Summers are best spent outdoors. From park picnics and backyard barbecues, to camping under the stars and trips to the lake, it’s the season of logging off early and staying out late. It’s the alfresco lifestyle we’ve waited all year for — so don’t let ticks ruin any part of it.
If you’re like me, just seeing the word tick is enough to send phantom crawls down your neck and up your arms. And for good reason. These persistent pests are hard to spot, even harder to kill, and worst of all, can transmit serious illnesses such as lyme disease and Alpha-gal Syndrome (a red meat allergy triggered by the bite of an infected tick). But here’s the good news: tick-borne diseases usually require 24-hours of attachment to transmit, and with the right precautions, you can dramatically reduce your risk.
As an avid angler and backpacker, I’ve spent a lot of time in tick-heavy environments. I even lived and worked in western Maine — prime tick territory — building backcountry trails. After much fieldwork and late-night, anxiety-fueled research, I’ve developed five tick-safety rules I swear by:
1. Treat your Outdoor Apparel
I’ve found that the best way to repel ticks is by treating my boots, backpacks, outer garments and tents with permethrin spray.
Studies have shown that people who wear permethrin-treated boots and socks significantly reduce the risk of tick bites, according to the New York Times. Permethrin is an insecticide that’s chemically similar to the natural extracts from the chrysanthemum flower. The chemical affects the nervous system in insects, causing muscle spasm, paralysis and death.
It’s important to note that you should only apply permethrin to your clothing and gear, never your skin. That said, once it’s been properly sprayed on, it holds repellency for six weeks or through six cycles in the wash. I recommend Sawyer’s Permethrin Premium Insect Repellent.
Put simply, the stuff just works. If you use it in tandem with the other preventative measures on this list, you’ll (fingers crossed) be a tick-free hiker.
2. Tuck it Right — Avoid the Bite
Think of ticks like aliens in a sci-fi movie — your job is to seal the airlocks. The goal is to create as many barriers as possible between them and your skin.
One simple and effective method? Tuck it all in. That means pant legs into socks, shirts into pants. Sure, it may look a little goofy, but it seriously helps. Tucking your clothes limits the paths ticks can use to crawl up your legs or down your waistline.
3. Wear Light(er) Colored Clothes
I’ve had people ask, “Do lighter-colored clothes deter ticks?” Unfortunately, the answer is no. While certain colors do seem to attract insects like greenhead flies — which is why you’ll sometimes see blue box traps near the coast — ticks aren’t nearly as picky. They’ll crawl onto just about anything (unless, of course, it’s been treated with permethrin).
The reason to wear lighter clothes is simply that ticks are easier to spot on them. White, tan, or other light-colored fabrics can help you catch a tick before it catches you.
4. Toss Your Clothes in the Dryer (on High Heat)
After an amazing day on the trail, you’ve checked your socks, hair and armpits for ticks. As far as you can tell, none have hitched a ride back home with you. But ticks are expert hide-and-seekers, often sneaking into pant pockets or zipper flaps.
That’s why I, and many others, recommend tossing your hiking clothes straight into the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes.
Ticks need moisture to survive, and a quick spin in the dry heat is enough to shrivel them to a crisp.
5. The Power of a Shower
I treat my post-hike shower as the last line of defense. Even after doing everything else on this list, a shower gives you a chance to check all the spots a tick might have crawled into. They prefer warm, moist parts of the body. That includes:
- Armpits
- Head and hairline
- Around the ears
- Groin and waist
- Behind the knee
- Between your toes
A quick rinse won’t cut it—do a full check. And, if you can, ask someone to check your back or any hard-to-see spots.
That wraps up my go-to tick-safety protocols. If you found this helpful, consider subscribing to our monthly newsletter for natural wellness tips, outdoor stories, and hiking guides. (Don’t worry—we won’t flood your inbox.)
