Mosquito Repellent for Camping (2026): What to Pack for Campsites and Kids

The best mosquito repellent strategy for camping is layered: permethrin-treated clothing for the daytime hike-and-fish hours, a 20 percent picaridin or 8 percent PMD topical for exposed skin, and a campsite area treatment (Thermacell or a screened shelter) for the evening. This setup protects every family member from babies through grandparents and works in mosquito-heavy environments from boreal forests to bayou country.

This guide covers the camping mosquito packing list, what works at dawn and dusk, how to protect kids and babies overnight, and the natural plant-based option for families that prefer it.

The 4-layer camping mosquito defense

Layered protection works better than a single product. Here is the proven combination:

Layer 1: Permethrin on clothing

Permethrin is an insecticide applied to clothing (not skin). It kills mosquitoes and ticks on contact and remains active through about 6 washes. You either buy pre-treated clothing (ExOfficio BugsAway, Insect Shield) or treat your own with a permethrin spray (Sawyer Permethrin) by following the bottle directions.

What to permethrin-treat for a camping trip:

•        Hiking pants and long-sleeve shirts

•        Hat

•        Socks (especially important for tick territory)

•        Optionally: tent and bug net

Permethrin is the foundation of professional outdoor mosquito and tick defense. The CDC, the U.S. military, and the National Park Service all recommend it.

Layer 2: Topical repellent on exposed skin

For exposed skin (face, neck, hands, forearms if rolled up), use a CDC-recognized active:

•        20 percent picaridin (Sawyer, Natrapel): no odor, 8-12 hours

•        25 percent DEET: longest field track record, can damage plastic and fabric

•        8 percent PMD (Superbloc, Repel Lemon Eucalyptus): plant-based, 4-6 hours

For families with kids 6 months and older, Superbloc's 8 percent PMD spray is the plant-based option that works for the whole family. Most PMD products require 3 years; the Superbloc formulation is alcohol-free water-based and labeled from 6 months.

Layer 3: Campsite area protection

For sitting around the fire, eating dinner, or relaxing at camp:

•         mosquito repeller (uses allethrin, creates a 15-foot bubble of protection)

•         (a gazebo with mesh sides)

•         for the kids' afternoon naps

Thermacells are heated devices that release a synthetic pyrethroid into the surrounding air. They work in a stationary outdoor setting. They are not for babies or pregnant women in close proximity (the CDC guidance is to use in well-ventilated areas).

Layer 4: Tent and sleeping defense

Mosquitoes inside the tent are the source of most "I got bit while camping" complaints.

•        Inspect tent screens for tears before each trip

•        Zip the tent door closed every time you enter or exit (mosquitoes follow you in within 1-2 seconds)

•        Hang a mosquito net over each sleeping area as a second layer

•        Use a small battery-powered fan inside the tent (air movement deters mosquitoes from landing)

•        Avoid bringing food or sweet drinks into the sleeping tent

Mosquito repellent for camping with kids

Kids 6 months and older:

•        Permethrin-treated clothing (mom-and-dad-treats-them-before-departure)

•        8 percent PMD spray on exposed skin (Superbloc labeled from 6 months)

•        Reapply every 4-6 hours

•        Move kids to the screened shelter or inside the tent

•        Cover up with long sleeves and pants

•        Reapply topical repellent

•        Mosquito net over crib or sleeping bag

•        Small fan for air movement

•        Light pajamas (mosquitoes can bite through tight thin fabric)

For babies under 6 months: physical protection only. Mosquito net over the carrier or playpen, light long sleeves and pants, parents wear repellent and avoid handling baby right after applying.

What to pack: the complete camping mosquito kit

Best campsites by mosquito level

Pick smart. Some campsites are mosquito factories.

•        Higher elevation (above 5,000 feet usually has far fewer mosquitoes)

•        Drier climates (desert and alpine sites)

•        Sites with breeze exposure (ridgetops, lakeshores with prevailing wind)

•        Sites with active water (rivers, streams)

•        Wetland areas, marshes, swamps

•        Standing-water lakes without current

•        Dense boreal forests in early summer (Maine, Minnesota, Canada)

•        Coastal salt marshes

•        Anywhere with high humidity and no wind

If you have a choice, pick the higher-elevation or breezier site for kids' first camping trips. They will have a better experience.

What about plant-based alternatives?

The only plant-based active the CDC recognizes is PMD (oil of lemon eucalyptus). Citronella candles do almost nothing in real camping conditions; the Cochrane review found about 14 percent reduction in mosquito landings from citronella candles, which is barely noticeable when mosquitoes are dense.

For families committed to a plant-based approach:

•        PMD topical on exposed skin (Superbloc 8 percent)

•        Permethrin on clothing (synthetic, but applied to fabric not skin)

•        Physical barriers (screens, head nets, tents)

•        Avoid the highest-pressure mosquito hours and locations

This combination provides reasonable protection without high-strength synthetic actives on the skin.

Common questions about camping mosquito repellent

Does mosquito netting really work?

Yes. A 16-mesh mosquito net is impermeable to all common North American mosquito species. The only failure modes are tears, gaps where the net meets a sleeping pad, or improper closure.

Can I sleep with a Thermacell on?

Thermacells are designed for stationary outdoor use during waking hours. Do not use them inside the tent during sleep. The active ingredient (allethrin) is safe in well-ventilated outdoor space but should not be continuously inhaled in an enclosed sleeping area.

What about citronella tiki torches?

Mostly decorative. The repellent effect from citronella oil at the concentrations in tiki torches is minimal. The smoke from the torch deters some mosquitoes in the immediate downwind area but does not protect a sitting space the way a Thermacell does.

Do I need to bring multiple types of repellent?

For most camping trips: one CDC-recognized topical (PMD or picaridin) plus permethrin-treated clothing covers most use cases. For a long trip in heavy mosquito country, layer in a Thermacell for the campsite and a head net for fishing hours.

Are there mosquito-repellent essential oil blends I can DIY for camping?

Homemade essential oil blends provide very short-duration (under 1 hour) repellent effect at best. For a weekend backyard barbecue this might be acceptable. For backcountry camping where you cannot reapply every hour, use a CDC-recognized active.

What if my child gets bitten while camping?

Cold compress for 10 minutes (ice in a wet bandanna works), then 1 percent hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion. Most bites resolve in a few days. See a doctor for fever, large swelling, or signs of infection.

Is DEET safe for kids on a camping trip?

The American Academy of Pediatrics allows DEET up to 30 percent on children from 2 months, applied to clothing not face. For most family camping trips, 8 percent PMD (Superbloc) or 20 percent picaridin will work as well at lower concentration and with better skin feel.

Browse Superbloc for your camping kit

•        2 sprays plus 2 wipes packs, covers a weekend trip for a family of 4.

•        The everyday 8 percent PMD spray, safe from 6 months.

•        TSA-friendly for the flight to the trailhead.

•        Slip into the tent pocket or sleeping bag for moth and pest deterrence at the cabin.

Featured in goop and Harper's Bazaar.

Tanya Lee - Founder of The Superbloc

Tanya is a Canada-based co-founder of The Superbloc, alongside formulator Cassidy Huang. Together they spent two years working with a Taiwan-based chemist to develop the brand's 8% PMD spray after years of searching for a DEET-free repellent that actually worked. PMD (p-Menthane-3,8-diol), derived from lemon eucalyptus, is the only plant-based active the U.S. CDC recognizes as effective against mosquitoes carrying West Nile and Zika. All safety claims on The Superbloc are grounded in peer-reviewed research, CDC guidance, and Health Canada guidelines.