Every year, we find ourselves in the same losing battle against mosquitoes. Living just 2 kilometers from a large lake doesn’t help—it’s a mosquito haven. But what makes it worse is the sheer neglect in our area. After every rainfall, pools of water gather in forgotten places—old buckets, clogged drains, overgrown gardens. These little pools become a mosquito paradise from which swarms of mosquitoes rise every evening.
The local authorities claim they spray for mosquitoes, but it’s hard to believe them. For all I know, they could be spraying plain water, or their chemicals have no effect.
We tried everything. We’ve experimented with repellents with mixed results. The so-called “bio” ones, based on essential oils and stuff like that, provide mixed results. We avoid the harsher chemical options, especially especially when it comes to our daughter. At one point, we hired a licensed company to spray the trees and lawn. It was our only option because regulations are strict—you must warn local beekeepers and follow specific rules, so doing it ourselves was out of the question. For a week or two, it worked. But soon enough, the mosquitoes from the neighbors’ yards came swarming in. It was a futile effort and wasted money.
Last summer, we tried something new. I had heard about the Thermacell BackPacker, a small device that works like a supercharged version of those plug-in mosquito devices with pads. This new device uses a small C500 gas cartridge, and the gas consumption is minimal. Initially, I purchased one Backpacker, but it worked so well that I bought a second one to cover the entire patio.
The device is easy to use: insert a new pad, turn the orange lever to ON, and press the second lever a few times to produce the spark needed to ignite the gas. There is a small window to keep an eye on the flame, but I have to tell you that the flame is very faint and hardly visible in bright light. To stop the device, turn the orange lever to OFF.
The pads are about twice the size of those from Raid. They are based on d-cis/trans allethrin, a pyrethroid-class insecticide that, in very low doses, repels mosquitoes without killing them. Each pad lasts about four hours, and Thermacell claims the device creates a mosquito-free zone of about five meters. And you know what? It works! Since we started using these two devices, we can finally enjoy evenings on the patio without getting eaten alive.
Out of curiosity, I tried a hack I found online that suggested using two Raid pads instead of the Thermacell ones. The results were disappointing. The Raid pads only repelled mosquitoes for one to two hours and covered a much smaller area. It was clear the original Thermacell pads were the best. It’s still a solution to keep in mind if you run out of the original pads; it’s better than nothing.
I bought the two Thermacell BackPacker devices from a local fishing and hunting shop. They were delivered without the gas cartridges, so you must order them separately. Replacement pads come in packs designed for 24 or 48 hours of continuous use.
If, like me, you have problems with mosquitoes, I highly recommend the Thermacell BackPacker. It’s an investment worth every penny, allowing you to enjoy your time outdoors without being bothered by these annoying insects.
