This guest blog is written by Raising Hikers, the camping & hiking blog for families. You can follow their journey by following them on TikTok or Instagram.
I want to yell it from the mountaintops “I finally found a bug spray that I love!” Any outdoor parent knows what a big deal this is! I have searched for seven years (you read that right), for a bug spray that I love. While I don’t think I am that picky, I have never been able to find a bug spray that meets my three pieces of criteria to be love-worthy: safe, effective, and even smells good. Some products I have tried in the past have met one or two of these criteria, but Ranger Ready Repellent is the only one to meet all three. Keep reading for my reasons as to why Ranger Ready is the best bug spray for kids and families!
1) THE BEST BUG SPRAY FOR KIDS – BECAUSE IT IS SAFE
Mosquitos and tick bites can be extremely dangerous, so choosing to use bug repellent is the first step to safety. The next step is thinking about what chemicals are in your bug spray of choice. Ranger Ready Repellents use a safe DEET alternative called Picaradin for their body worn spray. Fun fact: Picaridin is a synthetic compound derived from piperine–found in the same group of plants that are used to make black pepper! It is EPA registered and It is safe to apply directly on your skin, is safe for kids over 1 years old, is safe to use while pregnant, and it doesn’t damage clothing or gear!
2) BEST BUG SPRAY FOR KIDS – BECAUSE IT WORKS!
A bug spray that is effective is the most important criteria. It’s what we are looking for when we put our trust in a bug repellant product. However, because safety is a huge factor, oftentimes we will sacrifice the effectiveness. The only other bug spray that has ever been effective for me was full of DEET. It worked, but I knew the chemicals weren’t good for me and I had to make a switch once I was putting bug spray on my kids. You don’t have to choose safety or effectiveness anymore with Ranger Ready. It actually works!
3) THE BEST BUG SPRAY FOR KIDS – BECAUSE IT SMELLS SO GOOD
This is a bonus but it’s actually really important when applying bug spray to kids. If it smells terrible, there will be more resistance to applying it. This is true for adults as well because chemical smell can be a turn off in the outdoors. We go outside for that smell of pine trees and fresh air! Ranger Ready comes in Scent Zero (which means you don’t smell anything!), Orange, Amber, and Night Sky. My personal favorite is Night Sky and we joke that it’s our “trail cologne”–which is especially helpful when we stink from days on the trail or camping with no showers!
I FINALLY FOUND A BUG SPRAY THAT I LOVE!
BEST BUG SPRAY FOR KIDS – MY FAVORITE RANGER READY PRODUCTS
Trigger Spray Repellant: This is the full sized Picaridin 20% spray, with the most effective sprayer. We keep this one in our car, campsite, or the trailhead. This is the Scent Zero scent, but you can also get this large size in their yummy smelling scents too.
Travel Sized Spray: We keep this size of the Picaridin 20% spray in our hiking backpacks and they are perfect for travel. We brought them to Europe with us this summer and they were TSA approved in our carry on luggage here and abroad.
Permethrin Trigger Spray: Permethrin 0.5% is designed to apply to your clothing and gear (not your skin). It is a safe EPA Registered synthetic chemical that kills insects upon contact. We treat our clothing, socks, shoes, backpacks, and tents at the beginning of each season. It lasts for up to 40 days or 5 washes.
Refill Kit: I love that you can purchase refill kits so that you don’t have to replace the entire bottle. This is better for the planet as each kit saves 5 trigger spray bottles from ending up in a landfill! Also, the bottles of the products above can be recycled unlike other aerosol sprays!
8 TIPS TO AVOID MOSQUITO AND TICK BITES
1. Treat your gear and clothing with Permethrin before you head out on your adventure
2. Put your sunscreen on first
3. Apply Picaridin 20% spray to your exposed skin, then rub it in with your hands
4. Don’t miss your ankles and knees as those can be common areas for bugs to jump from the ground
5. Avoid hanging around stagnant water if possible
6. No need to spray under your clothes, but if you didn’t treat your clothes with Permethrin then be sure to spray Picaridin on your clothes
7. Wear long sleeves and pants
8. Check your body for bugs or ticks when you get home
