A bottle of Cutter Dry aerosol spray on a table.
A bottle of Cutter Dry aerosol spray on a table.

Best Bug Sprays for 2025

For any outdoor adventure, whether camping or hanging out in your backyard, you should always protect yourself with bug spray. This is especially important if you travel to a country where malaria and other diseases are spread by mosquitoes, per the CDC, which recommends that you only use insect repellents approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises using insect repellents containing no more than 30% DEET or others approved by the EPA.

To help you narrow your search for the best bug spray, we tested over 20 wipes, lotions, sprays and DEET-free insect repellents from different brands in the muggy South Florida heat.

Continue reading to learn more about the best bug sprays, written by Amanda Capritto.

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

This spray protects you from tick-borne illnesses and is essential for outdoor adventure.

Hook & Barrel Staff
Tovuti

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Streams, waterfalls, and rivers can quench your thirst in the wild, but they may carry dirt and impurities.

Dinal Jain
Mwandishi

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

Sawyer Squeeze is the longer lasting and more reliable filter, which should affect the choices of thru-hikers.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor