insect repellant

Going to Canada in 2 weeks and would like to get opinions on what is the best insect repellant to get?

Hooded sweatshirt and a headnet.

3M Ultrathon is the best I’ve used (spray).

Thanks for the info. Where do you get the Ultrathon?

For gnats we have been using a product called Buggins and that really works. Not sure how it works on skeeters…

Good luck
Dave

john23 wrote:

3M Ultrathon is the best I’ve used (spray).

This stuff works well. I think Fleet Farm carries it.

Yes 3m ultrathon at Scheels

In some years and areas in Canada even the best repellent don’t work.

For the really bad times I throw on a baseball cap with a mesh headnet over. Denser overshirt, or just thick bc those buggers will go right through a thin sweater/longsleeve. And spray the hands down good, or wear light gloves. While everyone is sitting and shooing them away from their face im sitting comfortable.

Deet

dfresh wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>john23 wrote:</div>
3M Ultrathon is the best I’ve used (spray).

This stuff works well. I think Fleet Farm carries it.

While guiding at night, Ultrathon and a Thermo-cell is always in my boat.

I use the lotion. People seem to use less in the lotion form and a very little is needed. That and I don’t care for any sprays in my boat.

I try not to use the Ultrathon if I can get by with the Thermo-cell.

They are both awesome products for biting bugs.

I’ll add for those pesky gnats I’ve started using

Buggins Natural Deet Free Gnat repellant.

This product has proven itself as well.

Seriously, no one suggested Deet 100.

When applied frequently it’ll even keep horse flies off ya.

Might kill ya, but it’s my preferred choice in repellent.

FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:

Seriously, no one suggested Deet 100.

The FW works at 3M and got a case of this in olive drab bottles that they make for the military. Works great and I only glow in the dark a little.

I liked the old school Muskol which I think have 80% DEET. Basically where there are serious bugs, more DEET is the way to go IMO.

Also totally agree re the hoodie and headnet. I would also add some fingerless light cotton gloves. Especially the biting flies seem to maul the back of my hands.

It’s the bugs that make me not want to go to Canada anytime before mid July.

Grouse

Thermo-cell. That is all I take when hunting or fishing in Canada and in MN for that matter

Funny story: A couple years ago I went on a fly-in trip. It had been raining hard the previous few days and we were on the tail end of the weather system, so the rain had just stopped and it was warm out. On the walk into the cabin we noticed all the little wiggly white things on our wet shoes but didn’t think much of it. Around 3am we started getting eaten alive inside the cabin. We closed the windows, killed every mosquito we could find, and went back to sleep. But soon after they were back. We spent a couple hours the next morning looking for holes in the screens, etc. We slept with the windows open the remaining nights with no problems, and I’m convinced that the wiggly white things became full grown mosquitoes inside of the cabin that night. We must have had near perfect timing.

Anyway, I agree that the thermocell works well, too, under most conditions. Ultrathon can be tough to find for some reason but it seems like I bump into it every year and one store or another. Buy a couple of bottles! I haven’t tried the lotion but I’m sure it works well.

belletaine wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FishBlood&RiverMud wrote:</div>
Seriously, no one suggested Deet 100.

The FW works at 3M and got a case of this in olive drab bottles that they make for the military. Works great and I only glow in the dark a little.

That’s why I suggested Deet (not a Deet derivative)

I like to spray my clothes, shoes and gear with permethrin, (available at Walmart, fleetfarm, Gander). Its great for repelling anything that crawls or bites. Then lightly spray exposed skin with deet. Permethrin will stay active on clothing for 4-6 washings. You need to spray it outdoors, let it dry and you’re good to go. No lingering smell, you cant tell its on your gear. BUT it is bad if you spray it around cats, can cause nerve damage. I used it morel mushroom hunting this year. Out almost every day 5/8-5/23 and not one tick and no skeeter bites. My hunting buds all had numerous ticks and a few skeeter bites using traditional topical sprays. Spray everything good, (pants, shirt, shoes, hat, tent, any cloth gear you have)let it dry, spray again, let dry and you’ll be bulletproof!

I mostly see it in a blue colored aerosol spray can near the bug sprays, but Walmart had it in their camping department in a yellow box with a yellow pump spray bottle for 9.99 for 12 oz.