 Hi. OK so I know that covering up well is probably the best solution but am about to go backpacking for most the summer and have been amazed by how difficult it is to find reviews of a two-in-one insect repellent & sunscreen. Nikwax have one out, anyone tested it? If in doubt I'll just do it separately as before but if I can carry two bottles instead of one that would be a real bonus (especially as flying out to Norway on Ryanair who really screw you over excess luggage!). Any advice would be really appreciated. Thanks!
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 I'd have thought doing the two jobs separately would be the best solution. For sunscreen the P20 once-a-day stuff works well for me (smells awful tho); I decant some into a tiny plastic bottle to avoid carrying the whole lot. You can probly save a bit on repellant (and screen) by covering up; a head net is a good investment.
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  Some folks still swear by Avon Skin So Soft blue spray bottle too of course to avoid insect attentions. On sale on their site for just one pound seventy five a bottle right now too, in their summer sale! Their sunscreen tube is down to four pounds too with a free sunscreen lip stick thrown in free.
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| Edited: 10/07/09 22:45 |
Great, thanks. If I am to go with separates which is the best insect repellent? Got the living daylights bitten out of me in Jotunheimen last year and am determined to avoid a repeat at all costs! Cheers.
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This is why I just ordered the Avon stuff finally, on recommendation from friends out there all the time in insect territory in the mountain rescue teams. If they had not said it worked well then I would not have bought it, simple as that. Am keen to try the Nikwax stuff too though, said to be very effective as well. I would still carry a headnet though of course, silly not to really when the midges or mozzies are out in force.
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| Edited: 10/07/09 23:04 |
 P20 also make insect repellent. it's deet.
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 Avon do a Skin so Soft with IR3535 bug guard AND sunscreen. Not (supposedly) available in the UK, but try Amazon. I've done limited testing so far, but it's all been good
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 Folks and strokes but for me the Nikwax double whammy stuff is rubbish. Didn't work for me as a sunscreen or an insect repellent. Beige man, aka fun police. <Listen to Trev if you must, he always has lots to say, maybe not always worth anything but still, there's lots of it and it's better to listen to it than to step in it.>
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 Re. insect repellant. I've been testing out Ecoguard insect repellant (made by Pyramid) for the last 2 weeks, it comes in 3 varieties- Extreme, normal and kids. Ive only tried the extreme so far and have been very impressed. Last weekend I spent the whole day outside at Loch Earn, painting decking, in perfect midge conditions. I had plenty buzzing around me but they all refused to land except on a bit of my leg that i deliberately left to test if it worked. first test passed. The last week Ive been out hill running 3 times and gone through tick infested areas where I always pick up hitchhickers, none to report though since using this stuff. I highly recommend it but im not sure where you can buy it, my employer supplies it to independent retailers around the highlands and islands.
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Folks and strokes but for me the Nikwax double whammy stuff is rubbish. Didn't work for me as a sunscreen or an insect repellent. Beige man, aka fun police. <Listen to Trev if you must, he always has lots to say, maybe not always worth anything but still, there's lots of it and it's better to listen to it than to step in it.>
As I say I have not yet tried the Nikwax stuff, you've not put me off of trying it though still. Will make my own mind up Mal, thanks. Nikwax claim their product is effective, and well proven in the field.  I was talking about the Avon product mostly myself there, remember. And that is no bullshit about the MRT using it because of that, got it from the horses mouth as it were, an FB friend in MRT. As I understand it Avon themselves were most surprised to find at first it had insect repellant side effects to their mix there; and it went on because of that happy unintended coincidence to be their top seller in that range. They have though since gone onto re-design and launch a performance increased specific product marketed to be used as am insect repellent. As druidh told us of there.
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"As I say I have not yet tried the Nikwax stuff, you've not put me off of trying it though still."
I wouldn't expect anything else, why do you think I would try to put you off? Why do you think I led with "Folks and Strokes"? I left my hardly used bottle in a Scottish bothy, it might work for someone else. I have no quarrel with what you say about Avon Skin So Soft in fact I already have the Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard with SPF factor 30. I have found it pretty effective with the local gnats and mossies and I haven't burned so far but then I haven't reached my final destination yet.
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| Edited: 11/07/09 11:14 |
Where did you get that from please Mal? As I could not see it on the Avon website.
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| Edited: 12/07/09 01:34 |
From amazon.co.uk Trev. but notice the delivery charge. I was willing to pay it just to try it out. I think we'll have to lobby Avon UK to start selling it.
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| Edited: 12/07/09 11:10 |
See your point re the delivery CaI...it is a bit steep isnt it! Dont know how successful we will be in lobbying Avon to sell it here...that So Soft is such a good midgie repellant caused some consternation here as (so I am told) it cant be marketed or sold as a repellant here as it hasnt been tested or approved as a repellant....
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Uuuum, that would sure explain things! In the meantime I am assured by regular users that the blue bottle is fairly effective for them.
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 The Blue Triple S works for me, it may need more frequent application than Jungle formula but isn't as oily/greasy, that said I used Jungle Formula for Kids which worked ok and seemed less oily than the regular stuff.
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And my mate in MRT also says it makes him smell lovely for the ladies out on the hill too, the blue bottle Avon stuff, as well as repelling the creepy crawlies!
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