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Field
Report: SmartShield Sunscreen and Insect Repellent Products
Jennifer Koles
September
26, 2006
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Reviewer
Information
| Name: Jennifer
Koles |
| Age: 31 |
| Gender: Female |
| Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight: 140 lb (64 kg) |
| Email address: jennksnowy at yahoo dot com |
| City, State, and
Country: Salt Lake
City, Utah, United States |
Backpacking
Background
I started taking overnight
backpacking trips last year in the Uinta Mountain Range in Utah. I
found myself taking entirely too much gear. I am finding out slowly how
to minimize my needs and not require extra luxuries. My previous
outdoor experiences consisted of 4-wheel-drive camping in primitive
areas and day hiking. I use a four season convertible tent or
a three season tent for my shelter. I plan to take more trips,
increase my duration, and reduce my two to three day pack weight (food
and water included) from 26 lb (12 kg).
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Product
Information
Manufacturer:
SmartShield
Year of Manufacture:
2006
Manufacturer’s
Website: www.smartshield.com
Listed Weights: not listed on manufacturer website
Actual Weights: see table below for actual weights
of the items tested
| Product |
Available
Retail Sizes |
MSRP
in USD |
| SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion |
4
fl oz (118 ml) |
$7.99 |
|
SPF
30 Lotion Foil Pack
|
box
of 50 foil packs |
$29.50 |
| SPF
30 Spray with Insect Repellent |
4
fl oz (118 ml) |
$8.99 |
| SPF
30 Sunscreen Towelette with Insect Repellent |
box
of 50 packets |
$34.00 |
| After
Sun Repair Foil Packs |
box
of 50 packets |
$24.50 |
| SPF
30 Lip Balm |
not
indicated on website |
$1.75 |
| SPF
30 Eyes, Face, and Nose |
0.45
oz (13 g) |
$3.25 |
| SPF
30 Faces |
1
fl oz (30 ml) |
$5.99 |
The SmartShield product descriptions, ingredients, directions, and my initial impression can be found in my Initial Report.
Field
Testing
Locations
Uinta and Wasatch Mountain Ranges, Utah USA: 14
days
Elevation: 9,480 ft to 10,354 ft (2,890 m to 3,156 m)
Average Daytime Temperature: 75 F (24 C)
Weather on various days: Sunny with an abundance of mosquitoes on two
occasions, minimal mosquitoes on three occasions, and some biting flies.
Other days partly cloudy and mostly cloudy.
Items Tested: SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion; SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack; SPF 30
Spray with Insect Repellent; SPF 30 Sunscreen Towelette with Insect
Repellent; SPF 30 Lip Balm, SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose; and SPF
30 Faces
Activities: Backpacking, hiking, and rock climbing.
|
Salt Lake City/American
Fork, Utah USA: 20 plus days
Elevation: 4,600 ft (1,402 m) to 7,416 ft (2,260 m)
Daytime High Temperatures: ranged from 66 F to 85 F (19 C to 29 C)
Weather on various days: Sunny, mostly sunny, partly cloudy, some rain sprinkles
Items Tested: SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion; SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack; SPF 30
Lip Balm; After Sun Repair Foil Pack; SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose; and
SPF 30 Faces
Activities: Riding my bicycle, swimming, and rock climbing in American Fork, Utah |
City of Rocks National
Reserve, Idaho USA: 2 days
Elevation: 6,183 ft (1,885 m)
Daytime High Temperature: 97 F (36 C)
Nighttime Low Temperature: 59 F (15 C)
Weather: Partly cloudy with rain sprinkles
Items Tested: SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack; SPF 30 Lip Balm; SPF 30 Faces
Activities: Hiking and rock climbing
|
Grand Teton National
Park, Wyoming USA:
4 days
Elevation: 4,250 ft to 11,100 ft (1,295 m to 3,383 m)
Daytime Temperature: low 70's F (21 C) to 89 F (32 C)
Weather: Sunny
Items Tested: SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion; SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack; SPF 30
Lip Balm; SPF 30 Faces; and After Sun Repair Foil Pack
Activity: Backpacking
|
Moab, Utah USA: 3 days
Elevation: 3,942 ft to 5,716 ft (1,202 m to 1,742 m)
Average Daytime High Temperature: 95 F (35 C)
Weather: Sunny and dry all three days.
Items Tested: SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack; SPF 30 Lip Balm; SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose; and SPF 30 Faces
Activities: Mountain Biking and hiking
|
Willard Bay, Utah USA: 1
day
Elevation: 4,250 ft (1,295 m)
Daytime Temperature: 89 F (32 C)
Weather: Sunny
Items Tested: SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion; SPF 30 Lip Balm; and SPF 30 Faces
Activities: Light hiking and sea kayaking
|
Reviewer Skin Information: I am
fair skinned with freckles and no history of skin cancer. I tend
to burn when
exposed to the sun. I generally burn, peel, then sometimes stay red or
develop a light tan color. I have brown hair with
natural red and auburn highlights. I have high blood levels of Vitamin
D that I need to monitor more closely. I am attempting to discipline
myself to wear sunscreen constantly or sun protection clothing when
outdoors.
Item
and
Weight/Dimensions of Tested Sizes |
Performance |
SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
2 fl oz (59 ml)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 2.8 oz (80 g)
Dimensions: 2 in x 4.5 in x 1.5 in
(5 cm x 11 cm x 4 cm) |
I
found the SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion to have a light texture that was not
sticky. There was a light scent to the lotion that I am unable to
identify. The scent was pleasant and barely noticeable. The lotion is
non-greasy and absorbs quickly. I was not able to feel the lotion on my
skin. The lotion did not dry out my skin, it felt like a light
moisturizing cream. I was able to rock climb safely with no issues of
greasy hands from applying the lotion. My hands did not slide on the
rock and I was able to manipulate my equipment. I did reapply lotion
every three hours and I found that adequate for sun protection. I
did not burn while using this product, but after about 150 minutes my
skin did show a slight tan color. My arms and legs have been submerged
in water while using this product and I did not burn therefore, I
believe it is waterproof. When my extremities became wet the lotion did
not become slimy or greasy. After the lotion dried I was able to open
and close the container with no issues of my fingers sliding on the
surface. I have not noticed any clogged pores or breakouts from this
product. I did spill some lotion on my Therm-A-Rest and on my clothing but it did wash out. In high
elevations and after the lotion was in a hot car, when I would open the
container some of the lotion would exit the opening without squeezing
it. I did find the container easy to open. There has not been any
sign of the container leaking. In high elevations I find that when
the lotion exits the container I need to wipe off the plastic near the
opening to properly close the cap. I found the container large for my
backpacking style and for transporting on my bicycle. |
SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack
0.20 fl oz (6 ml)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 0.2 oz (5 g)
Dimensions:
3.5 in x 2.25 in (9 cm x 6 cm) |
I like the idea of the SPF 30
Lotion Foil Pack. The product is convenient, easily transported, and
fits just about anywhere. One package provides an ample supply to
protect my arms, legs, chest, and neck with some left over. This lotion has
the same characteristics of the SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion in the bottle. It
proved to be waterproof, non-greasy, light, not sticky, and have a
light pleasant scent. The foil pack did not burst open when stored in a
hot car. In high elevations and after being stored in the hot car I
noticed that the lotion exits the package more quickly. In these
conditions if I tear a small corner of the package some of the lotion
will begin to ooze out and if I am not careful it will ooze out after
applying. The
package was easy to open with
my fingers by using the small notch in the corner of the packet to
assist with opening. I was able to open a foil packet with some of the
lotion on my fingers. I would like to see a way to be able to store the
Lotion Foil Pack in my backpack or pocket after one application so that
the lotion does not ooze out of the packet. After almost every
application I had additional lotion left over that I did not want to
waste. I put the foil packet into a small Ziplock bag attempting
to contain the mess that occurs when the lotion oozes out of the
package during storage. So I basically
still had a mess but it was now contained so that it was not all over
my
clothing and my gear. I would like to see a Ziplock type closure added
to the top of this packet. That would be ideal. I would be able to not
waste the sunscreen, not need to transport as much, and I would not
have a mess. I have seen some packaging of food products that first you
tear a strip to open the package and the Ziplock type fastener is
located below the torn area. Then the product is used and can be
stored in the original packaging.
|
SPF 30 Spray with Insect Repellent (product volume not
listed on container)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 2.8 oz (80 g)
Dimensions:
4.5 in x 1 in x 1.75 in (11 cm x 3 cm x 4 cm) |
The
SPF 30 Spray with the Insect Repellent comes in a spray bottle. I did
not have any issue of the bottle becoming clogged and I was able to
spray with the bottle when it was upside down. The product has a light
pleasant scent of cedar. I sprayed the product on my skin and I would
rub the excess into the areas I believed to have missed. I found myself
reapplying the product every hour at times to keep the mosquitoes away
from me. I like the concept of the insect repellent and the SPF
combined into one product. I found the SPF to be effective and I did
not get burned. The product is not moisturizing and it made my skin
feel slick and a slight bit greasy. I did not have any adverse
skin reaction while using the product and I found that it did not clog
my pores. I found it to be effective when there were mild to moderate
amounts of mosquitoes around me but when there was a large swarm of
these pesky insects I needed to switch to DEET for protection.
|
SPF
30 Sunscreen Towelette with Insect Repellent 0.20 fl oz (6 ml)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 0.2 oz (5 g)
Dimensions:
3.5 in x 2.25 in (9 cm x 6 cm)
Towelette Dimensions: 8.5 in x 5 in (22 cm x 13 cm) |
I like the idea of the SPF 30
Sunscreen Towelette with Insect Repellent product. The towelette makes
it easy to apply both the sunscreen and the insect repellent. The
product is convenient in that it can fit into a pocket and it is light
to carry while backpacking and there is no need to carry a bottle of
insect repellent. The package was easy to open with my fingers using
the notch at the top of the packet. I found that I was able to
apply the product to my arms, legs, face and neck before the towelette
appeared dry. The towelette was moist, but not saturated. It has
a pleasant scent of cedar. My hands did feel slick after the
application. It had a slightly greasy feeling. The product did not
cause my pores to clog and I did not show any signs of breaking out.
The towelette did provide adequate sunscreen protection and I did at
times apply the product every hour due to the presence of mosquitoes.
The insect repellent worked well when there were minimal to moderate
mosquitoes. In this situation sometimes the mosquitoes would land on me
and not bite, but they would sit on my skin. However, when they were
swarming around me I did get bit by the blood suckers and I had to make
the switch to DEET.
|
After
Sun Repair Foil Packs 0.20 fl oz (6 ml)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 0.2 oz (5 g)
Dimensions: 3.5 in x 2.25 in (9 cm x 6 cm) |
The After Sun Repair product
does provide a cooling sensation to burned skin. I used this product on
windburn, sunburn (a result of forgetting to apply sunscreen on the
back of my shoulders), contact dermatitis, and on a burn from touching
a
hot surface with my hand. The Lidocaine in the product relieved
the
burning sensation I was experiencing on my skin. The aloe vera
prevented my skin from excessive peeling with regular application. I
found that the cooling sensation disappeared after three hours. There
is a slight pleasant smell to this product and it absorbs into the skin
quickly. I did not experience any rashes, or skin irritation from
using the product. I found it to be moisturizing on the troubled skin
areas. The package was easy to open using my fingers and tearing at the
notch at the top of the package. I did not use the contents of the
entire package for one application to my burned shoulders. However, I
did an experiment and I was able to apply this product to both legs,
arms, neck, and my chest with one packet. I would like to see a Ziplock
type closure on this packaging. That way I would be able to store the
leftover product in my backpack, or pocket for future use. I did put
the open package in a Ziplock bag and some did ooze out of the
manufacturer's package into the bag. |
SPF 30 Lip Balm
0.15 oz (4 g)
Photo obtained from manufacturer
website.
Weight: 0.4 oz (10 g)
Dimensions: 0.5 in diameter x 2.5 in (1 cm diameter
x 6 cm) |
I found the lip balm
product to be semi-moisturizing and non-drying for 40 minutes. After 40
minutes I felt a waxy feeling on my lips and I would need to reapply.
The product does glide on my lips and it is moisturizing but, it does not have a very creamy
consistency as my favorite balms do. My lips never burned using this
product and I never felt dehydrated from wearing the lip balm. The balm
does become less solid at high temperatures but, I never had the entire
tube melt. It still had some consistency. The balm does become hard when
left in a backpack overnight in temperatures below freezing. I warmed
the tube in my hands before applying. The container cap is easy to open
and close and the dial is easy to turn. I did not encounter any issues
of the dial sticking or breaking. The cap and the container did not
leak. I have dropped the tube several times and the plastic did not
break. I am a fan of flavored or scented lip balms. I find that I am
more apt to wear lip balm if it is scented or flavored. I would like to
see this product have a natural flavoring and scent to it. This is not
one of my favorite lip balms so I have to think twice to take this with
me on trips instead of reaching for one of my all time favorites. |
SPF
30 Eyes, Face, and Nose 0.45 oz (13 g)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 1.2 oz (30 g)
Dimensions: 1 in diameter x 3.75 in (3 cm diameter x 10 cm) |
The SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose
is a solid sunblock in stick form. The sunblock is white and is like a
solid paste. I can apply the sunblock using just the container without
needing to rub it into my skin. However, the sunblock appears white on
my skin and I believe that is from the Zinc Oxide ingredient. If I rub
the sunblock into my skin it appears less white. I found that I did not
like to use this product on my eyes or nose. It felt greasy and I
noticed that it was thicker in consistency than the other sunscreen
lotion products. I was able to feel it slightly on my face. I did like
to use it on my lips and my cheeks. This product prevented windburn
while cycling in cooler temperatures. I did not burn while wearing it.
It is very waterproof. The water beads off where it was applied. My
skin did not show any signs of drying. However, the product did not
seem to have any moisturizing qualities. The stick did become softer
when exposed to extreme temperatures and became harder below freezing.
I was unable to apply the product in below freezing temperatures. The
container did not break or leak and the cap proved easy to remove. The
dial to dispense the product did not break or stick. I was able to
remove the cap and turn the dial with sunscreen on my hands. |
SPF
30 Faces 1 fl oz (30 ml)
Photo obtained
from manufacturer website.
Weight: 1.6 oz (45 g)
Dimensions: 3.5 in x 1.5 in x 0.75 in (9 cm x 4 cm x 2 cm) |
The Faces Lotion is unscented SPF 30.
I really like this product. I used this product on my face alone and
with powdered mineral make-up on top. The lotion is a light moisturizing
type that is not felt on the skin and is unscented. The lotion is
not drying or greasy. The texture is not sticky and absorbs quickly
into the skin. I did not find it clogging my pores and I did not break
out. I did not get sunburned while wearing Faces and I did not reapply
the lotion for about three to four hours after the initial application.
I did not have any issues of it migrating into my eyes while hiking,
backpacking, rock climbing, or cycling when my face was dripping in
sweat. Nor did it migrate onto my sunglasses. I was able to wear this lotion on my face with confidence that
my contact lenses would not become contaminated with the lotion after
sweating. The container was easy to open by just pressing down on the
lid with my thumb. The container did not leak and the lotion did not
ooze out of the lid in high elevation and extreme temperatures. |
Summary
My favorite items
from the SmartShield product line are the After Sun Repair Foil Packs,
SPF 30 Lotion Foil Pack, SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion, and the Faces Lotion.
I really like the SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose to prevent windburn and
its highly waterproof properties. I found the SPF 30 Lip Balm to be
just an ordinary type of unscented and unflavored balm with no special
qualities. I would like to see a Ziplock type closure on the SPF 30
Sunscreen Foil Pack and the After Sun Repair Foil Pack. This
would allow me to store the excess in my backpack, cycling pack, or a
pocket without the product oozing out of the package or requiring me to
carry a Ziplock plastic bag. I found that the insect repellent products
did not perform well with a massive swarm of mosquitoes. I do like the
combination of a sunblock and an insect repellent combined into one
product. I also like the idea of having an insect repellent and a
sunblock combined in a towelette applicator.
Things I Like
- The convenience of the foil packs
- The SPF 30 Faces Lotion
- I love the SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose to use on my cheeks to prevent windburn
- The cooling sensation of the After Sun Repair product
- The idea of the sunscreen and insect repellent combined into a single product
Things I Do Not Like
- That the After Sun Repair and the Sunscreen Foil Packs do not
have a Ziplock type closure on them to prevent the excess product from
oozing out of the packet
- The lip balm was like ordinary unscented lip balm
- The insect repellent products did not prove effective with a mass of mosquitoes surrounding me
- The white residue of the Zinc Oxide from the SPF 30 Eyes, Face, and Nose
Remarks
Thank you SmartShield
and Backpack
Gear Test for providing me with the opportunity to test the
SmartShield Sun Block and Insect Repellent Products.
Read more reviews of Smartshield gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Koles
|
