Ticks are established across most of the UK now, and Lyme disease cases have been rising for years — a proper repellent and a correct-technique tick remover are cheap insurance for anyone walking, camping or working outdoors.
We've picked a high-strength DEET repellent for midges and ticks, and a dedicated tick-removal tool that lifts the whole tick without squeezing the body (which raises infection risk). Check exposed skin after every walk in long grass or woodland.
Repellent keeps biting insects — and the ticks and diseases some carry — off your skin, turning a miserable, bite-covered outing into a bearable one.
DEET is the most proven against a wide range of biters; picaridin and lemon eucalyptus are effective DEET-free alternatives for sensitive skin.
Look for several hours of cover per application so you're not constantly reapplying on a long day out.
A spray or roll-on that packs small and doesn't leak in a bag makes it far more likely to actually be with you.
Repellent works best applied properly before you're bitten. Cover exposed skin evenly and reapply as the label directs rather than waiting for bites to start.
Repellent reduces but doesn't eliminate tick bites. Still cover up, check thoroughly afterwards, and carry a tick remover for any that get through.
A long-lasting insect repellent that keeps mosquitoes, midges and other biters off your skin for hours, reducing bites and the risks that come with them.
A two-size tick removal tool set with an identification card, designed to lift ticks out whole — head included — from people, children and pets, reducing infection risk.