bug repellent

I am currently working on getting my weight down (again). And the issue of mosquitoes has come up. The areas I get into in June and July are probably some of the worst mosquito-infested areas in the lower 48. Especially the Thorofare in the Teton Wilderness.

I HAVE TO HAVE bug dope. I will have a head net too, but head nets suck and can't cover up every inch of skin with thick clothing where I am going - it's just too darn warm.

What are some ULW bug options out there? I love Ultrathon 3M lotion, but I prefer sprays because you can spray on your clothing and the new sprays smell decent and don't feel greasy and nasty. OFF Smooth and Dry works well, but it's kind of heavy.....about 8-10 oz. And I would need two cans for 4-5 days in the Thorofare or even the high lakes in Colorado like the Flat Tops.

Any suggestions.

For compact bug repellent have you looked at these. They're cheap, small and probably rather light.

I just use some 100% DEET liquid which I repackage into 1oz dropper bottles.

I live in Minnesota where the mosquito is the state bird and they can suck you dry and carry off your remains during June and July

My solution is to wear light weight nylon pants like the MH canyon pants soaked in permethrin, a hat similarly coated and to also spray with permethrin and take a long sleeved nylon shirt like the REI fishing shirts instead of a windshirt. I wear the long pants and a t-shirt for hiking with ultrathon on my hands and arms and put on the longsleeved shirt and head net when I stop. The mosquitos can't bite through a tight weave nylon and the permethrin reduces the numbers where ever I stop.

I will second the use of permethrin soaked clothes. Works great, stays in and effective evan after several washes and is easily restored simply by soaking again. I am not a fan of lotions or sprays as they usually leave a greasy feeling and can cause my down bag to get dirty quickly. Bug net on the head and face when needed and I will spray my hands with DEET. I soak all my outer layers; pants, socks, shirts, fleece jacket and stay bug bite free for the most part.

All of these ideas will help me........not all will work but I'm definitely headed in the right direction.

I've used the little pump-spray bottles of deet and they work to a degree. The pumps can be unreliable and you usually end up having to smear the stuff around with your hands and the spray is always uneven. But these will work well in August when the mosquitoes start to subside a little.

Again, covering up all the way to the ankles and wrists will not work for me personally. I just can't stand to hike in pants and long sleeves when hiking in hot weather........I need the ventilation. But, these would be great around camp and fishing around lake edges.

Thanks for the help......and may all mosquitoes perish!!!

Just to clarify when I cover up completely is usually limited to the mornings at camp while packing or if base camping enjoying the view while eating breakfast or in the evening. I seldom hike completely covered up during the day in the spring, summer or early fall.

Fair enough, but in the high country in the Rockies, the mosquitoes are abundant almost all day long, especially in the deep timber where there is lots of shade and no wind. I get swarmed at 9AM, NOON, 2PM, 4PM, and 7PM. It doesn't really matter.

Mosquitoes always leave you alone when you are on the move, but when you stop to take a break, they swarm almost immediately. It would almost make sense to tote along a light blanket to encapsulate yourself while you take a breather and a water break!!!

When I'm in camp, I of course cover up as much as possible too.

I go in some brutal bug conditions.

I carry 100% deet - in a small 1oz nalgene typically. I use it relatively sparingly but I do need it on exposed bits. (neck, back of hand).

I also carry a simply headnet - it's just mesh - no rim, that will go over my brim hat. The main reason I do this is that while in really bad bugs, deet will keep them from biting it doesn't keep them from being inhaled or getting in your eyes. I have definately been out in mosquito weather in the rockies, and blackfly weather in the north where they were literally so thick they will get constantly inhaled and drive you utterly bat-crap insane. a headnet makes this much more pleasant, and the net type weighs almost nothing

I bought some Permethrin today.

How do you use it exactly? Do you just spray it on all clothes? Is it safe on synthetics? Does it give your clothes a foul odor?

I guess my main concern is sweat. I sometimes hike in cotton long sleeved T-shirts and on warm days I can sweat quite a bit into the cotton shirt. Does the Permethrin leach out with a foul odor? Does it get greasy?

Did the bottle give a dilution ratio for using it on animals or clothes? Here is a link to REI's site and the http://www.rei.com/product/768970 spray bottle they sell. Works wonderfully to spray on things not easily soaked. I dilute [url=http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/permethrin-sfr-368-125-gallon-p-445.html][/url] this down to between 3-5% solution and soak in a big plastic tub. Line dry the items, drop in dryer after words for setting and done. I have not had a smell issue or a rubbing off issue from perspiring. I do 4 peoples complete set of outdoor clothing and am still working off the quart bottle I bought 3 years ago.

I do cotton, synthetics, wool and do not have any issues with any of the fabrics. We are in the Grand Canyon, CO Rockies, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington, and Oregon backpacking and hiking.

I use the Repel brand in the aerosol can. For that, you just spray it on so the clothing is saturated. I particularly focus on cuffs, waistbands, and tops of socks. You aren't supposed to get it on your skin when wet, but once it's dry it is (supposedly) safe and won't leach out. I've used it on wool and various synthetics, and I can't tell it's there once it's dry, even if the clothes later get wet. I don't notice any odor.

Whenever my wife and I are trekking we always buy Pansie seeds in the small packs (planting kind) and run three to four bags through the coffee grinder. After that we put them into the wash and wash our hiking clothes. We just generally take them through a normal cycle and dry them like we always do. We never have a problem with bugs when we do this, so it eliminates the use of deet which I understand is a known carcinogen,,,sabre11004

P.S. Please do not think that i am condemning the use of deet. I have used it many times in the past and it works excellent...sabre11004

Really? I've never heard of that. And it keeps ticks off of you?

If so, I have to try it.

Bill

One thing I rarely see mentioned here are 'coils'. Deet and other gravy is a given, however, once I stop to camp, and the wind is low, I'll break up mosquito coils into 3" chunks, light them, and place them up wind of me. Sometimes 4 or 5 spots. I try and time them to be out a little past dark so I can be in the hammock under the bug net. Works well here in Texas and surrounding states. Can't say elsewhere.

I'm pretty sure that I've read in several studies that 100% deet doesn't keep the bugs off any better than 30% and is just a lot more toxic. I also just don't see that it is effective to try and get one drop of 100% to cover an entire arm or something. I just use a small spay bottle (2-3 ounces) of 30%.

I've read that too. Good point also. However, my 15? year old bottle of Sawyers 100% DEET is still going strong. I only apply when conditions absolutely warrant it. Yuck! I've tried Natrapel (sp?) which only works for a very short period.

I used the Sawyer sunblock with bug repellant for two weeks in Cambodia and Laos. Worked very well--the one evening I forgot, I got about 50 bites. For just face, arms, and legs, one of the 0.5oz bottles lasts about 8-9 days. DEET free, so it doesn't destroy plastic, but it irritated my skin for a few seconds after putting it on. Still it's very convenient, so I bought a few more for Sierra hikes this spring and summer.

I went with a 2oz tube of Sawyer Controlled Release this summer for 4 weeks in Alaska, and it ran loops around the 30% deet my hiking buddy brought. We quickly switched to using only the sawyer (when we bothered putting any on, I agree with you Phat on the mesh-only headnet). I recommend the Sawyer time-release highly.

Lately I have been using Ben's 100% DEET in 1.25 fl. oz. bottles with a pump spray applicator. I know what you mean about the bugs in that area. Have not tried this in that area. The pansie seed idea sounds interesting.

sk

That's the BEST stuff! Get it in the CAMPING section!





Disclaimer: May contain substances known to the state of California to cause Cancer.

When the liquid deet leaks it is horrible. For this reason I use a solid stick. I take a slice of it in tiny double bagged baggies. I wear long pants and long sleeves and just doctor exposed places.

I, too, like Ultrathon. The stuff rocks. I used to spray my clothes with deet, but then learned about permethrin. I now treat my clothing with permethrin once a season and I am good to go. Works way better than spraying deet on clothing (which i am not sure really worked anyway). This past season with my permethrin treated boonie hat I didn't need to put on any ultrathon on my face. As soon as my hat was removed though, the bugs started swarming. My advice... permethrin treatment on hats, clothes, especially the tops of socks.

everything causes cancer according to the state of california