Repellents$
Sawyer 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent
The repellent for people who hate repellent. DEET-grade protection, no grease, no melted sunglasses.
NYC + National
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> Repellents · National
OFF! Deep Woods (25% DEET)
The classic. DEET has 70 years of receipts, and Deep Woods is the drugstore-anywhere version.
Best for: The junk-drawer standby, camping trips, high-pressure evenings · Price: $
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Why it made the arsenal.
DEET is the most-studied insect repellent on Earth and it still just works — on mosquitoes, ticks, and basically everything with a grudge. OFF! Deep Woods at 25% DEET buys you roughly 6–8 hours of protection and you can find a can at any bodega or drugstore in the five boroughs, which matters when you're already late to the barbecue. It's greasier and smellier than picaridin, but as a keep-one-in-the-closet standby, it's untouchable.
+ Power-ups
- DEET: decades of evidence, EPA-registered, works on mosquitoes and ticks
- Available literally everywhere, cheap
- Aerosol covers clothing and skin fast
− Drawbacks
- Greasy feel and that unmistakable DEET smell
- Can damage some plastics, watch straps, and synthetic fabrics
- Aerosol is easy to under-apply on skin
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Complete the loadout.
Repellents$$
Thermacell E90 Rechargeable Repeller
A 20-foot no-spray force field for your stoop or patio. Charge it, click it, sit in peace.
NYC + National
Traps$$
Ovi-Catch AGO Mosquito Trap
The CDC-designed autocidal gravid ovitrap. Egg-laying mosquitoes check in; nobody checks out.
NYC + National
Gear is level 2. Level 1 is free: the Prevention Playbook. And if you're in Bed-Stuy, the pilot will hand you a trap.