Winning the Midge War, a review of some of the options for insect repellents and protection

December 23, 2014 Off By Peter Carol

We may not win every battle, but what are the best weapons in your arsenal against the dreaded midge.

The Smidge Head Net

Head net

Pros

Compact, lightweight and cheap

Cons

Can feel more claustrophobic that head net hats

Easy to lose in all your camping kit

In Summary

Does the job with no taste of repellent.

The Lifeventure Midge Hat

Pros

Packs quite small

Light Weight

The net is a good distance from your face

Cons

A little bigger than a head net

Needs to be tucked in to your shirt collar for best effect.

In Summary

Less claustrophobic than a head net and harder to lose.

Potions and Lotions

Is DEET King ?

DEET is a reliable and industrial strength repellent, but not something I would want to use every day of the season, friends who have, have reported not feeling well after prolonged heavy use.
Only recommended where there is a high risk of insect borne infections such as Malaria, I would be tempted to take enough Smidge to last and see if it works.

My plan for Comfort in a Midgie Scotland

I take,

A bug jacket

A midge hat

Smidge repellent – it just works

Parakito Spray (proven to be more effective than DEET and suitable over 6 months old)

Anthisan or any anti itch lotion plus a bite clicker for relief.

Piriton (in my first aid kit any way for allergies and bites)

I wear the bug suit for most of the time on camp when it is midgie, especially befor breakfast as I hate the taste of repellent, another option is to put on spray before breakfast then clean your palms with a baby wipe.

I carry mosquito coils for outside the tent, and if I have to purge a tent of midgies, but won’t use them when I am inside.

The rest I will use depending on conditions, I tend to be on a river, which is usually ok, though the banks can be hell. When walking I try to stay above the midges as much as possible and use repellent.

Pete