Wirecutter tested 25+ insect repellents and picked Sawyer Premium Picaridin as their top choice. After cross-referencing with Consumer Reports' lab data, Good Housekeeping's expert panel, REI's outdoor guides, and the Appalachian Mountain Club's field recommendations, the consensus is clear: 20% picaridin matches DEET's mosquito protection while eliminating every major DEET complaint.
The numbers tell the story. Consumer Reports' lab testing (volunteers literally put their arms into cages of live mosquitoes) confirmed that 20% picaridin repels mosquitoes for 8+ hours, comparable to 25% DEET formulas. Sawyer extends that to 12+ hours for mosquitoes and 8 hours for ticks with their specific formulation.
What seals the deal is the user experience gap. The AMC's detailed DEET-vs-picaridin analysis documented that DEET 'imparts a greasy feel, emits an unpleasant odor, and dissolves certain plastics including sunglasses and synthetic fabrics.' Picaridin has none of these problems. Wirecutter specifically praised Sawyer's pump bottle design for precise, non-wasteful application with a dual-cap that prevents backpack leaks.
Sawyer has held Wirecutter's top spot for multiple consecutive years. That consistency matters in a category where a product failure means mosquito bites, potential disease transmission, and a ruined trip.
What It Won't Do
Sawyer's 4 oz pump bottle is small. For full-body application on a multi-day trip with a family, you'll burn through it fast and wish you'd bought the 24 oz bottle instead. The per-ounce cost is also roughly $2.50, about double what aerosol DEET cans cost. And for serious tick country (deep Appalachian woods, Lyme-endemic Northeast), Consumer Reports' data suggests 30% DEET formulas like Ben's still edge out 20% picaridin for tick-specific protection.
Cutter Backwoods costs about a dollar per ounce and you can buy it at any drugstore, gas station, or Walmart on the way to wherever you're going. Consumer Reports called it out by name for having the 'mildest scent and least greasy texture' of any DEET repellent they tested.
That distinction matters because DEET repellents are not all created equal in the experience department. The AMC documented that DEET feels greasy, smells bad, and dissolves plastics. Cutter Backwoods minimizes the first two problems as much as any DEET formula can. Its 25% concentration hits the sweet spot that Consumer Reports found 'consistently outperforms most of the competition' for both mosquitoes and ticks.
At roughly $6 for a 6 oz can, it's the cheapest effective insect repellent in this group. The margin isn't small: you'd spend $10+ for Sawyer's 4 oz bottle to get comparable protection.
What It Won't Do
It's still DEET. The AMC's documentation of DEET dissolving plastics, synthetics, rayon, spandex, and vinyl is real and immediate. Spray this near your Oakleys and the coating comes off. The aerosol format also wastes product through overspray and can't go in carry-on luggage. If you're flying to a mosquito destination, you're buying bug spray at the airport.
Who Should Buy Which
Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent 20% Picaridin
DEET-level protection without the grease, smell, or gear damage
- Hikers, campers, and travelers who want gear-safe protection that won't ruin sunglasses, watch bands, or synthetic clothing
- People who hate the feel and smell of DEET but still need serious insect protection
- Backpackers who need a leak-proof, TSA-friendly pump bottle design
- Parents applying repellent on children (picaridin is CDC-approved for kids over 2 months)
- Anyone who'll be outdoors for 8+ hours and wants 12-hour mosquito protection without reapplying
Cutter Backwoods Insect Repellent 25% DEET
The mildest DEET spray at a drugstore price that still lasts 8 hours
- Budget-conscious buyers who need effective protection at roughly $1/oz
- Last-minute shoppers who need something from the nearest store, right now
- Occasional outdoor users who don't want to invest in a premium product for 2-3 uses per summer
- People already comfortable with DEET who just want the mildest version available
- Group trip organizers buying repellent for multiple people at the lowest total cost