Lately, the warm weather is driving the bugs out, and driving me nuts! So I remember those Orvis hats that are supposed to keep bugs away. I’ve seen them in the stores, and the khaki with brown trout hat looks nice. But I was wondering, do they still work if wet? Cause I sweat on my forehead a lot when fishing with a hat on irregardless of the kind. Anyone have one that can testify to it’s usefullness?
Btw if you don’t know what it is, this is what I mean.
http://www.orvis.com/store/product_choice.asp?pf_id=81LG&dir_id=758&group_id=14573&cat_id=14632&subcat_id=14633&feature_id=16
Say, how does that sheild you from bugs? I guess I don’t get it. If it helps, I need one too.
of these buzz off products is the material is treated with repellent that lasts X number of wash cycles but that it really never works well after you’ve washed it a couple of times. Can’t say first hand though.
I used to work in a lab where they did some commercial testing for stuff like this. THose hats and shirts work well, but they lose their effectiveness relatively quickly. The protected zone shrinks pretty dramatically pretty quickly. try using Ben-Gay. Just put a little dab on the brim and back of your hat (under the brim). The smell should keep the bugs away. I never tried this one, just always used Off! when I felt a need, but I have been told it is dramatically effective.
Geoff
For years I used 612, then moved up to Cutters, then gave up and wore a wide brimmed hat with a fine mesh ‘head-net’. Now I just use Ultrathon; keeps mosquito’s and tiny ‘nasties’ away. (yes, it has approx. 33% deet)
The hat has Permethrin applied to it. I was at a meeting today and talked to a person from Sawyer was touting his wares. http://www.sawyerproducts.com/
He spent a pretty good amount of time explaining things to me in regards to repellents and such. The hat by itself is only part of a defense against the various bugs. You would have to have shirts, hat and pants treated in order to have optimum protection. It would protect even non covered areas as the face. Permethrin is good against mosquitos, flies gnats and such. It has broader coverage than DEET. Permethrin does not last long on skin and therefore should be applied as directed on clothing. Naturally, they sell a permethrin spray. 
The products apparently can be washed and maintain effectiveness for some period of time/number of washings. I do not know how effective it is after washings. I used permethrin sprays one time on an African trip and had no difficulties.
Sawyer sell all sorts of different sun screens and insect repellents. Apparently, they will have a new water filtration system that will be pretty interesting.
Some of you must have missed fishing 101 or badly need a refresher.
In the section about fishing hats is this warning … YOU NEVER CLEAN THEM!!!
Cleaning a fishing hat washes away all those years of good Mojo. It looks like The old timers knew a thing or two back then because they would wear that old ball cap till it fell apart.
I have an old wide brimmed Tilley hat I got off Tilley himself at the Vancouver boat show In the 1980s. It has fallen in the lake so often it has gills. I have used it to shade my catch from the afternoon sun. You soak it in water and place over the fish to keep them cool. My grandson put it floating upside down in the water to keep his minnow collection in once.
I carried a baby bird safely in my Tilley up a ladder to put it back in its nest. As repayment for my kindness the bird pooped in my hat.
Thru all these years thru fish slime, sweaty heads and bird poop, I have never washed it!
I always have good luck when I wear that hat. You do the math.
Don’t wash your hat.
Of course once my ears festered and fell off but I don’t think it was the hats fault. :mrgreen: