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Best Insect/tick Repellent?

griffinox
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Prime Suspect

+Prime Suspect

Posted
Posted

Cutter Advanced, with Picaridin, the only product besides DEET that's recommended by the CDC for West Nile virus protection. It's now available in a 15% solution in Cutter Advanced Outdoorsman, which gives 8 hour protection.

 

Unlike DEET, it won't melt your GPS case, and it won't make you mouth numb if you happen to touch some to your lips.

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Mary&Dave

+Mary&Dave

Posted
Posted

We do a lot of backpacking where showers might not be available for a few days (or a few weeks), and both of us absolutely HATE DEET. If you want something that isn't horribly toxic, I've found that All Terrain Herbal Armor works pretty well. The biggest downside is that it doesn't last all day - only for about an hour - then you have to reapply. You also tend to smell a bit like Thai lemongrass soup, but I'd take that any day to the stench of DEET. It worked well last July through some of Oregon's worst mosquitos, though, and that's saying something. <_<

 

As for ticks, I'd go for pants. Solumbra makes some really lightweight pants that are even cooler than shorts. I bought a pair for hiking through the Mojave desert, and I LOVE them. Had a frightening number of ticks on them a few weeks ago, though - better on the pants than on my legs!

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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted

I make sure I use a DEET based repellent and the best one I've found is Ultrathon. It just seems to last a lot longer than other repellents. I use the Ultrathon cream.

 

If I'm venturing into tick country, I'll also treat my clothing with a permethrin based repellent. Permethrin should only be applied to clothing, but it works great on ticks. It actually kills them so you get a smug sense of self satisfaction and walk through the woods with a "go ahead, make my day" attitude. The brands of permethrin that I see most often are Permanone, Duranon and Sawyer (Sawyer makes both DEET and permethrin based products under that name so check the label).

 

I've never used a Picaridin based repellent. As Prime Suspect said, its the only other proven effective repellent made for your skin. Since DEET has been around for 50 years and been proven safe and effective after use by billions of people, I think I'll stick with that.

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Sue Gremlin

+Sue Gremlin

Posted
Posted

I second the endorsement of Cutter Advanced. It has a much better toxicological profile than DEET, (which has always made me nervous), and is way more pleasant to apply. It doesn't melt plastic like DEET, and it doesn't leave that sticky, icky, nasty feel on your skin.

We have been using it this summer and it is remarkably effective, at least as much so as DEET.

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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted

Another advantage of Picaridin is that it plays well with sunscreen. When both DEET and sunscreen are put on the skin, they each make the other work much less effectively.

 

Yeah, but the smell and sticky feeling you get from DEET just screams outdoors to me. Sometimes when I'm trapped indoors at home or work, I load up with it just so I can get that outdoorsy feeling.

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Prothos

+Prothos

Posted
Posted (edited)

Cutter Advanced, with Picaridin, the only product besides DEET that's recommended by the CDC for West Nile virus protection. It's now available in a 15% solution in Cutter Advanced Outdoorsman, which gives 8 hour protection.

 

Unlike DEET, it won't melt your GPS case, and it won't make you mouth numb if you happen to touch some to your lips.

I just bought the advance outdoorsman on sunday 06/4/06. seemd to work great for all insects except horseflys. we had a few in the are we cached that seemd to be drawn to the repellent.

Edited by Prothos
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Jhwk

+Jhwk

Posted
Posted

I usually just stick with the good old deep woods off. Seems to keep most of the animals at bay. The trick is to actually USE the stuff, no matter how short your trek.

 

Last summer I went for a 2/2 cache just off an old logging road in a park here in the ozarks. The distance from cache-mobile to cache was less than 1/4 mile. Round trip took less than 30 minutes. It took me nearly a month to recover from the chigger assault. I thought (wrongly) that short trip and old road = no problems. WRONG I would rather be set on fire than have to endure that month long nightmarish itch fest again.

 

If you step into the woods, make sure you are protected. no matter the time involved. At least spray your pants/lower legs.

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ADK 46-R

+ADK 46-R

Posted
Posted (edited)

We do a lot of backpacking where showers might not be available for a few days (or a few weeks), and both of us absolutely HATE DEET. If you want something that isn't horribly toxic, I've found that All Terrain Herbal Armor works pretty well. The biggest downside is that it doesn't last all day - only for about an hour - then you have to reapply. You also tend to smell a bit like Thai lemongrass soup, but I'd take that any day to the stench of DEET. It worked well last July through some of Oregon's worst mosquitos, though, and that's saying something. :laughing:

 

As for ticks, I'd go for pants. Solumbra makes some really lightweight pants that are even cooler than shorts. I bought a pair for hiking through the Mojave desert, and I LOVE them. Had a frightening number of ticks on them a few weeks ago, though - better on the pants than on my legs!

 

all terrain is great thanks for that mary and dave!

 

has anyone tried all terrains energy supplements, like energy armor or endurance armor? i'm just curious about what your thoughts are on those supplements? im looking to try some, anyone try any of them?

Edited by ADK 46-R
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70mmkrypto

70mmkrypto

Posted
Posted

as a long time hiker and woods walker, i have come up with several solutions for ticks that work VERY well:

 

around my hiking boots it have made a strip of double fleece wraps, 3" high, with ties to secure them. Before i start out LIBERALLY soak these with 100% deet. Takes care of the ticks at that end. I also spray my clothes liberally with REPEX , a deet based insect spray. Near my eyes and nose i use the herbal sprays, these are less offensive on the eyes/nose.

 

In the campsite i set up a perimiter defense of skeeter coils.

 

no bugs in my campsite :anibad:

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hukilaulau

+hukilaulau

Posted
Posted

I make sure I use a DEET based repellent

 

If I'm venturing into tick country, I'll also treat my clothing with a permethrin based repellent. Permethrin should only be applied to clothing, but it works great on ticks. It actually kills them so you get a smug sense of self satisfaction and walk through the woods with a "go ahead, make my day" attitude. The brands of permethrin that I see most often are Permanone, Duranon and Sawyer (Sawyer makes both DEET and permethrin based products under that name so check the label).

 

I've been using this combination in high tick country (NY, MA, CT) since I saw a post by Brian about a year ago. It has worked great. I've added isopropyl alcohol for chiggers since I saw a post about that. I leave that in the truck and swab my ankles with it when I return from the woods. During my temporary stay in Arizona I just need a pair of tweezers to pull out the cactus darts!

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Prime Suspect

+Prime Suspect

Posted
Posted

No one knows why but here in the UK Avon Skin-So-Soft Soft & Sensual Dry Oil Body Spray reppels all flying insects having removed my first tick of the year i can confirm they are unaffected :anibad: works well on kids as its tested for allergens.

Studies have show that Skin So Soft work only slightly better than distilled water.

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carleenp

+carleenp

Posted
Posted

Does Permethrin on your clothes work against chiggers, mosquiotoes, flies, other? (beside ticks)

 

It does not particularly work against mosquitos and flies because permethrin is an insecticide rather than a repellent. So the quick biting things will still bite and then later die...

 

Since ticks crawl around some before settling in, it works great with them. I would guess it would work well with chiggers too. I usually treat a pair of socks along with my lightwieght pants.

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markp99

+markp99

Posted
Posted

What is the recommended application of DEET-based products?

 

100% coverage of exposed skin? Are ticks/mosquitos repelled by the "smell" or the "taste" of these products. Should I also apply this stuff to my clothing?

 

All of the ticks I've had to pull off of myself (at home) this season were UNDER my clothing. :blink:

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Vinny & Sue Team

+Vinny & Sue Team

Posted
Posted

Hate to be a party-pooper, but I never wear or use any kind of insect repellents. First, the idea of a chigger, mosquito or tick biting me does not particularly bother me, nor do I worry about transmissible diseases, and, even though I have cached, hiked and explored all across the USA and also in southern India and Nicaragua, I have never felt the need to use an insect repellent. I guess that if I were planning to be outdoors extensively in certain parts of South America and Africa, then I might consider using a repellent.

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dhenninger

+dhenninger

Posted
Posted

From my experience on Yesterday, DEET does nothing to deter ticks. During 1 day of Caching in the NJ Pine Barrens, I picked at least 100 ticks off either my skin or my clothing. Worst tick day ever!

 

I wish they made either tick collars or frontline for people :(

 

I wish they sold doxycycline at Sam's Club.

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D@nim@l

+D@nim@l

Posted
Posted

I bought some Cutter Advance (Picaridin) (2 for 4.99 at Target) and tried it today and it seemed to work well. There is literally no odor and feels very light on the skin. It also has a little lock feature on the spray head to keep it from squirting accidently in your pack.

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Mary&Dave

+Mary&Dave

Posted
Posted

What is the recommended application of DEET-based products?

 

100% coverage of exposed skin? Are ticks/mosquitos repelled by the "smell" or the "taste" of these products. Should I also apply this stuff to my clothing?

 

Your body secretes chemicals that are attractive to insects. DEET masks these chemical "signals". Where you have DEET, mosquitos won't land. Where you don't have DEET, they'll be happy to bite. I've had them swarm around looking for a DEET-free spot to land and bite. It doesn't do any good to spray it on clothing.

 

That's the other reason I like the herbal stuff. It doesn't work as well as DEET, but it works differently. Instead of masking your scent, it repels bugs. You don't need to have it everywhere for it to be effective. I've used my share of DEET, but I really, really hate it.

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