Insect repellent

[hwc1954]

OK, I can't prove this actually works except that I spent two nights last week camping in dense woods next to a stream, never used any DEET at the campsite and never got bitten once...

I've been using permethrin spray to treat my hiking clothes. It's a spray or wash treatment for clothing that works after it is dry and lasts through multiple washings and/or days of UV exposure. It's the stuff that is used as the factory treatment for InsectShield clothing. Also available in spray for treating your own clothes and fabric. You just have to let it dry. Doesn't work wet on your skin like DEET. I guess the US military uses a lot of it. I got it initially for socks and pants to keep ticks from finding a home and avoid Lyme disease, but I've since treated all my hiking shorts and pants and shirts and hats.

http://www.rei.com/product/768970/sa...mp-spray-24-oz

Anyway, I've been very pleased with hiking clothes treated with this stuff. I've also spray treated my backpacks.

So, the other day, when I pitched my tent, I lightly sprayed the entire tent (before I put the rain fly on) with extra coverage around the doors. I also lightly sprayed the underside of the Kelty tarp. Because there's so much fabric area, I just lightly sprayed instead of the heavier treatment that you would do on clothing. Then, I let it dryr. As I say, I can't prove that it works, except that I had no bugs bothering me at all -- even after I had showered off the DEET after hiking. Basically, any bug that walks on the tent or tarp is dead. That part I know works. What I can't tell for sure is whether the treatment of the tent and the tarp was enough to keep most of the bugs away from the campsite, period.

Either way, I was happy not to be bothered and to not have to use DEET at night. I grin and bear it on hikes. Figure with the sun and sweat and all, the DEET just adds to the ambience, but I really can't stand slathering that stuff on when I'm cleaned up.

I figured out the concentration to mix the same spray from concentrates that are available (it's widely used as a bedbug treatment and for stables). So I can buy a small bottle of concentrate that makes five 24 ounce spray bottles for the price of one from REI. One treatment of the tent should last the entire bug season. Respray once a year... Maybe more often if you spray the outside of the fly around the door area (UV will make it less effective over time).

[Mike]

Re: Insect repellent

How much does it cost?

[hwc1954]

Re: Insect repellent

See the REI link above. A 24 ounce spray bottle is $16. That's enough to do a tent and a tarp and a camp chair.

After I went through my first spray bottle doing hiking pants and socks and hats and stuff, I bought this concentrate: Mix one ounce in the empty 24 ounce spray bottle and fill it up with water for exactly the same solution. Makes five 24 ounce spray bottles for $16.

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/bo...te-p-3634.html

That's enough to do all your outdoor gear and clothing. For all intents and purposes, one application will last a season. It's good for six washings and something like 42 days of UV exposure.

Unlike DEET, this stuff doesn't melt synthetic fabrics, so you can use it on tents and tarps and poly/nylon hiking clothes.

[Gdawgs]

Re: Insect repellent

A good friend of mine does a lot of geocaching. He is a firm believer in Permethrin. This spring he went on 4 or 5 different group geocaching events. He has all his clothes treated, while none of the others in his group did. After each trip, every other person had 15-20 ticks on them. He has not found one tick on himself all year so far. I used it up in the boundary waters last year and was never bothered by any insects. Although they were bad at the time I was there. Thanks for the videos, great info.

[immadman]

Re: Insect repellent

Permethrin is one of the active ingredients in some of the anti flea and tick drops for our feline and canine friends (Advantix is one of them).

[ppine]

Re: Insect repellent

Anything for defense against insects in wet country. You are probably on to something important.

[hwc1954]

Re: Insect repellent

My personal experience is that you need both deet and permethrin.

Yeah. When I'm hiking, I wear permethrin treated clothing and then spritz a litte DEET on exposed skin. Knock on wood, I hiked thru black fly season in NH and haven't gotten bit yet, including a couple of days when other hikers were swatting right and left and getting eaten alive. No ticks at all; however, they aren't a big problem in the White Mountains. Still, I feel a lot better with treated socks and pant legs just in case.

Gotta be really careful with DEET around synthetic fabrics and gear. It melts plastics.

Treating the tent and rain tarp with Permethrin was so easy to do when first setting up camp. Ideally, you'd want to do it and then go away and let it air dry for a couple of hours.