What Will Be Your Mosquito Avoidance Techniques?

[maverick]

Consumer Reports article "Best Ways to Stop Bug Bites" 2014:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2014 ... /index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Brien]

We buy whatever is on sale. This is the time to stock up, the beginning of summer. My wife picked-up a few bottles of Deet last week for only $3 ea.

[TahoeJeff]

From the Consumer Report article Mav posted:

Off Deep Woods Sportsmen mini pump spray (98 percent deet) is claimed to provide maximum-strength protection for up to 10 hours. But products with 95 percent or more deet have been linked with serious side effects, including seizures, slurred speech, and coma.

That's what I used to use. I guess I'll go with something 30% or less like they suggest!

[RoguePhotonic]

My dad would take the 100% deet and literally bath his bare skin over all of his arms and face. he would hand back a bottle that would last me weeks and in a single use he had almost half the bottle on.

[Wandering Daisy]

As effective as is DEET, I hate the feel on my skin, and I always get into my eyes. It is amazing that someone could put half a bottle on at once! My husband does not attract mosquitoes- he swears it is his super doses of B vitamins. We have tried the gadget that continuously sprays- did not work at all. So I am back to the "cover up everything" method and camp on windy spots. I also get up and do breakfast very early - well before the sun shines. I am thinking of getting the "bugs-off" clothing. Has anyone had success with these?

[markskor]

Not yet mentioned, but diet can play an important part in avoiding mosquitos.
Talking garlic specifically here... Much like the grapefruit diet where your body goes into ketosis...starts secreting ketones in the sweat, large doses of garlic (best to start before the trip) turns your sweat into garlic-sweat. Mosquitos do not like garlic-sweat. Add/ saute garlic with everything / add to dinner...light too.

Another great anti-mosquito ploy is to hike with someone who the mosquitos are drawn to.
TehepiteTom and /or Rlown come to mind here. You can just stand next to both of them and never get bit...works for me.

[RoguePhotonic]

I wear Rail Riders Eco Mesh pants and even brand new claiming they have insect shield it had no effect at all. Maybe it works better for ticks.

[maverick]

Markskor wrote:
large doses of garlic (best to start before the trip) turns your sweat into garlic-sweat.
Mosquitos do not like garlic-sweat. Add/ saute garlic with everything / add to
dinner...light too.

Just make sure everyone else going on the trip is also eating it.
The article does mention that garlic, and B1 vitamins do not work.

[maverick]

Bump

Maybe some of you have added different techniques to your arsenal to deal with the mosquitoes.

[baikalcampsite]

I have found that Ultrathon works better for me than more concentrated DEET products. I became an Ultrathon fan when I encountered some fisherman coming out of the Sabrina Lake area as I was entering; they said it preserved their sanity and gave us the last bit in their container. We tested it against the 100% stuff and it won, easily. Maybe the inactive ingredients keep it on the skin longer. I only use it if it's not windy, and of course I prefer to hike and camp in places with nice breezes!

Another essential item for sleeping are earplugs. I don't mind getting bitten (with reason), but I hate hearing the whining buzz.