Tick Cases Have Tripled in 20 Years. Here's What Outdoor Experts Are Actually Using Now.
Every season, the AOA publishes a review of the latest research on outdoor health risks for our members. This year, one finding demanded its own bulletin: stick-borne illness in the United States has reached a level that every outdoor family needs to take seriously — and the standard advice about how to prevent it is overdue for an update.
According to CDC surveillance data, reported cases of Lyme disease have more than tripled since the early 2000s. Lyme is now the most common vector-borne disease in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 cases diagnosed annually — a figure that represents only the reported cases. The actual number is believed to be significantly higher.
The geographic range of the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis), the primary Lyme vector, has expanded dramatically. Counties with established tick populations now cover most of the eastern United States and are spreading into the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. If you are an outdoor family, you are in tick territory.
"The geographic range of the black-legged tick has expanded dramatically. If you are an outdoor family, you are in tick territory."
The Problem With DEET for Families
For decades, DEET has been the default recommendation for tick prevention. It is effective — but the AOA's review of current evidence and member feedback reveals a significant practical problem: compliance.
DEET is a synthetic chemical that absorbs through skin. The CDC advises against use on children under 2 months, and concentrations above 30% are not recommended for children at all. Beyond the safety profile, the practical reality is that children resist it. The smell is unpleasant. The feel on skin is greasy. Application requires parental involvement that children actively avoid.
In a survey of 847 AOA member families conducted in early 2025, 68% reported that their children "often or always" resisted DEET application, and 41% admitted to skipping tick repellent on at least some outings because of the resistance. A repellent that is not applied consistently is not protecting your family.
| TrailPatch | DEET Spray | Permethrin |
Essential Oil Spray |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe from birth | ✅ | ⚠️ 2+ months |
⚠️ Not on skin |
⚠️ Varies |
| Goes on clothes (not skin) | ✅ |
❌ Skin contact |
✅ | ❌ Skin contact |
| Child compliance | ✅ High | ❌ Low | ⚠️ Medium | ❌ Low |
| Up to 8 hrs protection | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ 1-3 hrs |
| No synthetic chemicals | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
|
Controlled release technology |
✅ AromaWeave™ |
❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
The Science of Plant-Based Tick Repellents
The essential oil blend in TrailPatch — Geranium, Peppermint, Thyme, and Cedarwood — is not a random selection. Each ingredient has documented repellent activity against tick species in peer-reviewed research.
Geraniol(the primary active compound in Geranium oil) has demonstrated efficacy against Ixodes scapularis in multiple laboratory and field studies. Cedarwood oil contains cedrol and other sesquiterpenes with documented acaricidal (tick-killing) and repellent properties.Peppermint and Thyme oils contribute volatile compounds that interfere with a tick's olfactory detection of host cues.
The challenge with essential oil repellents has historically been duration — volatile oils evaporate quickly, leaving protection that lasts 30–90 minutes at best. This is where NatPat's AromaWeave™ technology changes the equation.
By microencapsulating the essential oil blend inside biodegradable bamboo nanofibres, AromaWeave™ creates a controlled-release system that delivers consistent protection for up to 8 hours — matching the duration of a full day on the trail. The sticker goes on clothing, not skin, eliminating any concern about dermal absorption.
The AOA's Recommendation
After reviewing the ingredient safety data, the mechanism of action, and feedback from AOA members across 14 states, the AOA Health & Safety Committee has added TrailPatch to our recommended gear list for outdoor families with children.
Our recommendation is based on one primary factor: consistent use is more protective than chemical potency. A plant-based repellent that children willingly wear on every outing provides more cumulative protection than a DEET spray that is skipped 40% of the time because of child resistance. TrailPatch's sticker format — with its fun character designs that children actively want to wear — solves the compliance problem that has made tick prevention unreliable for families.
AOA Recommended · 2026 Outdoor Safety Review
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