Two bottles arrived which was a welcome surprise.

I like the idea of the Natrapel repellent being in a pump spray bottle as this reduces any impact to the environment. The other benefit I see to this is that perhaps it can be decanted into a smaller container so that I am able to carry only what I need for the duration of the trip.

Active ingredients: Picaridin 20%

Inert ingredients: 80%

The ability for the repellent to provide protection from ticks is excellent for the conditions that I hike in, as on several occasions I have caught them before they get a chance to burrow in. Hopefully this will keep them away altogether.

At this stage I am having difficulty in describing the smell accurately, suffice as to say there is a mild fragrance.

When applied to the skin there is an oily residue which after a few minutes seems to evaporate. I assume this is due to some kind of alcohol base.

* Reading the Instructions
The following is a quotation from the information provided on the rear of the packaging in regard to the usage.

"Hold 4 to 6 inches from skin when spaying, keeping nozzle pointed away from face. Slightly moisten skin with a slow sweeping motion. Excessive amounts or frequent reapplication is unnecessary. Apply on the face by first spraying small amounts in the palms of hands and spreading on face and neck. Do not apply to the hands of small children."

The repellent can be re-applied every 8 hours with only two applications per day.

There are numerous safety and first aid directions on the rear of the bottle which are easily understood and informative.

* Testing Strategy
The emphasis of my test plan will be on day trips and overnight hikes, which I actively combine into geocaching. These products will form part of my hygiene kit for the duration of the testing.

I have several day and overnight trips planned for the duration of this test series.

I am looking forward to being able to take this out with me on my hiking trips, and will be very interested to see how it performs.

This concludes my initial report. Please check back in three months for the results of the field report.
 

Long-Term Report

Since receiving this item in May I have taken the Natrapel 8 hour Insect Repellent on all of my hiking and general outdoor activities. This includes approximately 200 km (124 miles) of bush walking over 6 days, several overnight hikes and 5 day walks.

Temperatures have ranged from a low of 5 C (41 F) at night to a high of 33 C (91 F) during the day. There have been days with heavy precipitation.

Although the peak time of the year for flies in Australia is October to December I do feel that repellent has provided some relief from them. It is something I notice more when I have not applied the product.

Over the test period I have used approximately 90 ml (3 fl oz) of the contents and will continue to use the remainder.

Some of the areas are know for their ticks and the Natrapel appears to have been effective against these.

One of the key benefits to the Natrapel is the fact the contents are not in a pressurised container so not only is this better for the environment but the contents can also be decanted into another smaller container. My preferred style of hiking leans more towards the lighter scale so I find the ability to take only what I am going to need to be of great benefit. The image above show the original container along side a small pump spray container that holds only 10 ml (0.34 fl oz) which I have used whilst out hiking on a number of occasions. I have predominantly used the manufacturer's container so that I can thoroughly test the performance of that and to date there are no issues with leaks or the pump mechanism.

During the test period I have worn several different items of clothing that has come into contact with the Natrapel and there have been no side effects on the materials which is a positive observation.

I have noted in my initial report that there is an oily residue left on the skin for several minutes after applying the repellent and this still remains the case now and does cause me a little anguish as I feel this perhaps means some is absorbed into the skin.

I would give a rating of perhaps 70% efficiency on this product in terms of what is a visible reduction in the amount of insects that either come into contact with me whilst walking or the ones that just buzz around making a nuisance of themselves. This is a big bonus.

* Summary

I have not found any issues with the Natrapel Insect Repellent that are performance related. Would I continue to use the product when the amount supplied for this test is finished? Probably not but only due to it not being stocked in Australia at this point in time.

Things I liked
Worked effectively.
Contents not pressurised so better for the environment and can be decanted.

Things I disliked
Oily residue left on skin.

This concludes my Long-Term Report and the test series for the Natrapel Insect Repellent.

I would like to thank Adventure Medical Kits and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product.