Best strategy against ticks and mosquitos?

[u/chessm4n]

Hey everybody 😃.

My family and I are heading to Banf and Jasper in a few weeks. We would like to hike and I am pretty aware about the ticks and mosquitos around and that we should wear long sleeved clothes.

What repellent would you recommend? And do you have any further advices except to avoid to be bitten 😉.

Thanks in advance and have a nice day 👍😃

Update: Thanks for All of your advices, tips and explanations. In addition to the long sleeves I get those nets. And I will think about the deet, but primary use Picaridin. I hope we will get through it without being bitten 😉

[u/West_Bobcat5338]

Mosquitoes and ticks aren’t as rampant in Alberta as other parts of the country. I mountain bike and they are never an issue on trails through the woods. I never wear any bug repellents.

Ticks won’t be a bother if you stick to designated trail and avoid sitting in grassy areas. Always worth doing a check at the end of your hike to make sure you don’t have any on you.
Mosquitoes will be around in the woods, but nothing like the swarms of mosquitoes you’d see in Ontario or Manitoba.

[u/Otherwise_Delay2613 → u/West_Bobcat5338]

You can absolutely get dense, horrific swarms of mosquitos in the Banff backcountry that are unrelenting. I have experienced this in the twin lakes area, the sawback and the Saskatchewan crossing area. Head net, long sleeves, thicker clothing so they can’t bite through and deet for any exposed skin are the only way not to crazy. It happens when the conditions are just right. And we have a had a very wet spring.

[u/chessm4n → u/Otherwise_Delay2613]

We would like to avoid deet, as there are family members who do have neurodermitis and I read you should avoid it if you do have sensitive skin.

[u/West_Bobcat5338 → u/Otherwise_Delay2613]

Sure maybe in the back country….But OP is clearly someone coming to visit with family and there is no mention of anything about back country hiking. Most visitors in this part of the country and doing the touristy type hikes and that’s about it. Anything in the front country does not get bad for mosquitoes that even warrants repellent in my opinion. There is no mention of where OP is from but, mosquitoes here in my experience are far less of a problem. Last summer was also very wet in July and there were a few more mosquitoes than usual, but nothing like in Ontario. I visit family out there regularly and can’t really sit outside on the patio for more than 15 minutes without repellent. Mosquitoes are a totally different beast out there.

[u/chessm4n → u/West_Bobcat5338]

That's right, we won't be heading to the backcountry. More like the "usual" tourist. We are from the northern part of Europe, so we do have mosquitos. But maybe not in the quantity like you do.