Hi folks,
I just wanted to tell you about a great bug repellant and sunscreen! I’ve been using it for years since it came out about 4 years ago. It’s called Cactus Juice. Anybody ever tried it? I’ve been recommending it to our club and everyone loves it. It has a nice citrus scent and it’s the best sunscreen I’ve ever tried. Simply put, I’ve never been bitten or burned since I’ve been using it. Even in the mosquito infested blueberry patches of Maine.
Anyone else have suggestions or preferences? It is that time of year again.
well, if it’s THAT good —
where do i get some.
bug repellent
I use Bite Blocker a non-deet repellent. Works great especially against Adirondack black flies. You can buy it on the net.
cactus juice, Vitamin e
Cactus juice works well. Just don’t put it on your forehead if you’re planning on sweating.
I try to grin and bear it until I can no longer do so. Almost anything I put on my skin irritates it to some degree and forget it if it gets near my eyelids.
I’ve heard Vitamin E in strong doses helps. Either this seems to work for me or something else is going on. Perhaps they find my B.O. offensive or my skin too thick but I usually seem to be getting bit less than others.
Depending on the time of year
way down here in florida, i may enlist the services of 100% deet. usually can get by with the 30% stuff but i do recall a memorable paddle on the weeki wachee one summer. swarms in biblical proportions and usually i’m religious about not being religious. but the bugs were out for blood. bro and i lather up in the 100% deet and journeyed unscathed. others were not of similar fortune. reminded me of the scene in the John Landis classic, “The Kentucky Fried Movie,” in particular ‘the truth about masturbation scene.’ it was that bad i tell you.
I wrote here about it several years ago
We first were offered some from an outfitter in St Mary’s , Ga.
I know last year CVS was carrying it.
Cheers,
JackL
I just deal with nature…
If I get burned… oh, well. It will “tan out” in a day. If the bugs bother me… Well, after a day in the bush the tend to disappear. If you can’t deal with all that nature has to offer, don’t go outside.
If we go on an outing together, I won’t wait around while you put on your “foo-foo” screens & repellants & blockers & inhibitors. I will start my trip & when you catch-up I’ll paddle or hike with you… But don’t expect me to “wait on you”.
Paddle easy,
Coffee
I used Rei’s
Jungle Juice 100 last year. Worked pretty good. But after many conversations lately about the upcoming macho mesquito season, a lot of people have said Skin So Soft is the best repellant there is. Huh. Kinda makes you wonder just what -does- a moisturizing lotion have in it to repell bugs.
I rub myself all over…
…with chewing tobacco.
Not only does it keep bugs away, but shortly after
I started chewing, my wife stopped slapping me.
Where to get it
CVS and EMS. Other places? I’m not sure, those are the only two I know of so far.
OK, BUT…
If you end up with West Nile, which is getting more common up here in New England, might I visit you in the hospital?
Well, it was recomended to us and we…
tried it on a trip to the Adirondacks last summer- it worked OK when we were on the water at Long Lake, but the next day on the portage down to Lake Lila we were almost eaten alive. Lucky we had to make two trips to get all our stuff and we got the Natrapel Plus out of the car and were OK after that. Most of the time we use Natrapel Sun and make out very well, it completely did the trick on this trip:
http://home.comcast.net/~kaybruno/index.htm
we could see 'em buzzin around us but we barely got landed upon. I give Cactus Juice only a B+ as bug repellent.
Best-
~Glenn
Shoot
– Last Updated: Apr-10-04 7:36 PM EST –
I'm game to try anything. Ever taken a trip to inland Alaska before...Them skeeters would make yours wear pink frilly tu-tu's. tee-hee! :)
Really though, the best way to get rid of mosquito annoyance is to fix yourself some of that Backpacker's Pantry Wild West Chili. Hell, that'll clear out every oxygen sucking thing within 3 miles!
bens
i use bens 100% deet oil in the little orange bottle
I tried the Skin so Soft once
NEVER AGAIN!!!
As I don’t plan on having children, I use DEET!
Way down here…
Skin so soft bath oil works on No-see-ums but not mesquitos.
I dilute it one part to 9 parts water, then its not as slippery.
I use Amways D-15 for mesquitos…
More than 60 dead last year here
from West Nile virus (confirmed cases) and a couple thousand made ill from it.
Then there’s sunburn…maybe Coffee can get away with scorning sunblock at sea level or thereabouts, but at high elevations the sun WILL burn even a darker complexion like mine. I know, because I never, ever wore sunblock or used sunglasses in MA but when I went snorkeling in Hawaii one March I got badly burned. And when I first went to Colorado–complete with tan already established from a summer of bicycling and hiking in MA–I got just as badly burned. This state has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the country. Maybe THE highest. It’s no coincidence that it’s also the state with the highest “average” elevation.
Why does Coffee even read threads asking for sunscreen suggestions when he has decided he will never use any? Interesting.
Lemon Eucalyptus
Sold at REI. It smells and feels pleasant, and it even keeps the mosquitos away. Supposed to work on deer ticks also but the label didn’t say anything about flies.
Does Cactus Juice eat synthetic clothing? That’s one of the big problems with DEET.
Troll, troll, troll, or
…complete idiot!!
Cheers,
JackL
Where on earth do you find…
100 percent deet?
The most we can ever find is 30%.
I personnaly think deet is the best all around insect repellent.
We stopped using the Cactus juice, and went back to it.
Chees,
JackL