As a global backpacking nomad, I never know where my travels will take me. One moment I might be backpacking in Malta or Iceland, and then I might be on a flight bound for Madagascar.
Since I first travelled in South East Asia (December 2000), I have always packed a Lifesystems Mosquito Net
As a long-term traveller of more than 30 years, I need to be able to sleep without worrying about being bitten by malaria-carrying mosquitoes or anything else, for that matter. There are endless nocturnal creepy crawlies that you don’t want to be sharing your bed with. The Lifesystems Box Mosquito Net is my number one travel essential.
For me, this is the single most important travel essential ever. I cringe when I see all these packing lists plastered across the web. Not once have I seen a mosquito net listed.
And I am in shock when I am travelling in the tropics where malarial-carrying mosquitoes are prevalent (more so in Africa), and I see travellers, backpackers and tourists alike, all sleeping without protection.
Malaria Kills! Yeah OK, keep on popping your prophylaxis medication like Smarties.
It’s worth looking at the map by the CDC below:
I use it not only to protect against mosquitoes with malaria; plenty of countries have mosquitoes that ain’t carrying malaria; don’t you find that the buzzing is as annoying as hell too? And what about all the nocturnal critters that crawl around after you’ve switched off the light? Scorpions, cockroaches, spiders. Shall I go on?
Using my mosquito net in Sudan when I was travelling overland from Cairo to Cape Town:
At 390 grams, it’s pretty light and doesn’t take up too much room. Each of the 4 corners has a metre of lightweight cord, which I tie off on my 10 metres of paracord, which I have strung across the room to keep my things off the floor.
Using my mosquito net in Guatemala:
Specification of the Lifesystems Box Mosquito Net
- Weight: 390g
- Dimensions (packed): 19L x 10H x 10W cm
- Dimensions (unpacked): 210L x 150H x 100W cm
Check out the Lifesystems website for the full spec for the Box Mosquito Net.
Excellent addition to your tropical travels.
Malaria is an issue in certain lands. Being eaten alive happens anywhere sans screens. I found it odd how some places in Costa Rica have no screens. Big-time feast for skeeters unless you packed a mosquito net.
We spent 6 weeks deep in the jungle once. Caribbean side of Costa Rica. My wife used an undamaged net. Zero bites during the night. My net looked like a golf course. 81 bites. I counted.
Pack this mosquito net, folks.