For most day hikes, start with Sawyer’s 20% Picaridin pump spray. Sawyer says the spray protects for up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks and won’t damage plastics or synthetic coatings, so a stray mist on a pack strap, watch or sunglasses is not a problem.
Choose Ben’s 30 if you want a DEET formula; its label warns you to keep it off synthetics, plastics and painted surfaces and says it may damage leather. Choose Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus if you want a plant-derived active ingredient that is still EPA-registered; the maker states up to 6 hours of protection, the shortest here. In tick country, add Sawyer Permethrin to your clothing, socks and shoes. Permethrin is a fabric treatment, not a skin repellent, and its EPA-accepted label says bare skin must never be treated.
| Product | Best for | Active ingredient (label) | Maker-stated protection | Gear note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawyer 20% Picaridin Pump Spray | Most day hikes | 20% picaridin | Up to 12 hours vs mosquitoes and ticks | Won’t damage plastics or synthetic coatings |
| Search Amazon for Ben’s 30 Pump Spray | Hikers who want DEET | 30% DEET | Not published on the product page | Label: keep off synthetics and plastics |
| Search Amazon for Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus | Plant-derived, shorter outings | 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus | Up to 6 hours vs mosquitoes and ticks | Maker: safe on clothing and gear |
| Sawyer Permethrin Trigger Spray | Clothing, socks, shoes, pack | 0.5% permethrin | Six weeks or six washings on fabric | Clothing and gear only, never skin |
DEET vs picaridin vs permethrin: which does what?
DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus go on your skin. Permethrin goes on your clothes and gear. That split matters more than any brand choice, and it is why a sensible tick-season setup often uses two products.
EPA lists eight active ingredients used in EPA-registered skin-applied repellents: catnip oil, oil of citronella, DEET, IR3535, p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD), oil of lemon eucalyptus, picaridin and 2-undecanone. EPA registration means the company gave EPA technical information on the product’s safety and its effectiveness against mosquitoes, ticks or both.
| Active ingredient | Where it goes | What the sources say |
|---|---|---|
| DEET | Exposed skin, as the label directs | In more than 500 EPA-registered products; EPA sets no age limit for children |
| Picaridin | Exposed skin | In about 40 registered products; Sawyer says its formula won’t harm plastics |
| Oil of lemon eucalyptus | Exposed skin | Contains PMD but is regulated separately; some labels say not under age three |
| IR3535 | Exposed skin | In about 45 registered products; not one of the picks below |
| Permethrin | Clothing and gear only | EPA: factory-treated clothing protects only the skin it covers |
EPA also explains what “natural” can mean on a shelf. Some repellents are exempt from registration because their ingredients, such as citronella oil, cedar oil, geranium oil, peppermint oil and soybean oil, were judged minimal risk. Those exempt products have not been evaluated for effectiveness. If you want a plant-derived repellent with an effectiveness review behind it, look for oil of lemon eucalyptus listed as the active ingredient alongside an EPA registration number.
How to choose a bug spray for hiking
- Name the pests. EPA’s first question is whether you need protection from mosquitoes, ticks or both. All four picks below are described by their makers as working against both, but a repellent listed only for mosquitoes is the wrong buy for a tick-heavy trail.
- Match the protection time to your day. EPA advises choosing a product whose protection time fits your activity. Some labels now carry EPA’s repellency awareness graphic, which shows the typical protection time for mosquitoes, ticks or both; products with it have had an extra EPA review.
- Check the registration number. An EPA Reg. No. on the label is how you can confirm the product is registered, and EPA’s repellent search tool lets you filter by pest, protection time and active ingredient. EPA notes that its database was last updated in June 2019, so a newer product may be missing.
- Think about your gear. If a DEET product would end up on a synthetic jacket, pack straps or sunglasses, a label warning like the one on Ben’s 30 matters. Picaridin, as Sawyer describes it, avoids that problem.
- Expect real-world variation. EPA says effectiveness can vary with physical activity and sweat, water exposure, air temperature and how attractive you are to mosquitoes and ticks. Reapply as the label directs, not by guesswork.
1. Sawyer 20% Picaridin Pump Spray: best for most day hikes
Sawyer’s 20% Picaridin spray is, per the maker, effective for up to 12 hours against mosquitoes and ticks and up to 8 hours against biting flies, gnats, chiggers and sand flies. Sawyer describes it as non-greasy and fragrance-free and says it dries quickly and won’t damage plastics or synthetic coatings, naming clothing, backpacks, watches and sunglasses as safe surfaces. The safety data sheet lists picaridin at 20%.
Variant to know: Sawyer’s 20% Picaridin Lotion (4 oz, SP564) uses the same active ingredient, and Sawyer states up to 14 hours against mosquitoes and ticks for the lotion. A spray is easier to apply to clothing; a lotion is easier to apply precisely to skin.
Buy it if you want one skin repellent for long days, you hike with synthetic gear, or you dislike a strong repellent smell.
Skip it if you already trust a DEET product and keep it away from your gear.
2. Ben’s 30 Tick & Insect Repellent Pump Spray: best DEET option
Ben’s 30 is a 30% DEET pump spray. The maker describes it as water-based, so it goes on without the sting or drying effect of alcohol, and fragrance-free. The 3.4 oz bottle is, according to Ben’s, the largest size approved for carry-on bags on airplanes, which helps if you fly to a trailhead.
The trade-off is printed on the label: keep it off synthetics, plastics, furniture and painted surfaces, and it may damage leather. Apply it to skin before you put on a pack, and keep it away from sunglasses and other plastics. The product page does not publish a protection time, so read the label on the bottle you buy.
Buy it if you want DEET specifically, or you fly with your hiking kit and want a carry-on-size bottle.
Skip it if you would rather not manage the warning about synthetics and plastics; picaridin is the simpler choice.
3. Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus Eco-Spray: best plant-derived option
Natrapel’s Eco-Spray uses 30% oil of lemon eucalyptus, which the maker says comes from the leaves of the lemon eucalyptus tree, and it states up to 6 hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks. The maker says it can be used on clothing and gear. The 6 oz can is a continuous spray that the maker says can be sprayed at any angle. Its label marks it combustible, so keep it away from heat and open flame.
On age limits, EPA says some oil of lemon eucalyptus labels say not to use the product on children under three, and that certain products with oil of lemon eucalyptus as the only active ingredient at 30% or less carry no such restriction. Check the label of the can you buy before using it on a young child.
Buy it if you want a plant-derived active ingredient with an EPA effectiveness review, for hikes that fit inside its stated protection time.
Skip it if your outings run all day; reapplying every few hours is easy to forget on a long hike.
4. Sawyer Permethrin Trigger Spray: best for clothing and gear
This is not a bug spray for your skin. Sawyer’s permethrin is a fabric treatment for clothing, footwear and gear; the safety data sheet for the trigger spray lists permethrin at 0.5% and EPA Reg. No. 50404-3-58188. The EPA-accepted label for that registration says the product must not be applied to clothing while it is being worn and that under no circumstances should bare skin be treated.
Once treated and dry, the label says the protection lasts a minimum of six weeks and that clothing should be retreated after six weeks or the sixth laundering. The label adds that mosquito protection can be enhanced by applying an EPA-approved repellent to the face, hands and other exposed areas, so pair it with one of the skin repellents above. Sawyer also warns that permethrin should not be applied near cats; once treated fabric has dried, the maker says it is safe to use around them.
Buy it if you hike where ticks are common and want your socks, pants and shoes to do part of the work.
Skip it if you expected a skin repellent; buy one of the first three picks for that.
How the label says to treat clothing
- Work outdoors, out of the wind, with the clothing off your body.
- Hold the bottle about 6 to 8 inches away and spray with a slow sweeping motion until the fabric is lightly moist, about 30 seconds on each side.
- Pay particular attention to socks, pant cuffs and shirt cuffs. The label says not to treat underwear, hats, caps or inner clothing.
- Let it dry for at least 2 hours, or 4 hours when it is humid.
Sawyer says the EPA recommends about 4.5 ounces for each outfit of shirt, pants and socks.
Apply skin repellent the way EPA advises
- Put it only on exposed skin or clothing, never under clothing, and never over cuts, wounds or irritated skin.
- Spray it onto your hands first and then apply it to your face, keeping it away from your eyes and mouth and using it sparingly around your ears.
- For children, apply it to your own hands and then to the child, and do not put it on a child’s hands.
- When you get home, wash treated skin and clothes with soap and water.
- If you also use sunscreen, Sawyer recommends applying the sunscreen first.
Repellent works best alongside simple habits. EPA’s tick advice is to walk in the center of trails, wear long sleeves and long pants, tuck pants into socks, wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot and check your whole body after the hike. If you do find an attached tick, the site’s tick-removal tool guide covers what to carry and how to pack it. Keep that tool in your day-hike first aid kit , and see the first aid kit basics guide for the rest of what belongs in it.
Sources consulted
- EPA: Find the repellent that is right for you
- EPA: Skin-applied repellent ingredients
- EPA: Regulation of skin-applied repellents
- EPA: Using insect repellents safely and effectively
- EPA: Repellent-treated clothing
- EPA: Tips to prevent tick bites
- EPA: Repellency awareness graphic
- EPA-accepted label, EPA Reg. No. 50404-3 (permethrin 0.50%)
- Sawyer 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent, 4 oz pump spray
- Sawyer 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent, 4 oz lotion
- Sawyer Picaridin spray safety data sheet
- Sawyer Permethrin Fabric Treatment, 12 oz trigger spray
- Sawyer Permethrin trigger spray safety data sheet
- Ben’s 30 Tick & Insect Repellent 3.4 oz pump spray
- Natrapel Lemon Eucalyptus Tick & Insect Repellent Eco-Spray 6 oz
Product details were checked on the makers’ pages and labels on October 5, 2026; confirm the active ingredient, concentration and directions on the label of the exact product you buy. This is researched buyer analysis without hands-on testing.
FAQ
Is picaridin or DEET better for hiking?
Both are active ingredients in EPA-registered skin repellents. Choose by the pests on your route, the protection time on the label and your gear. DEET labels such as Ben’s 30 warn against synthetics and plastics, while Sawyer says its picaridin won’t damage them.
Can I spray permethrin on my skin?
No. The EPA-accepted label for the permethrin registration Sawyer lists says under no circumstances should bare skin or clothing being worn be treated. Treat clothing while it is off, let it dry, and use a skin-labeled repellent on exposed skin.
Do natural bug sprays work for hiking?
EPA-registered oil of lemon eucalyptus products have been reviewed for effectiveness. Products made only from exempt minimum-risk oils such as citronella, cedar, geranium or peppermint oil have not been evaluated by EPA for effectiveness.
Can children use DEET?
EPA says DEET is approved for use on children with no age restriction. Some oil of lemon eucalyptus labels say not to use on children under three. Follow the label, apply it to your own hands first and do not apply it to a child’s hands.