Body Bouquet

Hi Kit - yes, it's called soap. HaHaHaHa - I just can't help but giggle. No seriously, Good-luck!

Kit...that's why I always swear by cotton-poly blend shirts and slacks, light-weight summer varieties that I use all year, 70-30 or 65-35 blend. I've tried many of those clothes you mention and, despite their claims of "breathability," they simply don't let the heat out in my case. You can imagine what that heat buildup can do for "body bouquet! ;). Cotton blends easily wash out and dry overnight...the more you wring them out in a towel, the quicker that happens. And they don't take up any more space than the micro-fibre products. I don't know how old you are, but I, being of a "certain age," really like a line of Arnold Palmer short sleeve shirts that are a "seersucker" type of fabric...coolest, most comfortable shirts I've ever owned.

Get a man's deodorant.They are stronger. I like Addidas.Sometimes I am able to get good European deodorants from the dollar stores or Save a lot. They seem to last longer and smell much better.
People who have a problem with microfiber clothes should avoid them. Many people don't understand that.

Forgive my ignorance, but how does adding silver fibers to fabric pose a health risk? And why do you need a deodorant that lasts 24 hours? You don't plan to wash/shower or change clothes for 24 hours at a time?

I don't understand, what's all this talk about washing clothes and body bouquet? You're there to see sights, not log time in laundries, that just gets in the way of touring. I mean, for gosh sakes, it's only 2 weeks--it's basic science that if you throw clothes down on the hotel room floor and let them air out for a couple of days, air molecules mix with the clothes and purifies whatever needs to be purified. Stay out of laundries and keep on seein' them sights!

Okay, I knew what I was getting into.

Angela: Soap? I don't think we have that here in Oregon. :-)

Norm: I agree with the cotton-poly blend materials. However, when I travel I am very active prior to cocktail hour. If there is a good photo op 10 miles up the mountain, I'll hike it. Capilene is wonderful for breathability & non-retention of moisture.

Bea: Point well-taken. Guess I failed to mention that in this case "Kit" is a 60-year old male.

Nancy: The jury isn't in on this issue, but (as with other heavy metals) prolonged contact with silver has raised the concern carcinogens. Hype? Maybe. But as some might say, at 60 years of age I'll likely be dead from other causes before the silver gets me.

Since I usually hit the ground running at 5am, it's not so much that I will be away from a shower for 24 hours. I simply cram 24 hours of activity into a 12-hour day.

--The jury isn't in on this issue, but (as with other heavy metals) prolonged contact with silver has raised the concern carcinogens. Hype? Maybe. But as some might say, at 60 years of age I'll likely be dead from other causes before the silver gets me.--

Then why is it an issue? I'm plenty active when I'm traveling, too, but even in an action-packed 12 hour period I'd still clean up or change clothes.

Contact with silver? Have you seen that guy with the blue skin?

I think I'll stick to cotton...

well, there's a product I've only seen sold at Walgreens in the US called Certain-Dri -- but it actually comes with a pamphlet about how it could be carcinogenic, so file that away with the silver shirts.

Honestly? tons of Europeans have BO and you get to enjoy that most places you go. You'd blend in. Most people here use deodorant, not antiperspirant. I live here and cannot find a woman's antiperspirant that I like, really annoying b/c I have to use various methods to import my US brand. I asked a German friend here, and she says her American mother-in-law sends her stuff from the US too. How's that for underscoring the situation? :P

Seriously, if it bothers you, make time for a good wash-up before hitting the social scene and wash the capilene at night. That stuff dries in a flash. I used it for many years racing canoes and never noticed it making me stink any more than I normally did after working out. Guess it's a PH thing.

I haven't tried this personally yet, but check out this post on the One Bag One World blog:

http://www.1bag1world.com/blog/2007/4/4/incredible-stinkfighter-10-beta-test.html

There is also a discussion of various cleaning products for synthetic sports clothing in the reader forum there.

So far Sure is the best antiperspirant/deoderant I've used.

Most of the good tec fabrics now include anti-microbial to help with smell (I didn't think silver was the only option). You can also wear washable silks or wool as a natural alternative to cotton.

A small spray bottle of fabreeze with anti-microbial also works well for getting smells out of your clothes between washings. Wash your underwear and t-shirts daily by hand and spray and hang your outerwear each night.

If all else fails, travel in the Spring or Fall when it isn't miserably hot, the crowds are small and the prices drop.

I always wash my Capilene shirts daily without exception. As Brad suggests, lightweight wool is a decent option. I have used both SmartWool & Ibex lightweight wool shirts which seem to circumvent the odor problem & do a decent job of wicking away perspiration. Still, Capilene has the qualities that I like the most.

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts.

Considering what the locals smell like in some of the countries I wouldn't worry too much about b/o. I was on a bus in Rome with all locals and WOW... my eyes were watering. I met an aeronautical engineer from Paris and caught a wiff of him every time he moved... and he was in a suit and I am not even going to get in to the elderly in Germanay.

I used Forever New washing all my things in the sink and they smell wonderful. I was worried about the smell but I checked my tops... they all smelled clean with out any b/o smell.

Oh, just for something really different than the other suggestions. How about using wet-wipes? You can get small packages of them here. Folks have them in their bathroom to use for a "cleaner" feel. If you don't have time for a shower, this would wipe off the sweat and leave a cleaner feeling. Troops out in the field get by with them, so it must work somewhat. Another question though: since when is silver a "heavy metal"? I thought mercury was, but that silver was just a metal like gold or tin, nothing dangerous about it.

Yes - I agree with Jo - what's dangerous about silver - we use it for eating utinsals and in jewelry. It has been in contact with our bodies for centuries. No?

TaTa and Happy, Sweet Smelling Travels