THEYE Mosquito Repellent

We’ve all been there. You're enjoying a peaceful walk or an evening by the firepit after a full day green laning, a tinny in hand, the smell of charred sausages lingering in the air, when suddenly, the familiar high-pitched zzzzzzzz starts orbiting your ears like a tiny, angry drone. You slap your own face, swear loudly, and wonder for the millionth time if nature really needs tiny and annoying bugs.

Enter THEYE Mosquito Repellent. Boldly promising up to 6 hours of bite-free bliss, it boasts a DEET-free formula, uses Citrepel 75 (a fancy word for natural lemon eucalyptus extract), and claims to be family-friendly and suitable for travel. So naturally, we took it out into the wilds of midges, bogs, and damp evenings to see if it actually works.

First Impressions
The can’s a decent size (150ml), and unlike some insect sprays that smell like a chemical weapons test gone wrong, THEYE's spray actually smells... pleasant. Citrusy, fresh, and not too overpowering, so you won’t clear out your own campsite when you apply it. It sprays evenly, doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy, and doesn't stain your clothes or kit either. Off to a promising start.

Real-World Testing
Our first test took place in a classic British scenario: mid-evening BBQ next to a slow-flowing river in June. Midges out in force, mozzies doing bombing runs, and us wearing shorts because we never learn. We sprayed THEYE on arms, legs, necks, and waited.

Surprisingly, it did work. While we weren’t completely invisible to the little blighters (we still had a few curious flybys), there were noticeably fewer bites than usual. One of us forgot to spray their ankles (not naming names), and by the end of the night had the tell-tale itchy welts to prove it. Everyone else? Largely unscathed.

Next up was simply walking Lilly the Mud Life dog through the park.  Stood chatting to a group of other doggers - I mean dog walkers, I was the only pet parent not to be mithered by bugs. Again, the spray held its own, especially on exposed areas like hands, arms, ankles and ears - why do they always aim for your ears? I found it lasted a good 5-6 hours before needing a top-up, pretty much what they promise.

Any Drawbacks?
Not really, it worked really well, though horseflies still think they’re hard and occasionally had a go. But to be fair, short of napalm, not much puts them off.

Verdict
All in all, THEYE Mosquito Repellent is a cracking bit of kit. It smells nice, isn’t sticky, doesn’t melt your gear (or your face), and, most importantly, it actually works. No, it won’t make you completely bite-proof, in my experience, but it seriously reduces the attacks and lets you enjoy the outdoors without constantly slapping yourself like you’re losing a game of invisible Twister.

Made in the UK with environmentally Friendly packaging, THEYE say it’s 100% effective to use in both HIGH and LOW-risk areas where Malaria, Chikungunya, West Nile Virus, Zika, Dengue and other insect transmitted diseases are present. No mention of Bolton, then.

For under a tenner a can, it's a no-brainer. Whether you're wild camping, green laning, or just trying to have a peaceful brew without being eaten alive, sling one of these in your glovebox. Because while we might love the great outdoors, we don’t love being on the menu.

Website - THEYE.co.uk-repellent
Price - £8.99