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The Best Bug Repellents

Updated Dec 10, 2022
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Everyone should avoid bug bites, which are annoying at best and debilitating (or even lethal) in worst-case scenarios. For a bug repellent that’s safe and effective—and that won’t stink or leave a puddle of oil on your skin—skip the DEET and get a picaridin formula, like Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent. It’s the best bottle of bug spray we found after testing 23 repellents and talking to everyone from the EPA to the American Mosquito Control Association.

Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent, the best bug repellent

Sawyer Products 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent

The best bug repellent
This EPA-approved picaridin formula is safe and effective, and it comes in a bottle that’s better than that of competitors at spraying evenly and accurately.
We recommend
Ranger Ready Picaridin 20% Tick + Insect Repellent, another standout picaridin spray

Ranger Ready Picaridin 20% Tick + Insect Repellent

Another standout picaridin spray
Ranger Ready offers pump- and trigger-spray bottles in a variety of scents, as well as bulk refill bags to reduce waste (and lower your costs).
Another good choice
Cutter Backwoods Dry Insect Repellent, the best deet-based repellent

Cutter Backwoods Dry Insect Repellent

The best DEET-based repellent
DEET formulas work and are widely available, but they aren’t more effective than picaridin (they tend to smell bad and feel oily, too). Cutter Backwoods Dry, with its even aerosol spray and locking cap, is the best DEET repellent we’ve found.
Another good choice
Sawyer Products Permethrin Fabric Treatment, for clothing and gear, and tick protection

Sawyer Products Permethrin Fabric Treatment

For clothing and gear, and tick protection
For clothing and gear (but not skin), Sawyer’s permethrin repellent is as effective as similar formulas at repelling ticks and mosquitoes, and its trigger spray is easier to control.
Another good choice

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