Bug suit suitability?

[Tramper Al]

Hey,

Against all conventional wisdom, I am heading out for a 4-5 day canoe trip in darkest Maine during the last week of June. It's not a big lake trip, more small rivers, creeks, and swamps. So, there may be some black flies!

Those black flies do love me, and I might eventually go insane - or go crashing through the forest like a bull moose - if I can't keep them at bay. The few times I have gone on a similarly foolishly-scheduled trip I have always resolved never to do so again. But I forget, naturally.

So, I'm thinking about some extraordinary measures for day time black fly protection, even one of these crazy bug suits. I wonder if anyone has experience with this sort of thing, particularly at warmer temperatures. If it were cool, I could just wear long pants and long sleeves. So is this bug screen material any cooler? Sometimes I'll be coasting downstream, but often I'll be working as hard or harder than hiking, by poling, tracking, portaging, etc.

Thanks in advance . . .

 

[Jim lombard]

I've worn them hiking and fishing in Maine, found them to be quite hot. But they kept my ears from being chewed up, rotten things seem to go for your head.

 

[explorer13421]

I have a top and pants bug suit sold by Coughlans. Total price was more than what you asked about. The top and pants are effective at keeping the bugs away, but do not ventilate well. One would think that a mesh net kind of thing would move more air through than it does. However, I react strongly to black flies, so I will trade off a heat management issue for the bites.

 

[woodstrider]

Bugs

I use a head net, usually over a hat and I wear long sleeves and pants. Nylon clothing seems to work well- something with a tight weave so that the mosquitoes can't get through. The cover up works well to protect from many other sources of aggravation and harm- like sun burn, brambles and ticks.

 

[ExploreTheEast]

I wore one of these last December, on a hike/paddle trip in the Everglades. While it's true I probably almost sweat to death, I saw the carnage on my fellow floaters that had no such protection. I've never seen anyone close their eyes and spray a 5-second burst of OFF directly into their face before that day...

In short, I was hot. I had to drink a lot of liquid. But I was bite-free at the end.

Edit: I should mention that they're pretty expensive too, and I wouldn't have bought one if I hadn't found it onsale for 50% off!

 

[twigeater]

I had a bug net suit similar to that, but gave it away. Too hot and I don't like the heat.

 

[tonycc]

Not much cooler, at least for me. That dark green color is especially hot if you will be in the sun.

I would much rather have a light long sleeve shirt and pants, light colored. Black flies seem to be attracted to dark colors more than light colors.

A head net is pretty much mandatory unfortunately, I hate the way those things gnaw the inside of my ears. They are hot to wear and hard to chew when I forget to lift it while eating.


Tony

 

[weatherman]

I'd have to agree with Tony on this one. Headnet, light colored LS shirt (cotton- OH NOOOOOO!!!- must mean certain death, but you'll stay cool on the way down to Hades) and some kind of really light pants - I found some nylon pants at REI a couple years ago that were lightweight, like 6 oz, but kind of hot, though they worked well in camp in the Mahoosucs.

Good luck, and I hear transfusions are hard to come by these days...

Weatherman

 

[rhihn]

We've used them in camp on canoeing trips in Canada, and we found them to be lifesavers. We were definitely more comfortable then those who didn't have them. We didn't need them while canoeing. However, as others have said, they really are hot, too hot to hike or canoe in. We have a different brand from yours (I forget the name).

 

[Dalraida]

Shoo-bug vest

When I did springtime trail work back in 82-85. I had a coarse mesh vest and overpants that were impregnated with an OFF type of bug dope. When you bought the suit, you emptied a small bottle of the repellant into the vest, let it soak in its sealed plastic bag for a day or so then wore the garments. Although the vest had a hood, I never put it up. You could smell the dope, but didn't actually put it on your skin. I remember that the bottle of dope closely resembled the stuff we were issued in the Nam. As many of you know, any time you are digging in the dirt, the Black Flies and Mosquitoes show up by the hundreds. Without these suits, my wife never would have gone into the woods to help me. To this day she cringes at the words "Hazel Hoe"

 

[ExploreTheEast]

That reminds me, Ex Officio makes a line of clothing called "Buzz Off," in which Permethrin (a natural repellant) is bound directly to the fabric. That might help you out some (in addition to a spray repellant). If anyone has any experience with this clothing line, I'd love to hear about it.

 

[Rick]

Tramper Al,
There was an article in the Wall Street Journal today about black flies, and though it focused a little bit on the Black Fly Festival in Adamant, Vermont, it did speak of the growing numbers of black flies over the past few years due to cleaner streams in the NE.

The bit I found interesting was that this year in particular will be extremely bad due to the cold wet spring and the unusual heavy snow pack, so whatever you do, good luck.

 

[DougPaul]

That reminds me, Ex Officio makes a line of clothing called "Buzz Off," in which Permethrin (a natural repellant) is bound directly to the fabric. That might help you out some (in addition to a spray repellant). If anyone has any experience with this clothing line, I'd love to hear about it.

You can also get permethrin in a pump spray bottle. (REI carries it. Other stores probably do too.) I apply it to my clothing before I go out--lasts ~2 weeks and is waterproof. Only reach for the deet (applied to skin) if the bugs are pretty bad. Works for me.

Have carried a headnet without using it for many hiking miles--last time I remember using it was when camping next to a river on a multi-day boating trip (which might be in Tramper Al's near future...).

Tramper Al:
I suspect a headnet + long sleeves + long pants + permetherin + deet (as needed) is a reasonable alternative to a full bug suit. You can add gloves if you want to protect the last sq-mm of skin.

Doug

 

[Gris]

Wouldn't that be: "Bug Suit-Ability?"

My dad got me a Ex Officio "Buzz-Off" shirt for last birthday and I must say i prefer my other Ex Officio non "Buzz-Off" shirt my brother got for my most recent birthday. The latter is just much, much cooler. I forget what it is called, but it feels way lighter and has an almost paper-like consistency, yet it's durable (it says it's 85% polyester/15% nylon) and it has the roll/button up sleeves. Together with the lightweight Ex Officio zip-off pants, it's a very "cooling" outfit. Together with the lightest poly gloves and cheap bug net hood over Tilley hat, it holds the Florida & Bahama skeeters and no see-um gnats at bay and remains comfortable in extreme heat.

 

[Tramper Al]

Cool

Thanks to all, this is most helpful.

You have confirmed my concerns that full netting of any sort will likely be too warm to wear during half way vigorous activity at typical summer temps. You've also encouraged me to fight those bugs the old fashioned way, by covering up as much as is feasible.

At present, I do own a headnet and will bring that. I will try to identify in my collection of non-cotton clothes (for camp at least) some good cool long pants and long sleeved shirt. I have plenty of DEET too, so will put that to use as needed. In the past, I have sprayed DEET on my clothes, without any solvent-like effects, but maybe I'll use the permethrin on my clothes on this trip, just to try something different.

Those of you who were particularly helpful have earned your good reputations. I will pread the joy as far as I can, but I think there may be a lockout to prevent excessive enthusiasm.

 

[DougPaul]

In the past, I have sprayed DEET on my clothes, without any solvent-like effects, but maybe I'll use the permethrin on my clothes on this trip, just to try something different.

My experience with permethrin is that, once it is dry, it is virtually odorless and doen't get on anything or dissolve anything. (Apply and forget.) Clothing only--it doesn't work on skin--some of the chemicals on your skin will deactivate it. Thus minimum skin absorbtion.

If you don't try it on this trip, I highly recommend that you give it a try on another trip. It, plus keeping moving, is good enough that I rarely reach for the deet.

Doug

 

[BrentD22]

Mesh of a Mess...

The mesh on those bug nets seems as if it should vent air better but it does not. The mesh gets wet and acts as a semi vapor barrier. It keeps in all hot moist air.

I have not tried this, but maybe it's worth a try. Take your bug net wet down the top hat part, freeze it over night then take it out on the trail. It might not work good for a long day, but maybe it will help for a couple of hours. Who knows, maybe someone can come up with a better idea using this idea.

 

[spider solo]

We tried a version of the bug shirt, a few years ago on a trip to Sweden.
Well it sure was easy to pick out "the Americans" .
One of the older relatives gave it a try, but all in all it was to warm for wearing when active.
We had good luck wearing them around camp up in Quebec interior, but cooking around the stove while wearing them looked so dangerously flamable it was not for the feint hearted... mercifuly the black flies went to bed about 9 pm...probably to make room for the hordes of mosquitos that followed...I think they must have worked out some kind of time sharing deal...nowadays we've refined our travels there mostly to the coastal St Lawrence shore line to truly escape from the black flies.

I think of the bugs as very thick when you inhale them with every breath.
I would say your heading into the thick of it for sure.
I'll be kayak camping up at Lake Umbagog the last week of June...I'll probably start looking around for the shirt again..but should able to get some relief heading into more open water from time to time....hopefullly.
good luck.

 

[cmr_hiker]

sassafras

learn to identify it.
make a bandanna headband.
stick sassafras in bandana creating your peronalized touch.

should help keep the buggers away and provide some shade

unless of course, blackflies are immune?

chris

 

[spaddock]

Found out this May that bug netting and campfires don't mix. I'll probably go for those "Original Bug Shirts" if I come across a sale.

Last weekend everybody decided that headnets were the way to go with that heat.

Went through half a bottle of "Ben's" in one hike. Thank you Ben.


-Shayne