Not every insect repellent works the same way. These are the bug repellents and mosquito-control products we use when bugs are bad enough to ruin the day.
We don’t use one bug repellent for every situation. A backyard dinner, a hike through the woods, and a camping trip all call for slightly different tools.
This article is a simple guide to choosing the right type of protection and when to use it: sprays and lotions for exposed skin, patches for no-spray convenience, clothing treatments for high-bug days, and mosquito-control devices for patios, campsites, and picnic tables.
What to Use When Bugs Are Bad
- Best No-Spray Convenience: NatPat Buzz Patch Mosquito Repellent Stickers
- Best Plant-Based Spray: Mimikai Mosquito & Tick Repellent Spray
- Best Everyday Spray: OFF! FamilyCare Clean Feel Insect & Mosquito Spritz
- Best Zone Repellent: Thermacell EX90
- Best Heavy-Duty Repellent: Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent
The easiest way to choose is to start with where you’ll be and how long you’ll stay outside. For short backyard play, a patch or light spray may be enough. For a hike through the woods, start with a stronger repellent and consider treating socks and clothing. For outdoor meals or hanging around camp, the convenience of a mosquito-control device usually makes more sense than a spray or lotion.
Patches are useful because they offer convenience, not because they replace a stronger product. Mosquito-control devices work best when people stay in one place, while clothing treatments are for heavier-duty protection and should not be used on bare skin.
Always follow the product label, especially with younger kids. For higher-bug days, hikes, camping, or tick-prone areas, look for EPA-registered repellents and use patches or mosquito-control devices as convenience tools, not as a replacement for stronger protection.
These are the bug sprays, patches, clothing treatments, and mosquito-control products we trust for bug-free summer days outside.
Editor's note: Always consult your pediatrician before introducing new topical repellents to infants or toddlers, and carefully follow age restrictions on the label.
What We Love
- • No spray, lotion, or greasy residue.
- • Easy to stick on clothing, hats, or gear.
Worth Knowing
- • Not a heavy duty repellent
- • Not a tick-protection product (but NatPat makes tick repellent stickers, too)
Best for: No-Spray Convenience
NatPat BuzzPatch patches are the easiest option here: stick one on clothing, a hat, a backpack, or nearby gear and move on. They make the most sense for low-to-moderate bug situations when you want something simple and kid-friendly without spraying exposed skin. They even work well for grown-ups.
We treat these as a convenience product, not a replacement for stronger skin repellent when mosquitoes or ticks are a real concern.
What We Love
- • Effective protection against mosquitoes and ticks
- • DEET-free and less harsh on skin and gear
- • Does not damage synthetic fabrics
- • Lighter scent and feel than many traditional sprays
Worth Knowing
- • May require reapplication depending on conditions
- • Typically more expensive than basic repellents
Best for: Everyday use with a plant-based formula
The Mimikai Mosquito & Tick Repellent Spray is for race venues, camping, hikes, and outdoor days where mosquitoes and ticks are part of the deal. It uses undecanone, a plant-derived active ingredient, and is EPA-registered, which gives it more credibility than bug sprays built around vague “natural” claims. It protects against mosquitoes and ticks without the heavy scent or greasy feel of many traditional sprays. It is also gear-safe, so it will not damage synthetic fabrics the way DEET can. Keep it in the race bin or camping kit.
What We Love
- • 20% picaridin protects against mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies
- • Lightweight, fragrance-free formula feels less greasy than traditional bug spray
Worth Knowing
- • Not for children under 3
- • Still requires careful application around faces, hands, and sunscreen
Best for: Stronger skin protection without the greasy feel
OFF! Clean Feel Insect & Mosquito Repellent Spritz is one of the stronger skin-repellent picks on this list. It uses 20% picaridin and is made for mosquitoes, ticks, and biting flies, so it makes more sense than patches for hikes, camping trips, or any other times you want more robust protection. The big draw is the lighter feel. It is fragrance-free, DEET-free, and far less greasy than many traditional bug sprays.
Follow the label closely: do not use it on children under 3, keep it off kids’ hands, and apply sunscreen first if you are using both.
Thermacell
EX90What We Love
- • Creates a 20-foot mosquito protection zone.
- • Rechargeable battery runs up to 9 hours.
Worth Knowing
- • Works best when people stay in one place.
- • Needs refills to keep working over time.
Best for: Backyard hangs, campsites, and picnic tables.
The Thermacell EX90 is the mosquito repeller we use when we are staying in one place. It creates a 20-foot protection zone without spraying anything on skin, which makes it the best pick here for backyard hangs, campsites, picnic tables, and parking-lot evenings when the bugs show up.
I was skeptical at first. Now we keep one at home, one with our camping gear, and one in the truck. The EX90 is rechargeable, runs up to 9 hours, and is flameless and scent-free.
What We Love
- • Long-lasting protection
- • Safe on clothing, gear, and synthetic fabrics
Worth Knowing
- • Overkill for basic backyard use
- • Still requires careful application on younger kids
Best for: Heavy-duty protection
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent is the strongest everyday spray on this list. The 20% picaridin formula protects for up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks, including mosquitoes that may carry West Nile virus, and up to 8 hours against biting flies, gnats, chiggers, and sand flies.
Unlike DEET-based repellents, Sawyer’s picaridin formula is non-greasy, fragrance-free, and safe on clothing, gear, and synthetic fabrics. Sawyer says it can be used on kids as young as 6 months, but follow the label closely and avoid hands, eyes, and mouths.
What We Love
- • Long-lasting treatment for clothing and gear
- • Strong pick for mosquito-heavy areas where disease is a concern
Worth Knowing
- • Not for skin
- • Must dry fully before use
- • Avoid chewable infant gear
- • Overkill for casual backyard use
Best for: Treating clothing and gear
Sawyer Permethrin is the most serious repellent on this list. It is made for clothing and gear, not skin, and is best reserved for prolonged deep-woods outings, tick-heavy areas, camping trips, and places where mosquito-borne viruses are more common.
The formula bonds to fabric fibers and can be used on shirts, pants, socks, shoes, tents, sleeping bags, and mosquito netting. Sawyer says one treatment lasts up to 6 weeks or 6 washes, and it is odorless once dry. It also will not stain or damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, or finished surfaces when used as directed.
The big caveat: this is not a casual spray-and-go repellent. It needs to be applied ahead of time, allowed to dry fully, and kept off skin.
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