What’s a good place to test insect repellent?

How about 25 Scouts canoeing their way through a buggy week in Ontario, Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park? In mid August we don’t usually run into too many mosquitoes and the black fly season is long over. This was a wet summer and we encountered more mosquitoes that we were used to, many, many more.

One evening as we were chatting around the campfire we heard a quiet, yet audible, high-pitched buzzing sound that must have been a cloud of insects (we suspected mosquitoes).

We armed ourselves with 2 ounce tubes of 3M Ultrathon, the best repellent I have ever used and one that has earned a permanent place in my camping kit. One application (a pea-sized blob of lotion I applied to my ears, forehead, forearms, ankles and the backs of my hands) lasted for hours. There’s usually enough wind when we were out on the water paddling to keep the mosquitoes at bay, but portaging  is feeding time. 3m Ultrathon worked extraordinarily well repelling the clouds of mosquitoes eagerly waiting for us during portages through the still, damp, shady forest.

According to 3M in the mid-1980’s, the US Military asked them to develop a better insect repellent, and the result, 3M Ultrathon, is being used today by troops in all areas of the world. 3m Ultrathon features a time-release technology that lasts up to 12 hours, resists perspiration and water, and is actually pretty economical. I balked at paying ten bucks for a 2 ounce tube, but I shared mine with several Scouts for a week and still have plenty left.

3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion Available from Amazon

Are these really the best internal frame backpacks for Scouts? I think so!
Teton Scout and Teton Explorer
Outfitting a Scout for backpacking can be expensive, and a proper pack is a big part of that expense. The Scout 3400 is just under $70.00 (Teton makes a larger model, the Explorer 4000, for about $75.00) – that’s an excellent price for packs with these features. Naturally these aren’t just used for backpacking, they can carry gear for just about any camping trip. [Available at Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000F34ZKS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000F34ZKS&linkCode=as2&tag=cagreenwoodw)
Check out my video review!