I was compensated for this post by HEX Performance. All opinions are my own.

Maverick and I try to make it to our CrossFit box at least 4x a week. We work hard. We sweat hard.

Some people will try to tell you that those of Asian heritage don’t sweat as much as other people. This is an outright lie, at least when it comes to me and Maverick. We are sweaty sweat sweaters. I like to say this means that our bodies are super efficient and superior at self-cooling, but mostly we’re just gross.

Now that the weather has skipped over spring and gone straight to the humid, oppressive, dog days of summer the sweat factor has increased exponentially, and we’ve narrowed down our preferred clothing choices to a few favorites. For me this means the shortest of shorts, tank tops only, and the most unobtrusive of sports bras. Mav sticks with the lightest fabrics possible.

Anyone who’s spent some serious time sweating knows that gear matters. Once you’ve owned some workout apparel in tech fabrics that moves with you, has strategically places seams and most importantly is lightweight yet durable, with sweat wicking capabilities you can’t go back. Cotton is rotten once it’s soaked in sweat.

The downside is that while these tech fabrics are awesome at transferring sweat to the outside, they are not so awesome at releasing sweat stench. And while it’s fun to watch your family recoil from you in horror after a sweatfest, realizing you smell before you’ve even begun your workout and suspiciously accusing the cat of peeing in your laundry isn’t quite as cool. (I don’t know who you accuse if you don’t have a cat.)

The cat pee/ammonia smell happens because you’re breaking down amino acids for energy, and it will probably be more pronounced after a really long/intense workout or if you’re not properly hydrated— a description that covers about 95% of my workouts. Add to that the fact that we’re basically wearing the same couple of outfits over and over… yeah. Stinktastic.

To get rid of the smell, I tried:

• rinsing out gear after class ahead of actually washing
• small loads of just our tech gear but the same amount of detergent (I hated doing this as it was probably shortening the life of our clothes)
• repeated washings between wears
• adding vinegar to the rinse cycle
• actually soaking the clothes in straight up vinegar before washing
• using more powerfully scented detergent (just smelled flowery on top of funky)
• using dryer sheets (this was a big deal! I never usually use dryer sheets)

Sometimes something would work for maybe one or two wears, then it would be back to funkytown.

But I’m not here to tell a tale of unsolvable woe, folks. All these sweaty selfies you’ve endured are not for naught.

I bring a solution.

There is life after stinkiness for your favorite workout gear, and it doesn’t involve potentially overabusing your expensive tech fabrics.

Get the funk outta here

No, seriously, this stuff works. Introducing the next gen detergent, HEX Performance!

Developed by major league lacrosse player Drew Westervelt, who presumably knows what it means to get a good sweaty stink on, HEX is high performance detergent with long-lasting odor eliminating technology. It’s the first and only system designed specifically to clean and protect today’s performance gear and apparel while staying gentle on fabric and skin.

• free of dyes, perfumes, and optical brighteners
• naturally antistatic and restores fabric wickability. No need for dryer sheets and fabric softeners
• for those who are hooked on that “clean laundry” smell, HEX Enhance+ Performance Booster (used in addition to HEX Power+ Laundry Detergent) adds a fantastic, clean fragrance— that isn’t overwhelming or cloying, trust me on this, I’m picky— without compromising your gear’s ability to wick, breathe, and move.
• HEX Tech creates a unique, bonded barrier that protects gear and apparel with odor-fighting technology, giving them long lasting protection from odors typically associated with bacteria

My favorite gear is back in business.

It doesn’t stink. It doesn’t smell like B.O. covered in fake flowers. It’s just sort of crisp and nice. And my hyper-sensitive skin didn’t react to it. ALL THE WINNING.

Plus, it’s eco-smart

This is important to me. The design of the package means a much smaller carbon footprint: 80% less warehouse space, 80% less landfill space, 80% less wood for pallets and paper for corrugates, and 75% less plastic when compared to the same size rigid bottles. And, HEX formulas are engineered to be eco friendly and biodegradable.

You can find HEX products in all Wegmans stores (first download this coupon for $2 off!). You can also purchase online here.

But I suggest you enter my giveaway! 10 will win a coupon for a HEX product. Ends at midnight on June 24th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway