Mosquito Repellent Clothing: Mark’s No Fly Zone Apparel

This post is sponsored by Mark’s.

If you’re a magnet for mosquitoes like I am, I have exciting news for you! Mark’s, a retailer of casual and work wear in Canada, has introduced WindRiver No Fly Zone apparel, the country’s first line of mosquito repellent clothing.

My Struggle with Mosquitoes

From my own backyard to Southeast Asia, I attract the pesky buggers no matter where my travels take me. I’ve even been bitten 20 times within 20 minutes while watching a sunset in Cuba. The struggle is real, folks, whether I’m with one friend or a group of people. There’s just something about me the mozzies love.

As you can imagine, I’ve accumulated a sizable collection of insect spray over the years, having tried a multitude of products on the market. But, let’s face it, most of them have a strong, awful odour and can discolour your clothing (this happened to my friend after spraying OFF! on her threads when we travelled through Africa). The products are often inconvenient too. Who wants to reapply insect repellent every few hours and how often have you forgotten to pack it for an afternoon or extended trip?

Mark’s WindRiver No Fly Zone Mosquito Repellent Clothing

Enter WindRiver No Fly Zone mosquito repellent clothing. When I learned about it last month, I reached out to Mark’s immediately to find out more.

This innovative garment line consists of women’s and men’s shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, hats and bandanas made with fabric that’s treated with permethrin, a synthetic version of a chemical naturally produced by chrysanthemum flowers. It functions as an insecticide, incapacitating mosquitoes on contact and causing them to fly away before they bite.

The use of fabric with built-in permethrin isn’t new. The US military has been wearing it for nearly 20 years and permethrin-treated uniforms are worn by members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

The mosquito repellent properties in No Fly Zone apparel are effective for 70+ washes which makes it longer lasting than another insect-blocking shirt I have from a different brand.

Bonuses: Not only is the No Fly Zone clothing line lightweight, comfortable and completely odourless, it’s also built for durability and looks great so you can be protected with style.

On a recent weekend trip to Ontario’s cottage country, I put the clothing to the test. Not only was it during the height of mosquito season, it also rained most of the time so the winged pests were out in full force.

What I wore:

• No Fly Zone Mosquito Repellent Pants
• No Fly Zone Mosquito Repellent Short Sleeve Shirt
• No Fly Zone Mosquito Repellent Bandana
• Kananaskis Hiking Shoes (not mosquito repellent but they’re comfy!).

The bandana offers neck or head protection and the short sleeve shirt is a lightly lined, quality-made top with a back yoke and zippered vents on each side for breathability (for more protection from the mosquitoes, consider the long sleeve shirt).

As a traveller, I love the hidden front pocket where I can store my cash, passport or other valuables when visiting pickpocket-prone cities.

With six pockets (four zip pockets at the front, two velcro pockets at the back), the lined pants are functional too.

The waist can be adjusted with the inner drawstring and the leg openings tightened with stretch drawcords.

I did get a few mosquito bites during my weekend getaway – but not when I wore my No Fly Zone outfit even when I sat at the edge of the lake after a rainfall. That’s impressive.

Is Mark’s No Fly Zone Mosquito Repellent Clothing Safe to Wear?

Mark’s has spent 10 years researching, testing and working with government agencies to ensure product safety. The No Fly Zone clothing line is also registered with the Environmental Protection Agency.

With a permethrin concentration of only 2%, Health Canada has deemed the clothing to be both safe and effective. One advantage it has over repellents like DEET is that mosquitoes don’t absorb the permethrin in the fabric after contact and transfer it to animals that ingest them (e.g., birds).

Thumbs Up

The Mark’s No Fly Zone mosquito repellent clothing is great for anyone looking for outdoor protection while hiking, camping, spending time at the cottage or during an overseas adventure.

Buy it in Mark’s retail stores across Canada or on their website.

Pin this Post to Pinterest