Mosquito plan of attack for the Sierra monsters – Bug Baffler?

I have used net bug jackets and pants like the Bug Baffler – great around camp, but they snag on EVERYTHING.

Picaridin worked for me in Katmai NP a couple weeks ago  – Naturapel brand.  In 2014, I walked 65 miles in Katmai wearing an Ex Officio permethrin hoody – I rarely had to use repellant with the hood up even though there were lots of mosquitoes.

I also wear other permethrin Insect shield clothing at times – I have socks, pants, shirts, jackets, bandanas, and headnets – Ex Officio, Columbia, OR, Sea to Summit all have such clothing.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PicaridinGen.html

My screen shows that this post “has been reported for inappropriate content”…….huh?

Hi Erica

I was in Cottonwood Lakes in the Eastern Sierras near Whitney last week for 4 days. Mosquitos were fairly mild considering how they can be. I wear Columbia hiking pants and a long sleeve Patagonia hiking shirt. The only bites I got were on my scalp through the mesh of my Headsweats Trucker cap. I have a shaved head so this may not be an issue with more hair. I wouldn’t worry too much. Besides the trucker hat, this has been my clothing set up for a while and I only get a few bites even in the worst of situations. I have added OR sun gloves which is nice. Of course, the only thing is a headnet.

This bug baffler doesn’t look bad though if you don’t mind wearing it

I’ve never used one before, but it couldn’t hurt to bring it if you want to try it out. I doubt it weighs too much. Have you ever used bug netting before? It can be quite hot. In fact, it can be so hot that I’m not sure that I’d prefer an entire suit of it over heavier clothing.

Have you ever tried lemon eucalyptus oil? If you’re iffy on chemicals, it’s an okay alternative. I’m not a fan of chemicals myself, and I’ve used it with middling success.

If you want to be safe, maybe you should just bring long sleeved/panted clothing, the oil, and the net. Sort it all out once you get there. :)

Jonathon,

Do you mean lemon eucalyptus oil?

Jim,

Oops! Yup, that’s what I mean. Thanks for the clarification. My brain didn’t well articulate what it wanted to say, I guess.

I’ve edited the post for the sake of clarity.

I might being a small container of eucalyptus oil as I’ve heard it can be somewhat effective and give it a shot – and bring some I might bring a small thing of eucalyptus oil on the trail – with a Naturapel  backup just in case it gets bad.

I have forgotten how stuffy the netting can be though – so thanks for the reminder about that – a whole suit might be uncomfortable when moving. That being said – it definitely might be worth getting the top suit a try as it probably doesn’t weigh too much. At least to wear around camp in the evening when they seem to be at their worst.

I have worn bug protective clothing before (Lake country in Quebec in late June, anyone? THAT was a dumb idea!).

It’s hot, plus the model you reference doesn’t work very well.  Basically wherever/whenever the mesh touches your skin, the mozzies can bite right into you.  We wore the type that have opaque fabric as well as mesh, and they worked, but I found them miserable to wear (and a bit heavy for a single-use item).  These were what we wore:

Nylon pants–I use the very thin Rei brand; skeeters can’t bite through them. A nylon sun shirt–kind of hot, but not bad; again, mosquito proof. A broad brimmed sun hat with a wide mesh mosquito netting pulled over the top. Wide mesh doesn’t block your vision as much as close mesh, but it’s hard to find. OR: in high mosquito season, a drape sun hat from the much derided Sun Precautions catalogue, because you can pull the drape up all the way over your nose, or let it hang loose when you’re in the clear. I guess I’d rather look like a dork in this hat than look like the victim of a mugging when the mosquitoes are swarming.

Oh, and sun grubbies for my hands. I can’t tolerate Deet, but I will spritz deet on these grubbies, then take them off when I’m eating.

I’ve spritzed permethrin on the pants and shirt in the past; I’m not sure that it’s actually needed.

After spending a July in Oregon the Sierra mosquitoes are lazy and mild. Just stay covered and eat your dinner in your tent. They shouldn’t bother you too much during the day when you are in high places with great views.

Kuhl Wunderer shirt + headnet & brimmed hat + Montbell wind pants + OR rain shell gloves + glaring evil look of slappery

+1 on wearing nylon pants and shirt.

Also, 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus has worked quite well for me, just have to reapply every couple of hours.

edit: WEARING, not woolen (stupid phone!!!)

Or for those inclined to simply throw money at it…lots of money  :)

https://snowpeak.com/products/jk-16su108?variant=16700644100

https://snowpeak.com/products/pa-16su104?variant=16700646532

I have used REI’s long sleeve shirt 50+ FPS in 2012 on during my PCT hike through the sierras. If i recall the knitting was tighter and had no problems with bites on my arms and body (i had gloves on so my hands got it), but my arms were covered at times with all mosquitoes and no bites. So if someone can chime in, i think those tighter knitted long sleeves work pretty well. I will use the exoficion this time since i use it for guiding now.

I use Permethrin and sparingly DEET, 30%. Long sleeves and long pants, loose not skin tight. Big floppy hat on the head. I also carry a headnet because flies and gnats ignore DEET. I embrace the chemistry because the alternative is to stay home. Got bit using Picardin, or any of the others. On group trips I am usually the one who gets 2-3 bites, usually because of the need to pull down the pants once in a while, while others using alternates get eaten. Kind of where I’ve ended up after a decade of frequently walking around in the Sierra on weekends.

Yeah, I always hike with long sleeves for sun protection (usually a Patagonia Capeliene 1 long sleeve shirt), but the mosquitos have gotten me a few times through it. On this hike I’ll be bringing a button-up ex-officio shirt. Usually I’m not a fan of button-ups, but I think the tighter weave will be helpful

Anyone recommend (or not) Coghlan’s Bug Jacket? Reviews seem good and the price is right!

https://goo.gl/USyu82

I’ve used the bug baffler for approximately 20 years. Very effective for keeping skeeters at bay. Use it in the evening hours and hope that there is a breeze. It retains body heat, be prepared for that. Just sit and stay calm, relax and enjoy being outside ;-) Use a wide brim hat to keep mesh away from face.

For heavy mosquito pressure, it’s hard to beat the shirt pictured in Valerie’s reply above – the “Original Bug Shirt: Elite Edition”. This shirt is 10.8 oz for a medium on my scale and is comparable in weight to other standard knit “outdoor” shirts. It has a very tight weave that mosquitos cannot penetrate. The shirt has served me well in the mountains of Washington state in bug season and it’s worth the extra weight and extra warmth IMHO. Later in the summer when there are fewer bugs, a lighter shirt like the RailRiders EcoMesh works just fine. FYI, my profile picture shows an Elite Edition with the hood down in the Canadian Rockies during a July backpack.

There is a lighter, less featured version of this shirt as well, but I have only used the Elite Edition. While the shirt is a little warm compared to a T-shirt, and it’s a pullover – not a button up, it does breathe very well under the arms due to the mesh panels, especially if there’s a light breeze. The double zippered mesh on the hood makes it easy to eat and still protect your head from mosquitos. Because the mesh panels are under the arms where the shirt is baggy, there’s little opportunity for mosquitos to bite your skin through the mesh as there is little or no direct skin contact there. Here’s the manufacturer’s webpage:

http://www.bugshirt.com/products/elite/

Lester – How is the fit of the Bugshirt? I see you have a medium Bugshirt, do you wear medium in other brands?

Andrew Skurka has a good article on dressing for mosquito protection:

http://andrewskurka.com/2013/clothing-system-for-backpacking-peak-mosquito-season/

Thanks Herbert. A quote from Skurka:

<span class=”name”>Andrew Skurka</span> <span class=”date”>July 23, 2013 at 4:44 pm</span> <span class=”perma”><span style=”color: #0066cc;”>#</span></span>

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Not a formal one, though I’d be very interested in doing that. Here’s been my experience:

1. Knit shirt, untreated, High Sierra in July 2008. Very bad results.
2. Knit shirt (brand new), treated, Alaska 2013. Excellent results (reported by a client).
3. Woven polyester shirt (new-ish), untreated, JMT 2011. Excellent results.
4. Woven nylon shirt (brand new), Alaska 2010. Excellent results.
5. Woven nylon shirt (old; same one from 2010), Alaska 2013. Excellent results.

So my conclusion is that knit shirts really need to be treated, and probably preferably be new (because the treatment washes out). With woven shirts, it doesn’t really matter — even after the treatment washes out, the material is still bug resistant.

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Matthew – the size medium Bug Shirt Elite Edition fits me well, although it is boxy and baggy in the arms and torso. The sleeve length and torso length seem normal for a medium size. It is NOT an athletic fit, but I suspect the loose fit may help keep it a little cooler (and add some extra weight).

For comparison, in most jackets and long underwear, a medium size fits the majority of the time. But occasionally size large does fit better, especially in T-shirts and down items. As a similar example, a size medium RailRiders Ecomesh shirt fits me pretty good and is much less baggy than the Bug Shirt, although the sleeve length is an inch or so too short for me. However, the size large Ecomesh feels way too big in every measurement. My measurements are: chest girth = 40.5″, shoulder girth = 49″, sleeve length (underarm seam to cuff) = 23″, and waist = 36″.

That’s very helpful, Lester. Thank you.