2Toms Stink Free Shoe and Gear Spray

The 2Toms Stink Free Shoe and Gear Spray is designed to neutralise rather than simply mask those nasty niffs that can render kit socially unacceptable. Given that most decent riding attire is either impregnated with anti-bacterials or can be machine washed, Stink Free's appeal is limited, but I have found it surprisingly useful for purging the pong from shoes and sandals, especially synthetics...

2Toms promises us its Stink Free Shoe and Gear Spray is genuinely safe on all surfaces, including Gore-Tex and similar technical fabrics. It's also refreshingly candid about the ingredients. Thus far, I've had no problems on either front.

There's nothing particularly cutting edge ingredients-wise – benzalkonium chloride and cetrimonium bromide actively gobble up the bacteria that feeds on our feted, sweaty kit and, if left unchecked, leads to athletes' foot and nastier fungal infections.

Most riding kit these days can be bunged in the machine at 30 degrees but there are always exceptions, and my collection of budget and mid-range synthetic shoes seemed perfect candidates. My world weary Shimano touring sandals were rancid to the point they could strip wallpaper! And after four years and several mucky winters, my Specialized and Shimano RT82 examples weren't far behind.

Being a pump-spray bottle, it's easy and economical to apply. Round up your scuzzy stuff and give it a liberal coating from 10-15cm and leave to dry – ideally overnight.

My sandals needed to be saturated – three applications and left curing for a total of 16 hours – but to my surprise, they were returned to a socially acceptable state, with no sign of residue. It's tamed a few canvas tennis shoes and leather motorcycle gloves with similar ease.

The 8oz pump spray bottle also slips quite unobtrusively into most panniers, so could prove a boon for touring, where washing machines and other mod cons could be trickier to come by. Several weeks in and my shoes still smell sweet – and I've used surprisingly little product, suggesting a little goes a decent distance.

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I have some minor reservations about benzalkonium chloride. Like many other biocides, long-term exposure has been linked to organ toxicity, though more commonly results in rashes and blistering. In the right quantities, though, most chemicals can be considered safe. Personally, I prefer a more natural solution, where possible.

Verdict

Effective odour taming spray that lasts