Scent Control Clothing: Is Carbon Worth the Money?

Carbon scent control clothing is some of the most expensive gear a bowhunter can buy. This page looks only at the clothing question: what the fabric does, what the evidence says, and whether it's worth the price over a basic routine.

For the cheap routine itself (the tote, baking soda, scent-free wash and the walk in), see scent control on a budget. Everything below is researched, with sources at the end.

What carbon clothing claims to do

Makers put activated carbon in the fabric to adsorb odor molecules. ScentLok, for example, says its Carbon Alloy combines treated and activated carbon with zeolite, and that the gear holds odor until you "reactivate" it in a dryer, per its Amazon listings. Bowhunter magazine notes that no technology eliminates 100 percent of odors 100 percent of the time.

What lab testing showed

The best public record comes from a federal lawsuit over ScentLok's claims (Buetow v. A.L.S. Enterprises). The Eighth Circuit's 2011 opinion describes both sides' expert tests:

• The maker's expert, Dr. Hartman, estimated ScentLok garments blocked 96 to 99 percent of odor compounds, against 5 to 55 percent for non-carbon garments. He admitted the garments did not eliminate all odor.
• The plaintiffs' expert, Dr. Miller, said his tests showed odor passed through in as little as 30 seconds, but admitted his tests didn't measure how much.

The court found the terms "odor eliminating" and "reactivation" were not literally false. By 2012 all nine related lawsuits had been dismissed, per ScentLok's announcement published by Bowhunter. That announcement also says the test odor levels were far higher than a body produces.

What the lab can't tell you

A lab test measures fabric. It doesn't measure your breath, face, hands, boots or the trail you walked in on, and no source here gives a figure for how much reduction a deer's nose needs. That's why the wind still matters most. See hunting the wind and thermals explained.

What field studies exist

Field evidence is thin. Two small DePauw University student studies used trail cameras in a protected nature park:

• 2011 to 2012: "Unscented" cameras were set and checked wearing carbon-lined clothing, scent spray and rubber gloves. Bucks avoided areas with human scent during the day but visited scented areas more at night. Does showed no difference.
• 2016: With four cameras and corn, bucks were photographed more often at the scented cameras, and does showed no difference. The authors say their own presence may have affected results and that deer in the park don't see people as a threat.

Neither study tested carbon clothing alone, and both are small. They're worth knowing about, not proof either way.

What it costs

Prices checked October 10, 2026. Prices are approximate.

A full carbon outfit means several pieces like these. The basic routine in scent control on a budget is mostly a tote, baking soda and scent-free laundry and body wash.

How to decide

• If you hunt the wind well already, carbon clothing is an add-on, not a replacement. No source here shows it lets you ignore the wind.
• If you buy it, care for it as directed. ScentLok says reactivating its gear in the dryer after extended field use is critical. Bowhunter says to dry it on high for 40 minutes.

Other good options

• Non-carbon scent-free clothing plus storage. The budget routine stores clean clothes in a tote with baking soda. See scent control on a budget.
• Ozone and cover scents are separate products with their own claims, planned for a gimmick check here.

Questions hunters ask

Does carbon clothing make you scent-free? No. Even the maker's expert said the garments didn't eliminate all odor.

Does the dryer really reactivate it? The court found ScentLok's "reactivation" claim wasn't literally false. ScentLok says independent testing backs dryer reactivation, per Bowhunter.

Is it worth it on a budget? The lab evidence for the fabric is solid. The field evidence that it changes what deer do is thin. On a budget, playing the wind and a clean routine come first here.

Sources

• Buetow v. A.L.S. Enterprises, Eighth Circuit, 2011, as reported by Deer & Deer Hunting: https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/content/articles/deer-news/ruling-in-landmark-scent-lok-case-overturned
• Buetow v. A.L.S. Enterprises, D. Minn. order denying class certification: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-mnd-0_07-cv-03970/pdf/USCOURTS-mnd-0_07-cv-03970-4.pdf
• Bowhunter, "Scent-Lok Claims Victory in Long-Running Court Battle": https://www.bowhunter.com/editorial/scent-lok-claims-victory-in-long-running-court-battle/309533
• Bowhunter, "Everything You Need to Know About Scent Control": https://www.bowhunter.com/editorial/science-scent-control/310499
• DePauw University, "Deer and human scent," Strobl and Fox: https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/661/
• DePauw University, "Deer and human scent," Kirchhoff and Sullivan: https://scholarship.depauw.edu/studentresearchother/660/
• ScentLok product listings: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F3361C8Y , https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08G8X9B18