Do synthetics still stink if you don’t have BO?
Preparing for my first backpacking trip soon and have been looking at clothing options. The thing I see mentioned a lot aside from moisture wicking/drying is the “stink retention” factor of synthetics vs wool.
This might be a dumb question, but is “stink” of synthetics a function of the natural smell of the fabric? Or because it doesn’t dry as fast as wool and somehow gets mildewy faster? Or because of accumulated BO? Do synthetics naturally smell worse than something like cotton?
Most of my clothes are natural fabrics (no wool), but the synthetics I have don’t seem to smell any more than my other clothes regardless of how much I sweat or how long they sit in the hamper. The only time my clothes ever “stink” is if they’re forgotten in the wash and get mildewy.
I sweat profusely, but don’t have BO, or at least maybe not in the traditional sense?
FWIW it’s not like I/my clothes smell like daisies post workout, but even after the sweat dries, it just kind of smells like books, and only really if you stick your whole face into it. My hair definitely starts smelling a little “scalp”-y after more than 3ish days of not washing though, especially if I’ve actually been sweating.
I’d like to avoid wool if possible because pretty much all wool makes me itchy and a little red, but I’d also like to not potentially be stinky. Unfortunately can’t really shell out for alpaca or silk right now.
Anyone else with minimal to no BO have experience with wearing synthetics or wool alternatives instead of wool for backpacking trips? How was it?