While the bay temperatures don't exactly say, "summer," there are plenty of other places that do! Yosemite, Russian River, Mount Diablo, (and pretty much anywhere outside of San Francisco) is in full-on summer mode. Bring on the barbecue, brews, and...mosquitos. Don't let the fear of bug bites keep you from enjoying your evening cookouts or taking to the great outdoors. Our buyers have worked to pick the safest and most effective bug repellents on the market. They even picked out some top notch insect repelling clothing. 

While they’re all excellent at thwarting mosquitos, their main ingredients are what set them apart and we'll tell you all about 'em.

Coleman’s Botanicals Insect Repellent is a powerful, natural bug spray. Mosquitos hate the smell of it and will buzz right off in the opposite direction. We personally don’t mind the citrusy scent, and since it’s natural, it's very safe to use on your skin. 

Natrapel’s formula uses Picaridin, a compound made from a plant like the one where black pepper comes from. We guess insects aren’t into seasoning. It’s safe to use on your skin and gear, plus, it’s odorless. It forms a barrier on your skin that insects hate, so they won’t land on your skin. Take that bugs!

Ben’s Tick & Insect Repellent uses an ingredient called DEET. Actually, it’s called "N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide," but we’re gunna go with DEET. This is the most effective anti-bug ingredient out there because it hides scents that bugs look for when hunting for their next bite. It’s like science figured out a way for us to go ghost in the bug world. DEET is safe for us to use on our skin, but can stain or damage your gear so be cautious when applying.

Another product from the Ben's line is for clothing and gear. Permethrin is the main ingredient and is generally safe to spray on your clothes, backpack, tent, and other exposed gear. The ingredient affects the nervous system of bugs that touch or eat it; much more of an offensive approach for bug spray. While it is used in a lot of pet flea collars, it’s best to use caution when around your furry friends. 

The concentration you need for any of these ingredients will depend on how long you’ll be exposed to those pesky bugs. So if you’re going for a short walk in the park you won’t need high concentrations. If you’re camping, hiking, or doing other outdoorsy things for a longer period of time, you’ll wanna up the ante and choose a higher concentration.

Unfortunately, Fido and friends can’t use these insect repellents so be careful when applying around your pets. Make sure to ask your vet for tick and flea repellents so that they can be itch free outside too.

We have a lot more awesome products in our insect fighting arsenal. ExOfficio's BugsAway line uses Insect Shield's bug repellent technology. The fabric keeps bugs off by binding the fibers with Permethrin (which you know all about now). Pack them to stay warm and mosquito-less around the campfire.

Check out all of our bug defenses and enjoy a bug-free summer wherever you are.