Repel
Insect Repellent Sportsmen Formula 25% DEET
Spray · EPA-registered repellent (Reg. No. 305-51)
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Pros
- A solid 25% DEET for a day outdoors, 5 to 6 hours of cover with everything disclosed.
Cons
- Standard DEET trade-offs: a tacky feel, and keep it off plastics and lenses.
The full review
Stepping up to 25% DEET pushes this sportsmen aerosol to a strong recommended, with the gain coming almost entirely from durability. Our model puts complete protection near 5 to 6 hours for mosquitoes and 3 to 4 for ticks, enough for a full day outdoors, while the evidence and safety pillars both sit near the top. All 5 audited claims check out, so the label's reputation holds. The brand's "up to 10 hours" figure measures reduced biting rather than bite-free time, which is why our complete-protection window reads shorter, and that is expected. The main drag is transparency, since the inert ingredients are never disclosed; otherwise expect the usual DEET trade-offs of a tacky feel and care around plastics.
Scorecard
Expand any pillar to see exactly why it scored what it did.
Effectiveness45%92Mosquitoes: 5–6 h of complete protection. Ticks: 3–4 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: 5–6 h of complete protection. Ticks: 3–4 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 5 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 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 5 marketing claims audited: 3 strong, 2 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 ~11 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 ~7 h as repellency decays.
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 · 25%
Claims audit
What the marketing says, versus what the evidence supports.
“Non-greasy, won't stain, no unpleasant odor”
OtherModerateCosmetic/feel claims from the EPA-accepted label.
“Up to 10 hours of protection from mosquitoes”
DurationModerateRe-evaluated against our corrected complete-protection estimate (~6 h): the claimed 10 h is 1.7× our estimate, so this duration claim is optimistic but plausible (a label maximum).
“Repels mosquitoes that may transmit the Zika, West Nile, Dengue and Chikungunya viruses”
EfficacyStrongEPA-registered label claim; repellency does not guarantee disease prevention.
“Also repels ticks, gnats, biting flies, chiggers, fleas and no-see-ums”
EfficacyStrongEPA-registered pest spectrum for 25% DEET.
“DEET 25%”
EfficacyStrongActive ingredient concentration confirmed by EPA registration and product label.
How to apply it
Hold the can 6-8 inches from skin and clothing and spray, keeping the sprayer pointed away from the face; use just enough repellent to cover exposed skin and/or clothing. Do not spray directly onto the face — spray on hands first and apply sparingly, avoiding eyes and mouth. Do not apply under clothing, over cuts or irritated skin, or to children's hands; when using on children, apply to your own hands and then put it on the child. After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water and wash treated clothing before wearing again.
The label
Ingredients, warnings, and directions from the package label. Read it before you buy.
