Spring and Summer Travel – Bring on the Bugs

Women's ExOfficio Insect Shield Halo Shirt travel apparel review

Spring is here and summer is around the corner. Whether you are a traveler, equestrian, fisherman, gardener, camper or outdoor recreation enthusiast, you’ll want to consider ExOfficio clothing, made with Insect Shield.

Insect Shield® clothing and gear repels a variety of insects including mosquitoes and ticks that can carry diseases such as Lyme disease, Malaria, West Nile Virus, and Dengue Fever. The protection is invisible, odorless and lasts through approximately 70 washings. For the neat-nicks out there,  this is one shirt you don’t want to wash until it is necessary due to the embedded Insect Shield technology.

Unlike traditional topical repellents, Insect Shield products cannot be misused or over-applied. Insect Shield technology is EPA-registered, and can be worn or used by infants, children, and women who are pregnant or nursing. I take comfort in the fact that the EPA has endorsed this product line because in Northern California, we live in Lyme disease country.

Horseback Riders Keep Ticks Away

As an equestrian, I often encounter ticks after a day of horseback riding.The Halo long-sleeved women’s shirt retails for $60 and is a great addition to the horseback rider and traveler’s wardrobe.

Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown enjoys a mosquito-free day of salmon fishing in Alaska

Alaska, Fishing and Mosquitoes

If you are a frequent reader of this What a Trip blog, you are aware that I love fishing; especially salmon fishing in Alaska and Canada. The only down-side of river bank fishing in Alaska and Canada is the bugs. The mosquitoes are as big as bumble bees and very annoying when you are trying to fish.  Insider Tip:  rather than slather on the DEET bug spray, your skin will thank you when you put on an ExOfficio Halo Shirt with Insect Shield technology. The company offers Insect Shield bandannas, too.

Quick Facts
Which bugs do Insect Shield products repel?
Insect Shield garments repel mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges or no-see-ums.
Insect Shield gear repels mosquitoes, ticks, flies and fleas.

Does Insect Shield have an odor?
No. Insect Shield protection is invisible and odorless – you cannot tell it is there – but the bugs can.

Is it EPA-registered?
Following many years of extensive product testing, Insect Shield apparel and gear have been successfully registered by the Environmental Protection Agency – the EPA.

Can my kid’s wear Insect Shield?
Insect Shield can be worn by infants, children of any age and women who are pregnant or nursing.

The environment?
Since the Insect Shield repellent is tightly bound to a fabric’s fibers so it is a great alternative to traditional insect repellents, which have to be applied directly on your skin.

Who recommends insect repellent apparel?
•    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
•     World Health Organization (WHO)
•    National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety
•    The American Academy of Family Physicians, http://www.familydoctor.org
•     Public Health Agency of Canada

For more information on ExOfficio or Insect Shield you may follow ExOfficio on Twitter, as well as Insect Shield on Twitter and I am also on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of ExOfficio.

Posted by Nancy D. Brown

Nancy Brown wearing Steger Mitts and Arctic Mukluks for a travel gear review in Fairbanks, Alaska

 Iditarod sled dogs wear lightweight boots to protect their paws over 1,049 miles of Alaska’s wilderness. I wear Steger Arctic Mukluk snow boots while I watch the Iditarod sled dogs run in Alaska’s Last Great Race.

As this was my first time to Anchorage, Alaska in the winter, I didn’t own proper snow boots or mitts. In fact, packing for a winter trip to Alaska required more planning than I had anticipated.

Thanks to my tweet on Twitter, a micro-blogging platform, I was able to learn what type of boots and mitts were needed for a winter trip to Alaska. Fairbanks, Alaska resident Nancy DeWitt suggested I try a pair of Steger Mukluks.

Steger Mukluks are perfect for standing around in the cold while watching dog races or viewing ice sculptures. Plus, you can go from -40 to a restaurant in them and your feet won’t get hot. They don’t slip on ice, either. I practically live in mine all winter. Well worth the money,” adds DeWitt.

Steger Arctic Mukluk Trave Gear Review

I had no idea what Mukluks were until my Arctic Mukluks arrived compliments of Patti Steger, owner of Steger Mukluks.

After I had sprayed my Steger Mukluk snow boots to make them water repellent, I wore them around the house to break them in. The Steger Arctic Mukluks are very lightweight and comfortable to wear all day long. Fortunately for me, Steger Arctic Mukluks come in wide sizes for my wide feet.

Mukluks are a common site in Alaska. In fact,  the mukluk snow boot plays an important part in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Each Iditarod Sled Dog Musher writes his name on a slip of paper and drops it in the ceremonial mukluk. As the musher names are drawn from the ceremonial mukluk, the musher announces the order he has drawn and his bib number for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.

Ceremonial Mukluk - Steger Mukluk Travel Gear Review

It wasn’t until I arrived in Anchorage, Alaska at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race that I realized I was not alone in my preference for Steger Mukluk snow boots. I also spotted the snow boots in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Made in Ely, Minessota and retailing for $179.95 (with the decorative ribbon on top) Steger Arctic Mukluks were the perfect lightweight snow boot for my Alaska adventure.

IF YOU GO:

Steger Mukluks (218) 365-3322

33 East Sheridan St. Ely, MN 55731

Related Posts:

What to Pack for an Alaska Winter Vacation

Sled Dog Ride in Fairbanks, Alaska

Posted by Nancy D. Brown

Nancy Brown wearing Apocalypse Design's Alpine Parka for a Travel Apparel Review

When the box arrived from Fairbanks, Alaska-based Apocalypse Design, the red, puffy alpine parka almost stood on its own. I was so excited for my upcoming winter trip to Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, that I immediately changed into the fleece pants and snow bibs that Apocalypse Design had sent for me to review.

I was Alaska-bound for the 2010 Iditarod Sled Dog Race that was to begin in Anchorage on March 6. While I was very happy to have the proper outdoor apparel for my Alaska winter vacation, the Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka was clearly over kill for the relatively mild Anchorage, Alaska temperatures.

I was, however, very happy to be outfitted in Steger Mukluks as I tramped around in the Alaska snow.

Alpine Parka Mandatory Apparel in Fairbanks, Alaska

It wasn’t until I landed in Fairbanks, Alaska to view the ice sculptures in 20 degree below zero temperatures (with the wind chill factor) at the World Ice Art Championships that I became appreciative of my Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka. Yet it was midnight on top of a hill, as I was viewing the Northern Lights at the Chena Hot Springs Resort that I realized my love affair with Apocalypse Design’s Alpine Parka.

The outer shell of the Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka is made of Avalite, a waterproof and breathable fabric. The full hood on the Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka was a life saver in Fairbanks, as was the fleece lined chin guard and fleece lined, deep pockets. I didn’t appreciate Apocalypse Design’s attention to detail until the cold set in.

How To Dress For an Alaska Winter Vacation

Nancy D. Brown in Girdwood, Alaska with Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka for a Travel Apparel ReviewI pitied the poorly dressed tourists who were sitting in their cotton jeans and inadequate boots trying to warm themselves at the portable heaters in the Chena Hot Springs yurts.

While I was outside taking in the Aurora Borealis and watching shooting stars, warm and toasty in my Apocalypse Design Alpine Parka, ($412) fleece pants ($99), snow bibs ($330) and Steger Mukluks and Steger mitts, I reminded myself how important it is to dress appropriately for an Alaska winter vacation.

As Karen Lundquist, Vice President of Marketing, Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau puts it, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, it’s bad gear.”

Thanks to Apocalypse Design for loaning me the alpine parka, snow bibs and fleece pants for review during my winter vacation to Alaska. The quality and design of your travel apparel were very much appreciated.

IF YOU GO:

Apocalypse Design (907) 451-7555

201 Minnie Street, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701

Related Post:

How to pack for Alaska winter vacation