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The Best Mosquito Repellent For Camping And Keeping Safe From Diseases

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The Best Mosquito Repellent For Camping And Keeping Safe From Diseases

If you’ve ever camped near a body of water, you know there is a major difference between packing any old bug spray and a high-quality mosquito repellent. Swarming mosquitoes can be as incredibly annoying (and gross), and they also pose an incredible risk of various diseases. We recommend Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent Lotion as the best mosquito repellent for camping overall because of its 20% Picaridin formula in an effective lotion delivery system.

Mosquitoes can transmit serious diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, malaria and dengue. Using a science-backed mosquito repellent can minimize the risk of contracting these serious diseases, according to Dr. Rie R. Yotsu of Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. There are some ingredients science says are highly effective at deterring or killing mosquitoes—and we’ve rounded up the best products containing them to keep you safe and comfortable while camping this summer.

Type: Lotion | Active ingredient: Picardin

What you’ll love:

  • Nongreasy formula
  • 12 hours of protection
  • Also effective against ticks, flies and other biting bugs

Keep in mind: 

  • You have to wash hands post-application
  • Small bottle for the price

Alongside DEET, Picaridin is one of the most effective ingredients at repelling mosquitos (as well as biting flies, chiggers, fleas and ticks), as it leaves a layer on the skin that masks the human scent that attracts the biting insects, explains Yotsu. But Picaridin also has insecticidal effects—meaning it also kills mosquitoes—and doesn’t leave the greasy film on the skin that comes with DEET.

It’s formulated with 20% Picaridin, which offers the longest duration of protection—typically lasting up to 12 hours. While this formula also comes in a spray, a lotion formula offers more even and complete coverage and allows one bottle to go further when it’s windy. This lotion also doesn’t have that strong chemical smell of many DEET products, and doesn’t irritate most people’s skin.

Type: Spray | Active ingredient: DEET

What you’ll love:

  • Affordable price
  • No offensive DEET odor

Keep in mind: 

  • Can stain or erode synthetic clothing
  • May irritate sensitive skin

If you’re looking for a bug spray on a budget, Off! Deep Woods Insect Repellent Aerosol offers the protection of DEET at a fraction of the cost of our top pick. Yotsu says DEET is generally considered to be just as effective as Picaridin at deterring mosquitoes from biting (along with ticks, flies, fleas and other obnoxious insects). And while the ingredient can often feel greasy on the skin and have a very strong chemical smell, this formula feels light as air. And somehow, the company has masked the offensive odor, and this spray smells surprisingly nice.

Reviewers say this spray is great at repelling mosquitos, but Yotsu cautions that the star ingredient does come with a few drawbacks—namely the ability to melt plastics and some synthetic materials, as well as stain synthetic clothing. This may be a problem camping or hiking, as a lot of sweat-wicking apparel is made of synthetic fibers, and sprays are hard to aim. And, DEET may irritate sensitive skin.

Type: Wipe | Active ingredient: DEET

What you’ll love:

  • Effective DEET formula
  • Small and lightweight for backpacking
  • Easy application

Keep in mind: 

  • Strong smell
  • Wipes aren’t big enough for constant coverage

Ben’s Insect Repellent Wipes are towelette-size wipes saturated with a 30% DEET formula for protection at keeping mosquitos at bay for up to seven hours. We also love that DEET is effective at deterring ticks and other bugs you may be surrounded by on a backpacking trip. Using a wipe allows you the superior full-coverage of a lotion without having to get the formula all over your hands, so you’re free to wipe sweat and eat with less concern over chemicals.

One box contains 12 individually wrapped wipes that are very compact and packable compared to either bug spray or lotion, making them ideal for saving space and weight on a backpacking trip. This is especially helpful if you’re hiking out of mosquito season or territory, but want to stash away some protection for the trip just in case. Know that DEET may irritate sensitive skin, so you may want to try out the formula before you head into the backcountry.

Type: Device | Active ingredient: Metofluthrin

What you’ll love:

  • Creates a 20-foot bubble of protection around you
  • Small and portable
  • Lower waste than disposable models
  • Two-year warranty

Keep in mind: 

  • Requires a recharge after nine hours
  • Refill cartridges aren’t cheap

Yotsu says repellent devices like Thermacell are ideal for group settings or for stationary outdoor activities like when you’re sitting at camp. Thermacell offers two main types of mosquito repellers: rechargeable and fuel-powered. While the latter are smaller and easier to carry on day hikes or backpacking trips, the rechargeable repellers offer a wider area of protection, longer protection before you have to change the repellent mat, and are less wasteful with no butane cartridges.

We like the Thermacell EX90 Rechargeable Mosquito Repellent in particular, because it’s small and portable and still creates a 20-foot zone to keep mosquitoes away—large enough to protect a group sitting around a picnic table. One mosquito-repellent cartridge lasts for 12 hours (refills run about $2 per hour), and is unscented so there are no bothersome odors. 

This model comes at a slightly higher price point than other Thermacell rechargeable repellers, but for the extra $20, the battery lasts for a whopping nine hours on a single charge. The device can recharge via an included USB cable connected to your own portable charger.

Type: Spray | Active ingredient: Oil of lemon eucalyptus

What you’ll love:

  • Chemical-free formula
  • Great smell

Keep in mind: 

  • May not be as effective as a Picaridin or DEET-based repellent
  • Needs to be reapplied every three hours
  • Strong smell may bother some

Whether you have super sensitive skin or don’t love the idea of slathering on chemical compounds, it’s tempting to turn to an all-natural solution to keep bugs at bay. Yotsu points out that tests in lab settings haven’t shown any essential oils to be effective against mosquitos and we know they’re not as effective as Picaridin or DEET. But, there is some research to suggest that formulas containing lemon eucalyptus oil can provide decent mosquito repellency for a few hours, and the CDC approves the same ingredient for providing “reasonably long-lasting protection.” 

Repel Plant-Based Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent is the leading formula for all-natural mosquito protection, featuring 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus. Because of its active ingredient, the formula smells quite strong—but of a lemon citric scent and not a chemical one. Keep it mind it does need to be applied more often (every three hours) and actually isn’t safe to use on kids, even if it is all-natural.

What the reviews say: Tens of thousands of reviewers swear this product works exceptionally well for keeping most—albeit not all—mosquitos at bay.

Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent for Clothing, Gear & Tents

Type: Spray | Active ingredient: Permethrin

What you’ll love:

  • Kills mosquitoes rather than deters them
  • Protects against other insects like ticks
  • One treatment lasts for six weeks or six washings

Keep in mind: 

Yotsu says the most effective protection against insect bites is wearing protective clothing and using physical barriers like screens, rather than relying solely on chemical protection. But as an added layer on top of this, spray your clothes and your camping tent with Permethrin. If you’ve ever been swarmed by mosquitos next to a lake or river, you know the little suckers can easily reach through the weave of your clothes to bite through the fabric—or get inside a tent that’s been unzipped for 0.2 seconds. 

Permethrin is a highly effective insecticide, meaning it actually kills the mosquitoes that it comes into contact with rather than deterring or repelling them, Dr. Yotsu explains.

We like Sawyer Clothing, Gear & Tents Spray in particular, as it comes from a trusted brand, in a well-designed bottle that doesn’t leak, and is safe to use on your clothes and gear. We recommend spraying all your camping gear before you head out on your trip, and it will effectively kill mosquitoes and other insects for up to six weeks or six washings.

Why Trust Forbes Vetted

Our team has produced a huge library of reviews and resources on the best outdoor gear, including loads of camping recommendations.

  • The author of this article, Rachael Schultz, is a Colorado-based health, fitness and outdoors writer who has also covered camping tents for Forbes Vetted. Her bylines can also be found in Men’s Health, Gear Patrol, Outside and other outlets.
  • Cam Vigliotta, the gear editor at Forbes Vetted, oversees this article and approved the final selections. He is an avid camper, hiker, runner, biker and skier, as well as a longtime journalist in the outdoors and fitness spaces.
  • We consulted with Rie R. Yotsu, M.D., PhD, board-certified dermatologist and associate professor in Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, to determine what compounds are effective against mosquitoes.
  • We regularly review our content for freshness and accuracy. This article was last updated in June 2024.

How We Chose the Best Mosquito Repellent For Camping

To find the best mosquito repellents for camping, we relied on our own outdoor experience, consulted a medical expert, read studies, researched ingredients and read reviews.

  • Our own experience with camping and backpacking is key to know and understand how different delivery methods affect a product’s usability.
  • We interviewed Dr. Yotsu, a dermatologist and expert in tropical medicine.
  • We researched peer-reviewed studies to help flesh out the list of what is effective against mosquitos.
  • In choosing products, we considered such factors as active ingredients, ease of use, fragrance and side effects.
  • We pored over customer reviews and starred ratings to ensure that the majority of buyers were happy with their purchases and found the formulas to be effective.

What To Look For In The Best Mosquito Repellent For Camping

Active Ingredient

The single most important factor in what makes a good mosquito repellent is what the active ingredient is. Yotsu, the CDC and scientific research all show there is strong evidence for just a few ingredients being effective to deter or kill mosquitos: Picaridin, DEET and Permethrin. While the CDC approves of such ingredients as 2-undecanone, IR3535 and Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, the majority of the research backs the aforementioned three ingredients.

Delivery Method

The active ingredient determines if a repellent will work, but the delivery method of a spray versus lotion versus device determines how convenient and accurate a formula is to use.

  • Lotions: Lotions are generally going to provide more even and comprehensive coverage against mosquitoes than a spray. But, they also require more surface area contact with your skin, which some people don’t like.
  • Sprays: Sprays are easier and more convenient to use than lotions, but are less precise in their application, and more formula gets wasted when it’s windy.
  • Devices: While both a spray and lotion are ideal for individual protection, a repellent device is helpful for safeguarding groups, as they create a bigger bubble of protection for multiple people to stay within.

Repellent Vs. Insecticide

Which product is best depends on why you’re using it, Yotsu says. Picaridin and DEET are repellents, so they don’t kill mosquitos—they layer the skin to mask the human biome and scents that attracts mosquitoes. Insecticides like permethrin will actually kill the mosquitos.

What Is The Most Effective Mosquito Repellent?

The most effective mosquito repellent is one containing either Picaridin or DEET. Studies show these ingredients to be equally effective. In fact, the CDC states that not only are they “safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding people,” but that these ingredients “typically provide reasonably long-lasting protection.”

What Is The Most Effective Mosquito Repellent For Home?

If you’re interested in protecting a specific outdoor area of your home, such as a patio or by your pool, you may want to try a mosquito repeller device, such as the ones by Thermacell. The device provides a 20-foot scent-free bubble of protection, and is rechargeable.

What Smell Do Mosquitoes Hate The Most?

While many mosquito repellents have a strong odor to humans, it’s not the scent that keeps the biting insects away—they work by masking odors emitted by humans, like a cloaking device.

A lot of commonly held beliefs about which odors keep mosquitoes away is anecdotal. But there is evidence that some essential oils, particularly peppermint, thyme and clove, do repel mosquitoes and offer protection against their bites, but only in very high concentrations—often too high for human comfort. Another study indicates that mosquitoes were less interested in people who had washed with a coconut-scented soap. One company’s research suggests that the sweet fragrance of lily of the valley may also keep the bugs away, but more testing and research is needed.

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