Mosiquito Headnet

[Tim Testa]

Ive been told to consider getting one if I am going to do a thur hike on the AT next year. I saw this one. Any thoughts?

http://www.backcountryedge.com/outdoor_research-headnet.aspx

[Jeff K]

I haven't used that head net so take my opinion with a couple grains of salt.

It is important for the head net not to be touching your face or neck or the mosquitoes will still be able to bite through the netting and get to you. However, I always hike with a hat on, so I can use that to keep the mesh away from me and then the springs seem to be heavy and unneeded. They sell two different head nets at this site. One is .3oz and othe other is .6oz.

Someone that has used both might be able to comment better, but I believe the lighter one has better visibility, breath ability, etc. But has a higher chance of allowing some noseeumums to squeeze through the mesh.

I know 2.2oz isn't much, but after hiking all or most of the AT with it, that is a lot of weight if you can use something that is lighter, the same cost, and doesn't have a down side. That is assuming the head nets they sell on this site have limited down sides.

[Greg Mihalik]

BPL sells this one and a No-see-em version. 0.4 and 0.7 ounces respectively.

I used it on the JMT and it save my life and the lives of those around me. Don't leave home without one….

[KYLE PARKER]

I have the mosquito version BPL sells and love it. Works best over a hat. I hate pesticides, sunscreen, and other smelly chemicals in the backcountry. I use the thorofare pants, shirt, hat, & net and am protected from the sun and bugs reasonably well (hands are still exposed). I have ripped my net by catching it in the zipper of my pants pocket, but was able to fix it easily with a needle and thread.

[Elena Lee]

Definitely get the Backpacking Light Ultralight Mosquito Headnet made by Simblissity gear. I went out without one at the peak of mosquito season and i thought i wouldn't make it alive :). it's a great net, arguably, one of my favorite gear pieces.

[slavenya slavenya]

Hi,

Does anyone know where do I find the netting material used in backpackinglight headnet?

I understand that this product is much more superior that other headnet made from regular noummsee netting.

[Thomas Burns]

Dittos on the Backpackinglight headnets. The nets have the highest comfort to weight ratio of any single piece of gear.

If you use the lighter one especially, you'll get better visibility, etc., but I'd recommend treating it with Permithrin to kill off the smaller noseeums that can theoretically get through.

I wear mine over a Buff with a brim with no trouble at all. In fact, you'll hardly know it's there after a while, and you surely will notice the bugs.

Stargazer

[Fred eric]

I would consider the MLD one too.

I own the BPL ligthest net ( the mosquitoe one )
And i made one in nanoseeum ( a leftover from a myog bug bivy ) using the same dimension.

Both are fine if i wear a shirt with a collar, the mld with the underarm loop remove that problem and the lower fixation helps having the net not touching your skin.

I wont use again a visorbuff below a headnet, but thats because i am close to bald, in 3 weeks i got at least a hundred bites through the nanoseeum + buff on the top of my head.

[Thomas Burns]

>I wont use again a visorbuff below a headnet, but thats because i am close to bald, in 3 weeks i got at least a hundred bites through the nanoseeum + buff on the top of my head.

Interesting.I'm also mostly bald on top. I treated my Buff (and all my outer clothes) with Permithrin, and I've gotten no bites at all over about 25 days of hiking this summer through the mosquito and gnat infested wilds of Ohio.

The Permithrin really makes a difference. I stopped for a water break one morning, and a skeeter landed on the sleeve of my long-sleeved shirt preparing to insert through the thin layer of cloth. I watched in awed gratitude as the bug(ger) went into convulsions and died two seconds later. Yeehah!

I always had a swarm around my head after 10 AM, but not a single one of the @#$%^&* things got through. Perhaps my children will be born with two heads, but the hiking is far more pleasant.

Stargazer

[Barnett Childress]

I use the .3oz BPL headnet over a tilly wide brimmed hat. Works great at keeping the netting away from your face. I've tried regular headnets & this one definitely breathes better and allows better visibility. I agree Permithrin really makes a difference. Keeps the noseems out & really repels mosquitos. I've sprayed my headnet and my BPL UL Merino crew and its very effective. One other great thing about Permithrin is it works on ticks as well if your hiking in tick country.

[Tom Caldwell]

I can't hardly see out of my OR Spring Ring. I don't know if that's the case for all of them, but mine is the worst for visibility. You'd think OR would have access to better netting than a cottage company. I've got all kinds of tents and hammocks with netting that has better visibility. I'd rather have a cheapo net from Walmart.

By the way, some have said the BPL headnet is BPL product that is made my Simblissity. FWIW, mine has a Simblissity tag, but there is no mention of BPL.

[Elena Lee]

"some have said the BPL headnet is BPL product that is made my Simblissity. FWIW, mine has a Simblissity tag, but there is no mention of BPL."

yes Simblissity makes the headnets and BPL is their single distributor. I think they'd make a killing if they went with their nets into some mainstream retail. it seemed that in the summer season their nets were just gone, and i ve been hunting to get one for several months. i think this is a lost marketing/sales opportunity for a great product. simblissity also makes great leva gaiters, but sells them directly from their website.

[Thomas Burns]

>One other great thing about Permithrin is it works on ticks as well if your hiking in tick country.

Ditto! Nothing soothes the pain of hiking in tick-infested grasslands and semi-swamps more than the sight of dozens of dead ticks clamped onto your socks after a 20-mile day.

Combine Perm with a headnet, and you can leave the more noxious deet at home.

Stargazer

P.S. Treat every article of outside clothing, including the headnet

[Frank Deland]

Or leave the net at home. Use deet…a little dab will do ya!

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