midge repellent review - Smidge

caorach

Well-Known Member
I know it is sort of the wrong time of the year for this but, in my defence, the midges were out in the Hebrides yesterday.

After reading some comments here about "Smidge" I thought to give it a try and picked some up in Inverness at the start of September. The first day I headed out fishing in the Hebrides saw it flat calm and so I thought it was a good chance to test the Smidge. I slapped it on. It smells nice and doesn't appear to have disolved my fly line or rod varnish. Also that I can see my skin has had no bad reaction to it, something I'm prone to.

In terms of repelling midges the performance was mixed. Some people are mostly annoyed by the midges landing on them and crawling about etc. and it certainly didn't seem to prevent this. Nor did it prevent me getting eyes, nose and ears full of them. However, despite them crawling all over me there is no question that Smidge stopped them biting me and I don't think I had a single bite for the day.

So, specially if having midges crawl all over you annoys you a lot, it is no replacement for a head net however my experience is that it works quite well in stopping them biting and it seems to be relatively mild on plastic and skin.
 
I used it a few weeks ago in Sutherland and it did not seem to have much effect at all. Mind you neither does anything else.
I would say that Skin So Soft is the best of a bad bunch but if you really want to stop them, get a Bugwear jacket.
 
Is it the midge bites or the midges crawling all over you that annoys you Purdy24? The reason I ask is that I've watched this for a while now, spending as I do a lot of time in the Hebrides, and it seems to me that for most people the annoyance actually comes from having the midges crawl all over them, get in eyes and ears and so on. This results in a feeling like an itch when in fact the midges my not actually be biting much but are just crawling around. If this is what bugs you (couldn't resist it) then I suspect smidge will do nothing for you. I took the following photo on the first day I tested smidge, you can see that it is an ideal midge day and they were out in their millions, and although the midges crawled all over me I had no actual bites

calmloch.jpg
 
Depends on your body chemistry so they say.
Nothing seems to work for me against the midge-just have to wear a veil and lump it

Buckstalker
 
I used Smidge for the first time the other week while competing in the Loch Ness Monster Challenge (a team relay Duathalon round the shores of Loch Ness) I used the Smidge and did not get one bite, my team mates used nothing and go bitten. Bit early to be 100% but maybe I was just lucky that time:?:, it might be next year before I need it again as the weather is turning.

ATB

Tahr
 
I used Smidge for the first time the other week while competing in the Loch Ness Monster Challenge (a team relay Duathalon round the shores of Loch Ness) I used the Smidge and did not get one bite, my team mates used nothing and go bitten. Bit early to be 100% but maybe I was just lucky that time:?:, it might be next year before I need it again as the weather is turning.

ATB

Tahr

you wernt running hard enough to bring a sweat on mate!!! Either than that you were too quick for the little buggers........:p


I swear by SOS but like all if you wipe or sweat it aint going to work......... Nothing worse when they are crawling over you, then you wipe then the bites start..


cheers
nutty
 
Is it the midge bites or the midges crawling all over you that annoys you
Purdy24? The reason I ask is that I've watched this for a while now, spending as
I do a lot of time in the Hebrides, and it seems to me that for most people the
annoyance actually comes from having the midges crawl all over them, get in eyes
and ears and so on. This results in a feeling like an itch when in fact the
midges my not actually be biting much but are just crawling around. If this is
what bugs you (couldn't resist it) then I suspect smidge will do nothing for
you. I took the following photo on the first day I tested smidge, you can see
that it is an ideal midge day and they were out in their millions, and although
the midges crawled all over me I had no actual bites
That certainly looks like midgie conditions in your pic Caorach.
It is the bites that bother me and I did have a few after using the Smidge.I am told that it is only the females that bite.However I am sure that I have heard that somewhere before.
 
Tried this stuff for the 1st time at the weekend and despite the little fekers being out in force never suffered a single bite ( and I react badly to the bites so fairly sure I would have noticed). When we first got out of the car they decended but after a quick application of Smidge, despite seeing loads around our heads they never troubled us again. Even seemed to help Bella, my Lab.

So far very impressed.

Tesco has it at the moment for £6.99
 
I was out with JRoe for an early morning session on his ground last week. A very still and moist morning - just perfect midge conditions. We hardly saw a midge but there were plenty of mosquitos. Using Smidge I didn't get bothered but I could see John was having a bit of a problem with them until he "Smidged up" too. Still puts you on edge hearing them buzzing around you but, once you realise they won't bite, it's back to concentrating on the job in hand.
Imho a really great product. Easy to use and doesn't rot expensive clothing like deet products.
andy.
 
I went to Lapland fishing a few years ago and was recommended to try Ben's 100 which is 100% Deet and it certainly worked. I now use it to keep malaria mosquitoes at bay in Africa and it works fine there. I use Skin So Soft when the midges are not too intense as it smells better but when you need good protection it falls a little short and Ben's 100 it is. You can find it on eBay,
 
I was out walking today and it was kind of wet and very calm and the midges were out in moderate numbers. I thought it was another chance to give the smidge a try as I only stopped twice and that was to make tea. It is hard to drink tea with a head net on but once you sit down they appear around your head as if by magic. Anyhow, it was another successful trial for the Smidge and I don't think I have a single bite.
 
Just been up to the borders with my smidge repellant ,I can categorically state it was a waste of time for me I was mullered by the little buggers .i feel like a flea ridden dog scratching and itching now .must have a few hundred bites .
Norma
 
Hi norma, You must just taste good! I'm the opposite Ive tried all sorts but since last year I have been using Smidge with really good results. Last time I was out there was clouds of the little blighters every where but I didn't get a single bite.

Rick
 
I was almost bathing in smidge been bittern on every part of my body arms ,face ,neck the lot .i hate Scottish midges they love me .
​norma
 
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