UKC

They're pretty expensive for what they are:

youtube.com/watch?v=kJF5CblmRAU&

Apparently they absorb moisture which alot of things do, any thoughts on diy alternatives?

Thanks,
brunchman

In reply to brunchman:
I've always fancied a pair of these, they look great and have good press. They even turn brown towards the end of their life I'm told.

If you want to do a cheap home made version though, you can't go wrong with a sock full of (fresh/unsoiled) cat litter grit.

The best thing for your rock boots is to never store them in a bag. Clip them outside your pack to travel, and hang them up to air when you get home.

Source: stink-footed gent with non-stinky climbing shoes.

In reply to brunchman:

What they do is overpower the smell from the climbing shoes with a stronger one from aromatic oils. My wife insisted I chucked them out because she found the smell from the oil worse than that from the shoes (!). Admittedly we were on a trip so the shoes and Boot Bananas were in the same room we slept in, not like at home where the shoes would be in a cupboard.

I don't buy the moisture absorbtion claims because the UK gets humid and the dessicant is going to absorb moisture from the air until it becomes ineffective.

After trying the Boot Bananas, various sprays, a UV machine at a wall in Austria, freezing the shoes and washing them I found what actually works is to start with a fresh pair of shoes, wear socks and get the shoes out the bag and somewhere they will dry out as quickly as possible.

In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:

.....good advice. I would add: take out the insoles; many sports shoes have a cardboard liner under the insole that stays damp and grows bacteria, making them smell.