RID™ Tropical Strength Insect Repellent Roll-On (Safari & Travel)
- Product information
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Elements and activities – RID™ Tropical Strength Insect Repellent Roll-On (Safari & Travel)
Quick Facts: ⊙ For export to clients outside the UK and EU only; ⊙ Size: 100ml; ⊙ Repels mosquitoes for 6hrs; ⊙ Repels flies, sandflies, fleas, leeches, ticks & other biting insects; ⊙ Antibacterial; ⊙ Roll-on application; ⊙ Safe 19.5% DEET content (see our section on 'The More DEET the better?' in the information section below)
Activities: ⊙ Safari✓ ⊙ Travel✓ ⊙ Outdoors✓ ⊙ Everyday✓ ⊙ Beach trips✓ ⊙ Camping✓ ⊙ Hiking✓ ⊙ Adventure travel✓ ⊙ Fishing✓ ⊙ Picnics✓ ⊙ Outdoor sports and hobbies✓ ⊙ Expeditions✓
Why we highly recommend RID™:
RID™ is one of the top Australian-made insect repellents currently available on the market. Packing RID™ Tropical Strength for your adventure is the wise choice for optimal performance. Tried and tested by our team on safari, on expedition, and in warm-weather destinations, RID™ has never let us down and comes highly recommended to all non-EU and non-UK clients. DEET is globally regarded as the most effective repellent products and is safe to use. With a carefully-developed formula and active ingredients for broad-spectrum efficacy, it is bug-proof technology at its best from the swamps and wilds of Australia.
In a roll-on bottle, RID™ is a safari and outdoor staple for every traveller and adventurer – simply apply the milk to your skin with the roller-ball. Why pack RID™? The answer to that is very simple: because IT WORKS! RID™ will protect you from all biting bugs (mosquitoes, sand flies midges, ticks, fleas, and tsetse flies), mosquito-borne diseases, and those pesky flies, ants and leeches, just as it has been doing since 1956. RID™ also contains two additional repellents, including a fly repellent, that other insect repellents do not include in their formulae. Furthermore, RID™ contains antiseptic to kill a wide range of bacteria (introduced by the insect bite or by scratching the area around the bite) which helps to stop the spread of infection. The range is also medicated and contains Vitamin E for moisturising, chamomile for its soothing relief, and Triclosan (an anti-bacterial/inflammatory agent). Size of Bottle: 100ml.
RID™ 19.5% Tropical Strength formula, as stocked by The Safari Store, lasts for at least 6 hours (tests show it is usually between 7 and 8) due to its additional repellent and synergists that extend the duration of protection.
Choice Magazine conducted independent tests on 15 leading insect repellent brands to test the efficacy and duration of protection as stated on their packaging. These tests were performed four times per product on a group of men and women aged between 18 and 70, with readings taken at intervals between 15 minutes and three hours after application. RID™ ranked highest with an impressive 98% score and a recommendation for excellent protection.
Product notes:
RID™ repellent contains DEET which is a plasticiser. Officially therefore, the bottles carry a warning against spraying RID™ on to synthetic fabrics. In our experience with the product, and due to the low levels of DEET, we do spray RID™ on to our Rufiji™ clothing and to date have had no damage to our clothes whatsoever. Having said that, you should use your common sense. For example, if you are wearing an expensive shirt or one which is made from sensitive fabric, it may be best not to spray RID™ on to the clothes. For all clothing, we suggest that you try spraying a little RID™ on to the hem (or an area that will not matter should RID™ cause any damage) to test whether damage will occur.
Please pack RID™ as you would any other toiletries. When you pack RID™ and your toiletries you should always try and remove excess air from the bottle, tighten the lid as much as you can, and pack into a zip-lock type bag. Cabin pressure and rough handling of your luggage by airport staff may result in your toiletries leaking and the same is true for RID™. - About product
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⊙ AVOID BEING BITTEN: If you are travelling to a malaria area, you will need to take insect repellent as one of the precautions against being bitten (and bite relief in case any other flying insects bite you). The best way to avoid malaria and insect bites is to cover up in the evenings and use insect repellent. In some areas of the world, you may also find that flying and biting insects are active throughout the day. This is where applying a high-quality insect repellent that works is very important.
⊙ THE MORE DEET THE BETTER?: This is simply not true. We have to be honest and say that, for a year or so, we believed that this was true - until we discovered leading Australian-made repellents. The Australian scientists behind our insect repellent brands have dispelled the "more DEET the better" myth bandied about by most insect repellent manufacturers (usually for marketing purposes). Through extensive tests, it has been proven that the effectiveness of the insect repellent does not increase once the level of DEET rises above 20%. What does increase is how long the product lasts on the skin. A standard 20% DEET repellent will usually last 4 to 5 hours. A product with 80% DEET will last for 8 to 10 hours. RID 19.5% Tropical Strength formula, as stocked by The Safari Store for export outside of the UK and EU, lasts for at least 6 hours (tests show it is usually between 7 and 8) due to its additional synergists that extend the length for which the product is effective. DEET at high concentrations is highly corrosive to your precious camera gear and binoculars - and to your skin! The World Health Organisation and most medical authorities recommend that DEET products be below 50% as levels higher than this are known to cause severe skin irritation.
⊙ KIDS & SENSITIVE SKIN: DEET has been classified as safe by leading global health organisations and regulatory bodies. Although many reputable sources claim DEET is safe for use in children from two to six months old, we recommend use for children aged three and up for good measure, as they will then be able to communicate if any irritation occurs. For non-UK and non-EU clients who are concerned about using DEET products on their children and infants, Kids RID™ contains 7% DEET and, in more than half a century of RID™'s history, they have not received any complaints regarding skin irritation across their range and Kids RID™ is the only product specifically available for children. When using RID™ on your children, avoid contact with their eyes, mouths, and hands.
⊙ WHY IS RID™ SO EFFECTIVE?: The success of RID™ insect repellent lies within the formula. Invented in the paddocks of tropical Queensland, RID™ has been perfected since it was initially released in 1956. The active ingredients in RID™ produce an invisible chemical barrier around and on the body and clothes on to which it is applied, repelling incoming insects. RID™ will protect you from all biting bugs (mosquitoes, sand flies, midges, ticks, fleas, and even tsetse flies), mosquito-borne diseases, and those pesky flies, ants and leeches, just as it has been doing for more than 50 years. RID™ also contains two additional repellents, including a fly repellent, that other insect repellents do not include in their formulae. Furthermore, RID™ contains antiseptic to kill a wide range of bacteria (introduced by the insect bite or by scratching the area around the bite) which helps stop the spread of infection. The range is medicated too and contains vitamin E for moisturising, chamomile for its soothing relief, and Triclosan (an anti-bacterial/inflammatory agent).
⊙ HOW LONG DOES RID™ LAST?: The shelf life of RID™ is 4 to 5 years. Rather take an extra bottle with you than run the risk of running out while in areas with biting insects.
⊙ SPRAY OR ROLL-ON?: The RID™ Roll-on and RID™ Spray are of the same formula. The roll-on is a milky liquid and the spray is a clear liquid. The spray is a more popular seller as it is easier to apply and may be sprayed on to your clothing, as well as on to your skin. As you will see below, the roll-on is more effective against tsetse flies, but we have had success in tsetse fly bite prevention with both the spray and the roll-on.
⊙ THE RID™ STORY: RID™ began where all insect repellents should begin: not in a sterile laboratory, but in a swamp! Founder Doug Thorley started with the intention to create "an insect repellent that's pleasant to wear, soothing to the skin, and medicated for existing bites." To realise his dream, he researched with obsessive determination; he tested night after night for years. It was reported to the Brisbane police that a strange man was in the swamp with a dog. Doug was the original human guinea pig: standing in those murky waters being eaten alive night after night, taking notes, testing new lotions, until finally the formula was perfected. He wouldn't market anything if it hadn’t been tested on his skin first. His product was DEET-based - a chemical used by American soldiers in the Pacific during World War II. It worked extremely well but had an offensive odour. His kitchen research, with his wife's cosmetic cream, finally paid off. After more than 3,000 hours testing in the field, he was ready to sell a product that repelled insects, but with a pleasant scent. From day one in 1956, it was a hit. Soon, RID™ was being invited to picnics, beaches, barbeques, and outdoor adventures across the country. The familiar purple-magenta packs could be found in handbags and medicine cabinets everywhere. It would seem that Doug Thorley shared the notion of "Expedition Tested™" with The Safari Store a long time before our founder was even born. We believe it was Doug's hands-on, field-tested approach is the reason behind the product's high level of efficacy against biting insects.
⊙ RID™ & TSETSE FLIES: We are very interested in the RID vs tsetse fly debate. From our findings and independent tests in Ruaha National Park, Katavi National Park, Mana Pools National Park, and in Botswana (before tsetse flies were removed with DDT), RID™ Tropical Strength Roll-on was found to provide 100% protection against the tsetse flies in those areas for one hour after application. The roll-on was applied in copious amounts and re-applied after each hour. Again, these are not our findings, but the finding of guides, tour operators, and lodge managers in the areas listed. But - and there is a ‘but’ - we have not tested RID™ in all areas of Africa, nor do we have control over how RID™ is applied and how often. Our research has shown that there are 25 species of tsetse fly in Africa and, of course, we have not tested RID™ against each of those species. Therefore, please do let us know if you have used RID™ in the following way and were still been bitten by tsetse flies:
1. Applied RID™ Tropical Strength Roll-on in copious amounts;
2. Re-applied RID™ Tropical Strength Roll-on at least once every hour and, again, in copious amounts;
3. RID™ had not been removed from your skin by sweating or towelling down.
Our interest is sincere. The findings so far on RID™ have been very positive but, given the number of species and varying conditions, we have to be realistic and accept that RID™ may not work in all conditions and for all species. It would, perhaps, be fair to state that the only 100% protection from the tsetse fly would be to go on safari in a bee keeper's suit. Along with burning dung and using smoke pots in the Land Rover while on safari (neither of which provide 100% protection), this is simply not practical. As a result, our research into RID™ vs the tsetse fly continues. Please ensure that you do not pack dark blue or black clothing as these colours are thought to attract the flies and their bites are painful. The Rufiji™ safari clothing range is all the ideal colour and RID™ is the only repellent proven to work against these flies which carry sleeping sickness and have a painful bite.
⊙ FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION: Combine RID™ with our BUGTech™ range of clothing.
- Special offers
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RID™ Tropical Strength Free Worldwide Delivery Special offer
RID5 Terms: • Buy 5 bottles of RID™ Tropical Strength for FREE worldwide delivery. • Enter RID5 at checkout. • Free shipping applies to 5 bottles of RID™ Tropical Spray or Roll-on only. • Offer uses untracked delivery. • If concerned about your parcel going missing please use a tracked service. • This offer may not be used in conjunction with any other discount code or offer. • We are not able to apply discount codes and offers retrospectively. • Not available to clients in the UK and EU - please purchase Bushman Repellent.
Ends: 10 January 2024
Shop for RID™ Repellent
Added on: 14 August 2018 - Product review
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- Customer review
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Victoria Offord
Amazing! Took RID with me on my trip to Montevideo and it worked like a charm! I'm normally mosquito kibble, but not a single bite. Even watched one appear, go "urgh!" and fly off in another direction. Smell isn't over-powering and I won't travel without RID in future.
T Garrick, Okavango Tours & S
RID really did work and I definitely didn't get munched by Mosquitoes or Tsetse flies in Mana Pools (there were MILLIONS of them!).
D Southwood, Travel Africa Mag
RID: the most amazing anti bug spray ever! Would never leave home without a bottle of this stuff, unbelievable.
D White, Okavango Tours & S
Regarding the RID. It is a yes yes yes from me. We all used it and while they pestered us quite a bit we did not get bitten where it was sprayed. I ended up spraying a lot on my shirts and shorts so we recommend it for anyone going to tsetse infested areas.
Augusta von Preussen
No other spray keeps the bugs away quite as well as Rid. I take it on every trip without fail. It’s easy to apply, the bottle is a handy size to throw into a day pack, and it holds the perfect amount for one person on a two week trip. The mosquitos in the areas where we travel can often carry some very dangerous diseases, so as well as preventing painful and itchy stings, it protects my health as well.
S Burrows, Bhangazi Horse S
Rid is fantastic, I have used it for years in Botswana if anywhere near Tsetse flies. It does not seem to have had any effect on my children (as yet) and it works for mozzies too.
Louise, Jabali Ridge, Asilia
There are significantly less tsetses around when putting the RID on and I had a record of only 1 bite on a drive the other day where I normally would have between 15-20 painful bites. This is a great product and as a bonus it smells nice and clean too.
Elizabeth Stringer
First discovered Rid in Australia in the late 80s. Never use anything else even though holidays these days are in Europe. Never get bitten by mosquitos.