A bottle of Sawyer Picaridin Lotion.
A bottle of Sawyer Picaridin Lotion.

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.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
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.

Explore More Content

Media Mentions

It all starts with Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L, the best and most reliable filter-bladder combo and the core of my backpacking water storage and filtration system.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor

Media Mentions

Our top water filter for thru hiking, the Sawyer Squeeze, is 15% off.

Naomi Hudetz
Chief Operating Officer & Online Editor

Media Mentions

People with alpha-gal syndrome show allergic symptoms such as rash, nausea and vomiting after eating such meat.

Stephanie Soucheray
Reporter