3M
3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent Pump
Spray · EPA-registered
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Pros
- A lighter 19% DEET pump for shorter outings, around 3 to 4 hours without the heavy feel of high-strength sprays.
- Pump spray means no propellant and no drift, so you control exactly where it lands.
Cons
- Shorter runtime than stronger DEET, so plan to reapply across a full day outdoors.
The full review
The lightest member of the Ultrathon family, this 19% DEET pump still clears the bar for a recommended rating. DEET's published evidence and a clean safety read keep both of those pillars strong, and all 3 audited claims hold up. The trade-off is mosquito duration, since at this concentration our model puts complete mosquito protection at 3 to 4 hours while tick coverage runs a longer 4 to 6 hours. Transparency is the other soft spot, with the inerts unaccounted for and only the active quantified. The propellant-free pump lets you control exactly where it lands, a sensible pick for shorter outings where you don't mind reapplying.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%88Mosquitoes: 3–4 h of complete protection. Ticks: 4–6 h of complete protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Mosquitoes: 3–4 h of complete protection. Ticks: 4–6 h of complete protection. Protection times are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format (see methodology). Scored on a saturating curve (each added hour counts less than the last), 65% mosquito / 35% tick, with reasonable confidence.
Evidence & honest claims25%97DEET is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 85). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 0 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
DEET is backed by definitive published evidence, weighted by how close its concentration is to the studied effective dose (base 85). Of 3 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 0 moderate, 0 weak, 0 unsupported (+12).
Safety15%96From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: no notable sensitization risk; low irritation; moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
From published dermal toxicology (EPA/CIR/IFRA), scaled by each active's concentration against its leave-on limit: no notable sensitization risk; low irritation; moderate aquatic toxicity (−4).
Transparency15%75This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
Every pillar is scored from published rules. Read how we score.
How long it protects
Complete protection ends when the first bite gets through; partial protection keeps reducing bites as repellency decays. EPA label times are verified; the rest are modeled from the actives, concentration, and format.
Mosquito estimate basis (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a spray-style formulation, matching this spray (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~7 h as repellency decays.
Tick estimate basis (moderate confidence)
Estimated complete protection time from active ingredient + concentration; the source research used a spray-style formulation, matching this spray (no format adjustment). Partial protection (reduced but real bite suppression) is modeled to extend to ~11 h as repellency decays. Ticks only: estimated against Ixodes scapularis (the US Lyme vector). DEET is notably weaker against the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and some dog-tick (Dermacentor) populations, and weaker on ticks than on mosquitoes. Anchors: Burtis 2024 (CDC), 25% DEET held >=97% skin repellency through 6.5 h; Buchel 2015, 20% median tick CPT ~4-4.5 h.
Ingredient disclosure
This product publishes an ingredient list (+20); discloses 100% of active concentrations (+40); discloses 100% of all ingredient concentrations (+15); inert ingredients are not fully accounted for (0).
Only active ingredients are disclosed. The full ingredient list (inerts/carriers) is not published, so this may not be the complete formula.
- DEETActive
Active repellent · 19%
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Not registered for tick protection”
OtherStrongEPA repellency awareness database explicitly marks this registration as not registered for ticks.
“Up to 3 hours of protection against mosquitoes”
DurationStrongConsistent with our complete-protection estimate (~4 h).
“DEET 19%”
EfficacyStrongActive ingredient concentration from EPA registration database.
Safe around dogs & cats?
Worst case from this product’s active ingredients. Do not apply this or any human repellent to your pet.
Mainly from DEET.
Mainly from DEET.
Not veterinary advice. Full guide to repellents around pets →