Permethrin

[spfleisig]

I wear a buff on my head folded up like a fat headband to keep the sweat at bay. If I spray the buff with Permethrin, I'm wondering if the chemicals would "ooze" out of the buff and run into my eyes.

Anyone have that problem?

Thanks

[lonehiker]

The chemical forms a bond with the fabric. As I understand it, agitation, such as from a washing machine, is what predominately breaks that bond. I personally wouldn't hesitate to use it as you are proposing.

[wayside_mn]

The chemical forms a bond with the fabric. As I understand it, agitation, such as from a washing machine, is what predominately breaks that bond. I personally wouldn't hesitate to use it as you are proposing.

I soak my buffs in permetherin. Once it dries it doesn't seem to leak out with my sweat. I don't know how effective it will be as a headband though. I cover the top of my head from the beasties

[Nanatuk]

Agree. Once dry its stable. I soak all my hats in Permetherin to keep bugs out of my face. Works great.

If you rinse your buff often, it will probably need to be retreated often.

[Rain Man]

Agree with prior posts. Once dry, it doesn't "ooze" out. I think of it a bit like I think of cement: once mixed up with other ingredients and allowed to set, it becomes concrete and re-applying water doesn't cause it to "dissolve" back into its prior incarnation. Not a perfect metaphor (or is it a simile?!), but that's how I think of it, no matter. Perhaps using spray paint might be better analogy?

I treat my Buff, clothing, hat, underwear, shoes, gaiters, pack, hammock, ... everything (except tree straps), and let THOROUGHLY dry. Then I do run the clothes through a short gentle wash and dry cycle as an extra precaution.

This has more info "straight from the horse's mouth" as they say:

[Davem]

The directions on the permethrin package I bought said not to use it on headwear.

[Quik]

I wear a buff on my head folded up like a fat headband to keep the sweat at bay. If I spray the buff with Permethrin, I'm wondering if the chemicals would "ooze" out of the buff and run into my eyes.

Anyone have that problem?

Thanks

I treated a bandanna that I wear around my head before I left Harpers Ferry May 1, lots of sweat toward the end of my hike in GA. I had zero irritation from the Permethrin. I will be retreating the same bandanna in a couple of days before I head up to ME to hike back to HF.

[Jayne]

I use it on everything, including hat and undies. No issues with with it that I have been able to observe. I am far more worried about the very real threat of Lyme disease than a generalized and unproven anxiety about the potential risks of using insecticide on my clothes.

[Nanatuk]

The directions on the permethrin package I bought said not to use it on headwear.

What product are you using?

[lonehiker]

The directions on the permethrin package I bought said not to use it on headwear.

This warning probably only applies in California...

[Ashepabst]

I treat my Buff, clothing, hat, underwear, shoes, gaiters, pack, hammock, ... everything (except tree straps), and let THOROUGHLY dry.

Hey, Rain Man, Is there a reason you avoid the tree straps, out of curiosity?

[bigcranky]

I use it on everything, including underwear and my Buff and bandana. The Sawyer package says not to treat underwear, but having had Lyme disease I am not messing around with the &*(%^ ticks.

[blw2]

yeah, I read the same thing about it...something about not treating anything ...well as I remember it it was something about underwear, and the part of socks that would be inside the shoe.
but it's funny because they use the stuff to treat heads with lice, so skin contact even when wet doesn't seem to be a problem...yeah, I know, limited contact, and so on....

[BuckeyeBill]

I sent my clothing off to InsectShield for treatment and even though it was new, they wanted washed. They also won't treat under garments, waterproof clothing, water resistant clothing, dry clean only clothing, do not tumble dry clothing and line dry only clothing. I do use this service, as it last up to 70 wash cycles. Chris at ULA recommends spraying their packs for protection.

[RockDoc]

We used it on everything (except underwear) during one of our long Maine hikes (Andover to Mt K) in June/July. We were able to wear shorts and had minimal problems with bugs. However, we met trail people who even though they had no skin exposed they were within a cloud of mosquitos, they were miserable.

We would definitely do it again, great invention. We hear it works well for ticks too.

[IslandPete]

My daughter has Lyme. I can’t imagine permethrin doing anything near as bad to me as Lyme is doing to her. We treated everything, especially underwear. The area under your underwear is some of the hardest real estate to cover in your tick checks on the trail. Seriously, treat everything...

[Time Zone]

I wear a buff on my head folded up like a fat headband to keep the sweat at bay. If I spray the buff with Permethrin, I'm wondering if the chemicals would "ooze" out of the buff and run into my eyes.

Thanks

How about calling the Permethrin manufacturer (perhaps Sawyer?) and asking?

[Davem]

Bought the spray bottle at Walmart, I think it was sawyer.

[MtDoraDave]

Chris at ULA recommends spraying their packs for protection.

Absolutely.
Once, here in FL, I put my pack down for a break and before I settled myself down for the break, I saw several ticks climbing up my pack! Now I definitely spray my pack with permethrin. I lightly misted my down sleeping bag. I misted the no see-um mesh on my tent. Hat, handkerchief, every article of clothing... well, I forgot to do the insides of the frogg toggs, but everything else.

I just finished another section hike, in Virginia, in late June. Other people were picking ticks off them, I did not. Nor did I get any mosquito bites... I did get a few gnats in my eyelashes - but that's all the bug interactions I had.

The permethrin treatment worked so well, even the bear, several deer, a rabbit, and 3 snakes fled from me! ;P

[Ethesis]

I sent my clothing off to InsectShield for treatment and even though it was new, they wanted washed. They also won't treat under garments, waterproof clothing, water resistant clothing, dry clean only clothing, do not tumble dry clothing and line dry only clothing. I do use this service, as it last up to 70 wash cycles. Chris at ULA recommends spraying their packs for protection.

Thanks. I’ll be treating my pack. Insectsheild got everything else.