Midgies - repellents that work

[Gailainne]

I've used a few, including bog myrtle and avon sss, but for me what wins hands down is Nordic summer. Last year we were up in the Knoydart, the midges were really bad, NS was the only thing that worked, once it was applied they just disappeared. Ray mears site I believe sells it, as does a few other bushcraft outfits, best place to get it is in Sweden

Stephen

 

[Nagual]

If anything this thread shows that many things work for different people, and it's all down to your own skin type etc. What works for one, may not work for you.
Mary - Where do you get your B3 from, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Shewie]

If anything this thread shows that many things work for different people, and it's all down to your own skin type etc. What works for one, may not work for you.

I was just thinking that Nag

It's weird how so many folk swear by the Avon stuff but for me it had no effect.

 

[Chance]

don't really bother me - there again I tend to be with my mate who is bigger and sweetierthan me.

Top tip - go with a big sweety bloke - they'll go for him instead

... or walk next to someone wearing dark clothes: you need to see the difference to believe it.

Or don't breathe out: it's partly your CO2 that attracts them.

 

[Arth]

I eat plenty of garlic, so far no bites.

 

[jimford]

Beaton's Midge Jacket - the only thing that's guaranteed to work!

I've seen Rothiemurchus estate workers using them, and they should know.

Jim

 

[wanderingblade]

I'll have a check to see the active ingredient but I've had luck with an all in one baby-wipe type thingy - also contains sun-screen so it covers the lot.

 

[drewdunnrespect]

wow do i feel smug never been bitten yet but i take anti histamines and vitiman b tablets for hayfever so possibly just never noticed or felt the thing

drew

 

[Toddy]

If anything this thread shows that many things work for different people, and it's all down to your own skin type etc. What works for one, may not work for you.
Mary - Where do you get your B3 from, if you don't mind me asking?

Not at all, The local chemist, but Holland and Barrett had them too,

cheers,
M

 

[East Coaster]

I've tried many. Like you shewie sss doesn't seem to work for me (although strangely the first time I tried it,,,it did ).

You might think I'm kidding with this one but I swear it worked for me (only needed to try it once so far though). Put Listerine (yes that mouth wash stuff) in a wee "misting" type bottle and spray it round your tent/clothes/backpack etc. I did need to keep spraying fairly regularly but it seemed to make a big difference.

Like one of the other posters above the wee blighters never used to bother me that much and I only used to get a tiny red mark that I couldn't feel and would disappear after a short while. I contracted malaria some years ago and it must have done something to my blood because they seem to home in on me now and I always come up in big lumps that are hell to live with.

A nobel prize to anyone who solves this problem I say :thinkerg:

 

[IJ55]

Mozzy Off.

0% DEET - all natural ingredients, kind to the skin, and even at sun set on a balmy Hebrides summer evening with zero wind? midges cannot get away fast enough from it.

They hate it - loathe it and they don't even land on the skin.

 

[jimford]

They hate it - loathe it and they don't even land on the skin.

When they're as thick as smoke they don't need to land on your skin to be a nuisance. Repellant doesn't stop you breathing them in and choking on them!

Like I said above - Beaton's Midge Jacket!

Jim

 

[Doc]

A lot of good suggestions.

In bad midge conditions I find the triad of repellent plus headnet plus smudge fire (as Gregorach says, a bit of Bog myrtle on the smudge fire helps) is good.

Mozzy off is good - it contains neem and bog myrtle.

Ultrathon is a new formulation of DEET and is slightly nicer to use than the others. It is US army issue. I think it is slightly better than Mozzy off but children can get neurotoxic side effects with deet so I use mozzy off for them.

For malarial zones Ultrathon is probably the best thing available. For the Culcoides midge there is not much research evidence.

Dimp is the WW2 repellent - not as good, IMHO.

Citronella is of marginal benefit.

Avon doesn't work for me. At all.

The Hilltrek ventile windshirt has velcro cuffs and an enclosing hood and is comfortable. Ventile is so tightly woven it is midge proof. Makes a good midge jacket with a headnet.

 

[IntrepidStu]

When they're as thick as smoke they don't need to land on your skin to be a nuisance. Repellant doesn't stop you breathing them in and choking on them!

Like I said above - Beaton's Midge Jacket!

Jim

This midge jacket thing has me confused. I can only see it working if something is worn beneath it so that the midges cannot bite the skin directly beneath the jacket. If the jacket is touching the skin then there is nothing to stop them from landing on it and biting you anyway!!. Yet on one of the photos on the website it shows the jacket being worn over a t-shirt: Why are that guys arms not being bitten to smithereens where the jacket rests on his skin??

Stu

 

[myotis]

This midge jacket thing has me confused. I can only see it working if something is worn beneath it so that the midges cannot bite the skin directly beneath the jacket. If the jacket is touching the skin then there is nothing to stop them from landing on it and biting you anyway!!. Yet on one of the photos on the website it shows the jacket being worn over a t-shirt: Why are that guys arms not being bitten to smithereens where the jacket rests on his skin??

Stu

Maybe something to do with the thickness of the mesh material, size of the mesh and the size/length of a midges mandibles?

Graham

 

[jimford]

Maybe something to do with the thickness of the mesh material, size of the mesh and the size/length of a midges mandibles?

That's right - I don't think midges mouth parts are long enough to pass through the mesh. They've never bitten me though it.

Jim

 

[Spaniel man]

Nordic Summer ??

Thanks Paul not heard of that one before

http://www.survivalschool.co.uk/survival-bushcraft-equipment-292.html
Works a treat, and smells nice too!
Best to have a bit of DEET to back it up when it's swarming with the little beasties.

 

[gregorach]

Thing is, I've never found DEET to be worth a damn against the Highland midgie - the buggers will happily swim in the stuff.

 

[Doc]

Thing is, I've never found DEET to be worth a damn against the Highland midgie - the buggers will happily swim in the stuff.

Likewise, but for some reason ultrathon seems more effective, even though the active ingredient is DEET.

 

[johnnytheboy]

I get leathered with midges, everyone is fine when i'm there, I get bit with everything honest if a dog ran into a crowd of 100 folk i would get bitten.

I found skin so soft not so much as a repellant but more of the skating rink on your skin, the midges land on you then basically its that oily they cant bite you, they might even drown at the same time.

The problem with skin so soft after about 3 days i feel it starts to pickle my skin and fells horendous.

Skin wise the best so far is the jungle formula cream, and also the life systems products seem pretty good, even used their 100 on my skin in canada and never went blind