India: Don't bug me
Insect Repellent for Cloth
I spray down all of my clothing and my cloth suitcases with this before I head to tropical areas of the world. It works great and means I only need to use additional insect repellent on exposed skin. Sawyer Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent can be used to pre-treat your clothing and is as effective as 100 percent Deet against ticks, chiggers, mites and mosquitoes. It will last for up to 6 weeks or 6 washings and will not damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, finished surfaces or outdoor gear.
Sleeping Bag Liner
Don't let the title fool you, this little 'luxury' is a stand alone product (sans sleeping bag) that will make you comfortable and confident. It is a sleeping bag shaped sack made from a breathable thin knit fabric. This is probably the one thing that everyone on who traveled on our last India team wished they had packed. You can use it in trains, in beds where the linens are awful, or where you want to be protected from creepy crawlies. Sliding into this bag helps keeps everything else from scurrying in with you since it's only opening is around your face - and - that opening has a cinch tie if you want to snug it up nice and close. Two things to note... the one I use "Sea To Summit Coolmax Adaptor Liner" is already treated with insect shield. It is not inexpensive ($58) but I think it is worth the money because not only is it pre-treated, but it also is made to breath (thus 'Coolmax"). However if you want to be thrifty you can purchase a lightweight knit at your fabric store and stitch up your own liner. Pre-treat it by soaking in the Sawyer Cloth repellent listed above.
Mosquito Nets
We primarily used these when we were in rural areas. There is just something about being in a cozy little net 'house' that gives me an added sense of security. The things you should look for in nets is whether they are 'treated' or 'untreated' with repellent, the size of the netting and the style. If you chose to get an untreated net to save a few dollars you can always treat them with the Sawyer Cloth repellent. I filled up a small bucket and soaked my untreated net before our last journey. Because we use our nets inside, we needed to use four cords at the corners and attach them to walls (a single ceiling hanging net does not work well for our situation as it is often difficult to reach the ceiling). That doesn't mean that it's not still a challenge to find things to hook them to in your room. It is important to make sure you bring cording and Command hooks with additional adhesive strips in case the room does not already have hooks in place. I am also intrigued by the pop-up nets which I will mention below.
Untreated: Coghlans Mosquito Net Single ($9)
Insect Repel Treatment: Gadabout Mosquito Net - White Single ($22)
Okay, so I mentioned that I am intrigued by the Pop-up nets that I recently came across on Amazon. I'll be honest, I probably wouldn't spend the money on this for one trip --- but if you ever plan to travel to tropical areas in the future or are a camper it might be worth a try. I actually have one on the way and am anxious to try it out. The pros: Tying up a traditional net takes a lot of ingenuity to find places to anchor it. This pop-up is not dependent on having nearby walls or hooks. Secondly, it takes a fair amount of time to install a hanging net and when I am ready for bed I don't want to mess with the set-up. This one just untwists and pops up (you probably figured that out from the name). Lastly, and what might be it's best asset is that it has a fully attached bottom. That means no tucking it under your mattress - if you are lucky enough to have a mattress. So you get no tucking and you also don't have to worry about anything crawling in if the netting gets pulled loose. The zippered door means you don't have to yank the net out from the mattress to exit and enter. The cons: The cost is significantly higher (around $60). While it is light (only 2.2 lbs), and it folds into a disk, it still only packs down to 26 inches comfortably - 20 inches if you struggle with it. This means you need to make sure it fits in a large checked bag or use it as your carry-on item. I also wish it were a tad bit smaller in height because I am not sure if it will fit in a train berth, but I do like the fact that I can sit up in it. Here is the link to the SansBug Free-Standing Pop-Up Mosquito Net (Poly Floor - i.e. less crinkle noise)Mosquito Repellent
I know there are many people who hold firm to using 'safe' repellents including natural oils. I respect that, I really do, but I also believe the consequences of contracting malaria or other bug born diseases does not outweigh the risks of using DEET for a very limited time under extreme conditions. So when traveling in remote areas of risk I use insect spray with at least 40 DEET, higher if the conditions are very bad. After showering in the morning (if that luxury exists) I take a few minutes to spray myself down and then reapply throughout the day. I have found Repel Max 40 DEET usually does the job for me.
Duck Tape
Everyone knows they should never leave home without Duck Tape! So many uses... When it comes to bugs I rarely find accommodations that do not have holes or rips in the window screens. A quick check when you enter your room and bit of duck tape will take care of that. Don't forget to check for holes in the walls around outlets or plumbing! Not only will it deter bugs but it may save you from hearing the scurry of little mice in your room at night (probably not but it never hurts to hope). So pack the duck tape and if you want to liven up your surrounding pick one that is pretty!
Home Insect Spray
No you didn't! Yep, on my last journey to India I tucked a full size bottle of home bug spray into my checked bag. I sprayed a perimeter around every room that I slept in and around all of the doors and windows. Make sure to bring the kind in a spray bottle, like Ortho Insect Spray, not an aerosol can which inspectors frown on since they can explode.
Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
#1 vote and is the one I am keeping primarily because it has spinner wheels. This feature is extremely handy especially when trying to fit down those narrow plane aisles! Another pro is the look of the bag. It is available in several fabrics but I like the matte quilted look. The Con: The interior pockets are far less functional than those on the #2 pick bag below. I also wish it were a bit lighter. Some airlines now weight carry-on bags with a weight limit of 15lbs. This bag eats up a lot of that allowance.
