Sawyer bug spray & Micro Squeeze water filters keep you safe in the backcountry

Pocket sized Picaridin lotion packs help keep the bugs away while bikepacking

Is it just me, or are we hearing about mosquito & tick borne illnesses more than ever recently? Whatever the reason behind it, when it comes to dangerous diseases like Dengue Fever, the World Health Organization is reporting a 30-fold increase in cases globally. Then there’s Malaria, Zika, Lyme, etc. Are you going to contract any of these on your average ride? Probably not. But if you’re headed to an area with higher risk, it’s worth taking along some bug spray to be safe.

Lots of places for mosquitoes to breed in Bali. Recently, Sawyer sent over a sampling of a number of products both in the insect repellent and water treatment family. The timing was perfect since I was soon headed to Indonesia for the Patrol mountain bike launch. Along with the recommended vaccinations, my doctor prescribed antimalarials as a precaution. However, it turned out that in Bali, Dengue fever is becoming more of a concern than Malaria, and there’s no preventative measures for Dengue other than avoiding mosquitoes entirely. That’s not really an option when you’re planning to go mountain biking on a tropical island – or even just stepping foot on the island. For whatever reason, insects love me and I started seeing mosquitoes almost as soon as I stepped outside (there were also a few in our first hotel room).

Fortunately, thanks to the products from Sawyer I was prepared. Before leaving home, I treated most of my clothing with Permethrin sprays from Sawyer. Available either in an aerosol spray or trigger spray, you basically just hose down your gear with this stuff until it’s damp.

Read the full article by Zach Overholt on Bikerumor's website here.