Home ::  Travel Accessories for Women :: Travel Mosquito Net 

The Travel Mosquito Net: Avoiding Small Bites With Big Consequences

Updated 29 June 2017 ⎯ A mosquito net is possibly the single most important way to stay healthy when you travel in the tropics (not to mention you'll sleep more soundly and won't spend the night swatting the wildlife).

Remember, over half a million people are infected by malaria mosquitoes each year and there's a new threat: the Zika virus. And I don't want to scare you but there are many more diseases you can catch from insects:

• dengue, yellow fever or West Nile Virus from mosquitoes 
• Lyme disease or typhus from ticks and lice
• plague from fleas
• sleeping sickness from tsetse flies
• some encounters are just plain revolting, like leeches, or poisonous, like scorpions or snakes. 

Many of these illnesses can debilitate your for life - or worse. Having slept outside in many countries where these critters are common, I can't bring myself to travel without serious protection. To me that means a mosquito net, mosquito net clothing or at the very least some kind of mosquito repellent.

If you're already convinced you need to take some kind of bug net on your travels, see my following recommendations for the best mosquito nets on the market. But if you still need convincing, jump to the explanations below.

Mosquito net comparison chart

Mosquito net travel advice 101: what you need to know

• The obvious: they keep out mosquitoes that can kill you. This is reason enough.
• A mosquito net also keeps other critters out, like creepy crawlies or falling geckoes. I wouldn't dream of traveling without one when heading to warm, humid places.
• It's especially important if you're traveling on a budget or off the beaten track. Air conditioning helps keep mosquitoes at bay but if you're staying in huts or out of doors or with open windows - there's nothing to protect you.
• The most effective and best travel mosquito nets should have a close mesh - and please check the specs to se if they are No See Um-proof.
• While cotton may seem more natural, it collects dampness and weighs more than a synthetic fiber so I'd opt for the polyester type nets.

Mosquito net versus mosquito net tent - which should you take with you?

There are two types of insect net: one with a frame, and one without. The basic bed mosquito net attaches to the walls or ceiling, and the other, also known as a pop up mosquito net, is a stand-alone.

The best mosquito net for bed protection

Lets start with the standard travel mosquito net - without a frame.

The typical insect nets are squares or rectangles of insect netting with a ring (or two) that you attach to a wall or ceiling. It should be large enough to tuck under the mattress without touching you. If it touches your skin, the mosquito can simply land on it and bite you right through it!

The plain foldable and portable mosquito net is an inexpensive product that will mostly do what is required of it: keep mosquitoes out.

It is also a great backup net, small and light enough to carry and takes up little room in case there isn't one in your room or worse, it has holes in it.

You can easily wash it and hang it out to dry.

As long as you're not terrified of anything crawling into your bed - something could get in if you've been a bit careless when tucking yourself in - then an extra-fine net should more than keep you safe from mosquitoes and their diseases.

Mosquito net pros

✓ It's cheaper and lighter
✓ You'll usually have more headspace around you
✓ A certain aura of nostalgia
✓ Smaller when folded
✓ Nothing to break
✓ If you're not traveling solo, there is such a thing as a mosquito net for double bed use

Mosquito net cons

✕ No floor so you constantly have to tuck it in - every time you go in and out
✕ No barrier against bedbugs (which can appear even in the poshest establishments)
✕ You need nails or hooks to fasten it to walls or ceilings - and sometimes that's not possible
✕ If not tucked in properly, creepy crawlies can get in (and I don't like the idea of spiders or even snakes dropping by for a midnight visit)
✕ An overlapping net entrance can often allow insects in if you're not careful

So like it or not, while there are some significant advantages to the traditional mosquito net, there are also quite a few downsides.

And that's why I travel with a mosquito net tent. I have not one, but two of these, just in case I lose one. That's how important it is to me!

The mosquito tent: protection from mosquitoes (and everything else)

The mosquito net tent is a brilliant invention and I would not have made it through three years of backpacking across Africa and Asia without one (two, in my case - I lost mine, got another, and found the first one!)

This is basically a tent, but - with a few notable exceptions like the Kamp-Rite Insect Protection System - it has mosquito netting rather than the waterproof cover you'd usually expect in a normal camping tent.

The mosquito tent for bed use is for women willing to spend a bit more for a more insect-proof product - and for those heading off into areas that are more remote or where mosquito tents or nets may not be easily available. Whereas I didn't have much use for mine in South Africa, I could not have made it through Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi without this kind of protection (I would have been eaten alive and certainly sleep deprived). A good self-supporting mosquito net will also keep out most other creepy crawlies and that, to me, is a huge benefit, especially if you're in a rural area.

Mosquito tent pros

✓ It's free-standing, which means no worries about nails or hooks and once it's up, it is ready to use
✓ It's properly sealed, which means mosquitoes can't get in, under or around it (nor can other critters - or bedbugs)
✓ You can get in and out without having to tuck yourself in each time - just unzip, and zip again
✓ Zippers will also keep errant mosquitoes from getting in
✓ You can leave it set up during the day, no rolling up - and no bugs will get in while you're out
✓ The netting isn't touching you and as long as you keep away from the sides (easily done) you won't get bitten
✓ Many have internal pockets for such things as phones or flashlights or important papers

Mosquito tent cons

✕ It's heavier to carry and takes up more space in your luggage
✕ It is more expensive (but also far more robust)
✕ It can be warmer inside, especially if it has a waterproof - plastic - floor (I use a travel towel, silk sleeping bag liner, damp T-shirt or sarong to lie on)
✕ There are more pieces, like poles and zippers, so more can go wrong
✕ I've worried sometimes that setting it up on a bed in someone's house might appear insensitive, as in "I don't feel safe here" but - I'm afraid that given the potential deadliness of a mosquito bite, I'd rather take that chance; I do explain where I can

Treated mosquito net or not?

Before buying a mosquito net or tent, you need to decide whether to go for one with a permethrin treatment or whether to opt for a simple untreated net.

The advantage of permethrin, a strong synthetic chemical, is its effectiveness.

Most mosquitoes won't survive contact with it so you'll have fewer chances of being bitten. Permethrin treatment isn't permanent - you'll have to re-treat the net (and your clothes, if you spray them) with Permethrin every so often.

While it's not known to be toxic to humans (keep it away from your pets - it can kill them with the fumes if it hasn't dried yet, which is why you have to spray outdoors), many people abhor chemicals and simply refuse to use them if at all avoidable.

If that's your case - get an untreated net.

My own choice?

A travel mosquito tent. For those who have been writing and asking about mine, the model I've been using for years is the Longroads Travel Tent - sadly I don't think it's made anymore but my recommendations above look as though they would make good substitutes.

A few words of caution...

Even if rooms have their own mosquito nets, check them carefully. Years of wear and tear may have left holes in the net - and if mosquitoes can get in, the net will be useless.

Remember, avoiding malaria, dengue fever and now Zika (especially during pregnancy) should be right at the top of your travel health list! And please... don't leave home without your travel insurance. 

Best mosquito net reviews and recommendations

There are plenty of products on the market and the comparison chart at the top of this page maps out some of the most popular. But if that's not enough information for you, here are details for four of the best.

You might also like...