+Skully & Mulder et al. Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 I'm wondering what repellent without DEET works best. I just tried "Cutter" Insect Repellent. It actually attracts insects toward you (not really, but it does not keep them away!). "Deep Woods Off" works ok for me. Is there anything out there that is realld good? Quote Link to comment
+Ozarktroutbum Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Avon skin so soft is really good. Plus it smells better than most of the other products. Note to ALL cachers. Do NOT spray insect repellant near your GPSr as it will RUIN the clear plastic screen. Learned this years ago when I sprayed Off near my depth finder. It turned a milky white and had to be replaced. Do I have to draw you a map????? Quote Link to comment
JAVILA Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 If u want the best its gonna have to contain some deet. I have found that even 10% deet does the job. The more deet it has the longer it last and wont have to re-apply. I heard the jury is still out on whether it has any side effects. If used on kids just have them take a good bath afterwards. If u use anything that contains a scent (perfume) it will atract flying inscents and maybe four legged creatures?! Quote Link to comment
JAVILA Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 If u want the best its gonna have to contain some deet. I have found that even 10% deet does the job. The more deet it has the longer it last and wont have to re-apply. I heard the jury is still out on whether it has any side effects. If used on kids just have them take a good bath afterwards. If u use anything that contains a scent (perfume) it will atract flying inscents and maybe four legged creatures?! Quote Link to comment
+Plank Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 I believe Deep Woods Off was rated #1 a while back in Consumer Reports. My memory is a bit fuzzy though. Quote Link to comment
+Lazyboy & Mitey Mite Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Only thing that seems to work for me is anything with deet in it. Never Squat With Yer Spurs On Quote Link to comment
+Showcase_Boyz Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 For a "natural" repellent, 1 0z each of Eucalyptus and Chamomille leaves boiled together in 1 gallon of water. Strain and place in spray bottles. Havn't tried it, but most nature folk I've talked to have. Mike (The DirtMan) Pellerin aka Badger dirtman@iname.com Jason Dobson aka "Jay" "J" Myth8499@aol.com Quote Link to comment
+Salvelinus Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 We make our own using Citronella oil and kerosene. Nothing I have ever tried is as good as this and nothing smells as bad! We call it "Skeeter Scatter" Advice For the guys... It makes women scatter too, so don't use it before a date! Drop me an e-mail if you want the recipe. I have to consult a friend for the exact proportions. I have used skin-so-soft and am convinced it a gimmick. If I don't have "Skeeter Scatter" I use Muskol...but that has deet. Smoochnme "He who hesitates is lost" Quote Link to comment
+Salvelinus Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 We make our own using Citronella oil and kerosene. Nothing I have ever tried is as good as this and nothing smells as bad! We call it "Skeeter Scatter" Advice For the guys... It makes women scatter too, so don't use it before a date! Drop me an e-mail if you want the recipe. I have to consult a friend for the exact proportions. I have used skin-so-soft and am convinced it a gimmick. If I don't have "Skeeter Scatter" I use Muskol...but that has deet. Smoochnme "He who hesitates is lost" Quote Link to comment
+PewterZ Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 This isn't exactly repellent but when I go hiking or caching by myself in the summer the bugs drive me nuts. But when I go caching with my teammate they don't bother me as bad. I still get a few pestering me but they seem to like him better. He doesn't smell or anything but he is a bigger guy and thus releases more carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is how most bugs find you. Other than that I have used deet products without any ill-effect's YET! -PewterZ Quote Link to comment
+The GeoGadgets Team Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 Well, I'll be brief, and I still don't know if it will help: We have a fool-proof way to keep mosquitos out of the yard between rains. Mix equal parts lemon juice, lemon-scented ammonia and lemon-scented dishwashing liquid (like Dawn); place mixture in the type of lawn sprayer that attaches to a common garden hose and spray the all of the lawn, trees and bushes in your yard or area. It doesn't have to be doused, but get some on all shrubbery, etc. Repeat after each rain. If someone could find a way to make this usable for humans, let me know. I can't imagine dousing myself in ammonia... Also, light-colored clothing attracts mosquitos like a summer porch light attracts moths. The darker the clothing the harder to find on the bugs' radar. Any perfumes, hair sprays, etc. are mosquito, bee and hornet magnets. In the summers I use a half-cup of lemon-scented ammonia in each load of laundry. Not only does it make my laundry cleaner (and my whites whiter!) but it seems to counter the perfumy effects of most laundry soaps, limiting the attraction quotient for annoying flying/biting critters. Just my own personal experiences... ---------- Lori aka: RedwoodRed KF6VFI "I don't get lost, I investigate alternative destinations." GeoGadgets Team Website Comics, Video Games and Movie Fansite "Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is." - Yoda, Jedi Master from Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Quote Link to comment
Geo Quest Posted May 31, 2002 Share Posted May 31, 2002 I have, in fact, tried Avon's Skin So Soft because I heard it was a good skeeter keeper awayer. Turns out, it's not. I use Deep Woods Off in a little pump bottle. Works good, tastes bad. If you get it on your lips you'll be tasting it all day. "There's no need to be afraid of strange noises in the night. Anything that intends you harm will stalk you silently." Quote Link to comment
+st_richardson Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Geo Quest: I use Deep Woods Off in a little pump bottle. Works good, tastes bad. If you get it on your lips you'll be tasting it all day. ... And you know this because??? Reminder to everyone never spray anything near your face that you wouldn't want in your eyes or mouth. Also remember you can lick your fingers after fried chicken but not after applying lotions or bug spray. Quote Link to comment
+st_richardson Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 quote:Originally posted by Geo Quest: I use Deep Woods Off in a little pump bottle. Works good, tastes bad. If you get it on your lips you'll be tasting it all day. ... And you know this because??? Reminder to everyone never spray anything near your face that you wouldn't want in your eyes or mouth. Also remember you can lick your fingers after fried chicken but not after applying lotions or bug spray. Quote Link to comment
SkydiverBC Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 Deep Woods Off for Sportsman - 28.5% deet. I was working in the Northwest Territories were the mosquitoes are close to the size of a quarter. Men working on the CANOL Pipepline (americans) in 1940 something were actually going crazy from the bugs. Well Deep woods off for Sportsmen worked for me very, very well. People I was hiking withg were using Skin-So-Soft and other creams with deet but none of them worked as well as my spray. Also, the Canadian military did some experiments with Deet and bugs and determined that approx. 35% deet was the maximum effectiveness point. This means the "BOB's 100% DEET" is no better than a product with 35% deet. Deep woods off for Sportsmen is 28.5% and works great. I want to die like my grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. Quote Link to comment
SkydiverBC Posted June 1, 2002 Share Posted June 1, 2002 Deep Woods Off for Sportsman - 28.5% deet. I was working in the Northwest Territories were the mosquitoes are close to the size of a quarter. Men working on the CANOL Pipepline (americans) in 1940 something were actually going crazy from the bugs. Well Deep woods off for Sportsmen worked for me very, very well. People I was hiking withg were using Skin-So-Soft and other creams with deet but none of them worked as well as my spray. Also, the Canadian military did some experiments with Deet and bugs and determined that approx. 35% deet was the maximum effectiveness point. This means the "BOB's 100% DEET" is no better than a product with 35% deet. Deep woods off for Sportsmen is 28.5% and works great. I want to die like my grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted June 2, 2002 Share Posted June 2, 2002 Many people swear by Skin So Soft. Oddly enough, researchers have found that it works about as well as wearing no repellent and I've personally found it to be useless (other than for nice, soft skin). Repellents containing DEET are by far the most effective and from what I read, you gain nothing by using concentrations of over 20 - 30 percent. The best repellents I've found so far are Ultrathon and Sawyer Controlled Release. DEET is the active ingredient in both, but it comes in a time release form, making it longer lasting. And for those who hesitate to use DEET, I think the dangers of insect borne diseases such as Lyme, West Nile, Rocky Mtn Spotted Fever, etc... are much more real than any supposed dangers of DEET. Permethrin is also used by some. It has the added advantage of killing any of the little nasties that come in contact with it. But being an insecticide, it should only be applied to your clothing and not to bare skin. I personally wouldn't use it on children either. If you are going into serious insect country, Permethrin on your clothing and DEET on your skin is the way to go. I also found that eating lots of garlic (or taking a garlic suppliment)helps keep moquitos at bay. I do both and while others are being eaten alive, I receive relatively few bites. On the downside, I haven't had a date in year [This message was edited by BrianSnat on June 02, 2002 at 04:18 AM.] Quote Link to comment
+El Diablo Posted June 2, 2002 Share Posted June 2, 2002 We seem to be divided on the Skin So Soft. I have used it for 2 summers and I swear by it! Happy geocaching El Diablo Everything you do in life...will impact someone,for better or for worse. Quote Link to comment
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