Tender Ben's 100 Max Pump Spray, 1.25 Ounce Bottle (Pack of 3)

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Product Description

Product Description

Ben's 100 is the ultimate in long lasting protection against black flies, ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes, deer flies, and other biting insects.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B001GCU3VM
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #147,365 in Health & Personal Care (See Bestsellers in Health & Personal Care)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Toxic, but It Works., July 25, 2009

By	mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

A mosquito magnet since childhood, I've tried a lot of insect repellents. DEET in high concentrations is the only one that works for me. I attract mosquitoes. I once got 70 mosquito bites while sitting next to someone who got none. It made me ill and, of course, very itchy. I also have the misfortune of being very allergic to insect bites. DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) is a pesticide, a solvent, and a neurotoxin. I would be reluctant to inhale or absorb such a toxic substance if there were an alternative that works. Since there isn't, and I have sensitive skin, I avoid putting DEET directly on my skin. I spray it on my outer layer of clothing or clothing that is thick enough that it won't soak through.

Ben's 100 Max Formula Tick & Insect Repellent contains 98.11% DEET. It's oily and smelly, but the smell is not overwhelming. I have used this while birding in wetlands that were so mosquito-ridden that the locals have resorted to spraying the area from helicopters in the past. I sprayed the Ben's 100 on my clothes and socks. The bugs did not go up my pant legs. I didn't get any bites. I spray it on the edges of my towel at the swimming pool, since my neighborhood has been invaded by Asian Tiger mosquitoes that like dry, sunny climates as well as swamps. It averts that unpleasant experience of coming home from the pool to find myself covered with mosquito bites.

DEET is a solvent, so don't spray Ben's 100 on synthetic fabrics or leather. It may damage the fabric. Cotton and cotton blends hold up well. I wouldn't spray it on fine fabrics, but it hasn't harmed my sporting clothes, and the oiliness does come out in the wash. The label claims that one application of Ben's 100 is good for 10 hours of protection. The common wisdom is that concentrations of DEET higher than 30% are not more effective but last longer. A formula with 30% DEET would last 5-8 hours, depending upon if it's alcohol or water-based.

As for its toxicity, sensitivity to neurotoxins varies widely, and more serious adverse reactions have been reported in children than adults. In a study conducted by the military, 46% of subjects had adverse skin reactions when a gauze patch containing DEET was applied to their skin. This is why the instructions say not to apply Ben's 100 underneath of clothing. Heed that warning. Don't trap it against your skin. Wash it off before going to bed, so that any DEET remaining on your skin will not be covered by the bedlinens. That is what initially caused the adverse reactions in the military, prompting them to conduct a study. Soldiers got skin lesions in their sleep.