Bug shirt or pants

Bugs are almost enough to make some kayakers quit the sport. Black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, sand flies, etc - there is an enormous number of biting insects that find humans flesh and blood a treat.

Bug shirts and pants are made with a tightly-woven fabric that cannot be bitten through. To allow you to see or to let cool air through, some areas of the clothing are covered with netting or no-see-um mesh. Wearing this stuff makes you look like a space alien, but avoiding bugs without chemicals will motivate some to ignore fashion. A baseball cap under the hood of such a shirt keeps the mesh off your face and the shirt is more comfortable to wear.

There are also bug wear that is impregnated with Permethrin. This is an insecticide that has a questionable safety record. Use at your own risk.

Another form of bug wear is made of a mesh that you soak in DEET - a strong insect repellant. It too has its detractors, though in lower concentrations (30% or less) it is considered relatively safe for adults.

My personal preference if for a full bug shirt and bug-proof pants. No strange smells, no tastes transferred to food, no chemicals that dissolve paint, just freedom from bugs.