Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 47 total)
  • Current best flavour of anti-midge?
  • gotbike
    Free Member

    We want to go bike-packing for 5 days in Argyll in a couple of weeks (once I’ve recovered from the plague). What’s the anti-midge flavour of the month right now?

    TIA

    gotbike
    Free Member

    Bump me daddy

    kcal
    Full Member

    Smidge, thread closed.

    Argyll, end of July. Oooft.
    Take a container load, and your own pack of midge eating bats.

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    downshep
    Full Member

    In Argyll just now and they are pretty intense. Smidge or high concentrate DEET work to minimise bites but the wee shites still swarm by the trillion around you. Make sure you put plenty of repellant on your legs and socks to deter ticks. Nymph ticks and dead midges look similar on a sweaty leg. Argyll is a red zone on the Lyme disease map. Not to forget the third species in this triptych of joy; clegs. They have been particularly bad during this week’s warm weather. Bites are sore and can become infected. Bite cream is worthwhile, as are antihistamine tablets.

    I carry a midge hood at all times in case I stop for a mechanical. Also sensible to wear long sleeves and trousers if bearable in hot weather.

    Enjoy your trip!

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    It’s smidge, it’s always smidge, just buy bloody smidge!.

    thorpey0
    Free Member

    Avon Skin So Soft, no seriously…

    timbog160
    Full Member

    +1 for Skinsosoft

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    SSS is shite in my experience.

    timbog160
    Full Member

    Worked v well for me. Cheap enough to take both I suppose. Given your intentions I’d be taking a midge hat, and plenty of lightweight long sleeve and long leg clothing…

    boriselbrus
    Free Member

    Smidge will stop them biting you but won’t “repel” them as such. You’ll still need a headnet to stop them swarming into your nose, ears, eyes.

    I’m just back from Knoydart and with Smidge on my arms and legs plus a headnet it was fine.

    The clegs however will bite through clothing, can fly in 20mph winds, will chase you down and are currently swarming in clouds.

    Give me nice cute midges any day. 😄

    iainc
    Full Member

    The ingredient in Skin So Soft which deters the midges is no longer in it, so it’s not much good anymore. As others have said, Smidge.

    z1ppy
    Full Member

    The ingredient in Skin So Soft which deters the midges is no longer in it

    I always thought the point of SSS was to drown them, not repel them?

    thegreatape
    Free Member

    I live in Lochaber and use Smidge when necessary, although I think you do build up a tolerance of them. I don’t know anyone who bothers with SSS since Smidge got invented.

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    The ingredient in Skin So Soft which deters the midges is no longer in it, so it’s not much good anymore. As others have said, Smidge.

    I thought there were two versions now, with an original version that still had the right ingredients

    Northwind
    Full Member

    There’s a load of different skin so soft products, which definitely confuses things. Also some apparently work well for mosquitoes but not for midges. IMO none of them are great for riding, too much of a skin coating, but the original body oil/dry oil spray is the one most people mean when they recommend it. Check for citronella in the ingredients. It’s not so much a repellant, they’ll still land on you almost as much, they just don’t bite anything like as much- so it’s not much good for the general horribleness of having bugs all over you. But, you can double-bag it with deet or smidge and ime that’s the best overall protection short of a net.

    If you’re using a deet repellant and you can still feel your face you’re not using enough.

    Also, though, get a head net. Also a suit.

    db
    Full Member

    Treat your clothing (socks/trousers) with Permethrin for the ticks. DO NOT EXPOSE ANY SKIN and bath in Smidge. You will be fine.

    Consider niqab or full on burka if you want to sit out in the evening.

    I do recall I got a lot fitter cycling in the highlands. Could never stop so just had to pedal – all day.

    Davesport
    Full Member

    Trying out Biteback Insect Repellent Same active ingredient as Smidge but about a tenth of the price. Can’t say how effective this stuff is as I’ve only just started using it.

    jamiemcf
    Full Member

    I hated using skin so soft, I ended up a greasy sweaty mess.

    Best I found I’m sure was called IV Horse or similar. Some equine type gave my wife some. Seemed to work wonders for me. She can stand unacathed in the worst of swarms

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Smidge is the answer. Its been a total game changer for me. As good has hi strength DEET without being nearly so unpleasant.

    forget anything else. Smidge is formulated for the highland midge

    Nobeerinthefridge
    Free Member

    Clegs were mental today, couldn’t pedal fast enough up the hills to get away fae the bastards.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    They are terrible this summer so far.

    Side-stepping the issue of which repellent, I’d strongly recommend taking hayfever tablets.

    They totally stop the itching for me.

    jkomo
    Full Member

    What I’m gods name are clegs?

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Horseflies

    greatbeardedone
    Free Member

    I’ve never tried it with midges, but insects reeeally hate anything with tea-tree oil.

    You can get tea-tree shower gel, etc.

    I found the essential oil in the bargain dept, in a big Tesco’s. 10ml for £1.

    I’d dilute it one part tea-tree essential oil to ten parts vegetable oil.
    This might be an opportunity to use your hip flask and funnel gift set.

    It turns out that tea-tree oil is also very bad news for pets and you’re not supposed to use the essential oil directly on your skin (topically), and never ever ingest it😭

    But, you can drop a diluted solution onto your bike helmet and clothes.

    Id also carry another hip flask, (correctly labelled), with an alcohol based mouthwash. Not only can you sanitise your hands, but you can apply it to any insect bites to reduce the swelling.
    Or a hand-gel may work too.

    Good luck!

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Midges.

    Clegs.

    Ticks.

    I’ll add that there seemed to be a swarm of jellyfish visible today as well.

    stevious
    Full Member

    +1 for smidge. Works for midges & ticks.

    I have no idea what works for Clegs other than staying at home or calling in an airstrike.

    fooman
    Full Member

    I read a piece by a Special Forces vet who said ‘yeah we used Skin So Soft… Mixed with DEET’ I guess these things become legend.

    Anything DEET but if your skin reacts to it Smidge or Autan are OK. Autan much easier to come by as Boots sell it.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Smidge is more than just autan. Its a complex mix of things developed by a university for the scottish midge.

    Deet needs to be 50% at least to be properly effective.

    P20
    Full Member

    From someone who the midges love (I’m like sacraficial protection for those around me). Smidge

    brads
    Free Member

    Brut 33.
    Repels most living things to be honest.

    I wear it even outside midgie season.

    joshvegas
    Free Member

    Another Scottish person voting smidge.

    Skin so soft is crap and its proper minging stuff too.

    Or go bear grills. A big myrtly plant has save a bivvy on arran before.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    doesn’t surprise me Brad 🙂 East lothian and all that

    MrSalmon
    Free Member

    Seems pretty clear what the favourite is, but anyway – another +1 for Smidge

    brads
    Free Member

    @tjagain

    Aye but the East of East Lothian.
    The folk in the West wear Tabac.

    ransos
    Free Member

    Thanks all. I’m heading to the Isle of Mull and Argyle in a couple of weeks. Local Go Outdoors was stocking Smidge…

    brads
    Free Member

    Best stuff (in real life) I’ve ever used was deet that I was given by an American on a rig.
    Pretty sure it was not legal over here but you could see midges dropping out the air when they got in range.

    mikertroid
    Free Member

    Avon Skin So Soft.

    Amazing stuff. I’ve used it in many countries and it really does the job.

    The other day it completely fended off some very aggressive horseflies in my garden that were trying to devour me before I put it in.

    aP
    Free Member

    Horseflies!
    Aaarghhh. I was riding in Tuscany in 2018 and the **** were biting through my jersey.

    duncancallum
    Full Member

    Smidge….

    Incognito Is a close 2nd.

    Skin so soft not a repellant its just oily and stops them getting a grip.

    Wiksey
    Free Member

    Smidge or a bit of bogmertle. For the love of god stay away from anything with Deet in it – it melts plastics (seen ruined mobile phones, baths, lino) and isn’t that good at repelling midges.
    Breeze over 4mph and midges can’t fly, clegs are just utter b#@t#rds.
    Make sure you have tick hooks with you keep an eye on any bites for bullseye rash.
    Smidge is readily available in most shops here on Mull so presumably on the mainland too.

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