Hi--I'm Deb, and I'm currently an OC2 bow paddler, doing mostly
class II with a few class III runs thrown in for excitement and
challenge. I'll be taking an OC1 class in June, and hopefully will be
able to get the hang of that skill by the end of the summer. I live
in Massachusetts, so all the rivers I have paddled are in the
Northeast region of the US. That's the brief intro, and here's the
question.

With poison ivy coming up everywhere, and nasty black flies and
mosquitos all around, what's the proper order of putting all the
repellents on? I use Ivy Block for the poison ivy, sunscreen and bug
spray. Which goes on first? I'd hate to put them on in the wrong
order and then find myself covered with a nasty poison ivy rash or a
sunburn...

Thanks if anyone knows the answer!

(Deborah M Riel) wrote in :

Hi--I'm Deb, and I'm currently an OC2 bow paddler, doing mostly
class II with a few class III runs thrown in for excitement and
challenge. I'll be taking an OC1 class in June, and hopefully will be
able to get the hang of that skill by the end of the summer. I live
in Massachusetts, so all the rivers I have paddled are in the
Northeast region of the US. That's the brief intro, and here's the
question.

With poison ivy coming up everywhere, and nasty black flies and
mosquitos all around, what's the proper order of putting all the
repellents on? I use Ivy Block for the poison ivy, sunscreen and bug
spray. Which goes on first? I'd hate to put them on in the wrong
order and then find myself covered with a nasty poison ivy rash or a
sunburn...

If you put Ivy block on first, then bug spray, then sun screen, and then rub
up against some poison ivy, any mosquitoes that try to bite will get poison
ivy rashes.

Sorry. Had to do it. Welcome the the list.

My guess would be the best practice would be to forget the Ivy lotion and
just try to avoid rubbing up against anything that looks like poison ivy and
use one of he many sunscreen-bug repellant combos.

On the topic of bug repellant...I've been noticing in some mail order
catalogs that there is a line off clothing that is supposed to be bug
repellant (called "bug off" of something like that). Anyone tried it?

In article ,
John Fereira wrote:

If you put Ivy block on first, then bug spray, then sun screen, and then rub
up against some poison ivy, any mosquitoes that try to bite will get poison
ivy rashes.

Sorry. Had to do it. Welcome the the list.

Never feel sorry for wishing bad things to happen to mosquitos--they
deserve whatever they get!

My guess would be the best practice would be to forget the Ivy lotion and
just try to avoid rubbing up against anything that looks like poison ivy and
use one of he many sunscreen-bug repellant combos.

If I had to forego any of the above, I guess I'd ditch using the bug
repellent before the Ivy Block. I'm really allergic to poison ivy,
and it's rampant at most of the put-ins and take-outs. It's next to
impossible to avoid completely.

Bug repellent clothing sounds interesting. I'd like to know more
about it too!

Deb

On the topic of bug repellant...I've been noticing in some mail order
catalogs that there is a line off clothing that is supposed to be bug
repellant (called "bug off" of something like that). Anyone tried it?

On 31-May-2005, (Deborah M Riel) wrote:

If I had to forego any of the above, I guess I'd ditch using the bug
repellent before the Ivy Block. I'm really allergic to poison ivy,

That's too bad, since I would have recommended not bothering with it.
I've camped in poison ivy locations without problems just by not rolling
around on the ground :-).

Bug repellent clothing sounds interesting. I'd like to know more
about it too!

I can't use both insect repellant and sunscreen. Either one is ok, but
if I use both, I get a rash. So I use sunscreen and wear a bug shirt
and bug proof pants. The bug shirt I use has no repellant - it's just
tightly woven cotton and no-see-um mesh.

As far as bug repellant clothing goes:

http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap/guille/wiki.pl?Bug_Shirt_Or_Pants

I'm not keen on either the permithrin or DEET versions.

Mike

Deborah M Riel wrote:


With poison ivy coming up everywhere, and nasty black flies and
mosquitos all around, what's the proper order of putting all the
repellents on? I use Ivy Block for the poison ivy, sunscreen and bug
spray. Which goes on first? I'd hate to put them on in the wrong
order and then find myself covered with a nasty poison ivy rash or a
sunburn...

Thanks if anyone knows the answer!


Sunscreen is a must, on all exposed skin, 1st and foremost. Bug spray
goes on my hat and cloths only when the bugs get bad (pretty much all
summer). If the bugs are ravenous, I'll spray it on my skin.
Sunglasses also help keep gnats out of my eyes. I don't worry about
poison ivy, was never a big bother for me.





--
"This president has destroyed the country, the economy,
the relationship with the rest of the world.
He's a monster in the White House. He should resign."

- Hunter S. Thompson, speaking to an antiwar audience in 2003.

When using fly oil, we don't put it directly on the skin - I give an old
ballhat or neckerchief a generous application of the stuff, and wear it. Far
easier on the skin, and it seems to work just as well as applying it
directly to the skin.
"Michael Daly" wrote in message
...
On 31-May-2005, (Deborah M Riel) wrote:

If I had to forego any of the above, I guess I'd ditch using the bug
repellent before the Ivy Block. I'm really allergic to poison ivy,

That's too bad, since I would have recommended not bothering with it.
I've camped in poison ivy locations without problems just by not rolling
around on the ground :-).

Bug repellent clothing sounds interesting. I'd like to know more
about it too!

I can't use both insect repellant and sunscreen. Either one is ok, but
if I use both, I get a rash. So I use sunscreen and wear a bug shirt
and bug proof pants. The bug shirt I use has no repellant - it's just
tightly woven cotton and no-see-um mesh.

As far as bug repellant clothing goes:


http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-sys/cg...Shirt_Or_Pants


I'm not keen on either the permithrin or DEET versions.

Mike