface area available for adsorption.

We also recommend you replace your activated carbon filters annually so you always know you have fresh, clean, fully activated carbon working for you to maximize the effectiveness of your scent control and removal process.

1. Adsorb or absorb, what is the difference?
   Adsorption occurs when activated carbon attaches to and holds other compounds, including gases, scents, and odors.  Just as a sponge soaks up water, activated carbon media adsorbs odors and fumes.  Think about how your furnace filter works or a gas max filter.  Absorption is the process of actually taking something in, such as absorbing heat or sunlight.  A piece of metal becoming hot or your body getting cold while sitting in a treestand.
2. Why should I be concerned about moisture or bacteria?
   Moisture is what causes bacteria to grow, and bacteria are what create odor from your body.  Ever hear someone say they have stinky feet?  They don’t, not naturally anyway.   Instead they have shoes which make their feet hot, which then sweat.  The shoes capture that moisture causing bacteria to grow, causing odor.  However, if you can quickly remove that moisture before bacteria can start to form, you will go a long way to preventing odors.  Same thing is happening with your hunting clothing – your boots, socks, base layers, gloves, hat, even your release if it is touching your skin.
3. Should I still use carbon clothing or scent-reducing sprays if I have a ScentMaster?
   Let me be completely honest about this – we don’t believe there is such a thing as 100% scent elimination in the hunting world.  Can’t happen.  You can reduce it to a large degree or perhaps mask some of it at times with a cover scent, but complete elimination, NO.  It is all about scent control.  We feel the ScentMaster is the missing link in the overall process of scent control by daily allowing you to clean and dry your clothing, eliminating the moisture, trapping residual foreign odors in the activated carbon filters, and allowing everything else you are doing to work better.  Having said that I still shower with scent-free soap before I hunt, some of my clothing is carbon lined, and I always spray my boots with scent-reducing spray before every hunt.  I also like to use scent-reducing powder in my boots, gloves, and hat.
4. How long should I run the ScentMaster for?
   That depends on the type of weather you are hunting in (hot and humid, or cooler) and your body type (someone who perspires easily or heavily).  Typically 60 minutes is ample under normal conditions, but if you need to use 2 cycles, then do so.  You won’t hurt a thing.
5. Why should I own a ScentMaster – I have carbon or zeolite lined clothing, wear moisture wicking base layers, use sprays, and shower using scent-eliminating soaps?
   We all have some of the above or maybe all of them, and we have invested a lot of time and money in our hunting gear and clothing and it isn’t cheap.  Yet having watched many hunters from all over the country prepare to go to the field, I have noticed that very few do a good job of keeping their clothing clean and dry, particularly the interior surfaces.  Instead we all hope our clothing doesn’t fail us or our sprays cover the problem areas.  A lot of guys like to wear wool and it is very hard to take care of.  When it comes to sprays it is a few squirts here and a few there.  We always try to hunt perfect wind conditions in our stands.  Yet the problem is the odors we are all fighting are coming from our bodies, from the inside out.  If you can control the moisture and odors on the inside of your clothing that your body is putting into your clothing on a daily basis, then you will be a lot closer to being scent free than just relying on special clothing, sprays, or the wind.  Scent control is a daily process and there are no shortcuts - it is a lot about using common sense to diagnose the problem and fix it.

The ScentMaster is easy to use, effective, and SAFE.  Use it correctly and consistently, and you will experience a marked difference in the number of close encounters you have each year.

Learn about How to Use the ScentMaster