washing your pack

[bnsafe]

how do you guys wash blood from your pack. I wasn't going to but read on another site that packs will stink if you don't wash them. im thinking a wash machine.

[JGH]

Very glad for you ... and what a way to "rub it in"!

[cnelk]

put some baking soda in it and hose it out with cold water

Yes it will stink if you dont

[MT Beard]

I usually don't wash my pack. I believe there is still dried blood from the past four deer I've killed. Not a lot of blood, but it is there. I only wash it when it stinks from being strapped to my sweaty back. I do empty everything from the pack and it gets hung up in the garage where it is dry and cool. When I wash my backpacking pack bag I do it in the washing machine. Empty it, unzip all of the pockets, throw it in with a bit of detergent and 1/4 - 1/2 cup of borax. Set it to cold and let it go, pull it out and hang it upside down to dry. At that point there may still be blood stains, but they will not be smelly. Plus, bloodstained packs have character.

Glad to hear that you need to clean blood from a pack!

[stringunner]

I simply soak in cold water for 8-12 hours and hang to dry. We camp next to a creek and I try and do this immediately after the "pack out." This has worked to remove the stains and smell.

[Trophyhill]

I give mine a cold bath/soak for a couple hours and rinse and repeat until no more bloody water in the tub.

[Indian Summer]

I give mine a cold bath/soak for a couple hours and rinse and repeat until no more bloody water in the tub.

Ditto. But I'll say I only washed mine once... when I had to before returning it to Badlands. That thing had the blood of a hundred animals on it and never stunk. Or uh... maybe I stink so bad when I'm hunting that I don't notice. lol

[>>>---WW---->]

I have never washed my pack either. Never did get it all that messy. But I did take a Hotsy to my saddle panniers once. Boy, was it a bloody mess! When I started, the panniers were a tan colored cordura material. But after using the hotsy it was white. It took the blood out but also took all the die out of the material. So don't try that on your pack!!!!! LOL!

[Vanish]

I give mine a cold bath/soak for a couple hours and rinse and repeat until no more bloody water in the tub.

This is what I do. It is amazing how much dirt / leaves / sticks whatever is hiding in there. Open all your pockets first!

[bnsafe]

thx guys, I opened all my pockets an took the internal frame out then put it in the wash machine with some scent free soap, then hung it up to dry. turned out ok

[NH Hunter]

I don't wash mine but I usually pack the boned out meat inside my Badlands 2200. I put a trash bag in the pack first and put the meat inside it. I carry mine on the plane with me on the way home from my hunting trip so I don't really want it covered in blood.