Mosquitos Nearly Ruined My Eastern Sierra Backpacking Trip—But This $11 Lotion Saved the Weekend

A few weeks ago, I ventured up to the Eastern Sierra for a quick backpacking trip. I’m no backpacking expert — I’ve only been on a couple trips in my life — but I am a gear nerd, so my packing list was comprehensive. I packed spare trash bags to keep things dry in case of rain and I had a few extra plastic sandwich bags for trash and toiletries. I had a tent, a sleeping bag, an ultralight sleeping pad, and a merino wool t-shirt I could wear each day, plus all of the other things you need for two nights in the backcountry.

The most important thing I packed, though, was actually an afterthought. Right before I locked my front door and drove north, I grabbed the Sawyer Picaridin Bug Repellent lotion that had been sitting unopened in my gear closet for the last few months. This last-minute addition to my pack turned out to be the savior of my trip when our group was met by a relentless wave of mosquitoes.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Will Porter.

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Will Porter

Will is a writer currently based in Los Angeles by way of Boise, NYC, and San Francisco (it's been a journey). He's an avid runner and cyclist who loves spending time on the trails, on the road, and local menswear stores — spending too much money on clothes and gear at every stop. He has been covering outdoor gear, running gear, bikes, golf, and style for over five years, but he is a lifelong enthusiast in all of those categories.

दस्ते से

हमारे समुदाय के साथ कैम्प फायर वार्तालाप, स्क्वाड सदस्यों और राजदूतों से लेकर ब्रांड पार्टनर्स और सॉयर टीम तक।

मीडिया मेंशन

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

मीडिया मेंशन

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
लेखक

मीडिया मेंशन

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

Liz Provencher
Freelane Writer