Trail-Tested Bug Defense

There’s nothing like being deep in the backcountry—until the bugs show up.

You’re out there soaking up the silence, setting up your shelter, and sipping your hard-earned creek-filtered coffee... and suddenly the mosquitoes descend like a black cloud. Or you check your legs after sitting on a log and—bam—ticks. If you’ve ever danced barefoot around your tent trying to shake them off, you know the feeling.

I’ve learned (the itchy way) that insect strategy matters just as much as food, fire, and water. You don’t just hike with a pack—you hike with a plan. And that plan includes Sawyer Premium Permethrin.

Why Permethrin? Because It Works.

If you’ve never used it, Sawyer’s Permethrin Spray for Clothing, Gear & Tents is a game changer. This isn’t some lavender-scented guesswork—it’s a legit insect repellent that bonds to fabric fibers for up to 6 weeks or 6 washes, killing ticks, mosquitoes, and over 50 kinds of biting bugs on contact. And no, it doesn’t stink or leave greasy residue behind.

I treat everything—my clothes, my hammock, my quilt, my chair, even the underside of my pack. Before every trip, I string my gear up in the yard on a line and go full-spray mode. Shirts, pants, socks, sleeves, seams, cuffs, bottom of the pack… if it touches vegetation or sits on the ground, it gets treated.

❖ Bonus Tactic: I spray the ground where I sit, and the legs of my camp chair—especially in tick country with DEET. That’s where the ambushes happen.

Deet, Eucalyptus & Other Tools in the Belt

When it comes to skin-level protection, I go with picaridin depending on the environment. DEET still reigns supreme for deep woods or swampy zones, but picaridin is less oily, better-smelling, and doesn’t irritate my eyes. In my option and experience Sawyer's Picaridin Insect Repellent is as good if not better than DEET in low-humidity environments.

For folks who prefer a “natural” option, lemon eucalyptus oil is your best bet. Just know that it won’t last as long as DEET and will need to be reapplied often.

Natural Tricks from the Trail

There’s value in fieldcraft too. I’ve used smoke from a smoldering fire to clear bugs from a cooking area, and I’ve crushed wild mint leaves in my fingers to rub around my neck and wrists.

Doesn’t beat Sawyer, but in a pinch, it’s something.

Just be sure you’re actually using mint and not some toxic look-alike. When in doubt, skip the plant-based experiments.

Mindset Matters: The Bugs Aren’t Out to Get You (But They Will If You Let Them)

It’s easy to get flustered when the bugs get bad. But don’t let them break your stride. The woods are wild, and everything in them is just doing what it does. Have a plan, run your system, laugh it off when needed. Your reaction is what determines whether a bug encounter ruins your trip or becomes another story around the fire.

Final Thoughts

If you’re headed into the wild, don’t leave your insect plan up to luck. Ticks and mosquitoes aren’t just annoying—they can carry serious diseases. Sawyer Permethrin Spray has earned its place in my system, right next to water purification and fire-starting gear. It works, it lasts, and it turns “biting bug country” into just another part of the adventure.

Plan. Spray. Prevail.

And if all else fails? Just keep moving. Bugs hate wind.