Each year, most of you return from a hike with your legs or arms covered in mosquito bites. Itching and redness appear and can make for several uncomfortable nights. If only it stopped there! Sometimes some people suffer more serious reactions, or fall victim to an infection. No one can be unaware of the spread of tiger mosquitoes and the diseases linked to bites, such as chikungunya or the Zika virus. And these days, the devastation caused by Lyme disease from ticks in woodland cannot be ignored either. So what effective mosquito protection is available for hiking or travelling? Beyond creams and sprays, there is the effective solution of anti-mosquito hiking clothing that we invite you to explore.
Anti-mosquito clothing with INSECT-STOPER® treatment
To avoid being weighed down by sprays or other products — which you're likely to forget in your bag or hotel room — kit yourself out with anti-mosquito clothing. A new and natural solution for effective mosquito protection! Whether you're heading out for a hike or a less sporty trip, they will prove invaluable.
The garments are impregnated with an active molecule, permethrin, which is used to kill or repel insects (ants, mosquitoes, flies, lice, fleas, cockroaches, etc.) and arachnids (spiders, scorpions, scabies mites, ticks, etc.).
The aqueous permethrin solutions used are resistant to many wash cycles.
Its formula is based on permethrin, an insecticidal active ingredient recognised as effective against all mosquito species (Aedes including Aedes albopictus, known as the "tiger mosquito, Culex and Anopheles). This treatment may cause skin sensitisation — if so, discontinue wearing the garments.
An effective and safe solution
It is currently the only treatment approved for use on clothing by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the use of permethrin is recommended by the WHO to protect against insect bites.
Wearing such garments stuns mosquitoes rapidly without releasing any odour or noticeable colour. This built-in protection applies to all types of clothing: shirts, trousers, shorts… You will no longer need to coat yourself in lotion before heading out hiking. The only action required is to put your clothes on before you go. Built-in protection, harmless to you, that works all day long without losing its effectiveness.
Anti-mosquito shirts
On your hikes, protecting yourself from the sun is essential — but that's not all. Mosquitoes can also cause damage to your torso and arms. Shirts have been specially designed to spare you these unpleasant experiences. Impregnated with anti-mosquito treatment, they are recognised for their effectiveness against ticks and mosquitoes alike.
And what about washing this effective anti-mosquito garment? Washing will have very little impact on the potency of permethrin, the active molecule in this process. So do choose an anti-mosquito shirt that offers solid protection in woodland and on all hiking terrain, or at the bivvy in the evening during treks.
Effective mosquito protection: specialist trousers and shorts
Also consider trousers made from a very lightweight fabric impregnated with mosquito repellent. They will protect you from the potential attack of all the small creatures encountered on the trail. Ticks and mosquitoes will be kept at bay. This is effective for full-length trousers as well as shorts, bermudas or three-quarter lengths: the anti-mosquito treatment acts as an insecticide recognised as effective against all mosquito species.
Mosquitoes are a genuine nuisance! Most are harmless, but caution is still advised as they can carry certain infections. In the case of Lyme disease, years of suffering can be avoided through vigilance and awareness — as well as by wearing clothing that effectively repels ticks. The most effective mosquito protection, and the simplest to use requiring no effort at all, is impregnated clothing: an easy solution to implement and ultimately low-cost. Say goodbye to mosquito and tick attacks and make the most of your hikes, forest walks and travels!
