Advnture Verdict
This powerful insect repellent is ideal for jungle adventures and areas where you really need to keep the bitey beasts off your skin.
Pros
- +
Goes onto clothes
- +
Mild smell
- +
Effective in malarial zones
Cons
- -
Oily consistency
- -
High DEET content
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First thoughts
If you want protection from insects that will work across the globe and last all day long, you’ll need to plump for Lifesystems Expedition Max DEET. It’s commonly thought that DEET’s strong smell repels mozzies, but it’s actually how the ingredient sits on your skin and creates a barrier that makes it hard for mosquitoes and other irritating insects to land on and bite you.
Life Systems offer a variety of sprays with everything from 0% to 95% DEET as the active ingredient but we have found that their 50% Max spray is very effective on test, even in countries where the insects come thick and fast, so we wouldn’t recommend needing to pack anything stronger.
- Best insect repellents: our guide to the best you can buy
- How to avoid bites and stings on the trail
- Ready for your next adventure? Consult our camping checklist
In the field
The only spray we reviewed offering 24-hour protection (well, if diligently reapplied three times), Lifesystems Expedition Max may be overkill for a ramble in the Lake District but it’s ideal for jungle conditions or anywhere where you’ll be exposed day and night to illness-causing insects.
We took this spray to India (and also carried the dinkier 50ml version, £6.99, in our backpack when out exploring) and found it offered worry-free protection even in malarial zones. It can also applied to clothing as well as skin without staining them, for added protection.
The Max spray has a thick, rather viscous consistency and a not-unpleasant lemon smell, but it never feels like it fully dries. This is because it’s designed to form a physical barrier on your skin, but if you find sprays that don’t sink right in annoying then this might not be for you. It also feels mildly tingly on the skin (like many stronger repellents). There’s no alcohol in the formula, though, so it won’t dry skin out too much.
