Wind Shirt as Bug Shirt

[Ross Bleakney]

As I mentioned on another thread, I’ve used a bug shirt for many years but I’m switching to a headnet to save a fair amount of weight. I was planning on using my rain jacket (about 6 oz.) to wear around camp and serve as a bug shirt (combined with the headnet). I was thinking about using a wind shirt (thus leaving the rain jacket at home when I know the weather is nice). Does anyone have any experience with this? Can mosquitoes bite you through your wind shirt?

[Mark Heinig]

I hate the feel and smell of insect repellent, but I can comfortably coexist with the nastiest Sierra mosquitoes without it using: headnet, lightweight breathable wind jacket and pants, and Manzella silkweight Windstopper gloves. I have yet to suffer any bites using this barrier technique.

[Ross Bleakney]

Thanks. I’ll give that a try (one more reason to buy a wind shirt).

[R K]

Ross,

One of the benefits of using a windshirt is that mosquitoes can’t bite through the fabric. That being said it depends on the paticular fabric. Some have a tighter weave than others. I’ve heard some say the Pertex Microlight isn’t (when pulled tightly on the skin) completely bugproof. I use a Patagonia Houdini and it works just fine to keep the bloodsuckers at bay.

Roy

[Mark]

I do find that some fabrics are penetrable to bugs when stretched across the skin, e.g. at the elbows. I have seen this in the Montane Featherlite’s Microlite fabric and the Pertex Quantum of the Marmot Ion. This hasn’t been a significant problem, just a few pecks noticed here and there. I haven’t had that same issue with the GoLite windshirts, but there are other trade-offs involved.
-Mark

[eric levine]

I’ve used montane shirt with montbell pants with a cheap headnet. All works for me. The major problem is windshirt material is very hot hiking uphill on a hot day. In Colorado by the time cooler temps happen, the bugs are gone anyway.

[Dan Healy]

Before we did our trip to Norway (lots of flying bities) we soaked all our outer clothing in permythrin. This included long sleeve shirts, long pants, hat as well as night gear.

A small dab of Rid (a deet solution) on the face and backs of hands in the day whilst walking and never had a problem despite some decent hords of mossies. We didn’t use the headnets at all ’cause of the viewing issues.

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