Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 60, July 2014 | Page 44

TRIED & TESTED Ma REVIEWS Great new gear, products and other bits and bobs put to the test by the Modern Athlete team. Weblor Bacsan Concentrate Anti-Bacterial Sportswear Detergent Technical moisture-management running kit is great to run in, because it wicks away your sweat, moving it from your skin to the outer side of the clothing so that it will dry quicker, keeping you comfortable on the run, but the down side is that bacteria gets trapped in the fibres and with time begins to smell. Added to that, skin particles are rubbed off during exercise and attach to the fabric, which feeds the bacteria and adds to the smell. After some time, no matter how many times you wash your kit with normal detergents, the smell just does not come out. Now, you could try a few DIY home remedies, like presoaking your running kit in a solution of water and baking soda, or a mixture of water and white vinegar – or you can just keep buying new clothes when the ‘old’ ones get smelly – but we reckon an even better idea is using Bacsan, a locally produced special detergent formulated for technical sportswear, which will remove the odour without degrading the sweat-wicking properties of the garments. You can use it in machine-washing, hand-washing or pre-wash soaking. The recommended dosage is quite simple: Add 50ml to your washing machine for a pre-wash before you add normal detergent for the main wash, or add 50ml to 5L of water for a soak or handwash. The nifty bonus with this product is that the bottle has an awesome, easy to use measuring reservoir for easy and accurate dosing – you just squeeze the bottle to fill it, then tip it in. So does Bacsan work? Well, I had some running kit that I was ready to toss because it simply would not lose that smell that had built up over time. Now I’m not averse to a spot of hand-washing, so I dived in and gave my running shirts a good rub down, and I’m happy to report that I can now wear them to formal functions if I want to! – Sean Falconer GET IT: Available from Sweat Shop or directly from Weblor at R90 plus VAT for a 1L bottle. Speak to Weblor at 011 452 8686, [email protected] or www.weblor.co.za. Directory If you are a sports practitioner, small business owner, event director or anyone looking to engage our Modern Athletes, then this is the forum for you! Toni Hesp & Associates Special interest in Sport and Orthopaedic treatment and Rehabilitation. TONI HESP For all your race commentary and sound look no further. We specialise in good clear sound with informative race commentary. Our music is up to date. We can also offer timing clocks and lead vehicles. Call today for a quote. 084 250 5150 [email protected] B.Sc. (Hon) Physiotherapy (Wits) B.Sc (Med) (Hons) in Sports Science (UCT) ALLISON VAN VEIJEREN B.Sc. (Hon) Physiotherapy (Wits)