Pulled out my kite stuff so that I have it ready should I get to enjoy the forecast wind tomorrow. I noticed that my gloves and pads have a different feeling to them. Its the same feeling a t-shirt or pants get after you've covered yourself in bug spray. Reading around I see that deet the stuff found to be in a lot of bug repellants can be fairly damaging to certain materials. This makes me wonder if it is safe to be using around my kite gear. Usually I spray a bunch on me and rub it in, so its all over my hands when I'm doing anything with my kites and gear. Have I been running a risk of damaging any of my gear, lines bars, kites themselves???? I'm not spraying my kites directly, but my knee pads, helmet, adn harness have had a few sprays in the past. The last thing I need is to have my lines weakened and snap because of my carelessness.

I'm not sure about kite gear but I ruined a good silnylon rain-fly with some 100% Deet. It ate/melted the silicone coating off. Now I just put a couple of squirts on my wool beanie keeps the nastys off just fine.

I stopped using DEET a long while ago for other reason, just eat a lot of bananas I can't imagine it's good for your gear but I also imagine you are not spraying it on your gear. I'd try to keep it off your hands as much as possible, if you're wearing gloves it seems a bit redundant.

From the site of all truths, wikipedia:
DEET is an effective solvent, and may dissolve some plastics, rayon, spandex, other synthetic fabrics, leather, and painted or varnished surfaces including nailpolish.

10-30% DEET is the recommended solution... for what it's worth

Yep there's a reason I don't put it on my skin.

no wonder it burns a little when i spray it on.... highly effective, though at repelling mosquitos

DEET will chew through most synthetics given enough time.

My friend was covered in DEET while out shooting (photography) in the woods, and when he came back, the plastic on his camera lens cover was scored and hazed after a single exposure.

DEET can probably do a number on sail coatings, the individual strands on flying lines, and given enough time and exposure weaken the break strength on safety systems.

ATB,
Sam

damn the kite junk, i would be more concerned what its doing to the body.

poison! avoid it

Being an avid outdoorsman/hunter all my life I've tried everything in the way of bug sprays. 100% deet is not something I would directly put on your skin ( as advised by manufacturers) Or even continue to wear treated clothing against the skin any longer than need be. This stuff is... TOXIC.... eats plastic, nylon, synthetics varnishes ect. Monofilimant fishing line, plastic zippers, tacklebox (leaking bottle) ,finish on shotgun wood stock and forarm, sleeping bag, skin rashes where clothing rubs, are just a few things I've experienced over the years. I'd def be carefull around your gear if you choose to use it. If I remember correctly this stuff was actually developed in the WW ll years by the military and was supposed to disable biting insects ability to smell corbon dioxide ,your exhaled breath, so they can't find you. Think later they disproved this and found the bugs just didn't like the chem smell.

I use a product by REPEL called "Permanone" It is a clothing and gear insect repelant. Used as directed and not on ones person I have found this stuff to work very well against mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks,chiggers. Last trip to Alaska it didn't do so well against the "no seeums" up there but not sure what really works on them. Just don't use this stuff on your person and spray only you clothing expected to wear and let dry before use. Would not spray directly on your kite gear. Should find it at local sports stores or Wally World, bout $5 a can.

Quote:

Originally posted by PHREERIDER poison! avoid it

:shocked2: my gawd I didn't realize that it could be so destructive. I've been using a spray that is 25%. Mostly I've sprayed my clothing, but its gone on my arms,legs, neck and hair. Its on my hands from rubbing it in. Think I better find another solution that works just a well. The skeeters out here are huge and in the billions. Last time out I left because they just swarmed around me becoming just as much a pain as if they had landed on me. Haven't sprayed my gear, but the thought that my covered hands have touched my gear makes me want to rinse everything clean.

Have Drew send you cases of chili.... nothing like watching skeeters spontaenously combust after the first sip

ATB,
Sam