Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent for Clothing, Gear & Tents

I just came back from a nine-day trip deep into the Peruvian jungle -- into the reserve part of Manu National Park. It was an incredible journey! Fantastic nature, and incredibly isolated and pristine (an area never disturbed, and still inhabited by non-contacted peoples). But ahead of time I was extremely nervous about mosquito bites, because twice in the last ten years or so I have been to the emergency clinic with dozens of bug bites and a very strong allergic reaction to them. I practically obsessed over what to do to prevent mosquito bites as much as possible, because I have had such a strong reaction to bug bites, and the jungle is certainly full of mosquitos and other biting insects!.I am very happy to say that everything that I did worked -- I got very few bites, and I didn't even notice them until I searched for them. Everyone else in our group got plenty of bites, and they were itching like crazy, but not me!!!Here is what I did and what I brought:1. I have a Peruvian friend who is a doctor. He told me to take Vitamin B complex every day for a week before the trip and every day in the jungle. I used these: Nature Made Super B Complex Tablets, Value Size, 360 Count2. I bought two bottles of this Permethrin spray and very carefully sprayed ALL of my clothing, carefully following the directions on the bottle. I sprayed all of my clothing at home in my garage, and then packed it all in these giant ziploc bags: Ziploc Big Bag Double Zipper, Large, 5-Count (by the way, those bags were great for packing everything and really helped to keep things from getting too damp in the 100% humidity jungle!). I sprayed the three pairs of hiking pants I brought, three long-sleeved shirts, all of my thick hiking socks, and my sunhat (both sides). I put extra spray at all openings - pant cuffs, shirt cuffs, and shirt button seams.While there I always tucked my pants legs into my socks. The tour company had suggested wearing a cotton t-short under long-sleeved shirts because the mosquitoes bite through clothing, but I never did that; I didn't need to as I just didn't get bites through the Permethrin-sprayed clothing. This stuff really worked, as I did not get bites through my Permethrin-treated clothing!3. I took the antihistamine Loratidine (generic for Claritin, this one: GoodSense Allergy Relief Loratadine Tablets, 10 mg, 30 Count Bottle) as a prophylactic every morning, to prevent my strong reaction to bites. This worked GREAT -- I did get a few bites, as I could see the tiny red dots, but I didn't feel anything at all from them! I took only enough for the days that I was in the jungle. In the two days in Cusco before returning to the US I started itching a little on a couple of bites. In hindsight I should have taken a few extra tablets to take in the next few days after the trip. (Another hint - some people get drowsy on this stuff; I tested it first at home before going on my trip. There are other OTC non-drowsy antihistamines you can try if this doesn't work, like the generic for Zyrtec.)4. I bought DEET. In my paranoia about insect bites and my prior reaction to them, I bought several different versions of DEET -- spray, wipes, and lotion, but I used only this spray, and only three times: Repel 94101 6-Ounce Sportsmen Max Insect Repellent 40-Percent DEET Pump Spray, Case Pack of 1. That bottle is plenty for lots of people; to minimize weight and volume in your pack you might even want to put it into a smaller travel-sized spray bottle. I sprayed the backs of my hands, and then wiped from the backs of my hands onto my neck, cheeks, and forehead.5. I had a mosquito head net that I purchased many years ago. Amazon has others but not the one that I have, so I can't give a link. I used this only two or three times when the mosquitos were especially thick. I had sprayed this also with Permethrin before leaving home.6. I also brought with me an over the counter anti-itch creme (hydrocortisone), and a prescription-strength anti-itch creme (Clobetisol). I never used either one!!!!! But my travelling partners sure were happy that I had it so they could use it! I also had Sting Eze (StingEze Max2 Insect Bite Itch Relief Dauber, 0.5-Ounce), but this too I never needed, and my travelling friends were very happy to use.I worried a LOT before the trip about getting mosquito bites and my reaction to them. Really worried. I questioned my sanity for going! But with this Permethrin spray and everything else I did to prep, I had NO problems with mosquitos and I was able to totally enjoy the trip!!!!

AVOID ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME...at all costs! If I am outdoors with you, I guarantee you don't have to worry about mosquitoes because they will ALL be on me. I can barely step foot outdoors without being utterly harassed by them. I am so miserable during the summer, I can't even eat with the family out on the patio table. This stuff is amazing because I can put it on my 'going-in-the-yard' clothes and keep the buggers away. I don't have to drench my skin in some kind of chemical every time I want to leave the house.I got this to spray my lightweight summer SPF water shirts so I can throw them on over my clothes when I go in the garden or want to eat on the deck. I don't want to drench my skin in chemicals every day just to take care of my plants or enjoy the outdoors.KEY POINTS:-This is a synthetic version of the natural pyrethrin found in types of chrysanthemums. Because the natural version from the flower doesn't last long, the synthetic version (pyrethrin - found in this product) is a more stable and useful version.-FLOWERS: Grow your own pyrethrin chrysanthemums around your property to help repel bugs. I've bought seeds and never had much success growing them, even though they are perennials in zone 4a to 10b. I will keep trying to get them started around my deck. IN THE MEANTIME, I'm using this synthetic product around where I want to hang out.-TICKS!! This product affects the nervous system of more than just mosquitoes. My other concern is ticks, which I'm somewhat terrified of. We live in the tick capital of the US where I have seen people's lives upturned by Lyme's disease. I'm most afraid of the Lone Star Tick bite (look it up along with Alpha-Gal syndrome, and you might just be as terrified as I am of these little devils!). I don't play around...I'd rather put this spray all over the place than get bitten by these critters. Also, get chickens...they eat ticks :)

Bought these per my travel clinics recommendation for traveling SEA. First trip to Vietnam and I prepped and sprayed my clothes, followed directions on bottle. And didnt get a single bite. I was using this product in conjunction with a topical twice a day big lotion.Second time I used these was for a 45 day trip. I was able to spray just before departing as the lifespan is just under 45 days once applied. And didn't want to travel with it.Worked perfectly.Leaves no residue. Leaves no scent or fragrance. From what I can tell applying to a variety of fabrics, no damage either.Everyone around me at various times would be commenting on the mosquitos, even after using their own repellant. I had no complaints and usually would be devoured. Plan to use this for NE USA summer visits too.

0.5% not bad for an aerosol can. Decent performance. But I’ll be buying a “mix it yourself” and a spray bottle in the future though. This will not be a repeat buy.

I am out in tick infested fields constantly while birding--old cranberry bogs, marshes, and the like and coat my pants with Sawyers every 6 weeks or so. I rarely, if ever, see a tick on me, and if I do, it is usually dying on the pants. Works against all types of ticks. Can't speak to its effectiveness against other pests because they're not really a problem for me--nothing works against deer flies or greenhead flies. Still, highly recommended. Washing on gentle cycle and air drying helps prolong the effectiveness of the spray--that way the molecules don't get jostled off the material, as I understand it.