Best Insect Repellents to Keep Bugs at Bay 2024

In America alone, there are an estimated 476,000 people diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease each year, all spread by just one creature: The deer tick. Add in the diseases that can be spread by fleas, mosquitoes, and other insects — diseases including West Nile Virus, malaria, and other maladies that can be dangerous and even fatal — and one thing becomes clear: if you’re going to be spending time outside, especially during the warmer months, you need to wear insect repellent.

Often called bug spray (though this is a misnomer in many cases, as insect repellents are often lotions or balms), insect repellent can be a highly effective way to ward off biting pests. But you need to choose the best insect repellent, like our top choice, Sawyer’s Picaridin Insect Repellent, for the specifics of your situation. These vary based on location and weather, the clothing you are wearing, and the types of insects you need to repel. We did the research, talked to the experts including dermatologists and exterminators, and thought back on years of personal experience in choosing the best highly effective insect repellents.

Continue reading to learn more about the best insect repellents, written by Steven John.

Contributor

Steven John

Expertise

Gear reviews, product testing, interviews

Education

BA, Emerson College

Steven John is a journalist with 13-plus years of experience testing and reporting on consumer products. He specializes in outdoor gear and consumer technology. In addition to U.S. News, his work has been featured in New York Magazine, Forbes, The Daily Beast, Architectural Digest, Insider, Gear Junkie, and many other publications.

John is an avid hiker, skier, paddler, and biker, and has been skiing and cycling since his elementary school years. His love for hiking began in high school when he spent two summers trekking hundreds of miles across northern Spain. He began climbing mountains in his 20s and has reached the summit of many of America's most prominent peaks, including Mt. Rainier, the Grand Teton, and Mt. Whitney. Two of his favorite outdoor achievements are completing a marathon in the Swiss and French Alps, and hiking more than 120 miles through the jungles and mountains of Colombia.

John also has reviewed scores of consumer tech products from air purifiers to smart lighting, and along the way has interviewed countless experts in various technology fields. For example, he has tested more than a dozen security cameras for the Tech & Electronics team at Forbes, written smart fitness gear reviews for The Daily Beast, and reviewed home tech such as electric lawn tools and portable air conditioners for New York Magazine. John lives outside New York City with his wife and two kids.

Kutoka kwa kikosi

Mazungumzo ya Campfire na jamii yetu, kutoka kwa Wanachama wa Squad na Mabalozi kwa Washirika wa Brand na timu ya Sawyer.

Kutoka kwa kikosi

4 MIN

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

I’m also a fan of the venerable Sawyer Squeeze. Just collect water and drink!

Trey French

Mwandishi

Majina ya Vyombo vya Habari

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.