Better Know your Bug Spray:
Why Picaridin and Permethrin Are Great Choices for
Insect Repellent, According to an Expert
by Steven John
Rainstorms. Heatwaves. Moose attacks. Dad forgot the tent/cooler/kayak. Swarming insects. What do all of these have in common? Correct! They are all great ways to ruin a camping trip. Or any outdoor fun, really.
While there’s not much you can do about rain or heat, you can avoid angry moose by planning where you’ll camp or trek, you can make a gear list and check it twice (or make sure mom or dad did), and you can keep most bugs at bay provided you have the best insect repellent on hand. (Or on boot, pant leg, tent, pack, hat, neck, etc., that is.)
If you’re just trying to make your backyard or patio a bit less hospitable to mosquitoes during a cookout, burning citronella candles or incense may be enough. A neighborhood stroll or playdate in the park? Maybe some natural insect repellent that relies on odors bugs hate will do just fine.
But when you and the family are hiking, climbing, camping, or otherwise playing around in areas that may well have disease-carrying ticks, mosquitoes, and other bugs, you need to use insect sprays that are tested and proven to work highly effectively. For insight into the best bug sprays that fit that bill, we checked in with an expert.
Kurt Avery is the marketing director at Sawyer, a company dedicated to keeping folks safe out there – they make insect repellents, water filtration systems, first aid kits, and sunscreen, e.g. – so we figured he’d be a good fellow to bounce a few questions off for the benefit of our collective well-being.
Permethrin bug spray is an effective insect repellent for gear, camp furniture, and apparel because it bonds well to fabric and protects against mosquitos and ticks for up to six washings or six weeks.
Picaridin is the currently the longest lasting EPA approved/endorsed formula on the market, lasting up to 14 hours.
What are the most effective types of insect repellent for mosquitoes and ticks?
“Permethrin, picaridin, and DEET are the most proven and longest lasting,” Avery said. For the record, while DEET has a bad rap with some folks, it’s considered safe by the EPA – we generally recommend permethrin-based repellents for gear and apparel and picaridin bug sprays or creams for skin not because of an aversion to DEET-based insect repellents, but just because we have found the others so effective.
What differentiates the two, though? And for what uses are the different types of bug spray best suited? We asked Kurt about that.
Why are some insect repellents better for use on gear/apparel while others are better for skin?
Avery replied: “Permethrin bonds with fabric fibers much like color dye would to cotton while topical insect repellents are inherently designed for skin and to be skin-safe, so products like [Sawyer’s] picaridin spray can be applied to fabrics but won’t last nearly as long as a fabric specific option.” Follow that?
Permethrin bug spray is the most effective insect repellent for gear, camp furniture apparel, outdoor tablecloths or pillows, and so on, because it bonds well and because it’s powerful and in fact even lethal to many insects.
(Sorry, ticks and mosquitoes and such, but if you may give us Lyme disease or West Nile virus, we’re not going to give you a chance.) It’s also not great for your skin, FYI. Picaridin, on the other hand? Safe stuff. As in…
Which insect repellents are safe for small kids?
“Picaridin is the currently longest lasting kid EPA approved/endorsed formula on the market, lasting up to 14 hours. Certain naturals can have some benefit but rarely longevity,” Avery said.
So in other words, picaridin bug spray is safe for kids, it’s a skin-safe insect repellent, and it lasts for hours. Which is a real bonus because kids might not appreciate lots of re-applications.
How do we best use insect repellents effectively? And are there mistakes people make when applying bug sprays?
“Just follow the directions on the bottle,” Avery said, adding: “The most common mistake is under-applying.” Like sunblock, insect repellent only lasts so long until it loses efficacy, and if you’re sweating or dealing with rain or splashes from the lake or river, that effective duration will be even shorter.
Photos c/o sawyer