The Best Bug Repellents and Sprays of 2025

Nothing ruins a sojourn outdoors quite like an entourage of pesky mosquitoes chowing down on your arms and legs or the itchy bug bites that follow. Sure, bug spray is great and all. But between the various active ingredients and concentrations, it’s hard to know what actually works, let alone find a spray that doesn’t smell like a chemistry class or make you feel like you took a dip in a vat of oil.

Se poutèt sa nou te ale men-sou ak ensèk nuizib tès ki jan yo santi yo, ki jan yo pran sant ak tout lòt bagay ou ta vle konnen sou yon espre ensèk anvan ou itilize yon sèl. Tout bagay sa yo apre konsiltasyon ak ekspè miltip asire nou enkli repouse ki aktyèlman efikas nan, byen, repete pinèz. Nou teste sèlman espre ensèk ki gen yon engredyan aktif ki apwouve pa tou de Sant pou Kontwòl ak Prevansyon Maladi (CDC) ak Ajans Pwoteksyon Anviwònman (EPA): DEET, picaridin, lwil sitwon ekaliptis, p-Menthane-3,8-diol (ki se nan lwil oliv nan ekaliptis sitwon), IR3535 ak 2-Undecanone. DEET te pi renmen an nan mitan ekspè yo nou entèvyouve, men yo tout fè lwanj efikasite nan lòt engredyan yo kòm byen, espesyalman picaridin ak lwil oliv nan ekaliptis sitwon.

Continue reading to learn more about the best bug repellents and sprays, written by Kai Burkhardt.

Medya Mansyone

Sawyer’s picaridin lotion lasts a long time, stores well in survival kits and cars, and doesn’t have the laundry-list poison control label like DEET sprays.

Sean Gold
Founder & Lead Writer

Medya Mansyone

Secure a small loop of cord to a trekking pole to create a convenient place to hang a water bladder and filter water.

Nathan Pipenberg
Ekriven

Medya Mansyone

It contains 20 percent picaridin, a powerful insect repellent that will make nights around the campfire much more enjoyable.

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer