A banner ad for WIN High Performance Sports Detergent caught my eye recently promising to “eliminate embedded sweat and odors” in athletic clothing.  What a great promise because, as we all know, technical clothing can get a bit funky.

I immediately emailed the company and about a week later received one sample-sized batch of WIN to try out.  According to the instructions, this sample should clean one large or two small loads.  I chose to use the sample for two small loads. 

At first I thought the company was being a bit cheap by only sending one sample, but as it turned out, that’s all it took.   The first load contained my cycling bibs, jersey, socks, gloves and mesh undershirt just after a ride.  They came out smelling clean or more accurately, not smelling sweaty.  However, this batch of clothing is fairly new and gets washed within minutes of each use.  While I was impressed with how clean and fresh my clothing was and felt it was an improvement over my usual detergent, I decided that a more demanding test was in order.

I dug out one of my all time favorite cycling jerseys from deep within the pile of things that should be burned in the name of sanitary responsibility.  I guess I kept it due to sentimental (mental, eh?) reasons.  My beloved red Assos jersey was one of the first high-end garments I purchased years ago. It served most of its useful life back when I would save up cycling and running clothes until I had a proper size load.  Needless to say, after a few years it became quite gamey and was eventually retired at the behest of my family and riding friends.  It just stunk!  Sometimes, I’d wash it with extra detergent and rinse it twice and hang it outside to dry and then put it on, trying to convince myself that some how the smell was gone.   Of course, once it heated up the aroma could not be denied.

Could WIN actually heal my beloved jersey?  Could it remove in one washing what took years of pain and effort to install deep within the fibers of that fabulous red security blanket of a jersey?  Actually, unbelievably, it did. 

At first, I wouldn’t let myself believe it.  Sure, it smelled okay in my air-conditioned house, but as soon as I got out on the bike, I expected the familiar bacterial bouquet to rise as it had so many times before – but it didn’t.  After nearly three hours on a mountain bike, soaked to the bone in sweat and effort, I stunk but the jersey was just sweaty.  Surprised, as I had forgotten that I was testing a detergent, I took it off and gave it the “crumbled up, deep sniff while crammed in the face” smell test (yea, nasty, but I go deep for TgR readers) and the funk was gone.

Just like that, I had my jersey back.  Of course, I’ve had lots of nice gear since the hay day of the red Assos jersey and now realize that my revered red jersey is a worn out rag.  But at least now it can be retired in a manor befitting something so dear to me and pulled out for the occasional nostalgia trip.

WIN costs about twice as much per load as the normal detergent I use, but it works much better and leaves my clothes clean without leaving a heavy perfume behind.   A two pack of WIN purchased for $13.99 (21oz x 2) will wash as many loads as the 120oz mega size bottle of my normal detergent at $7.00.  I deem that to be reasonable value in light of its performance.  WIN works with High Efficiency washers and claims to be safer for technical type clothing.

WIN is definitely worth your attention. 

Mark