Any good suggestions of quality riding gear that doesn't accumulate smelly funky odor in the threads? Thanks......

sean

My wife suggested that we add Fabreeze to the wash and it does wonders for getting sweaty stinky cloths smelling neutral. I have a front loader machine. I add the fabreeze where the bleach normally goes, and run it as if it is a white load. Don't use fabric softner on the breathable shirts (check the care lable) most don't allow the use of it as it interferes with the wicking of the fabric.

Happy riding,
André

I keep a spray bottle of Febreze at work, it helps a lot.
At home, I have a 5 gallon square bucket (cat litter bucket) with a flip-top lid that I quarantine my clothes in until wash day. You don't want to open that for long until you're ready to wash.

anything that says "merino" or "Smartwool" in the name is your friend.

wool definitely will not get the same funk as normal synthetics. Some synthetics are treated with an antimicrobial and do better than others, I know several t shirts that get a funky smell quicker than others. Addidas makes some clothing impregnated with silver threads which are a natural anti bacterial agent, as well as some clothing by Campagnolo. My best suggestion is to use a vinegar water solution. Learned this one from trying to keep the smell out of neoprene and other kayaking gear. Put about a cup per gallon in a pail or the sink and let the clothing soak, then wash normally. The acidic solution will kill the bacteria and remove the stink, and when you wear it again you might get just the slightest smell of vinegar. You won't have to do this every time you launder, but often enough when you notice the funky smell isn't leaving by washing along. You can also just soak in the solution, then rinse in clear water and let the clothing air dry.

I solve the problem by hanging my clothes to dry immediately upon arriving at work - some draped on my bike, others in an OPEN locker or on a coat rack. For most men and women, the worst "locker room" odor comes from bacteria that thrive in damp conditions that continue AFTER the ride. For instance, stuffing them into a closed locker or bag. If you can dry it out quickly, the odor problem is often solved. On the other hand, I've had to throw out some funky backpacking attire that I work on a soggy 10-day trip here in the Pacific NW. There wasn't _no_ getting _that_ odor out.

100% merino wool - I often commute 100 miles a week in the same shirt and socks.

+1 on wool
I bought an Under Armour Coldgear top and couldn't stand the funky smell that does not wash out, even after repeated washings with vinegar in the wash. Got a Smartwool top (and bottoms too) and wool socks and I wear the whole bit all week long with no smell at all. I've noticed the wool also breathes much better.
It's a little bit more expensive but definitely worth it.

Thats what I've found to work well too. I bought some smartwool base layer jerseys and socks from the team estrogen website and they work really well in lessening odor problems.

You are correct, sir. Wool is far superior in that regard. All synthetics stink and hold funk. Plus, with wool, you don't have to wash it after every wearing.

The only way to achieve "odor freedom" is by wearing WOOL. Merino wool is, unfortunately, quite expensive (but worth it), but is soft enough to be worn next to the skin, and gets better with age and wear. And it is uncannily odor-free. (This, of course assumes meticulous personal hygiene . . .)

Ibex, Smartwool, and some stuff sold by Rivendell are all good places to start. Costco sells Wigwam wool socks for a song.

There are times when I've not been at all meticulous about hygiene when I'm touring. I've gone for days without bathing, and my merino wool jerseys still didn't smell.

to you

Try Icebreaker.

I wear their wool top baselayer for weeks without washing. Zero smell.

I got a Duofold Insulayer thermal shirt today at TJMax for $3! Inner layer is polyester. Outer layer is 45% merino wool/55% poly. Sounds like a steal for that price.

Maybe I smell more than you guys but I can make wool pretty rank. Luckily I now live where it isn't cold so I don't need any long underwear. :-) I wear cotton next to my skin and use bleach to kill everything in the wash. Works well for me although some people freak at cotton.

My mountaineering poly pro is over a decade old and I have been told smells interesting from traveling to various corners of the globe--and wearing for weeks at a time. ;-)

I wash my synthetics with 40% detergent / 60% oxyclean. I just eyeball it. Since doing this for the past year, the stink is gone.

It's a fact that some people do stink worse than others. Part of it's hygiene, but a lot is what you eat. If you've got stink problems and you do a proper job of washing yourself and your gear, cut down on the red meat and dairy and see if you don't notice a difference.