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I went back to look up previous posts on new products for repelling mosquitoes and only got a couple of people who actually tried the devices/products.

Am wondering if there are more of you (and the newbies) who have tried the clip-ons and thermacel products and what you thought of them? Any other products that are favorable?

I want to get something for my camping trip next week and wanted to get some ideas on here first.

Barbie, I don't know about the products you mentioned for mosquitoes, but after my chigger encounter last weekend I was about ready to use the Deep Woods spray. A friend of mine has a summer job at a resort in Alaska and I looked up & copied some of the results I found that people use as bug/no see um repellants.

"Use clear baby oil, put it on a couple times a week. You can shower it off after only minutes because it is sort of sticky and yucky. The film will stay on your skin and keep a lot of bugs away, including mosquitoes.

The neighbors hang a vanilla air freshener around their necks and they never have bug bites. Vanilla is supposed to be wonderful for keeping bugs away.

And I love this one! Hey if nudist uses it, it must be good
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
6 ounces water
Mix both in a jar. Dab on all vulnerable areas with a cloth dampened with this concoction or you can spray it on with an atomizer or mister. This method is reported to be used in a nudist camp in a private forest way up north."

Here are some other options but not sure how practical for camping, We have had little black bugs swarming for weeks which is really unusual here, they are like Midges that bite, plus they have been killing chickens. They get in the nostrils of chickens and suffocate them. One of my friends is allergic to the bites and gets huge knots that last for days. I think she is going to order one of these.

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Defaul ... omo=xsells


http://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-0059-Bug ... uito+shirt

I haven't used the clip-ons, but when I saw family last week, my niece's husband reported that they work well. I'm planning on trying them. Let us know if you try them, Barbie!

I have used Thermacells for the past six years. They work on all flying insects and no need to spray myself or clothing. I never leave home without them. I am also considering a lantern for at the house.
B

Well, I bought one of each. The OFF Clip on, and the Thermacell. I will test them out next week and let you all know!

I have the Thermacell and use it in the campground and in the boat. I just lay it on the ground in the center of my area, and I think it really works to keep the sketters away. One complaint everyone has, is that you can't buy just the little strips with the bug dope on. You have to buy them in a kit with the butane. I have several tubes of butane, and would like to be able to just buy the strips. My grandson has a really hard time with bug bites, and he didn't get one bite last weekend. I haven't tried the "Off" brand. Hope to hear more on them.

BarbaraRose wrote:Well, I bought one of each. The OFF Clip on, and the Thermacell. I will test them out next week and let you all know!

The Off Clip on will only work while you are stationery. That's when it creates the "dome". If you are up and moving, it can't set up the dome. Suggestion, if you are just sitting around the campsite, then keep in on your chair. That way you can get up and do what you need to and return to your "dome". I found it worked sufficiently for me. I have no experience with the Thermacell.

Hope this helps, Enjoy your trip. Linda

mnladyus wrote:I have the Thermacell and use it in the campground and in the boat. I just lay it on the ground in the center of my area, and I think it really works to keep the sketters away. One complaint everyone has, is that you can't buy just the little strips with the bug dope on. You have to buy them in a kit with the butane. I have several tubes of butane, and would like to be able to just buy the strips. My grandson has a really hard time with bug bites, and he didn't get one bite last weekend. I haven't tried the "Off" brand. Hope to hear more on them.

I was thinking about using one of these and I Googled Allethrin that is used in Thermacell and among the information found this about trying to reuse strips, "Liquid drops sold in the market to make used mats reusable cannot do so, because the mat made of thick blotting paper loses its ability to uniformly absorb and release allethrin after its use. The drops may also contain other toxic chemicals." information was at this link. http://www.sunzu.com/articles/go-green- ... ats-62727/

Ok, both the OFF Clip-on and the Thermacell only work if you are sitting in one spot and not moving. Also, they cannot be used around food that is uncovered. So for hiking or cooking/eating, they are not useful at all. They also can't be used indoors or even in your tent, so another big negative.

I used the Off Clip-On while in my screen room and got no bites, altho, I WAS in my screen room so there probably weren't many, if any, mosquitoes in there anyways. I brought it with me to the beach but the wind was so strong, that the bugs weren't an issue there anyways.

The Thermacell I used while at the campfire. It takes about 10 minutes to do it's thing, so maybe that was when I got bit. Altho, I didn't actually see or hear any mosquitoes around me. (Did make S'Mores, but I haven't died yet, so apparently they didn't get contaminated )

The rest of the time I was moving around, setting up my tent, etc, or out hiking, so I probably got bit up some then too.

There are plastic "bracelets" that can be worn on wrists and/or ankles to keep mosquitoes and ticks away. Will try those next time. I mostly got bit on my legs.

Not sure if any of my research was helpful or conclusive...

I didn't realize the clip-on was only for while sitting still. I saw several people using them while hiking in MI, so I tried one as well. I don't know if it was the clip-on or the combo of the clip-on plus the 30% DEET towelette usage that worked, but the mosquitoes would swarm me and might even bump me, but they wouldn't stay to bite. The black flies were a little harder to repel.

I do like the towelettes because you don't have to worry about overspray.

When we were campground hosts after those off thingys came out we got them I'm sure they are still ...............somewhere..but we weren't overly impressed because when we needed them when we were out walking or riding the golf cart to see people or clean the sites we weren't creating the "dome". But truly I've not been bitten much for a very long time either not many skeeter's or they don't like me not sure which...
oh something as been going around fb about a natural repellent but right not not remembering it actually seems like it was several different ideas
sheila

I bought three of those little dishes with the coils. The coils have the same amount of Allethrin as the Thermacell has. I plan on setting them up around the camp site and see how they work. It says that each one covers a 10x10 area. I think when those little suckers are hungry they are going to bite and it doesn't matter what you put on, or out to keep them away. lol

yellow listerine in a spray bottle