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Kite Shield DEET-free Mosquito Spray

Posted: July 21, 2016
Kite Shield DEET-free Mosquito Spray
$15 - $20
from
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Three years ago Kite launched a crowdfunding campaign for their mosquito patch, a 1-1/2", non-toxic skin stick-on that blocks mosquitos' ability to track and detect humans for up to 48 hours. Since most people don't care for swatting bugs and clawing itchy chunks out of their own legs during leisure activities, or dousing their bodies in chemicals to preclude it, the Kite Patch's fundraising efforts were hugely successful.

However, at the time Kite was still in the research phases, and had an estimated 12 to 14 months of trials to go before they could produce the patch and start shipping to backers. And 12 to 14 months might have doubled or tripled since then. Now Kite anticipates having the patches perfected for delivery in Q1 of 2017. In the meantime, they've used their mosquito-derailing Patch formula to create Kite Shield, a more familiar looking bottle of liquid repellent that Kite says still fights bugs differently than anything else you've used before.

The Kite formula is natural, DEET-free, and safe for both users and the environment (and therefore able to bypass the EPA's approval process in production.) But unlike citronella and the old-lady-perfumey Avon Skin So Soft my grandma used to rub all over me as bug spray, Kite says its Shield is actually effective, lasting for up to 4 hours per application, and safe to reapply every 2 hours without freaking out your skin or making your pee turn green.

The 3.38-ounce bottles of Kite Shield are available for direct pre-order for $15 (early bird) to $20 on IndieGoGo. They should ship out this month as well.

Like the Kite Patch, Kite Shield works by masking the carbon dioxide humans off-gas, and that attracts mosquitos to us to begin with. It "confuses" the blood-suckers' sensing receptors and, effectively, shrouds you in a Cloak of Invisibility. Kite says the spray has been proven to fight off Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes for up to 4 hours, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes for up to 2 hours, and Anopheles quadrimaculatus mosquitoes for up to 90 minutes.

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